Introduction
The respiratory system is a collection of tissues and organs that helps human being and animals breathe. The blood vessels, airways, lungs, and mucus that help power the lungs make up this system. All of these respiratory system components work together to carry oxygen throughout the body, and discharge waste gases like carbon dioxide from the bloodstream. The body also absorbs oxygen from the air via the respiratory system, which is necessary for the correct functioning of body organs (Zhou et al., 2018). Trachea, throat, lungs, and bronchial tubes are all elements of the respiratory system. Additionally, a respiratory system’s susceptibility to harm from inhaled toxicants owes a significant part to the enormous surface area of the lungs.
Susceptibility of Respiratory System to Toxicity
Chronic and acute systemic and pulmonary inflammation is most commonly caused by lungs exposure to aerosol toxicants from diverse environmental sources. This inflammation develops in reaction to harmful stimuli, and its purpose is to remove the source of cell injury and begin the healing process. Lung inflammation can also be caused by viral and bacterial infections, as well as environmental contaminants. Mycotoxins, cigarette smoke, and airborne particles of silica, asbestos, and heavy substances contribute to indoor pollution. Chronic lung inflammation, such as that caused by cigarette smoke, is the most common cause of the obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD treatment in contemporary times relies on long-acting bronchodilators but does not target the pulmonary inflammation that underpins the disease’s etiology. Understanding the many pathways that produce pulmonary inflammation and developing techniques to control and cure COPD is crucial (Zhou et al., 2018). Overall, there are numerous inhaled hazardous chemicals, aside from cigarette smoke, that are well-known for causing lung inflammation. These chemicals include sub-lethal toxicants inhaled through the mouth, such as ricin and mycotoxin and biomass fuels. Epidemiologic studies have discovered that most biomass fuels occur as a result of air pollution from residential fires and transportation, especially in developing countries.
Recent Concerns on Respiratory Toxicants
Other than oxygen, inhaled air contains a variety of naturally occurring chemicals. However, several of these chemicals cause significant damage to the lungs, thus impairing their function. The possibility that materials and chemicals used in transportation, homes, and businesses are both practical and harmful to humans creates a regulatory and legislative conundrum to countries in present years.
As a result of this dilemma, delivering an able economy that offers the items that people want and need while also addressing their health and safety can be a problem. On the other hand, new technical advancements add to the weight of this burden since hundreds of new potentially dangerous compounds are introduced to the market every year. Furthermore, due to technology, substances that were previously undetectable and unknown have become concerning as technology allows for the prediction of respiratory risks linked with these substances (Zhou et al., 2018). However, these technologies are essential to scientists as they can measure the presence of existing and new chemicals in minute quantities using modern technologies.
Actions Reducing Respiratory Toxicants
When airflow resistance in the tracheobronchial region increases, or when a loss of healthy surface area in the pulmonary region inhibits the transfer of enough oxygen to the blood, the lungs get hurt. These issues are caused by various artificial and natural substances, which in turn induce lung disorders such as asthma and emphysema. Customizing individual agents with specific reactions has become difficult due to the limited types of pulmonary responses and the enormous number of agents to which individuals are exposed (Zhou et al., 2018). However, by combining clinical, laboratory, and epidemiologic methodologies, this difficulty has been mitigated.
Scientists have devised several tests to detect changes in lung function as a result of harmful material exposure. While they agree on the tests’ technical capabilities, they disagree on the level of reduced function that should be considered unfavorable for regulatory purposes. This survey used additional methods to detect changes in the number of specific types of cells found in the lungs after exposure to harmful chemicals at low levels. Additionally, these scientists have also discovered that these modifications solidify, reverse, and even become hazardous to human beings under certain exposure situations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the respiratory system is one of the most crucial systems in human and animal bodies. The lungs, the most significant respiratory organ, use immunological and non-immunological methods to defend themselves from toxic substances. Toxic substances could be caused by air pollution, which interferes with specific and a specific lung defenses, thus facilitating the development of pulmonary diseases such as asthma, allergies, and obstructive pulmonary disease. Additionally, occupational exposure and human activities are the primary cause of many respiratory disorders.
These human activities include transportation, agriculture, and industry, resulting in a mixture of gases in the air. Industry, for instance, contributes to the most worldwide variability in pollution of air. The role of the environment in the progression and exacerbation of respiratory diseases is mostly under-appreciated and under-reported. Therefore, efforts at a modernized level to improve medical detection of occupational and environmental respiratory disorders are essential.
References
Zhou, T., Song, W., Shang, Y., Yao, S., & Matalon, S. (2018). Halogen inhalation-induced lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Chinese Medical Journal, 131(10), 1214-1219. Web.