World’s most polluted cities ---------------------------------- India is home to 14 of 20 of the planet’s most polluted cities, according to PM2.5 concentrations – particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns – the pollutant seen as the most harmful to human health ---------------------------------- Human hair 60μm wide 1 micron (μm) = 0.001mm PM10 PM2.5 10μm 2.5μm ---------------------------------- PM2.5: Particles enter blood stream via respiratory system and travel throughout body. Health effects include asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, acute respiratory infections and stroke ---------------------------------- Average PM2.5 concentration 2019 (μg/m3) India Ghaziabad 110.2 China Hotan 110.1 Pakistan Gujranwala 105.3 Pakistan Faisalabad 104.6 India Delhi 98.6 India Noida 97.7 India Gurugram 93.1 Pakistan Raiwind 92.2 India Greater Noida 91.3 India Bandhwari 90.5 India Lucknow 90.3 Pakistan Lahore 89.5 India Bulundshahr 89.4 India Muzaffarnagar 89.1 India Bagpat 88.6 China Kashgar 87.1 India Jind 85.4 India Faridabad 85.0 India Coraut 85.0 India Bhiwadi 83.4 World Health Organisation PM2.5 target: 10 μg/m3 ---------------------------------- Source: 2019 World Air Quality Report, IQAir AirVisual © GRAPHIC NEWS