OT: LA Smog? That isn't smog. Now THIS is smog

[pRICE cUBE]

http://shanghaiist.com/2013/01/14/airpocalypse.php

After three days of heavy smog, Beijing continues to record worrying PM2.5 readings, which by 11pm Saturday night had surged to 900 in some areas, far beyond the maximum of 500 on the US embassy’s measurement scale (which lists levels from 301 to 500 as “hazardous”).

[Speedy]

Not OT. Your newest Apple devices will now be contaminated.

[cbelt3]

I wonder exactly what the pollution contains ?

LA Smog was a particularly difficult and dangerous mix of ozone and photo-reactive chemicals. Beijing 'smog' appears to be mostly heavy particulates, potentially from signifiant desertification by over-mining and poor water policies have caused 'dustbowl' conditions in that section of China.

But I haven't found a good source that provides information on the content of Beijing pollution.

[pRICE cUBE]

cbelt3 wrote:
I wonder exactly what the pollution contains ?

LA Smog was a particularly difficult and dangerous mix of ozone and photo-reactive chemicals. Beijing 'smog' appears to be mostly heavy particulates, potentially from signifiant desertification by over-mining and poor water policies have caused 'dustbowl' conditions in that section of China.

But I haven't found a good source that provides information on the content of Beijing pollution.

The pm2.5 reading is fine particulates, tends to be man made and chemical in nature, exhaust etc.

There is a separate reading for coarse particulates PM10 which was also just as high. PM2.5 is more harmful because your lungs don't filter it out, it goes directly into your bloodstream.

[freeradical]

Just wait till they all have cars.

[pRICE cUBE]

More info

http://news.yahoo.com/beijing-warns-resi...40614.html

By Monday levels had declined to 245 micrograms on the Beijing government scale — down from a high above 700 — but still way above the level of 25 considered safe by the World Health Organization.
PM2.5 are tiny particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in size, or about 1/30th the average width of a human hair. They can penetrate deep into the lungs, and measuring them is considered a more accurate reflection of air quality than other methods.

[OWC Jamie]

unfortunately, high sulphur coal and low grade leaded gasoline

[srf1957]

They were having same problem in Tehran last month. Mexico City has same problem at certain times of year.

[Acer]

Looks like Pittsburgh before those meddling environmentalists showed up.

[Uncle Wig]

cbelt3 wrote:
I wonder exactly what the pollution contains ?

Coal.