Luxury cars no shield for air pollution

Luxury cars no shield for air pollution

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Motorists in air-conditioned vehicles appear to be more comfortable than motorists and passengers in non air-conditioned vehicles as they can adjust the temperature inside their vehicles to a setting of their choice.

But a recent study in Jakarta shows that motorists in luxury cars do not escape air pollution. Like those in non-air conditioned vehicles, they also inhale dangerous airborne pollutants.

According to the study, carried out by the University of Indonesia's (UI) Health Research Center, motorists in air- conditioned vehicles even inhale more carbon dioxide (CO2) -- a dangerous pollutant produced by the air-conditioning unit -- than those who are in non air-conditioned buses.

"Our study shows that CO2 inside air-conditioned vehicles is 60 parts per million (ppm) to 80 ppm or two to three times higher than the tolerable limit," researcher Budi Haryanto told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

According to Budi, the tolerable content of CO2 in ambient air is 20 ppm.

Inhaling high concentrations of CO2 will result in an excessive amount of CO2 in the bloodstream which causes headache, nausea and visual disturbances. A high concentration of CO2 in the blood can also be fatal.

Budi explained that air does not circulate very well in air- conditioned vehicles and thus CO2 caught inside would just circulate inside the vehicle.

The study also showed that passengers of non air-conditioned vehicles, pedestrians and traffic police officers were affected most by another pollutant, known as particulate molecular (dust) measuring some 2.5 microns, which is known as PM2.5.

Budi said the study showed that traffic police officers, which were the target of the survey inhaled three to four times the tolerable amount of PM2.5, which is 0.065 milligrams per cubic meter.

The immediate effect of PM2.5 is coughing, respiratory problems and eye irritation.

But, he added that exposure to such pollutants can also spark various conditions from heart problems to premature death because the dust consists of various metal pollutants.

Budi said the subject of the study was 10 traffic police officers, five motorists of air-conditioned cars, five motorists of non air-conditioned cars, five passengers of air-conditioned buses, five passengers of non air-conditioned buses and 10 elementary school students.

He said the subjects were equipped with instruments, which automatically measured the PM2.5 and CO2 content in their surrounding area. Each subject was surveyed for 24 hours within three to four days.

According to Budi, the study was aimed at determining how much dust and CO2 was inhaled within 24 hours.

Budi said that the complete result of the study had not been released as his team was still drafting the summary.