People in Bangladesh every day inhale an alarming amount of black carbon, a particle not only harmful for human health but also responsible for global warming. But it is hardly monitored in the country though there is a national action plan in place since 2018. Result of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel and biomass, black carbon has the unique property of being able to absorb solar radiation and release it as heat.
It has many damaging consequences upon inhalation, including increased rates of cancer, scarring of the lung tissue and heart damage as it can enter the bloodstream via the lungs. There is no permissible level for black carbon in the air. In Dhaka, its amount is 10 to 15 microgram per cubic metre, compared to 0.1 to 0.5 microgram per cubic metre in cities of developed countries.
Scientists found black carbon 8-12 microgram per cubic metre in the country’s air round the year. In winter, it reaches up to 20-25 microgram per cubic metre. It is very alarming for both human health and the environment. Black carbon, which does not last long in the atmosphere, is a key component of fine particles, or particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) — tiny particles or droplets in the air that are two and a half microns or less in width.
Black carbon has a number of disastrous consequences on the environment and climate, as well as affecting the temperature within a city, having knock-on effects on the quality of people’s lives, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company. Though black carbon is a major air pollutant, the government has done little to tackle its emission despite embarking on a national action plan. If it is controlled, the temperature of the country could be reduced by at least one degree Celsius.
