Greta Jimenez
Air pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. It is the presence of one or more contaminants in the atmosphere, such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odour, smoke or vapour, in quantities and durations that can be harmful to human health. Almost every organ in the body can be impacted by air pollution, with pollutants entering the body through the respiratory tract and, in some cases, the bloodstream. Both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to a wide range of diseases, including stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, lung cancer, and lower respiratory infections. Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing health conditions are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of air pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Air pollution | The presence of contaminants in the atmosphere, such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odour, smoke, or vapour. |
| Health effects | Inflammation, oxidative stress, immunosuppression, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, systemic inflammation, and cell damage. |
| Affected organs | Lungs, heart, brain, and almost every other organ in the body. |
| Diseases | Stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, lung cancer, asthma, type 2 diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and more. |
| Vulnerable populations | Children, adolescents, older adults, people with pre-existing health conditions, lower socioeconomic status, and certain ethnic and racial groups. |
| Global impact | More than 6.5 million deaths each year, with 10% of these being children under the age of 5. |
| Sources of pollution | Automobile emissions, power plants, burning garbage, chemical companies, volcanic eruptions, tobacco smoke, and indoor air pollution. |
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What You'll Learn
Air pollution and respiratory health
Air pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. It is a familiar environmental health hazard, with the brown haze that settles over cities, exhaust on highways, and plumes from smokestacks being some of the most common examples. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of the world's population lives in areas exceeding the WHO air quality guidelines, and air pollution is responsible for an estimated 6.5 to 7 million premature deaths each year globally.
Air pollution is a major risk factor for respiratory health, as the main pathway of exposure is through the respiratory tract. Pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter affect different parts of the respiratory tract, leading to a range of respiratory problems. These problems can range from minor upper respiratory irritation to chronic respiratory and heart disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Short-term exposure to high levels of particulate matter can lead to respiratory symptoms such as cough, phlegm, and wheezing, as well as reduced lung function, respiratory infections, and aggravated asthma. Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter, on the other hand, increases the risk of more serious diseases with longer onsets, such as stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the respiratory health effects of air pollution. Exposure to air pollutants can compromise their developing immune systems, making them more susceptible to developing acute lower respiratory infections. Studies have shown that higher levels of air pollution are associated with increased short-term respiratory infections in children, leading to more school absences. Children who play outdoor sports and live in high-ozone communities are also more likely to develop asthma. In addition, children exposed to smoke from agricultural burns, even for as little as two weeks per year, may experience worsened respiratory health outcomes, including acute lung function problems in those with asthma.
The elderly are also at increased risk of respiratory health effects from air pollution due to a higher prevalence of pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, as well as the gradual decline in physiological defenses that occurs with age. Constant exposure to elevated particle pollution will contribute to reduced respiratory function, even in otherwise healthy individuals.
Overall, air pollution has significant and wide-ranging impacts on respiratory health, affecting people of all ages and from all walks of life. Taking steps to reduce exposure to air pollution can help mitigate these adverse health effects.
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The impact on children
Air pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. It is a major threat to global health and prosperity, causing more than 6.5 million deaths each year worldwide.
Children are especially vulnerable to the adverse health effects of air pollution. Their bodies, organs, and immune systems are still developing, and they have smaller airways, which makes them more susceptible to infections. Moreover, children tend to spend more time outdoors and are more physically active than adults, potentially increasing their exposure to ambient air pollution. Maternal exposure to air pollution is associated with adverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight, pre-term birth, and small for gestational age births. Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is also associated with an increased risk of premature birth, stillbirth, and developmental issues in the fetus.
Children exposed to air pollution are at a higher risk of respiratory infections, including acute lower respiratory infections, pneumonia, upper respiratory infections, and otitis media (ear infections). They are also more likely to develop asthma, and their lung function and lung development are affected by pollutants, especially ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the short term, and by fine particles (PM2.5) in the long term. Studies have found that children who play several outdoor sports and live in high-ozone communities are more likely to develop asthma. Exposure to smoke from agricultural burns for as little as two weeks per year may also worsen children's respiratory health outcomes.
In addition to respiratory issues, short-term exposure to air pollution may exacerbate allergies, including allergic rhinitis (runny nose), eczema, and conjunctivitis (itchy eyes) in children. Furthermore, a growing body of evidence suggests that air pollution may also affect neurological development and diabetes in children.
The impact of air pollution on children's health is a significant concern, and it is crucial to address this issue to protect the well-being of younger generations.
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Neurological and metabolic effects
Air pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. It is a major threat to global health and prosperity and is responsible for millions of deaths each year globally. The main pathway of exposure from air pollution is through the respiratory tract.
Breathing in these pollutants leads to inflammation, oxidative stress, immunosuppression, and mutagenicity in cells throughout the body, impacting the lungs, heart, and brain, among other organs, and ultimately leading to disease. Almost every organ in the body can be impacted by air pollution. Due to their small size, some air pollutants can penetrate into the bloodstream via the lungs and circulate throughout the entire body, leading to systemic inflammation and carcinogenicity.
Neurological Effects:
Air pollution can cause diverse neurological disorders as a result of inflammation of the nervous system, oxidative stress, activation of microglial cells, protein condensation, and cerebral vascular-barrier disorders. Uncertainty remains concerning the biological mechanisms by which air pollution produces neurological disease. However, neuronal cell damage caused by fine dust, especially in fetuses and infants, can cause permanent brain damage or lead to neurological disease in adulthood.
The brain is the hub of the nervous system, and its functions, including learning, memory, and cognition, are closely related to neurological health. Therefore, brain damage caused by pollutants such as NO2 and its derivatives is of great concern. Studies have found an association between high levels of NO2 and an increased incidence of dementia. In addition, air pollution, especially PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides (NOx), is known to affect the central nervous system, causing systemic inflammation, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress.
A growing body of literature links exposure to various air pollutants with poor brain health and an increased incidence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. The impact of air pollution on neurological disorders is an emerging area of concern, and the intricate mechanisms by which pollutants contribute to neurological pathologies are still being unravelled.
Metabolic Effects:
In addition to the direct effects on the nervous system, air pollution can also have indirect metabolic effects. PM2.5, for example, has been found to cause methylation of genes related to energy metabolism in mitochondria, and these changes can be reduced by dietary interventions with B vitamins.
Overall, the neurological and metabolic effects of air pollution are complex and multifaceted, impacting a wide range of bodily functions and systems. While some interventions, such as dietary supplementation with antioxidants, have been suggested to mitigate these effects, the underlying mechanisms and long-term impacts on health remain areas of active research.
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Links to cancer
Exposure to air pollution has been linked to lung cancer, with hundreds of thousands of lung cancer deaths worldwide attributed to air pollution. In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer reviewed the available science and concluded that particulate matter causes lung cancer. Fine particles can enter deep into the lungs and are linked to lung cancer, and further research is needed to understand the precise way that these particles start the cancerous process within the lungs. Smaller particles are more dangerous than larger ones because they get trapped deep in the lungs and can even enter the bloodstream, causing damage.
Air pollution has also been associated with an increased risk of mortality for several other types of cancer, including breast, liver, and pancreatic cancer. A 2020 study of 66,280 residents of Hong Kong, all aged 65 or older, found that long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter was associated with an increased risk of mortality for these cancer types. Another study found that mice exposed to industrial ambient air pollution showed higher heritable mutations at tandem-repeat DNA loci.
In addition to the respiratory system, pollution can also affect the digestive organs and influence the development of cancer. Pollution might spark defects in DNA repair function, alterations in the body's immune response, or inflammation that triggers angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels that allow tumors to spread.
Water is another key source of pollution that can lead to cancer. Drinking water from private wells has been found to contain high levels of arsenic, which is a cause of bladder cancer and has also been associated with skin and lung cancers. Nitrates, also found in higher levels in private wells, have been associated with colon, kidney, and stomach cancers when combined with higher meat intake.
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Socioeconomic disparities
Air pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. It is a major threat to global health and prosperity, causing more than 6.5 million deaths each year worldwide. This figure has increased over the past two decades.
The health impacts of air pollution are not evenly distributed across society. Research has shown that there are racial or ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in air pollution emissions. People of colour are disproportionately exposed to a regulated air pollutant called fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This is due to a legacy of housing policy and other factors, such as the siting of hazardous facilities, that has pushed people of colour and pollution together.
A 2008 study found a greater risk of premature death for communities with higher African American populations, higher unemployment, and higher use of public transportation. A 2016 study of New Jersey residents found that the risk of dying early from long-term exposure to particle pollution was higher in communities with larger African American populations, lower home values, and lower median incomes. Multiple large studies have shown that low socioeconomic status increases the risk of premature death from fine particle pollution.
The reasons for these disparities are complex and multifaceted. Low SES communities may face higher exposure to air pollutants due to living nearer to major sources of pollution, such as industrial areas or busy highways. They may also experience increased susceptibility to poor health due to psychosocial stressors, such as discrimination and chronic stress, and fewer opportunities to choose health-promoting behaviours. Additionally, children from low-income families who play outdoor sports and live in high-ozone communities are more likely to develop asthma.
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Frequently asked questions
Air pollution is the presence of contaminants in the atmosphere, such as dust, fumes, gases, mist, odours, smoke or vapours, in quantities that can be harmful to human health.
Air pollution can affect almost every organ in the body. The main pathway of exposure is through the respiratory tract, which can lead to reduced lung function, respiratory infections, and aggravated asthma. Pollutants can also enter the bloodstream via the lungs and circulate throughout the body, leading to systemic inflammation and an increased risk of heart and respiratory diseases, lung cancer, strokes, and other noncommunicable diseases.
Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing health conditions are more susceptible to the health impacts of air pollution. People with low socioeconomic status are also more likely to experience higher exposures to air pollution.
Air pollution comes from both human-made and natural sources. The combustion of fossil fuels is a major source of ambient (outdoor) air pollution, while household activities such as cooking and heating contribute to indoor air pollution. Agricultural burning and emissions from large-scale animal feeding operations are also significant sources of air pollution in rural areas.
