All articles tagged with #nitrogen dioxide
Skoltech scientists have discovered that treating carbon nanotube films with nitrogen dioxide at 300 degrees Celsius significantly enhances their electrical conductivity, transparency, and stability. This fast, scalable, and wasteless technique could improve the performance of solar panels, touchscreens, and other devices, offering a superior alternative to current doping agents.
Air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen-dioxide, caused hundreds of thousands of premature deaths in the European Union (EU) in 2021, falling short of World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, according to a report by the European Environment Agency. Fine particulate matter was responsible for the most deaths in Poland, Italy, and Germany. While the number of deaths caused by air pollution has decreased since 2005, it remains a significant problem. The EU is urged to adopt and implement legislation to improve air quality and bring it closer to WHO standards.
A study based on nearly 200,000 hospital admissions in China found that spikes in air pollution increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, premature beats, and supraventricular tachycardia. Nitrogen dioxide had the strongest association with all four types of arrhythmia. The exact impact of air pollution is not clear, but there is some evidence that it causes oxidative stress and inflammation, which can affect the heart’s electrical activity. The study highlights the need to protect at-risk people during heavy air pollution and to reduce overall exposure.