High carbon monoxide levels in Moscow and the Moscow Region pose no long-term threat to human health but particulate pollution is a much greater problem, a toxicologist told RIA Novosti on Sunday.
Alex Vodovozov, scientific editor of the medical journal ABC, said high concentrations of carbon monoxide such as those observed in the last week in Moscow and the Moscow Region do not lead to serious irreversible changes in the human body. More dangerous, he said, are higher concentrations of fine particles, known as PM10.
"They are completely free to penetrate into the lungs, right down to the alveoli, and there is no getting out of there," Vodovozov said. "In fact, the whole of Moscow has become a passive smoker against his will, because PM10 is in tobacco smoke."
Muscovites have been recommended to stay indoors and keep windows closed, and to use wet multi-gauze mask while outside.
However, Vodovozov warned that fine particles easily penetrate cotton-gauze and gauze masks. To properly protect the lungs from particulate matter, construction or decorating respirators or masks are required.
The effects of PM10, he said, will be approximately the same as for passive smoking, and those with lung diseases will feel much worse than healthy people.
The physician explained that carbon monoxide does not accumulate in the body and therefore poses no long-term threat.
"Carbon monoxide is a noncumulative poison, fortunately. That is, it can not accumulate in tissues or, more precisely, in the blood. In addition, for any tangible effects you need very high doses and to be indoors. In terms of open space, being poisoned by carbon monoxide is practically unrealistic," Vodovozov said.
Peat bog and forest fires raging outside the capital pushed pollution levels to new 2010 highs on Saturday, with carbon monoxide 6.5 times the maximum allowable concentration, but conditions eased on Sunday.
Officials said that in mid-afternoon the concentration of carbon monoxide in the Moscow air was more than three times the norm, with particulate pollution twice normal levels and hydrocarbons above normal by a factor of 2.5.
MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti)
