The document discusses the impact of environmental factors on health, particularly focusing on sanitation, air quality, and urbanization. It highlights various environmental hazards including physical, chemical, and biological agents, as well as the significance of proper city planning and sanitation in reducing health risks. The content also emphasizes the importance of air quality management to prevent health issues associated with both outdoor and indoor pollution, and suggests strategies for controlling these problems.

1. ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH
Dr. Dalia El-Shafei
Assistant professor, Community Medicine Department, Zagazig University

2. Environment
Any things
surrounding
us & can
affect health
Environmental sanitation
Properties &
requisites of
clean
environment.
Environmental health
Protection of human health from hazards of
unsanitary environment.

3. Environmentalhealthhazards
Physical
Radiation-Noise-
Temperature
Chemical
Metals-Solvents-
Pesticides
Accidents Volcanoes, Earthquake
Biological Bacteria-Virus-Fungi
Socio-psycological
Problems with family, co-
workers, friends

4. COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION
Town (or village)
planning
Sanitary housing
Ventilation & air
sanitation
Water sanitation Waste disposal Food sanitation
Vector & rodent
control

6. 1- TOWN PLANNING
Proper planning of a new district or city or village before
construction

7. BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF PLANNING:
 New city must be classified into industrial, commercial &
residential zones.
 Wide streets, parks, green areas
 Available health services, fire extinguishing center,
transportation methods.

9. 2- Sanitary housing

10. The health conditions that must be fulfilled in any
building.

11. BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF SANITARY BUILDING:
• Far from industrial areas, volcanoes or river floods- quit place-clean surroundings
• Made of safe, strong materials & proper foundations to overcome rains, destruction
• Privacy: separate house for each family & adequate rooms in relation to individuals.
• Adequate ventilation.
• Adequate lighting.
• Sanitary water supply.
• Sanitary waste disposal.
• Safety measures for prevention of accidents: good lighting, safe furniture.

12. SLUMS
Narrow streets, densely populated with poor housing &
unsanitary environment.

13. HazardsofSlums&Unsanitaryhousing
↑ Infections & Death
↑ Accidents “fires & falls”
↑ Social problems “Addiction & Crime”
↑ Psychological problems “lack of
privacy & crowdedness”

14. HOW CAN WE SOLVE THE HEALTH PROBLEMS OF
SLUM AREAS?
Build new towns in distant areas with all services
Low renting of houses
Prevent illegal construction of houses without sanitary water or
waste disposal.
↑ Working chances to ↑ socioeconomic status.

15. URBANIZATION
Is the process of migration of people from rural to urban areas
for better opportunities of jobs, services & recreation.
Over crowdedness
(slum areas)
Spread of
communicable
diseases “TB, skin
diseases, parasites”.
Social problems,
quarrel, homicides
Delinquency, drug
abuse, more crimes.
Health hazards of urbanization:

16. 3- VENTILATION & AIR SANITATION
Ventilation: providing and or removing air from a
confined place by natural or artificial means.
Types of ventilation
 Natural ventilation
 Artificial ventilation

17. Natural ventilation: windows, other openings of adequate area
& distribution to introduce fresh air.

18.  Artificial ventilation: air condition & fans

19. AIR SANITATION
Quality & Quantity of components of
air that can affect health.

20. Physical
•Temperature-Humidity-Pressure-Radiation(UVR-IR)-Noise
Biological
• Fungi, Molds and Pollen: cause allergy.
• Microorganisms as bacteria, viruses, parasites, rickettsia: cause
different diseases.
Chemical
• Gases & Fumes
• Metal dust: very small particles of different metals suspended in
air can cause eye injuries, chest & skin diseases
Causes of unsanitary air

21. NATURAL CORRECTION OF UNSANITARY AIR
Wind & air
movements:
Dilution of substances
Plants & trees:
Give O2 & absorb CO2
(photosynthesis)
Rains:
Dissolve gases &
fumes, settle down
suspended dust

22. HAZARDS OF CHEMICAL CHANGES IN
AIR
(AIR POLLUTION)

23. COMPONENTS OF AIR

25. Introduction of one or more pollutants in the
atmosphere.
Or:
Presence of unwanted material in air in sufficient
amount & for sufficient time to interfere with
comfort of man, or to affect his health.
DEF. OF AIR POLLUTION

27. SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION
• Respiration of man, animals & plants (O2 ↓, CO2, temp. & humidity ↑, & expired air may contain
microorganisms).
• Combustion of fuel by transportation vehicles or machines.
• Fermentation of organic materials in refuse (CO2 ↑ & foul smell is produced).
• Volcanoes & forest fires (fumes & different gases of melted metals, CO2, CO, ashes & smog after
burn of trees).
• Dust from streets, homes, & agriculture wastes.
• EMWs from TVs & mobile telephones.
• Excessive noise especially in cities.
• Industrial wastes as dust, gases, fumes, & vapors.

32. They are present in the form of aerosols (solid particles or liquid
droplets suspended in a gaseous medium) such as dust, pollens,
smoke.
Sources: Combustion, industry.
Hazards: Reduce visibility & cause respiratory problems such
as pneumoconiosis (particles less than 2.5 μm).
1- TOTAL SUSPENDED PARTICULATE:

33. 2- SULFUR DIOXIDE:
It is a colorless & corrosive. It dissolves in water present in the air to
form sulfuric acid.
Sources: Volcanic eruption, fuel combustion.
Hazards: Damaging to lungs (aggravation of CLD), plants &
animals.

34. It combines with water to form nitric acid, which is responsible for
atmospheric acidification (Acid rain).
Sources: High temperature combustion & action of bacteria on nitrogen
containing compounds in the soil.
Hazards: Acute & chronic respiratory diseases & property destruction.
3- NITROGEN DIOXIDES:

35. Carbon monoxide (CO): It is highly toxic & results from
incomplete combustion. It has great affinity for hemoglobin
(Carboxy hemoglobin).
Source: Internal combustion engines.
Hazard: Combine irreversibly with hemoglobin leading to
asphyxia.
4- CARBON OXIDES:

36. *Carbon Dioxide (CO2): It is non-toxic in low concentration. Its increase
in concentration contributes to the problem of global warming.
Source: Mainly respiration but it is balanced by photosynthesis (bad effect
of deforestation) & from fossil fuel combustion.
Hazards: Increases earth temperature thus producing undesirable climatic
changes.

37. It is responsible for 2/3 of all metallic air pollution.
Sources: Leaded gasoline, lead processing, smelters, paints &
burning materials containing lead.
Hazards: Neurotoxin that causes mental retardation especially in
children.
5- LEAD:

38. 6- OZONE:
Formed by a 2ry atmospheric reaction driven by solar energy in the
form of UV rays (photochemical reaction).
Source: It is formed in the atmosphere.
Hazard:
Eye irritation &
respiratory impairment.

39. 7- HYDROCARBONS:
They are volatile organic compounds (VOC) that exist as gases
in the air.
Source: transportation & petroleum refineries.
Hazards: Some are carcinogens.

40. There are also minor industrial pollutants either because
they are present in minor amounts or they have minor
health hazards.
Examples: asbestos, benzene, mercury, noise, odors,
radiation etc.

41. OTHER CLASSIFICATION OF AIR POLLUTION
ACCORDING TO ITS SITE
Outdoor pollution
(atmospheric pollution)
• The wider type of pollution.
• It deals with an open &
unlimited environment.
• It affects more population,
living things and property.
Indoor pollution
• It deals with limited & mostly
closed environments e.g.
houses & work environments.
• More hazardous than outdoor
air pollution because we spent
more time inside our houses &
the concentration of pollutants
are much higher (much tightly
closed) than in ambient air.

44. Harmful Effects of Air Pollution

45. Damage to health
Annoyance to senses
Interference with
production
Property Damage
Damage to vegetation
Global Pollution
Problems

46. Air pollution is associated with a higher level of morbidity &
mortality. Pollutants in air can affect mostly respiratory system,
skin & GIT.
• Cause or exacerbate COPD, BA, acute respiratory diseases.
• Exacerbates CVS problems & may even cause death in
individuals with impaired coronary circulation.
• Carcinogenic & mutagenic agents e.g. malignancy & birth
defects.
1- DAMAGE TO HEALTH:

48. 2- ANNOYANCE TO SENSES:
 Eye, nose & throat irritation
 Bad odor & limited visibility
Due to ↑ of some pollutants such as sulfur compounds, dust etc.
Sky or overhead darkening is the result of either heavy smoke or
a mixture of smoke & fog in most urban areas.

49. 3- INTERFERENCE WITH PRODUCTION:
↑ Temperature, heavy smog → automobile & traffic
delays, poor visibility, lethargy, poor concentration &
absenteeism.

50. Metal parts of building, roofs & other metal equipment are usually
damaged chiefly by corrosion from acidic compounds in polluted
atmosphere
(SO2 forms with water vapor H2 SO4 also hydrogen chloride reacts
with water vapor to form highly corrosive droplets of Fog).
4- PROPERTY DAMAGE:

51. Cracking of rubber & various forms of electrical insulation
are thought to be caused by ozone (O3).
Deterioration of painted surface is caused by a variety of air
contaminants.

52. The injury to vegetation varies from invisible injury to
growth retardation of various plants, which depend on the
concentration & duration of exposure to the toxic
substance present in air as Sulfur compounds and ozone.
5- DAMAGE TO VEGETATION:

53. Global Pollution Problems
Global
Warming
Ozone
layer
perforation
Smog
formation
Acid Rain

54. Greenhouse gases (CO2, water vapor, trace amounts of ozone,
nitrous oxide, CFCs), act like the glass pan of a greenhouse i.e.
allowing light, IR radiation and some UV rays to pass through the
troposphere.
The earth surface absorbs much of this solar energy & degraded it
to IR radiation (heat). Some of this heat escapes into space and
some will be absorbed and trapped by the greenhouse gases & so
increase the earth's temperature.
This trapping of heat is called the greenhouse effect & leads to
global warming.
A) GLOBAL WARMING:

56. GLOBAL WARMING

58. The ozone layer “Global sunscreen” is formed by the interaction
of O2 with light & solar energy.
Its presence in the stratosphere keeps about 99% of harmful
UV rays, thus protecting man against sunburn, eye cataract,
cancers and damage to immune system.
It prevents much of the conversion of O2 in the troposphere to
O3 which is harmful to humans.
↑Temperature due to the greenhouse gases → O3 formation in
the troposphere with all its bad effects.
B) OZONE LAYER PERFORATION:

61. Smog is a mixture of 1ry & 2ry pollutants that forms when some
of the 1ry pollutants interact under the influence of sunlight.
Normally, during the day, the sun warms the air which rises up
carrying pollutants away from the surface leaving a cooler layer
with less concentration of pollutants.
Sometimes, weather conditions trap a layer of dense cool air
beneath a layer of less dense warm air, a phenomenon called
thermal inversion and thus prevents ascending of pollutants
away from earth.
C) SMOG FORMATION:

64. Due to ↑ emissions of SO2 & NOx from fuel combustion, acids
form from their reaction with water leading to formation of acid
rain.
This acid rain leads to damage of plants, soil, buildings etc.
D) ACID RAIN:

68. AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)

69. The AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality.
EPA calculates the AQI for 5 major air pollutants regulated by the
Clean Air Act: Ground-level O3, particle pollution (particulate
matter), CO, SO2, and NO2.
AQI scale is from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the
level of air pollution & the greater the health concern.
The purpose of the AQI is to help you understand what local air
quality means to your health. The AQI is divided into 6 categories
AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)

70. AQI values are derived from air quality data readings of
pollutants affecting air quality. The index is derived using the
following formula:
AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI) VALUES
AQI values below 100 are generally thought of as
satisfactory.

71. The data readings are recorded in different units of measure,
depending on the type of pollutant.

72. Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution

74.  Indoor is more hazardous due to:
1- We spent most of our time indoor 90% (house-school-office)
2- High concentration of pollutants ( much tightly closed) than in
ambient air.
WHICH IS MORE HAZARDOUS OUTDOOR OR
INDOOR POLLUTION?

75. WHY WE MUST CONTROL THE AIR POLLUTION
PROBLEM
• Prevent health hazards
• ↑ human comfort, production
• Prevent property damage
• Prevent vegetation damage
• Protect ozone layer
• Prevent global warming, climate changes.

76. 1- Outdoor:
 Industrial control:
A- adequate zoning of industries in special areas.
B- control at source level:
- substitution of highly toxic by less one.
- modification or changes process or equipment.
- adequate house-keeping & disposal of wastes.
C- particulate removal technique:
- filter removal of particles.
- electrostatic precipitators.
CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION

77.  Transport control:
- Control emission from car (lead free fuel).
- Minimize traffic load inside cities (out cities
roads).
 Legislation:
- Determine degree of pollution.
- Continuous monitoring of air pollution.
- Preservation of nature air purification (forest,
trees).

78. 2- INDOOR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
Regularly ventilate
houses.
Test the level of
pollution.
Avoid strong gasoline
& solvents in houses.
Grow plants in
houses.
Avoid smoking in
houses.
Don’t use aerosols
spray products.
Heater, stoves are
properly installed
and maintained.
In factories; workers
must used masks &
regularly checked for
lung function

79. 3- OZONE LAYER
Avoid using products
containing CFC
Don’t use aerosol
spray
Check house
appliances that contain
ferion “refrigerators,
freezers, air
conditioners”