Record hot temperatures are causing significant changes to levels of harmful pollution in our air, according to new data from last month’s heatwave in the UK.
In mid-July, the temperature in the UK exceeded 40°C for the first time since records began during a record-breaking hot spell.
Researchers from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science identified two significant changes in air pollution triggered by the heatwave event.
Drawing on a national network of air pollution monitoring sites, they found harmful ground-level ozone levels rose sharply, exceeding World Health Organisation guidelines.
Surprisingly, they also found small particulate matter was mostly made-up of organic material – particles that are potentially more toxic than non-organic material when breathed in.
Air pollution levels are closely linked to the weather, and hot spells often arrive hand-in-hand with poor air quality as the sun turns up the heat on a melting pot of airborne chemicals.
https://ncas.ac.uk/how-uks-record-heatwave-affected-air-pollution/