This is how your health damages the Popocatépetl volcano

• May 1, 2024

The Popocatépetl , which in Nahuatl means hill that smokes, tends to throw continuously ash and, with it, volcanic residues that damage health. The colossus is located in the center of the Mexican Republic, in the territorial limits of the states of Mexico, Morelos, Puebla.

The researcher of Department of Volcanology of the Institute of Geophysics of the UNAM , Ana Lillian Martin from Pozzo , explains that the risk depends on the size of the particles that form the ash.

According to the World Health Organization, particles of less than one micron can reach brain , while those of 15 microns affect the eyes and irritate the throat ; even worse is that of 10 microns, which, being much smaller, easily lodge in deep parts of the human organism.

The particles of four microns, are even more dangerous, since they can enter the lungs . For what is already done a more detailed investigation in this regard. "

The specialist reports that a few years ago she participated in a study, together with researchers from the Hospital for Pulmonary Diseases, in which it was detected that the respiratory capacity of peasants who work outdoors during volcanic events decreased significantly, while at the end of the same their respiratory capacity was normalized.

Remember that during the eruption of Popocatepetl in 1995, the fall of ash in Puebla was abundant; in 1997, the largest amount was recorded in Mexico City, and for 2004, volcanic activity decreased significantly. In this context, he mentioned that during 1995, Puebla and Tlaxcala were the entities with the most visits to health centers for respiratory ailments at the time of greatest ash fall.

These facts confirm that, in effect, the material that the volcano throws in each activity affects health in an important way; In addition, some eruptions discard thicker material and when it comes to larger eruptions, they throw away finer material that affects the respiratory tract and the ocular system.

Currently the activity of Popocatépetl is moderate, but constant, with emission of fumaroles, composed of gases and water vapor, and sudden and unexpected minor expulsions of ash and volcanic material.