Mercury levels: UoP, SDPI to study twin cities’ air

Motive is to raise public awareness on negative effects of the toxic chemical on environment and human health.

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar University Institute of Chemical Sciences (ICS) University has launched a project to measure mercury pollution in the air. The joint research project, started in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) intends to measure mercury levels and raise public awareness on the negative effects of the toxic chemical on the environment and human health.

The project also provides an opportunity for ICS students to use the latest specialised equipment and collect data of geographical parameters such as temperature, humidity and wind.

During the study, monitoring teams will assess mercury levels in dental hospitals, industries, labs and dental clinics across Peshawar city. Recently, similar monitoring was carried out in Lahore, where very high concentration of mercury content in the air was observed in dental hospitals and clinics.

After Peshawar, the studies will be carried out in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The results and findings of the surveys will later be shared and discussed with all stakeholders including the government for necessary action.

Mercury has a number of applied uses in dental technology as well as in industries, where uses range from thermometers, electric bulbs and switches, to power plants, coal-fired power stations, metal smelters, gold mining and the cement industry.

However, overexposure poses serious risks to the environment and human health. Recently, 140 countries signed an agreement in Geneva to reduce mercury use and control its emissions by 2020.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2013.