• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Brits warned about potential symptoms with toxic cloud dangerous to humans on way to UK

Home> News> UK News> Weather

Updated 15:36 25 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 15:30 25 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Brits warned about potential symptoms with toxic cloud dangerous to humans on way to UK

The Met Office has spoken out, and here's what you need to know

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

The sixth eruption of an Icelandic volcano since December is sending a cloud of toxic gas that's going through the atmosphere above the UK.

This volcanic gas is sulphur dioxide, a rather harmful thing which can be hazardous to your health.

According to the CDC, sulphur dioxide has a 'strong, stinging odour', so you'll know it when you smell it.

Advert

Burning coal is the main cause of sulphur dioxide pollution, but this time it has come from a volcano. (Peter Cade/Getty Images)
Burning coal is the main cause of sulphur dioxide pollution, but this time it has come from a volcano. (Peter Cade/Getty Images)

Interestingly enough, some foods and drinks use trace amounts of it as a preservative, so you've likely consumed it already at some point in your life.

Exposure to much higher quantities can cause irritation to your nose, eyes, throat and lungs.

You could expect to suffer from a sore throat, runny nose, burning eyes and a cough, though an inhalation of high levels of sulphur dioxide could cause swelling in your lungs and give you difficulty breathing.

Asthmatics may feel the symptoms more acutely.

Advert

Getting sulphur dioxide on your skin could also cause irritation and burning, while in serious cases, it could blind you given enough contact with the eyes.

Permanent damage is possible, but fortunately the amount going over the UK and the exposure the Met Office is predicting means that Brits ought to be fine in this case.

Sulphur dioxide is an irritant to the skin, eyes and respiratory system. It can leave you with permanent damage, though the toxic cloud going over the UK is unlikely to do that. (Getty Stock Photo)
Sulphur dioxide is an irritant to the skin, eyes and respiratory system. It can leave you with permanent damage, though the toxic cloud going over the UK is unlikely to do that. (Getty Stock Photo)

The Met Office has issued a statement explaining that the sulphur dioxide is 'having little influence on ground-level air quality'.

They'll keep monitoring the situation, but currently they expect the level of impact to air pollution to remain low.

Advert

A Met Office spokesperson told LADbible: "A sulphur dioxide plume which originated from the volcano in Iceland has been crossing the UK high up in the atmosphere and will clear to the southeast in the coming hours.

"Impacts have been low from this sulphur dioxide, as it is high in the atmosphere and is having little influence on ground-level air quality.

"Small concentrations at surface level mean that the air pollution levels remain low.

"Air pollution is currently Low, and expected to remain that way for the whole of the UK today.

"We’re continuing to monitor any sulphur dioxide release originating from Iceland, with current forecasts suggesting little influence on UK surface air pollution in the coming days."

Advert

Basically, we ought to be largely alright since the sulphur dioxide is high above us in the atmosphere and doesn't appear to be having much impact on the air we actually breathe.

Well, there's some good news for you this bank holiday weekend.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Photo / Windy.com

Topics: Health, UK News, Weather, World News, Science

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

24 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • 24 mins ago

    ‘Fit and healthy’ bowel cancer patient who was given incurable diagnosis only had two very unusual symptoms

    Dad-of-two Ollie Tetlow, 42, was diagnosed with stage four incurable bowel cancer last year

    News
  • an hour ago

    Brit mum jailed in Turkey after 'biggest mistake' celebrating boyfriend's Turkey teeth reveals update on heartbreaking situation

    Georgia Harrison is stuck in Turkey after being handed a travel ban

    News
  • an hour ago

    Top adult star tells young Brits not to watch her content as new UK porn laws start in weeks

    The top UK star is raising awareness of the importance of the act

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Air India boss hits back at 'speculation' over reason behind fatal crash as he gives major update on plane

    N Chandrasekaran believes the plane's black boxes will 'definitely tell the story' of what went wrong on the doomed flight

    News
  • Met Office issues statement after warning over toxic cloud travelling across UK
  • Brits complain of foul smell after Met Office issues statement on toxic sulphur dioxide cloud travelling through UK
  • Brits warned about best way to avoid Victorian disease sweeping UK at the moment
  • Terrifying way you will know if a dust storm is heading your way as one the size of 48 US states is set to hit this week