AIR POLLUTION in New Delhi and other important metro & other cities of India is alarming state and need immediate strategy to control it for public at large and in family or society or worj place by use by use of Mask and Respirators.

                 Air Pollution consist of suspended particulate matter or PM as it is commonly referred to, is generally taken as representative of the level of pollution. In all there are eight air quality parameters, which are taken into consideration when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is calculated: Suspended particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), nitrogen oxides (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH3) and lead (Pb).Particulate matter consists of a complex mixture of solid and liquid particles of organic and inorganic substances suspended in the air. It is mainly made up of sulfates, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, mineral dust and water and allergens (fragments of pollen or mold spores).

              When outdoor levels of particulate matter are high, their levels also increase indoors so correction by both way is important in public at large and in home or work place.Depending on the size, there are three types of particulate matter: PM 10, PM 2.5 PM and PM 0.1.PM 10 are particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less (coarse particles). Sources include crushing or grinding operations and dust stirred up by vehicles on roads.PM 2.5 are particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (fine particles).PM 0.1 are particles with a diameter of 0.1 microns or less (ultra-fine particles).

       The sources of fine and ultra-fine particles include motor vehicles, power plants, biomass burning, agricultural burning, and industrial emissions. They remain suspended in the air for longer periods of time than coarse particles and hence, are more likely to be inhaled.The size of the particles has a direct association with their effect on health. PM 10 particles can penetrate and remain deep inside the lungs, while PM 2.5 and PM 0.1 can penetrate the lung barrier and enter the blood system. They have more health damaging effects as they can affect all organs of the body. Fine particles (PM2.5) are the main cause of reduced visibility (haze).As per international recommendations, both PM 10 and PM2.5 should be less than 40. For India, the PM10 levels should be less than 100 and PM 2.5 levels should be less than 60.

             The larger PM 10 particles can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. PM10 mainly affects the respiratory system and may precipitate an acute asthma attack and acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis or may cause other respiratory problems such as cough, wheeze.The fine and ultra-fine particles also affect the heart so they may trigger an acute cardiovascular event such as heart attack or stroke or atrial fibrillation as they increase the resting blood pressure due to sympathetic overactivity and cause endothelial dysfunction and thickening of the blood.PM 2.5 and PM 0.1 particles also have a greater association with increased mortality due to heart disease.

                     We can control air pollution at home or work place by following methods. pollution fighting plants tshould be kept in house or balcony or roof.Plants are a source of fresh air and some examples include Areca Palm, Sensivera, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue and Money Plant.we should avoid smoking inside the house and ensure that toxic gases and substances are not released indoors during hot/cold variations in temperature indoors or cooking or warming or repairing or doing construction work.AC and refrigerators and coolers may emit gases so should service them regularly.Regular dusting is important. Every home is prone to dust and dirt accumulation. While we clean our floors and upholstery regularly,we might miss out dust on the nooks and corners and the roof of tall furniture sets,should use wet mopping of the floor.
Minimize the use of pesticides at home. we should use bio-friendly products instead.Limiting the number of toxic products introduced into indoor air will also make the space as less polluted as possible.we should pour ur water in any mud outside the house or grow grass in these areas and clean drains and sewage system regularly.We should establish proper ventilation and exit of poullted gases.We should use different mask individually  or If possible we can establish air filters as described below for house or public use.

             Simple surgical mask cannot control air pollution as described above but N95,N99 mask &N100 mask does help.N, R, and Pare NIOSH certification categories that apply to negative pressure air-purifying respirators that protect against respiratory particulates. They do not apply to powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs). The particulate respirator will have an N, R, or P designation along with an efficiency rating such as 95, 99, or 100.N: When no oil is present in the air; R when oil is present, but only for a single shift or 8 hours of continuous or intermittent use. Re-use beyond a single shift or 8 hours is not recommended. P when oil is present and can be reused and used for longer time.

                  Two ypes of fillters seen in respirators.Those with 100, the filter is expected to trap 99.97 particles out of every 100 and is as efficient as a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter; in 99, The filter is expected to trap 99 particles out of every 100 and 95 The filter will trap 95 particles out of every 100 of at least 0.3 micrometers.

         These respirators protect people against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors and sprays. These hazards are known to cause cancer, lung impairment, heart attacks, paralysis, or death.Respirators are of two types. Some remove contaminants and particulate matter from the air and are called particulate respirators. The example is N95 respirators.Others are powered air-purifying respirators with cartridges/canisters which filter out chemicals and gases. Theserespirators protect by supplying clean respirable air from another source. Respirators that fall into this category include airline respirators, which use compressed air from a remote source, and self-contained breathing apparatus, which include their own air supply. They are like personal air purifiers.

           N95 respirators can be surgical or industrial types. The ones used in hospitals are surgical ones and the one used in the industry are industrial certified.The industrial ones are manufactured for use in construction and other industrial type jobs that expose workers to dust and small particles are regulated.

           All respirators must be put on and taken off in an area outside of the contaminated area. Putting a respirator on or taking it off even for a few seconds in a contaminated area can expose the wearer to significant levels of hazards.All requirefit-testing and must be adjusted to your face to provide the intended effectiveness of filtering 95% of particles with mass median diameter of 0.3 micrometers. They are not certified to be fluid resistant.