Do you too experience sore throat or nose irritation off and on and blame the climate, but, the health experts and the Air Resource Management Centre (AirMac) attribute this to unexpected sharp increase in sulphur dioxide (SO2) in the ambient air, especially in Colombo.

The SO2 level in the air has now exceeded the recommended levels in the Sri Lanka Air Quality Index (SLAQI).

According to AirMac official, SO2 in the air has doubled in their index during the past few weeks and the root causes yet to be identified.

The recommended level of the SLAQI is 0.082 ppm but the Air Monitoring Unit at Fort has recorded 116 ppm of SO2 in the first week of January and had risen to 169ppm last week.

World Health Organization expert for Europe on Air Pollution and Health Dr. Hemantha Wickramatillake told the 'Sunday Observer' that the present SO2 levels were much higher than the European air quality standards, which is in the range of 67ppm to 99ppm, and the present indication is extremely unhealthy to the people.

He said that when it reached 125ppm, in countries like England, the government issued public warnings over TV and the radio informing the people to stay indoors.

"When it exceeds 99ppm, people, who were exposed to the toxic chemical, suffering from respiratory diseases were high", he said.

Dr. Wickramatillake said that those who are asthmatic and children and pregnant women are vulnerable to SO2.

Meanwhile, an AirMac official emphasised the need by the authorities to measure the SO2 levels in petrol and diesel daily before issuing the fuel to filling stations.

According to him, SO2 levels at Borella and in Kandy, both of which have similar traffic congestions like Colombo may have the same SO2 levels.

Source: http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2006/01/29/new14.html