Transcript
What's the number of cigarettes that breathing in wildfire smoke is equivalent to? I'm a scientist who spent years testing air quality for companies, researching air purification methods, and lecturing on the topic. So let's talk. The air quality index in New York yesterday got up to 200. But the more scientific measure is the actual mass of pollution particles per chunk of air, measured in micrograms per cubic meter. The most commonly discussed type of particles are called PM2.5, because they're 2.5 microns in diameter, which is the size small enough to stay airborne for long periods of time. worse, but we'll save that for another video.
The problem is we can't just compare the amount of inhaled particles when you smoke cigarettes to the amount that you're inhaling outside right now, because the health impacts of short, large bursts could be pretty different than the long-term continuous exposure. But back in 2016, researchers derived a formula that compared living with a smoker to being exposed to outdoor air pollution. By looking at the actual health outcomes of people living in polluted areas like next to freeways, examining things like incidents of lung cancer, cubic meter of PM2.5 particles in outdoor air, it was like living with someone smoking an extra 5.5 cigarettes per day. So New York yesterday was like living with someone who smoked 55 cigarettes. But we can do something about it, wear a well-fitted mask outdoors, and get a properly sized air purifier for indoors. Check my profile for a recommendation.
Additional notes
Caption: Replying to @VHDsPlug ‼️IMPORTANT: while this is worrying, and it's important to take precautions too minimize risk, this whole thing is the biggest high risk for elderly folks and those with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. Exposures on the order of hours or even days are going to have a temporary irritating effect but no real long term implications for those who are otherwise healthy. But it may cause short term irritation and even some impaired brain function. Wear a well fitted mask and get a good HEPA filter! #wildfire #wildfire2023 #wildfirecanada #canada #canadawildfire #airquality #airqualityalert #airqualityalert #newyorkcity #newyork #longisland #queensnyc #science