In a recent revelation that adds to the growing concerns about climate change, a study suggests that cooking aromas could potentially contribute to air pollution.
The study, conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), posits that cooking activities release human-caused volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, which are believed to have a detrimental effect on the environment. The researchers stated, If you can smell it, theres a good chance its impacting air quality.
The multiyear research project was carried out in three American cities: Los Angeles, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Boulder, Colorado. Matt Coggon, the lead author of the study, explained, Over the years, weve measured all sorts of different VOCs across the US from different sources, like vehicles, wildfire smoke, agriculture, and consumer products. We kept seeing a specific class of compound in the urban measurements, what we call long-chain aldehydes, that we couldnt explain from these other sources.
The study highlighted Las Vegas, a city with one of the highest concentrations of restaurants in the country, as having persistent air quality issues, especially around The Strip. NOAA reported that "cooking activities" were responsible for an average of 21 percent of the total mass of VOCs found in Vegas' outdoor air, with ranges between 10 percent and 30 percent. Pasadena and Los Angeles, California, also exhibited elevated levels.
The researchers concluded that the contribution of cooking-related air pollution is significantly underreported and could account for approximately 25 percent of VOCs in urban areas. The problem is even more pronounced within homes. Coggon emphasized, Its crucial to have the full picture of emissions and sources to help policymakers understand the effectiveness of their decisions.
The implications of these findings on future climate policies remain uncertain. While President Biden has labeled climate change as the existential threat to humanity, former President Donald Trump has consistently dismissed climate change concerns.
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