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REGION: Asia-Pacific
TOPIC: Health
Online NewsHour
FORUM
Posted: August 4, 2008

Air Pollution in China

 Forum Introduction
Kenneth Rahn Atmospheric chemist Kenneth Rahn regularly travels to China to consult with scientists there about the country's air pollution problem. Rahn took your questions about pollution in Beijing during the run-up to the Olympic Games.
QUESTIONS
Have recent Chinese government efforts to reduce the pollution been effective?
How does pollution in Beijing compare to metropolitan areas in the United States?
How does air quality in Beijing compare to previous Olympic locations?
Are pollution problems less serious in other Chinese cities?
What is the chemical makeup of pollution in Beijing?
Is there any way to find out pollution levels in a localized way?
Do the Chinese have a realistic chance of cleaning up the pollution in Beijing?
Will China's efforts to curb pollution affect air quality in the United States?
What about the three southern cities mentioned in the NewsHour story?
Do you see this as a public education opportunity?
What are the long-term effects on the Chinese population?
Does pollution stay in the lungs or get flushed out over time?
Larry Goss of Charlottesville, Va. asks
I had a chance to see and breathe the Beijing pollution first hand three months ago. But I have not been able to find the chemical description of the pollution and how it compares with U.S. cities. Would you provide that information?
ANSWERS
Kenneth Rahn responds:

It's a few times higher than most U.S. cities, and unusually enriched in particulate matter from soil dust and coal combustion.

Beijing has an arid climate similar to much of the American West. It gets half the precipitation of the American East, and during the winter as little as one-quarter inch a month. That allows a great deal of soil dust to be generated, and lets all kinds of pollutants stay in the air after they are released. This is one of the main reasons that external sources are so important to Beijing.

Next Question and Answer
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