AIR POLLUTION: ITS EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH AND HOW TO IMPROVE IT

A Concept Paper

presented to

Senior High School Department

Malayan Colleges Mindanao
General Douglas MacArthur Highway,
Matina, Davao City

by

Elarmo, Adrian M.
Gakit, Beanzi Lei P.
Guerrero, Simone Axelle C.
Lapayag, Louis Antonio D.
Losdoc, Leanne Joannes E.

Page 1 | 12
 OCTOBER 2022
Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao
Senior High School Department
General Douglas, MacArthur Highway,
Matina, Davao City 8000

Background of the Study

The Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gasses retained by gravity. The most

important natural resource that allows us to survive is the air we breathe. In this study,

we will find out and look for ways to improve air pollution. This has been a big problem

around the world, and not only does it have an effect on the Earth but also on us living

on it.

Air pollution is a major global environmental risk to human health. This

environmental issue includes local as well as national and international issues. Though

many developing countries took the issue seriously, others were only interested in

persuading the international community (World Health Organization 2019). Despite the

fact that pollution regulations were enacted all over the world, the capacity of enforcing

agencies was limited due to a lack of knowledge and research capacity within the

enforcing agency (Chandrappa, R., & Chandra Kulshrestha, U. 2015). This study looks

at the concept of air pollution, its causes, and the harm it causes to human life. With air

pollution causing a variety of diseases in humans, we will discuss ways to mitigate

these effects.

In recent years, there has been a lot of research done on the health effects of air

pollution. However, this environmental issue has grown worse over time, and we are the
Page 2 | 12
ones who are suffering as a result of our own actions. The study focuses on the effects

of air pollution on humans as well as enhancing better solutions or methods to improve

it, including ways of reducing air pollution, searching for alternative energy resources,

and many more.

Statement of the Problem/ Objectives

It is everyone's responsibility to mitigate air pollution. Understanding this

environmental issue is necessary for finding a solution, and the study will provide us

with answers to the following questions:

1. Where does air pollution come from?

2. What does air pollution look like to you?

3. What are the factors that contribute to air pollution?

4. What are the factors that are affected by air pollution?

5. How does air pollution affect human health?

6. How do we know that air pollution causes problems?

7. What can you do to help prevent air pollution?

Preliminary Literature Review

Introduction

The basis of this research is to examine the distinct factors that contribute to the

overall air pollution of the world. This presents the relevant literature and studies that

Page 3 | 12
the researchers considered important for the present study. It also includes the

synthesis in order to fully understand the essence of the study.

Theoretical Framework

The concepts that were used for this study are environmental stress theory and

social-environmental interaction. Environmental stress theory deals with the stressors

found in the environment, such as radiation, physical structure, non-ergonomic furniture,

pollution, diseases, and climate change, which can significantly affect the health of

individuals and social groups. Cairney et al. (2010).

Review of related literature

According to Frederica (2018), the pollution coming from fossil fuels greatly

impacts the long-term health and future of children. The most significant greenhouse

gas produced by humans, carbon dioxide, is among the numerous harmful air pollutants

that are released when burning fossil fuels. These harmful gasses can harm children

through impairment of cognitive and behavioral development, respiratory illness, and

other chronic diseases. Air pollution makes children less resilient and the communities

they live in less equitable by affecting their health, capacity for learning, and potential to

contribute to society.

Giannadaki, et al. (2018) states that agricultural ammonia greatly contributes to

fine particulate air pollution, which has significant impacts on human health, leading to

death. Applying the “value of statistical metric” in monetizing the associated health

Page 4 | 12
outcomes, an analysis states that by reducing 50% of agricultural activities could

prevent over 200 thousand deaths per year due to air pollution. The reduction of

agricultural emission results in net financial and social gain according to a cost-benefit

analysis of ammonia reduction alternatives for the EU.

According to Munsif et al. (2021), the interaction between the dispersion and

emission of harmful pollutants from factories is what causes air pollution. The excessive

amount of air pollution brought by the release of gasses, smokes, and dust particles into

the atmosphere are the main causes of acid rain and photochemical smog, which

greatly contributes to diseases such as lung cancer and asthma. It’s also the reason

why we are suffering from stratospheric ozone loss and global warming. Pollution in the

air is a byproduct of the current industrial economies. While it can’t be totally removed,

stern actions can lessen its impact.

Related studies

Urban planning, Diener & Mudu (2021), Green spaces’ reductive effects on

air-borne particulate matter (PM) concentrations are considerable, multi-mechanistic

and varied by scale, context, and vegetation characteristics. Vegetation and green

spaces have shown reductive effects on air-borne pollutants' concentrations, especially

of particulate matter (PM). Air pollution causes the largest death toll among

environmental risks globally, but interventions to purify ambient air remain inadequate.

Page 5 | 12
 Air pollution and its effects on the immune system, Glencross et al. (2020), For a

body to be healthy, the immune system must function well. Inadequate and excessive

immune responses underlie diverse pathologies such as serious infections, metastatic

malignancies and auto-immune conditions. Therefore, it is essential to understand how

ambient pollutants affect the immune system in order to know how pollution causes

disease and how this could be eliminated.

Air Pollution and Noncommunicable Diseases, Schraufnagel (2019), Although air

pollution is well known to harm the lungs and its airways, it can also damage the

majority of other organ systems in the body. It is estimated that air pollution is

responsible for 500,000 lung cancer deaths, 1.6 million COPD deaths, and possibly 19%

of all cardiovascular deaths and 21% of all stroke deaths. Exposure to air pollutants

hinders lung development in childhood which could potentially impair their lungs when

they reach adulthood.

Synthesis

To sum up, factories and industries, agricultural activities, and fossil fuels emit

large particles of gasses that harm the environment. Greenhouse gasses and

particulate matter are factors that contribute to air pollution, which harms human

health. One of the possible reasons why we experience poor air quality is the lack of

knowledge about what’s causing air pollution.

Page 6 | 12
Abridged Methodology

Research design

In order to obtain accurate data, the researchers will conduct a qualitative

analysis, particularly the diagnostic research design. This focuses on using open-ended

interview questions to produce qualitative data. Diagnostic research design allows the

respondent to express themselves fully using their own words. This assists the

researchers in getting a realistic sense of how someone perceives a given

circumstance.

A diagnostic research design allows the researchers to better understand the

underlying causes of a particular condition or phenomenon. This research design

typically consists of three research stages namely: “1. Inception of the issue” which is

identifying how the issue began, “2. Diagnosis of the issue” where the root causes of the

issue is identified and lastly “3. Solution for the issue” where the researchers create

potential solutions for the issue. It is best suited for this research as it helps the

researchers find out in detail about the factors causing air pollution.

Participants

The primary goal of the current study was to use a survey to explore the

viewpoints of 10-15 Science teachers and Senior High School STEM students regarding

the effects of air pollution on human health and ways to improve it. Only senior high

school STEM students and Science teachers from Malayan Colleges Mindanao are

eligible for the data collection.

Page 7 | 12
Stakeholders/ Beneficiaries/ Respondents (3-5 persons)

The following may benefit from this study:

The General People, They should benefit from this study in a sense that they

are vital to the awareness and improvement of the said environmental issue.

STEM Students, This study will greatly contribute to helping students be more

aware of the environmental issue at hand.

Science Teachers, This research could help teachers provide a better learning

experience for students, particularly those teaching in the STEM strand. Moreover,

teachers will have an easier time teaching students who are interested in the subject

and topic.

Future Researchers, This study would be used as a reference for conducting

their own research studies.

Research Instrument

The researchers have prepared a questionnaire type of survey to gather the data

needed. For the researchers to prepare the survey, they used their previous research

findings, scholarly articles, journal articles, and prior knowledge. The questionnaire that

was constructed has interview-guide questions like 1.) “What does air pollution look like

to you?” 2.) “What are the factors that contribute to air pollution?” 3.) “What are the

factors that are affected by air pollution?".

Data Analysis

Since the researchers will apply a qualitative approach, the data will be analyzed

using thematic analysis. It's a good method for conducting research, especially since

Page 8 | 12
we're trying to learn about people's perspectives, knowledge, and experiences from a

collection of qualitative data such as survey responses and interviews.

The researchers' questions were then distributed to the respondents in this

manner. As the data was gathered, the researchers gained further insight into the

respondents' opinions and awareness of the issue.

Timeline/ Timetable

Activities Date

Gathering of participants January (2-3 weeks)

Conducting Surveys with the February (2 weeks)

participants

Gathering and Collection of data March (3-4 weeks)

Data Analysis April (3 weeks)

Forming Conclusion May (3 weeks)

Conclusion

To conclude, an air pollutant is any substance, biological, chemical, or physical,

that alters the natural properties of the atmosphere. Indoor and outdoor sources of air

pollution exist. Overexposure to air pollution can have a number of negative effects on

one's health. Both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution have been linked

to negative health effects. There are numerous ways to prevent this environmental

issue, such as driving less frequently, which improves our air quality and stops pollution

from these sources. Also, avoid burning waste because it pollutes the air greatly. Most

Page 9 | 12
importantly, we should plant trees and care for them instead of burning trash from our

homes, which is bad for the environment and your health. Our study's goal is to fully

comprehend the problem because we don’t have in-depth knowledge of what causes air

pollution. To collect reliable information and investigate the underlying causes of a

specific environmental issue, we used qualitative analysis, specifically the diagnostic

research design. With all of this information and data gathered, including some facts,

the researchers anticipate acquiring additional knowledge and understanding of how to

combat recurring air pollution.

References: (APA Format- 7 th Edition)

Health consequences of air pollution on populations. (2019, November 15).

Retrieved October 7, 2022, from

https://www.who.int/news/item/15-11-2019-what-are-health-consequences-of-air-pollutio

n-on-populations

Chandrappa, R., & Chandra Kulshrestha, U. (2015). Major Issues of Air Pollution.

Sustainable Air Pollution Management: Theory and Practice, 1–48.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21596-9_1

Al-Taai, S. H. H. (2022, January 1). Air Pollution: A Study of Its Concept, Causes,

Sources and Effects - IOS Press. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from

https://content.iospress.com/articles/asian-journal-of-water-environment-and-pollution/aj

w220003

Page 10 | 12
 General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) Guidelines BYJU’S. (2021, March

22). BYJUS. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from

https://byjus.com/biology/air-pollution-control/

Brunekreef, B., & Holgate, S. T. (2002, October). Air pollution and health. The

Lancet, 360(9341), 1233–1242. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(02)11274-8

Perera F. (2017). Pollution from Fossil-Fuel Combustion is the Leading

Environmental Threat to Global Pediatric Health and Equity: Solutions Exist.

International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(1), 16.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15010016

Giannadaki, D., Giannakis, E., Pozzer, A., & Lelieveld, J. (2018, May). Estimating

health and economic benefits of reductions in air pollution from agriculture. Science of

the Total Environment, 622–623, 1304–1316.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.064

Munsif, R., Zubair, M., Aziz, A., & Zafar, M. N. (2020). Industrial Air Emission

Pollution: Potential Sources and Sustainable Mitigation. In (Ed.), Environmental

Emissions. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93104

Diener, A., & Mudu, P. (2021, November). How can vegetation protect us from air

pollution? A critical review on green spaces’ mitigation abilities for air-borne particles

from a public health perspective - with implications for urban planning. Science of the

Total Environment, 796, 148605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148605

Cairney, J., Rigoli, D., & Piek, J. (2013, September). Developmental coordination

disorder and internalizing problems in children: The environmental stress hypothesis

Page 11 | 12
elaborated. Developmental Review, 33(3), 224–238.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2013.07.002

Page 12 | 12