Top of the most polluted cities in Romania and what are the fine powders
- Syswin S
- Nov 6, 2018
- 1 min read
Updated: Oct 11
No less than 25,400 Romanians die annually prematurely due to pollution.
According to the Air Quality in Europe – 2018 Report by the European Environment Agency, one of the main sources of pollution is road transport, which generates harmful pollutants such as suspended particles.
The most affected cities
According to data from the European Commission, the cities most severely affected by pollution in Romania are Bucharest, Iași, and Brașov.
Fine particles – what they are and why they are dangerous
PM2.5 particles: particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 microns.
PM10 particles: particles with a diameter smaller than 10 microns.
These particles can be transported over long distances and come from both natural sources (e.g. wind-borne dust, aerosols) and human activities such as:
burning fuels in power or heating plants
industrial activities (metallurgy, chemistry, etc.)
road traffic and vehicle emissions
construction sites
waste incineration
individual heating, especially with solid fuels
The composition of these particles varies: they may contain carbon (soot), heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium, manganese, etc.), iron oxides, sulfates, and other toxic compounds.
Health effects
Exposure to fine particles can cause:
respiratory failure
worsening of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
increased risk of lung cancer
more severe effects in children, due to their more sensitive respiratory systems and higher breathing rate per unit of time
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