Air Pollution and Noncommunicable Diseases

Abstract

Air pollution poses a great environmental risk to health. Outdoor fine particulate matter (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 mm) exposure is the fifth leading risk factor for death in the world, accounting for 4.2 million deaths and > 103 million disability-adjusted life years lost according to the Global Burden of Disease Report. The World Health Organization attributes 3.8 million additional deaths to indoor air pollution. Air pollution can harm acutely, usually manifested by respiratory or cardiac symptoms, as well as chronically, potentially affecting every organ in the body. It can cause, complicate, or exacerbate many adverse health conditions. Tissue damage may result directly from pollutant toxicity because fine and ultrafine particles can gain access to organs, or indirectly through systemic inflammatory processes. Susceptibility is partly under genetic and epigenetic regulation. Although air pollution affects people of all regions, ages, and social groups, it is likely to cause greater illness in those with heavy exposure and greater susceptibility. Persons are more vulnerable to air pollution if they have other illnesses or less social support. Harmful effects occur on a continuum of dosage and even at levels below air quality standards previously considered to be safe.

The 2018 fire season in North America as seen by TROPOMI: aerosol layer height intercomparisons and evaluation of model-derived plume heights

“…These traces and aerosols negatively impact air quality and are all harmful to people and their environment (e.g. Anenberg et al, 2018;Schraufnagel et al, 2019). The amounts released during the fire are highly variable and depend on the fuel type and intensity of the fire.…”

Liquid amphiphilic polymer for effective airborne dust suppression

“…2 PM10 and PM2.5 can be suspended for long periods in air and, when inhaled, penetrate the lungs into the bloodstream which causes health issues ranging from commonly known respiratory and cardiovascular diseases to Alzheimer's disease and miscarriage. [3][4][5][6] PM also negatively inuences plant growth, containing numerous risk elements that can penetrate the leaf surface or indirectly be adsorbed via soil-root interaction. [7][8][9] Therefore, methods to mitigate airborne PM pollution are required for human and environmental health.…”

Inequalities in exposure to the air pollutants PM2.5 and NO2 in Australia

“…The pollutants PM 2.5 and NO 2 are associated with a range of health effects including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and in extreme cases, mortality (Brugge et al 2007, Rückerl et al 2011, Hamra et al 2015, Kelly and Fussell 2016, Khreis et al 2017, Schraufnagel et al 2019a, 2019b. The associations between negative health effects and the concentration of pollutants are significant for acute and chronic exposure, although the exact associations vary between exposures (Rohr and Wyzga 2012, Hoek et al 2013, Atkinson et al 2014, Faustini et al 2014, Wyzga and Rohr 2015, Li et al 2016.…”

“…The findings of this body of research have major implications for public health, as many inequitably exposed subpopulations are also potentially vulnerable to exposure to air pollution. Due to their physiology, young and elderly people are particularly susceptible to air pollution (Rückerl et al 2011, Sacks et al 2011, Schraufnagel et al 2019a. Socio-economically disadvantaged people have also been found to be vulnerable to exposure, possibly due to poorer quality housing, which can increase their exposure to air pollution-or compound its effects (Evans and Kantrowitz 2002, Rauh et al 2008, Rückerl et al 2011, Wang et al 2017, Nieuwenhuijsen et al 2018.…”