Spectacle of pollutant-trickster: What remains of Koehler’s theses left

In the fine dust vortex, it turns out that the person who has it applied, is not a computational artist. Systematic errors threw Dieter Köhler other scientists. Instead, a detailed analysis shows, rather, that his ideas dissolve into dust.

Dieter Köhler is probably the most mentioned Name when esaktuell the fine dust limit values. The retired pulmonary doctor questioned the harmfulness of air pollution. Data were interpreted by scientists, “extremely one-sided, always with the goal of notion that fine dust and NOx must be harmful”.

The daily newspaper “taz”has Koehler’s calculations will now analyze a very fine undfestgestellt: and exact chemistry does not count in contrast zumedial effective performances to Strengthen his. Here is a look at Dieter köhler’s theses in detail:

Several times resolves: derlunge doctor compares the air in inner cities with demSchadstoffgehalt of cigarette smoke. Because here ausStickstoff nitrogen dioxide.

In his much-discussed opinion Köhler faced with a smoker and a non-Smoking, the “permanent fine dust or NOx in the Limit”breathing: In less than two months, the smokers dievergleichbare fine dust dose should have already been achieved.

Wolfgang Taut,physicians, and Department Director for environmental health at the environmental Federal office, said: “This is due to thebusiness different temporal relationship sense.”

Right would, instead, like the “taz” newspaper writes: “anyone Who lives on a busy street, breathing in during a life of 80 Jahrenso much nitrogen oxides as a heavy smoker in the 6 to 32 years.”Depending on the assumed NO2 percentage of the NOx.

Köhler’s account of a Numbers proved to be equal in many respects amistake. Faced with the lung tried doctor first to talk his way out before he schließlichzugab assumptions for his failures.

From this Proposition, nothing is left.

Chemistry, difficult,, if you want to sgenau: For his account of the lung doctor, messing up only once, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Köhler assumes an initial value of 500Mikrogramm nitrogen dioxide per cigarette. As it turned out, however, that this 500 micrograms for nitrogen oxides generally apply, so the entire NOx group of the nitrogen dioxide(NO2). The proportion of NO2 is lower than 500Mikrogramm.

In addition, the retired pulmonary physician made a mistake, corrected himself and referred aufveraltete limits.

The Review of the “taz” revealed: the day border sun value for fine dust, on the Köhler refer always,in the case of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Köhlers for denZigarettenrauch-called maximum value of 500 grams per cubic meter is equivalent to 500 million micro grams per cubic meter.

The”taz” expects more: “Agreed with the above number, would be dieKonzentration in cigarette smoke, therefore, not 1 Million Times thatof such as the limit on the road, but 10 million Times.”

This Thesis, therefore, is also correct.

Köhler sees no scientific evidence that nitrogen dioxide inthe low concentration, as you go through the road traffic is generated could be harmful to the human body.It’s not even in the bloodstream.

The resist Thomas Münzel speaks of the Scientific Advisory Board of the German heart Foundation and Director of the cardiology clinic I, University medicine Mainz: nitrogen dioxide irritates the eyes undAtemwege, a penetrates deep in the lungs, constricts bronchi undBlutgefäße and can trigger inflammation. “Exhaust gases desstraße traffic, in particular diesel fuel, can thief lutplättchen of cardiovascular activate patients, and to clump together so their tendency to increase. The pumping function of the heart worsens, proven, the blood pressure rises, and the process of atherosclerosis is significantly increased. The befördertdie emergence of a heart attack,“ says Münzel.

Other physicians köhler’s theses are based. So about Martin Hetzel,a specialist in Internal medicine, pneumology and cardiology amStuttgarter hospital of the Red cross says: “There is no particulate matter or NO2-diseases of the heart and there is no fine-dust – or NO2-dead. The constructed mathematical models,“ said the doctor.

Köhler’s Thesis remains controversial.

For the lung specialists Köhler, a fortress built tgelegten limits are purely arbitrary. “Whether derstick nitrogen dioxide limit value is 40 or 100 micrograms, makes no difference. Since there is no dead anymore,” he said in “Stern TV”.

The authors of the Europe-wide Cape study. In the study, the longitudinal cut data von300.000 volunteers, and for the first time, a connection between the exposure to fine dust and nitrogen of geographical data oxides analyzed are drawn. What the scientists also: Increases the fine dust to only five micrograms per cubic meter, displays the data, a statistically significant increase in mortality keitum seven percent, the authors write in The Lancet.

In the us, however, the EPA provides for the accordance with evaluation of numerous studies for years, differently – also it had no reference to köhler’s criticism. Scientists in the USA have the same data available, but obviously, the allow Studienaus the Europeans.

Result: In the United States is derGrenzwert for many years at 103 micrograms, and even Galleria is the state with the strictest border – California, looking at 57Mikrogramm as sufficiently safe. The 40 micrograms, the EU are available online, meanwhile, an average value, during the hours limit is significantly higher (200 micrograms).

The reason is that In the case of a short term load of 200 micro – grams-five times as much as the annual appropriations limit of 40 micro – grams would be hazardous to health. In addition to the measuring stations close to traffic there is, therefore, also stations in the Background, especially inWohngebieten. There, the pollutant load is according to the latest data from the Federal office for the environment much lower.

Köhler’s Thesis remains controversial, however, is not dismissed out of Hand-to –epidemiologists admitted in any case, that limit is always recommendations, the final design was a political and not a medical decision.

Köhler considered all of these errors, the “taz” , as not a big problem. The “order of magnitude” was correct, he argues.For his calculation errors and outdated basics of skeptics has derGrenzwert-a simple explanation for this: “I’m japraktisch all alone and don’t have a Sekretärinals pensioners.”