Image source Visual China
Comprehensive compilation Zhao Tingting
Spring flowers are blooming and the sun is shining, this is a good time to go out with family members. But for those with a history of pollen allergies, this season is not friendly. At the moment, they are suffering from sneezing, watery eyes, coughing and other symptoms. According to the British “Guardian”, about a quarter of the British population is allergic to pollen and suffers from allergic rhinitis, and this number is expected to continue to increase.
Hay pollen allergies cause chest tightness, wheezing and difficulty breathing, according to research by the UK charity Asthma and Lung Association. . Increased pollen concentrations in the air undoubtedly expose them to more serious risks.
“Increased pollen concentrations are associated with longer growing seasons for plants,” Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, told the Guardian. He believes that due to the increase in carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere, the rate of photosynthesis of plants increases, so the growth is more vigorous, and more pollen is produced.
University of Michigan researchers monitored the pollen yield of 15 different types of plants in the United States and found that plants grew significantly faster under high carbon emissions. At the same time, the pollination seasons of different species of trees, flowers and grasses overlap widely, and by 2100, the pollen content of the entire United States is expected to increase by 200%.
Air pollution also increases the allergenicity of pollen particles. The Guardian reports that nitrogen oxides in car exhaust can combine with pollen particles and aggravate allergy symptoms. Some pollutants can damage the surface structure of pollen particles and release a large number of tiny flower fragments, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause great harm to the human body.
Is it true that the only way to relieve the symptoms of pollen allergy is to wear a mask and take antihistamines for a long time? Scientists have proposed other solutions, such as: using public transportation as much as possible to reduce exhaust emissions; formulating reasonable greening plans and planting more hypoallergenic trees and flowers.
It is difficult for us to solve the problem of pollen increase caused by rising carbon dioxide levels in a short period of time, but the “Guardian” believes that we can actively use various means to effectively reduce carbon emissions to combat the climate crisis. adverse effects on human society.
Source: China Youth Daily Client