the causes and effects of air pollution essay

• History & Society
• Science & Tech
• Biographies
• Animals & Nature
• Geography & Travel
• Arts & Culture
• Games & Quizzes
• On This Day
• One Good Fact
• New Articles
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• World History
• Health & Medicine
• Browse Biographies
• Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
• Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
• Environment
• Fossils & Geologic Time
• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Sports & Recreation
• Visual Arts
• Demystified
• Image Galleries
• Infographics
• Top Questions
• Britannica Kids
• Saving Earth
• Space Next 50
• Student Center
• Introduction
• Fine particulates
• Carbon monoxide
• Sulfur dioxide
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Greenhouse gases
• Air pollution and air movement
• The global reach of air pollution
• Indoor air pollution

air pollution

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• United States Environment Protection Agency - Air Pollution: Current and Future Challenges
• Natural Resources Defense Council - Air Pollution: Everything You Need to Know
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - Air Pollution
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Air pollution: Impact and prevention
• Frontiers - Air pollution and rhinitis
• Environmental Pollution Centers - What is Air Pollution?
• air pollution - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
• Table Of Contents

Recent News

air pollution , release into the atmosphere of various gases , finely divided solids, or finely dispersed liquid aerosols at rates that exceed the natural capacity of the environment to dissipate and dilute or absorb them. These substances may reach concentrations in the air that cause undesirable health, economic, or aesthetic effects.

Major air pollutants

Criteria pollutants.

Clean, dry air consists primarily of nitrogen and oxygen —78 percent and 21 percent respectively, by volume. The remaining 1 percent is a mixture of other gases, mostly argon (0.9 percent), along with trace (very small) amounts of carbon dioxide , methane , hydrogen , helium , and more. Water vapour is also a normal, though quite variable, component of the atmosphere, normally ranging from 0.01 to 4 percent by volume; under very humid conditions the moisture content of air may be as high as 5 percent.

There are six major air pollutants that have been designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “criteria” pollutants — criteria meaning that the concentrations of these pollutants in the atmosphere are useful as indicators of overall air quality. The sources, acceptable concentrations, and effects of the criteria pollutants are summarized in the table.

The gaseous criteria air pollutants of primary concern in urban settings include sulfur dioxide , nitrogen dioxide , and carbon monoxide ; these are emitted directly into the air from fossil fuels such as fuel oil , gasoline , and natural gas that are burned in power plants, automobiles, and other combustion sources. Ozone (a key component of smog ) is also a gaseous pollutant; it forms in the atmosphere via complex chemical reactions occurring between nitrogen dioxide and various volatile organic compounds (e.g., gasoline vapours).

Airborne suspensions of extremely small solid or liquid particles called “particulates” (e.g., soot, dust, smokes, fumes, mists), especially those less than 10 micrometres (μm; millionths of a metre) in size, are significant air pollutants because of their very harmful effects on human health. They are emitted by various industrial processes, coal- or oil-burning power plants, residential heating systems, and automobiles. Lead fumes (airborne particulates less than 0.5 μm in size) are particularly toxic and are an important pollutant of many diesel fuels .

Except for lead, criteria pollutants are emitted in industrialized countries at very high rates, typically measured in millions of tons per year. All except ozone are discharged directly into the atmosphere from a wide variety of sources. They are regulated primarily by establishing ambient air quality standards, which are maximum acceptable concentrations of each criteria pollutant in the atmosphere, regardless of its origin. The six criteria pollutants are described in turn below.

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• Air Pollution Essay

Essay on Air Pollution

Environmental changes are caused by the natural or artificial content of harmful pollutants and can cause instability, disturbance, or adverse effects on the ecosystem. Earth and its environment pose a more serious threat due to the increasing pollution of air, water, and soil. Environmental damage is caused by improper resource management or careless human activities. Therefore, any activity that violates the original nature of the environment and leads to degradation is called pollution. We need to understand the origin of these pollutants and find ways to control pollution. This can also be done by raising awareness of the effects of pollutants.

Air pollution is any physical, chemical, or biological change in the air. A certain percentage of the gas is present in the atmosphere. Increasing or decreasing the composition of these gasses is detrimental to survival. This imbalance in gas composition causes an increase in global temperature which is called global warming.

Introduction to air pollution 

The Earth and its environment are facing a serious threat by the increasing pollution of the air, water, and soil—the vital life support systems of the Earth. The damage to the environment is caused by improper management of resources or by careless human activity. Hence any activity that violates the original character of nature and leads to its degradation is called pollution. We need to understand the sources of these pollutants and find ways to control pollution. This can be also done by making people aware of the effects of pollutants. 

Air with 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, and 1% of all other gasses support life on Earth. Various processes take place to sustain the regular percentage of gasses and their composition in general. 

Atmospheric pollution can have natural sources, for example, volcanic eruptions. The gaseous by-products of man-made processes such as energy production, waste incineration, transport, deforestation and agriculture, are the major air pollutants.

Although air is made up of mostly Oxygen and Nitrogen, mankind, through pollution, has increased the levels of many trace gasses, and in some cases, released completely new gasses to the atmosphere. 

Air pollution can result in poor air quality, both in cities and in the countryside. Some air pollutants make people sick, causing breathing problems and increasing the likelihood of cancer. 

Some air pollutants are harmful to plants, animals, and the ecosystems in which they live. Statues, monuments, and buildings are being corroded by the air pollutants in the form of acid rain. It also damages crops and forests, and makes lakes and streams unsuitable for fish and other plant and animal life. 

Air pollution created by man-made resources is also changing the Earth’s atmosphere. It is causing the depletion of the ozone layer and letting in more harmful radiation from the Sun. The greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere prevents heat from escaping back into space and leads to a rise in global average temperatures. Global warming affects the average sea-level and increases the spread of tropical diseases.

Air pollution occurs when large amounts of gas and tiny particles are released into the air and the ecological balance is disturbed. Each year millions of tons of gasses and particulate matter are emitted into the air. 

Primary air pollutants are pollutants, which are directly released into the air. They are called SPM, i.e., Suspended Particulate Matter. For example, smoke, dust, ash, sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide, and radioactive compounds, etc.

Secondary Pollutants are pollutants, which are formed due to chemical interactions between the atmospheric components and primary pollutants. For example, Smog (i.e. Smoke and fog), ozone, etc.

Major gaseous air pollutants include Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide, etc.

Natural sources are volcanic eruptions, forest fires, dust storms, etc. 

Man-made sources include gasses released from the automobiles, industries, burning of garbage and bricks kilns, etc.

Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health

Air pollution has adverse effects on human health. 

Breathing polluted air puts you at higher risk of asthma.

When exposed to ground ozone for 6 to 7 hours, people suffer from respiratory inflammation.

Damages the immune system, endocrine, and reproductive systems.

A high level of air pollution has been associated with higher incidents of heart problems.

The toxic chemicals released into the air are affecting the flora and fauna immensely.

Preventive Measures to Reduce Air Pollution

We can prevent pollution by utilizing raw materials, water energy, and other resources more efficiently. When less harmful substances are substituted for hazardous ones, and when toxic substances are eliminated from the production process, human health can be protected and economic wellbeing can be strengthened. 

There are several measures that can be adopted by people to reduce pollution and to save the environment.

Carpooling.

Promotion of public transport.

No smoking zone.

Restricted use of fossil fuels.

Saving energy.

Encouraging organic farming.

The government has put restrictions on the amount of fossil fuels that can be used as well as restrictions on how much carbon dioxide and other pollutants can be emitted. Although the government is attempting to save our environment from these harmful gasses, it is not sufficient. We as a society need to keep the environment clean by controlling the pollution of air.

FAQs on Air Pollution Essay

1. State the Causes of Air Pollution ?

The following are the causes of air pollution.

Vehicular pollution consisting of Carbon Monoxide causes pollution.

Emission of Nitrogen oxide by a large number of supersonic transport airplanes causes deterioration of the Ozone layer and also causes serious damage to the flora and fauna.

The release of Chlorofluorocarbons into the Stratosphere causes depletion of Ozone, which is a serious concern to animals, microscopic, and aquatic organisms.

Burning garbage causes smoke, which pollutes the atmosphere. This smoke contains harmful gases such as Carbon dioxide and Nitrogen oxides.

In India, brick kilns are used for many purposes and coal is used to burn the bricks. They give out huge quantities of Carbon dioxide and particulate matter such as smoke, dust that are very harmful to people working there and the areas surrounding it. 

Many cleansing agents release poisonous gases such as Ammonia and Chlorine into the atmosphere. 

Radioactive elements emit harmful rays into the air.

Decomposed animals and plants emit Methane and Ammonia gas into the air.

2. What Does Global Warming Mean?

Global warming is the gradual rising average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere due to the concentration of methane in certain toxic gasses such as carbon dioxide. This has a major impact on the world climate. The world is warming. The land and the sea are now warmer than they were at the beginning and temperatures are still rising. This rise in temperature is, in short, global warming. This temperature rise is man-made. The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere which capture solar heat and raise surface and air temperatures.

3. Name the Alternative Modes of Transport. In What Way Does it Help to Reduce Air Pollution?

Public transport could be an alternative mode of transport. Public transport like trains, buses and trams, can relieve traffic congestion and reduce air pollution from road transport. The use of public transport must be encouraged in order to develop a sustainable transport policy.

4. Mention other means of transportation! How can I help reduce air pollution?

Public transportation can be another mode of transportation. Public transport such as trains, buses and trams can reduce traffic congestion and reduce air pollution from road transport. The use of public transport and to develop sustainable transport policies should be encouraged. While one passenger vehicle has the convenience factor, other modes of transportation reduce travel costs, spend less time, reduce stress, improve health, and reduce energy consumption and parking. Other trips for work include walking/cycling, public transport, hybrid travel and transport.

5. What are the effects of pollution?

Excessive air pollution can increase the risk of heart attack, wheezing, coughing and difficulty breathing, as well as irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. Air pollution can also cause heart problems, asthma, and other lung problems. Due to the emission of greenhouse gases, the composition of the air in the air is disturbed. This causes an increase in global temperature. The damaging ozone layer due to air pollution does not prevent harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun, which cause skin and eye problems in individuals. Air pollution has caused a number of respiratory and heart diseases among people. The incidence of lung cancer has increased in recent decades. Children living in contaminated areas are more likely to develop pneumonia and asthma. Many people die every year due to the direct or indirect effects of air pollution. When burning fossil fuels, harmful gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the air. Water droplets combine with these pollutants and become acidic and fall as acid rain, which harms human, animal and plant life.

6. What is the solution to air pollution?

Production of renewable fuels and clean energy. The basic solution to air pollution is to get away from fossil fuels and replace them with other energies such as solar, wind and geothermal. The government limits the amount of fossil fuel that can be used and how much carbon dioxide and other pollutants it can emit. While the government is trying to save our environment from this harmful gas, it is not enough. We as a society need to keep the environment clean by controlling air pollution. To more in detail about air pollution and its causes. To learn more about air pollution and its impact on the environment, visit the Vedantu website.

• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
• Climate Change
• Policy & Economics
• Biodiversity
• Conservation

Get focused newsletters especially designed to be concise and easy to digest

• ESSENTIAL BRIEFING 3 times weekly
• TOP STORY ROUNDUP Once a week
• MONTHLY OVERVIEW Once a month
• Enter your email *
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

4 Causes and Effects of Air Pollution

Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air, which can be harmful and impose significant health risks to the population, including increased chances of coronary and respiratory diseases, as well as preliminary deaths. Made up of chemicals and pollutant particles, air pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime . Read on to learn about the major causes and effects of air pollution. 

Sources of Air Pollution

1. burning fossil fuels.

The biggest contributors of air pollution are from industry sources and power plants to generate power, as well as fossil fuel motor vehicles. The continuous burning of fossil fuels releases air pollutants, emissions and chemicals into the air and atmosphere. 

In 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that about 68 million tons of air pollution were emitted into the atmosphere in the US, contributing to the “formation of ozone and particles, the deposition of acids, and visibility impairment.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates around 91% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed limits. Developing and low-income countries experienced the greatest impacts from outdoor air pollution, particularly in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions. 

Climate change has an interrelated relationship with the environment and air pollution. As more air pollutants and greenhouse gases are released, this alters the energy balance between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface , which leads to global warming. The global temperature increase in turns raises the production of allergenic air pollutants such as mold and extends pollen seasons. 

2. Ozone and Smog

Ozone is a gas that when it forms air pollution and reaches too close to the ground, it significantly reduces visibility. We call this smog. This form of air pollution occurs when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides released from car exhausts and coal power plants. The ozone typically forms a protective layer in the atmosphere to protect the population from ultraviolet radiation (UV), but as it transforms into smog, it is harmful to human health and poses higher risks of respiratory illnesses like asthma and lung cancer. 

3. Weather Conditions

Air pollution and poor air quality can be attributed to changing weather conditions. For example, dust storms in China would carry clouds of industrial pollutants and particulate pollution across the Gobi desert into neighbouring countries such as Korea and Japan during spring season. Likewise during periods of high air pressure, air becomes stagnant and pollutants are more concentrated over certain areas. 

4. Heatwaves and Wildfires

Heatwaves not only lead to an increase of temperature, but are some of the causes and effects of air pollution. Hotter, stagnant air during a heat wave increases the concentration of particle pollutants. Extreme heat wave events also have higher risks of large-scale wildfires, which in turn, releases more carbon emissions, smog and pollutants into the air. 

You might also like: 15 Most Polluted Cities in the World

Effects of Air Pollution 

Air pollution contributes to the death of 5 million every year and about 6% of the global population, according to Our World in Data . The lethal combination of outdoor air pollution and toxic emissions from burning fossil fuel has been one of the leading causes of chronic and often terminal health issues including heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and lower respiratory infections. 

The WHO estimates that nine out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants. In 2017, close to 15% of population deaths in low income countries like South and East Asia are attributed to air pollution, while the higher income countries experience only about 2%. 

The drastic difference in mortality numbers can be linked to legislations such as the Clean Air Act implemented by high-income countries like the US. Such legislations usually establishes national air quality standards and regulations on hazardous air pollutants. The UK in particular, saw a sharp 60% decline in air pollutant emissions between the 1970 and 2016. 

The environmental effects of air pollution are also vast, ranging from acid rain to contributing to birth defects, reproductive failure, and diseases in wildlife animals. Agriculture is also a victim of air pollution as increased pollutants can affect crop and forest yields, reduce growth  and increased plant susceptibility to disease from increased UV radiation caused by ozone depletion.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollution has once again returned to the spotlight in relation to its role in transmitting virus molecules. Preliminary studies have identified a positive correlation between COVID-19-related mortalities and air pollution. China, being one of the most polluted countries in the world, can potentially link its high death toll during the pandemic to its poor air quality. Although, more research needs to be conducted to make any substantive correlation.

You might also like: History of Air Pollution: Have We Reached the Point of No Return?

About the Author

Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact

10 Companies Called Out For Greenwashing

10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics

Hand-picked stories weekly or monthly. We promise, no spam!

• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Boost this article By donating us $100, $50 or subscribe to Boosting $10/month – we can get this article and others in front of tens of thousands of specially targeted readers. This targeted Boosting – helps us to reach wider audiences – aiming to convince the unconvinced, to inform the uninformed, to enlighten the dogmatic.

• Random article
• Teaching guide
• Privacy & cookies

by Chris Woodford . Last updated: November 22, 2022.

Photo: Air pollution is obvious when it pours from a smokestack (chimney), but it's not always so easy to spot. This is an old photo of the kind of smoke that used to come from coal-fired power plants and, apart from soot (unburned carbon particles), its pollutants include sulfur dioxide and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Thanks to tougher pollution controls, modern power plants produce only a fraction as much pollution. Modern pollution made by traffic consists of gases like nitrogen dioxide and "particulates" (microscopic soot and dust fragments) that are largely invisible.

What is air pollution?

Air pollution is a gas (or a liquid or solid dispersed through ordinary air) released in a big enough quantity to harm the health of people or other animals, kill plants or stop them growing properly, damage or disrupt some other aspect of the environment (such as making buildings crumble), or cause some other kind of nuisance (reduced visibility, perhaps, or an unpleasant odor).

Natural air pollution

Photo: Forest fires are a completely natural cause of air pollution. We'll never be able to prevent them breaking out or stop the pollution they cause; our best hope is to manage forests, where we can, so fires don't spread. Ironically, that can mean deliberately burning areas of forest, as shown here, to create firebreaks. Forests are also deliberately burned to regenerate ecosystems. Photo by courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service .

Top-ten kinds of air pollution Photo: Flying molecules—if you could see air pollution close up, this is what it would look like. Image courtesy of US Department of Energy. Any gas could qualify as pollution if it reached a high enough concentration to do harm. Theoretically, that means there are dozens of different pollution gases. It's important to note that not all the things we think of as pollution are gases: some are aerosols (liquids or solids dispersed through gases). In practice, about ten different substances cause most concern: Sulfur dioxide : Coal, petroleum, and other fuels are often impure and contain sulfur as well as organic (carbon-based) compounds. When sulfur (spelled "sulphur" in some countries) burns with oxygen from the air, sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) is produced. Coal-fired power plants are the world's biggest source of sulfur-dioxide air pollution, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and health problems that include lung disease. [5] Large amounts of sulfur dioxide are also produced by ships, which use dirtier diesel fuel than cars and trucks. [6] Carbon monoxide : This highly dangerous gas forms when fuels have too little oxygen to burn completely. It spews out in car exhausts and it can also build up to dangerous levels inside your home if you have a poorly maintained gas boiler , stove, or fuel-burning appliance. (Always fit a carbon monoxide detector if you burn fuels indoors.) [7] Carbon dioxide : This gas is central to everyday life and isn't normally considered a pollutant: we all produce it when we breathe out and plants such as crops and trees need to "breathe" it in to grow. However, carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas released by engines and power plants. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, it's been building up in Earth's atmosphere and contributing to the problem of global warming and climate change . [8] Nitrogen oxides : Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and nitrogen oxide (NO) are pollutants produced as an indirect result of combustion, when nitrogen and oxygen from the air react together. Nitrogen oxide pollution comes from vehicle engines and power plants, and plays an important role in the formation of acid rain, ozone and smog. Nitrogen oxides are also "indirect greenhouse gases" (they contribute to global warming by producing ozone, which is a greenhouse gas). [9] Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) : These carbon-based (organic) chemicals evaporate easily at ordinary temperatures and pressures, so they readily become gases. That's precisely why they're used as solvents in many different household chemicals such as paints , waxes, and varnishes. Unfortunately, they're also a form of air pollution: they're believed to have long-term (chronic) effects on people's health and they play a role in the formation of ozone and smog. VOCs are also released by tobacco smoke and wildfires. [10] Particulates : There are many different kinds of particulates, from black soot in diesel exhaust to dust and organic matter from the desert. Airborne liquid droplets from farm pollution also count as particulates. Particulates of different sizes are often referred to by the letters PM followed by a number, so PM 10 means soot particles of less than 10 microns (10 millionths of a meter or 10µm in diameter, roughly 10 times thinner than a thick human hair). The smaller ("finer") the particulates, the deeper they travel into our lungs and the more dangerous they are. PM 2.5 particulates are much more dangerous (they're less than 2.5 millionths of a meter or about 40 times thinner than a typical hair). In cities, most particulates come from traffic fumes. [11] Ozone : Also called trioxygen, this is a type of oxygen gas whose molecules are made from three oxygen atoms joined together (so it has the chemical formula O 3 ), instead of just the two atoms in conventional oxygen (O 2 ). In the stratosphere (upper atmosphere), a band of ozone ("the ozone layer") protects us by screening out harmful ultraviolet radiation (high-energy blue light) beaming down from the Sun. At ground level, it's a toxic pollutant that can damage health. It forms when sunlight strikes a cocktail of other pollution and is a key ingredient of smog (see box below). [12] Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) : Once thought to be harmless, these gases were widely used in refrigerators and aerosol cans until it was discovered that they damaged Earth's ozone layer. We discuss this in more detail down below. [13] Unburned hydrocarbons : Petroleum and other fuels are made of organic compounds based on chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms. When they burn properly, they're completely converted into harmless carbon dioxide and water ; when they burn incompletely, they can release carbon monoxide or float into the air in their unburned form, contributing to smog. Lead and heavy metals : Lead and other toxic "heavy metals" can be spread into the air either as toxic compounds or as aerosols (when solids or liquids are dispersed through gases and carried through the air by them) in such things as exhaust fumes and the fly ash (contaminated waste dust) from incinerator smokestacks. [14] What are the causes of air pollution?

Photo: Even in the age of electric cars, traffic remains a major cause of air pollution. Photo by Warren Gretz courtesy of US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) (NREL photo id#46361).

Photo: Brown smog lingers over Denver, Colorado. Photo by Warren Gretz courtesy of US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) (NREL photo id#56919).

Chart: Most of the world's major cities routinely exceed World Health Organization (WHO) air pollution guidelines, though progress is being made: you can see that the 2022 figures (green) show a marked improvement on the 2016 ones (orange) in almost every case. This chart compares annual mean PM 2.5 levels in 12 representative cities around the world with the recently revised (2021) WHO guideline value of 5μg per cubic meter (dotted line). PM 2.5 particulates are those smaller than 2.5 microns and believed to be most closely linked with adverse health effects. For more about this chart and the data sources used, see note [22] .

Photo: Smokestacks billowing pollution over Moscow, Russia in 1994. Factory pollution is much less of a problem than it used to be in the world's "richer" countries—partly because a lot of their industry has been exported to nations such as China, India, and Mexico. Photo by Roger Taylor courtesy of US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) .

What effects does air pollution have?

Photo: Air pollution can cause a variety of lung diseases and other respiratory problems. This chest X ray shows a lung disease called emphysema in the patient's left lung. A variety of things can cause it, including smoking and exposure to air pollution. Photo courtesy of National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and National Institutes of Health.

" In 2016, 91% of the world population was living in places where the WHO air quality guidelines levels were not met." World Health Organization , 2018

Photo: For many years, the stonework on the Parthenon in Athens, Greece has been blackened by particulates from traffic pollution, but other sources of pollution, such as wood-burning stoves, are increasingly significant. Photo by Michael M. Reddy courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey .

How air pollution works on different scales

Indoor air pollution.

Photo: Air freshener—or air polluter?

Further reading

Acid rain—a closer look.

Photo: Acid rain can turn lakes so acidic that fish no longer survive. Picture courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Public Affairs. Why does that matter? Pure water is neither acidic nor alkaline but completely neutral (we say it has an acidity level or pH of 7.0). Ordinary rainwater is a little bit more acidic than this with about the same acidity as bananas (roughly pH 5.5), but if rain falls through sulfur dioxide pollution it can turn much more acidic (with a pH of 4.5 or lower, which is the same acidity as orange or lemon juice). When acid rain accumulates in lakes or rivers, it gradually turns the entire water more acidic. That's a real problem because fish thrive only in water that is neutral or slightly acidic (typically with a pH of 6.5–7.0). Once the acidity drops below about pH 6.0, fish soon start to die—and if the pH drops to about 4.0 or less, all the fish will be killed. Acid rain has caused major problems in lakes throughout North America and Europe. It also causes the death of forests, reduces the fertility of soil, and damages buildings by eating away stonework (the marble on the US Capitol in Washington, DC has been eroded by acid-rain, for example). One of the biggest difficulties in tackling acid rain is that it can happen over very long distances. In one notable case, sulfur dioxide air pollution produced by power plants in the UK was blamed for causing acid rain that fell on Scandinavian countries such as Norway, producing widespread damage to forests and the deaths of thousands of fish in acidified lakes. The British government refused to acknowledge the problem and that was partly why the UK became known as the "dirty man of Europe" in the 1980s and 1990s. [18] Acid rain was a particular problem in the last 30–40 years of the 20th century. Thanks to the decline in coal-fired power plants, and the sulfur dioxide they spewed out, it's less of a problem for western countries today. But it's still a big issue in places like India, where coal remains a major source of energy. Global air pollution It's hard to imagine doing anything so dramatic and serious that it would damage our entire, enormous planet—but, remarkable though it may seem, we all do things like this everyday, contributing to problems such as global warming and the damage to the ozone layer (two separate issues that are often confused). Global warming Every time you ride in a car, turn on the lights, switch on your TV , take a shower, microwave a meal, or use energy that's come from burning a fossil fuel such as oil, coal, or natural gas, you're almost certainly adding to the problem of global warming and climate change: unless it's been produced in some environmentally friendly way, the energy you're using has most likely released carbon dioxide gas into the air. While it's not an obvious pollutant, carbon dioxide has gradually built up in the atmosphere, along with other chemicals known as greenhouse gases . Together, these gases act a bit like a blanket surrounding our planet that is slowly making the mean global temperature rise, causing the climate (the long-term pattern of our weather) to change, and producing a variety of different effects on the natural world, including rising sea levels. Read more in our main article about global warming and climate change . Ozone holes

How can we solve the problem of air pollution?

Photo: Pollution solution: an electrostatic smoke precipitator helps to prevent air pollution from this smokestack at the McNeil biomass power plant in Burlington, VT. Photo by Warren Gretz courtesy of US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

What can you do to help reduce air pollution?

Photo: Buying organic food reduces the use of sprayed pesticides and other chemicals, so it helps to reduce air (as well as water) pollution.

If you liked this article...

Don't want to read our articles try listening instead, find out more, on this site.

• Climate change and global warming
• Environmentalism (introduction)
• Land pollution
• Organic food and farming
• Renewable energy
• Water pollution

• Breathless: Why Air Pollution Matters—and How it Affects You by Chris Woodford. Icon, 2021. My new book explores the problem in much more depth than I've been able to go into here. You can also read a bonus chapter called Angels with dirty faces: How air pollution blackens our buildings and monuments .
• The Invisible Killer: The Rising Global Threat of Air Pollution and How We Can Fight Back by Gary Fuller. Melville House, 2018.
• Reducing Pollution and Waste by Jen Green. Raintree/Capstone, 2011. A 48-page introduction for ages 9–12. The emphasis here is on getting children to think about pollution: where it comes from, who makes it, and who should solve the problem.
• Pollution Crisis by Russ Parker. Rosen, 2009. A 32-page guide for ages 8–10. It starts with a global survey of the problem; looks at air, water, and land pollution; then considers how we all need to be part of the solution.
• Earth Matters by Lynn Dicks et al. Dorling Kindersley, 2008. This isn't specifically about pollution. Instead, it explores how a range of different environmental problems are testing life to the limit in the planet's major biomes (oceans, forests, and so on). I wrote the section of this book that covers the polar regions.
• State of Global Air : One of the best sources of global air pollution data.
• American Lung Association: State of the Air Report : A good source of data about the United States.
• European Environment Agency: Air quality in Europe : A definitive overview of the situation in the European countries.
• World Health Organization (WHO) Ambient (outdoor) air pollution in cities database : A spreadsheet of pollution data for most major cities in the world (a little out of date, but a new version is expected soon).
• Our World in Data : Accessible guides to global data from Oxford University.
• The New York Times Topics: Air Pollution
• The Guardian: Pollution
• Wired: Pollution
• 'Invisible killer': fossil fuels caused 8.7m deaths globally in 2018, research finds by Oliver Milman. The Guardian, February 9, 2021. Pollution of various kinds causes something like one in five of all deaths.
• Millions of masks distributed to students in 'gas chamber' Delhi : BBC News, 1 November 2019.
• 90% of world's children are breathing toxic air, WHO study finds by Matthew Taylor. The Guardian, October 29, 2018. The air pollution affecting billions of children could continue to harm their health throughout their lives.
• Pollution May Dim Thinking Skills, Study in China Suggests by Mike Ives. The New York Times, August 29, 2018. Long-term exposure to air pollution seems to cause a decline in cognitive skills.
• Global pollution kills 9m a year and threatens 'survival of human societies' by Damian Carrington. The Guardian, October 19, 2017. Air, water, and land pollution kill millions, cost trillions, and threaten the very survival of humankind, a new study reveals.
• India's Air Pollution Rivals China's as World's Deadliest by Geeta Anand. The New York Times, February 14, 2017. High levels of pollution could be killing 1.1 million Indians each year.
• More Than 9 in 10 People Breathe Bad Air, WHO Study Says by Mike Ives. The New York Times, September 27, 2016. New WHO figures suggest the vast majority of us are compromising our health by breathing bad air.
• Study Links 6.5 Million Deaths Each Year to Air Pollution by Stanley Reed. The New York Times, June 26, 2016. Air pollution deaths are far greater than previously supposed according to a new study by the International Energy Agency.
• UK air pollution 'linked to 40,000 early deaths a year' by Michelle Roberts, BBC News, February 23, 2016. Diesel engines, cigarette smoke, and even air fresheners are among the causes of premature death from air pollution.
• This Wearable Detects Pollution to Build Air Quality Maps in Real Time by Davey Alba. Wired, November 19, 2014. A wearable pollution gadget lets people track their exposure to air pollution through a smartphone app.
• Air pollution and public health: emerging hazards and improved understanding of risk by Frank J. Kelly and Julia C. Fussell, Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2015
• Health effects of fine particulate air pollution: lines that connect by C.A. Pope and D.W. Dockery. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 2006
• Ambient and household air pollution: complex triggers of disease by Stephen A. Farmer et al, Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 2014

Text copyright © Chris Woodford 2010, 2022. All rights reserved. Full copyright notice and terms of use .

Rate this page

Tell your friends, cite this page, more to explore on our website....

• Get the book
• Send feedback

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Environment Air Pollution

Cause and Effect of Air Pollution: Understanding the Impact on Health and Environment

Table of contents, causes of air pollution, effects on human health, environmental impact, addressing air pollution, conclusion: a call to action.

• World Health Organization. (2018). Air Pollution and Child Health: Prescribing Clean Air. WHO Press.
• Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Air Quality Index: A Guide to Air Quality and Your Health. EPA.
• United Nations Environment Programme. (2016). Air Pollution in Asia and the Pacific: Science-Based Solutions. UNEP.
• Pope III, C. A., & Dockery, D. W. (2006). Health effects of fine particulate air pollution: lines that connect. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 56(6), 709-742.
• Chen, Y., & Ebenstein, A. (2017). Greenstone, M., & Li, H. (2013). Evidence on the impact of sustained exposure to air pollution on life expectancy from China's Huai River policy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(32), 12936-12941.

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

• Fossil Fuels
• Niagara Falls
• Endangered Species

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• School Education /

Essay on Air Pollution for Students: Check Samples of 100 Words to 250 Words

• Updated on  
• Jun 2, 2024

Essay on Air Pollution : Invisible but insidious, air pollution silently infiltrates our lives, impacting health, the environment, and future generations. Through this blog, let’s explore its roots, repercussions, and remedies, which are essential in our quest for cleaner, healthier skies. Essay writing here becomes more crucial, to raise awareness about air pollution’s dire consequences and drive action for cleaner air.

Table of Contents

• 1 10-Line Essay on Air Pollution
• 2 What are the Causes of Air Pollution?
• 3 What are the effects of Air Pollution?
• 4 Essay on Air Pollution: How to Tackle Air Pollution?
• 5 Essay on Air Pollution Sample (100 Words)
• 6 Essay on Air Pollution Sample (250 Words)

Quick Read: Essay on Child Labour

10-Line Essay on Air Pollution

Below mentioned is a 10-lined essay on air pollution:

• Air pollution is caused by harmful substances known as pollutants.
• The pollutant comes from various sources, like vehicle gasses, forest fires, and other human activities.
• The two biggest sources of air pollution are the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
• Air pollution is harmful to humans because it can cause skin and respiratory diseases.
• Air pollution is equally harmful to plants and animals.
• Air pollution can also damage non-living things, such as ancient monuments constructed from marble and limestone.
• Air pollution leads to ozone layer depletion, climate change and global warming.
• Air pollution can damage ecosystems in forests.
• We must take effective steps to reduce air pollution.
• We can reduce air pollution by planting more trees and burning less fossil fuels.

What are the Causes of Air Pollution?

Air pollution is caused by various factors, including:

• Industrial Emissions: Factories and manufacturing processes release pollutants like chemicals and particulate matter into the air.
• Vehicle Emissions: Combustion engines in cars, trucks, and aeroplanes emit exhaust gases, including carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.
• Burning Fossil Fuels: The use of coal, oil, and natural gas for energy generation and heating releases pollutants and greenhouse gases.
• Agricultural Activities: Pesticides and fertilizers release chemicals, while livestock emit methane.
• Deforestation: Cutting down trees reduces the planet’s capacity to absorb pollutants.
• Waste Disposal: Improper disposal of waste leads to the release of harmful substances into the air.
• Natural Sources: Volcanic eruptions, dust storms, and wildfires can also contribute to air pollution.

What are the effects of Air Pollution?

Air pollution poses severe health and environmental risks. Short-term exposure can lead to respiratory issues, eye irritation, and exacerbation of pre-existing conditions. Long-term exposure is linked to chronic diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disorders. 

Additionally, air pollution harms ecosystems, causing acid rain, damaging vegetation, and polluting water bodies. It also contributes to climate change by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. Addressing air pollution is crucial to safeguard the human health and protecting the planet’s ecosystems and climate.

Essay on Air Pollution: How to Tackle Air Pollution?

Addressing air pollution is paramount for a healthier planet. By curbing emissions, adopting clean technologies, and fostering sustainable practices, we can safeguard our environment and public health. Here are some key points on how to tackle air pollution:

• Reduce Vehicle Emissions
• Improve Industrial Practices
• Plant more trees
• Reduce Indoor Air Pollution
• Promote Renewable Energy
• Encourage Sustainable Practices
• Raise Public Awareness
• Reduce Open Burning
• International Cooperation

Tackling air pollution requires a multi-faceted approach involving government policies, community engagement, and individual responsibility.

Must Read: Essay On Global Warming

Essay on Air Pollution Sample (100 Words)

Air pollution is a pressing environmental issue with far-reaching consequences. It occurs when harmful substances, such as particulate matter and toxic gases, contaminate the atmosphere. These pollutants result from various sources, including industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, and agricultural activities.

The consequences of air pollution are severe, impacting both human health and the environment. Prolonged exposure to polluted air can lead to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and even premature death. Additionally, air pollution harms ecosystems, leading to reduced crop yields and biodiversity loss.

Mitigating air pollution requires collective efforts, including stricter emission regulations, cleaner energy sources, and promoting public awareness. By addressing this issue, we can safeguard our health and preserve the environment for future generations.

Essay on Air Pollution Sample (250 Words)

Air pollution is a pressing global issue that affects the health and well-being of people and the environment. It occurs when harmful substances, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds, are released into the atmosphere. This pollution can have dire consequences for both humans and the planet.

First and foremost, air pollution poses a significant threat to human health. Particulate matter and toxic gases can enter the respiratory system, leading to various respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis. Long-term exposure to polluted air has also been linked to cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and premature death. Vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions are at higher risk.

Additionally, air pollution has adverse effects on the environment. It contributes to climate change by increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to rising global temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events. Moreover, pollutants can harm ecosystems, contaminate water bodies, and damage crops, impacting food security.

The sources of air pollution are diverse, including industrial processes, transportation, agriculture, and energy production. To combat this problem, governments, industries, and individuals must take collective action. Implementing stricter emission standards for vehicles and industrial facilities, transitioning to cleaner energy sources, and promoting public transportation are essential steps in reducing air pollution.

In conclusion, air pollution is a critical issue that affects human health and the environment. Its detrimental effects on respiratory health and its contributions to climate change necessitate urgent action. By adopting sustainable practices and reducing emissions, we can mitigate the impact of air pollution and create a healthier and more sustainable future for all.

Ans. Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or materials.

Ans. To prevent air pollution, reduce vehicle emissions by using public transport, carpooling, or opting for electric vehicles. Promote clean energy sources like wind and solar power. Implement strict industrial emissions standards. Encourage reforestation and green spaces. Educate the public about responsible waste disposal and advocate for clean energy policies.

Related Reads:-    

We hope this blog gave you an idea about how to write and present an essay on air pollution that puts forth your opinions. The skill of writing an essay comes in handy when appearing for standardized language tests. Thinking of taking one soon? Leverage Edu provides the best online test prep for the same via Leverage Live . Register today to know more!

Amisha Khushara

Hey there! I'm a content writer who turns complex ideas into clear, engaging stories. Think of me as your translator, taking expert knowledge and making it interesting and relatable for everyone.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

Air Pollution and Its Impact on Human Health

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment
• Common health problems associated with air pollution
• Vulnerability of children to pollutants
• Needs assessment process and the role of Health educator

Common Health Problems Associated with Air Pollution

Indoor and outdoor air pollution causes several common health problems which according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (2009) are grouped according to the major pollutants. To begin with, carbon monoxide compromises the heart activities hence lethargy and fatigue. It also causes nausea, dizziness, and headaches and in large amounts may even lead to death. Nitrogen dioxide causes nasal and throat irritation and increases the risk of developing respiratory infections.

Ozone causes irritation of the respiratory system leading to coughs, chest and throat pains. Particulates cause damage to respiratory tract tissues especially lung tissue leading to lung diseases. Sulfur dioxide is known to make worse existing lung diseases such as bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Lead on the other hand causes damage to the brain and the nervous system with children being most susceptible (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 2009; California Air Resources Board 2007a). From these, it is evident that air pollution has adverse common effects on the respiratory system and to some extent other body parts.

Vulnerability of Children to Pollutants

The most common health problems in children associated with air pollution occur in the respiratory system. This is due to the fact that children’s respiratory system is not fully developed therefore immature. This means that the structures are weak and are prone to damage at the slightest exposure to air pollutants.

The children’s health study by the California Air Resources Board reported that children are more vulnerable to effects of air pollutants as they are exposed to more air pollution than adults as they have higher respiratory rates and are normally outdoors (California Air Resources Board 2007b). Other factors may include the underdeveloped immune system in children that is not able to effectively and efficiently fight off the effects of air pollution on the body and large surface area to volume ratio that exposes a large surface area to air pollution.

Needs Assessment Process and the Role of Health Educator

Community needs assessment is a systematic process in which the health educator, the nurse, and other health care professionals together with the members of the community determine the health problems & needs of the community & develop plans of action, and implement those plans. In this case, the needs assessment process will be in relation to air pollution. The first step is exploration which involves mapping out the community with the purpose of obtaining baseline information that helps plan for the rest of the assessment process.

The second is step is planning for assessment exercise where by the necessary resources are put into place and objective designed, in this case, it will be; to assess health impacts of air pollution and how to combat these effects. The third step is recruitment and training of assistants, fourth step is pretesting and reworking of the tool as it helps to detect faults and shortcomings after which corrections are made. The fifth step is execution of the assessment which basically involves actually going to the community and engaging the community into discussions and giving them the assessment tools so that they can feel it with relevant information.

The sixth step is a critical analysis of the findings and recommendations. The collected data is analyzed and then findings and recommendations are drawn. One of fundamental recommendations that will be made is to initiate Health Education and Promotion to combat the effects of air pollution. Health education/promotion empowers an individual with the much needed and relevant information that can be of great assistance in management of his/her health and other related issues.

The health education and promotion will involve sources of air pollutants, their effects on human health, management, and prevention measures. The health educator, the nurse, and other stakeholders can carry out this activity with the help of the local health professionals working within the community and even train some community members who will be educating their colleagues; this creates a sense of belonging and ownership among the community members in that they will participate in the health education/promotion activities as their own. This empowers the community and the information stays with them even years after the time of carrying out the assessment.

The final step is evaluation and just as in nursing process, evaluations help in checking if the assessment was a success and whether there has been any positive impact, and if interventions put in place had desired results. Evaluation also helps in knowing if the set goals and objectives were met, determining success or failure of the problem and to put corrective measure into place (Zerwekh, 112; Holloway, & Wheeler, 76; Grol 361). The health educator works hand in hand with the community health nurse and other health professionals in the above process whereby he/she acts the overall supervisor.

Air pollution has adverse effects on health and majorly affects the respiratory system with children being most vulnerable due to their underdeveloped respiratory system. Health educators are charged with the overall responsibility of overseeing planning, implementation, and evaluation of education programs in the community. They also function as consultants to the other healthcare professionals involved in health education and promotion.

• “Air Pollutants and their health effects”. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 2009. Web.
• “ Health Effects Research .” California Air Resources Board. 2007a. Web.
• The Children’s Health Study . California Air Resources Board. 2007b. Web.
• Grol R. “National standard setting for quality of care in general practice: attitudes of general practitioners and response to a set of standards.” Br J Gen Pract 40 (2000): 361–4.
• Holloway, I., & Wheeler, S. Qualitative Research in Nursing. 2nd Ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2002.
• Zerwekh, J. Nursing Today: Transition and Trends. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company, 2003.
• Acute Asthma: Home and Community-Based Care For Patients
• Asthma: Causes and Treatment
• Why Is It Important to Spend Time Outdoors
• SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan) Note for Throat Exam
• A Discussion of Air Pollution & Related Health Implications on the Community
• Drugs Affecting the Respiratory System: Bronchodilators
• Asthma Is a Chronic Inflammatory Disorder
• Asthma: Leading Chronic Illness Among Children in the US
• Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
• Pharmacotherapy for Respiratory Disorders
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, March 10). Air Pollution and Its Impact on Human Health. https://ivypanda.com/essays/air-pollution-and-its-impact-on-human-health/

"Air Pollution and Its Impact on Human Health." IvyPanda , 10 Mar. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/air-pollution-and-its-impact-on-human-health/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Air Pollution and Its Impact on Human Health'. 10 March.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Air Pollution and Its Impact on Human Health." March 10, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/air-pollution-and-its-impact-on-human-health/.

1. IvyPanda . "Air Pollution and Its Impact on Human Health." March 10, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/air-pollution-and-its-impact-on-human-health/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Air Pollution and Its Impact on Human Health." March 10, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/air-pollution-and-its-impact-on-human-health/.

Causes and Solutions to Air Pollution (IELTS Writing Task 2)

OP rose427 1 / 1   Nov 17, 2019   #3 @Maria Greatly appreciate your feedbacks!

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Essay on Air Pollution: Causes, Effects and Control of Air Pollution!

The World Health Organization defines air pollution as “the presence of materials in the air in such concentration which are harmful to man and his environment.”

In fact air pollution is the occurrence or addition of foreign particles, gases and other pollutants into the air which have an adverse effect on human beings, animals, vegetation, buildings, etc.

Cause of Air Pollution:

The various causes of air pollution are:

(i) Combustion of natural gas, petroleum, coal and wood in industries, automobiles, aircrafts, railways, thermal plants, agricultural burning, kitchens, etc. (soot, flyash, CO 2 , CO, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides).

(ii) Metallurgical processing (mineral dust, fumes containing fluorides, sulphides and metallic pollutants like lead, chromium, nickel, beryllium, arsenic, vanadium, cadmium, zinc, mercury).

(iii) Chemical industries including pesticides, fertilizers, weedicides, fungicides.

(iv) Cosmetics.

(v) Processing industries like cotton textiles, wheat flour mills, asbestos.

(vi) Welding, stone crushing, gem grinding.

Natural air pollutants include (a) pollen, spores, (b) marsh gas, (c) volcanic gases and (a) synthesis of harmful chemicals by electric storms and solar flares. The major cause of pollution in the urban areas is automobiles which inefficiently burn petroleum, releases 75% of noise and 80% of air pollutants. Concentration of industries in one area is another major cause of air pollution.

Effect of Air Pollutants:

Air pollutants are broadly classified into particulate and gaseous. The particulate substances include solid and liquid particles. The gaseous include substances that are in the gaseous state at normal temperature and pressure. The air pollutants have adverse effect on human beings, animals, vegetation, buildings. Air pollutants also change earth’s climate. Aesthetic sense is also influenced by air pollutants. The different air pollutants and their effects are as follows:

1. Particulate Matter:

It is of two types—settleable and suspended. The settleable dusts have a particle longer than 10 (am. The smaller particles are able to remain suspended for long periods in the air. The important effects of particulate matter are.

(i) Dust and smoke particles cause irritation of the respiratory tract and produces bronchitis, asthma and lung diseases.

(ii) Smog is a dark or opaque fog which is formed by the dust and smoke particles causing condensation of water vapours around them as well as attracting chemicals like SO 2 , H 2 S, NO 2 , etc. Smog harms plant life through glazing and necrosis besides reduced availability of light. In human beings and animals it produces respiratory troubles.

(iii) Particulate matter suspended in air, scatters and partly absorbs light. In industrial and urban areas, sunlight is reduced to 1/3 in summer and 2/3 in winter.

(iv) At a concentration above 150 g/100m 3 , cotton dust in ginning process produces pneumoconiosis or lung fibrosis called byssinosis. Lung fibrosis produced in other industries includes asbestosis (in asbestos industry), silicosis (stone grinders), siderosis (iron mill), coal miners’ pneumoconiosis, flour mill pneumoconiosis, etc.

2. Carbon monoxide:

It accounts for 50% of the total atmospheric pollutants. It is formed by incomplete combustion of carbon fuels in various industries, motor vehicles, hearths, kitchens, etc. Carbon monoxide combines with haemoglobin of blood and impairs its oxygen carrying capacity. At higher concentration, carbon monoxide proves lethal.

3. Sulphur Oxides:

They occur mainly in the form of sulphur dioxide. It is produced in large quantity during smelting of metallic ores and burning of petroleum and coal in industries, thermal plants, home and motor vehicles. In the air, SO 2 combines with water to form sulphurous acid (H 2 SO 3 ) which is the cause of acid rain. It causes chlorosis and necrosis of vegetation. Sulphur dioxide, above 1 ppm, affects human beings. It causes irritation to eyes and injury to respiratory tract. It results in discolouration and deterioration of buildings, sculptures, painted surfaces, fabrics, paper, leather, etc.

4. Nitrogen Oxides:

They are produced naturally through biological and non-biological activities from nitrates, nitrites, electric storms, high energy radiations and solar flares. Human activity forms nitrogen oxides in combustion process of industries, automobiles, incinerators and nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen oxides act on unsaturated hydrocarbons to form peroxy-acyl nitrates or PAN. It gives rise to photochemical smog. They cause eye irritation, respiratory troubles, blood congestion and dilation of arteries.

5. Carbon dioxide:

Due to excessive combustion activity, the content of C0 2 has been steadily rising. As carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere it absorbs more and more of the reflected infrared radiation. This could cause an increase in temperature referred to as the green house effect. Melting polar ice caps and glaciers could cause sea levels to rise, flooding most of the major population centres and fertile lands.

6. Phosgene and Methyl Isocyanate:

Phosgene (COCl 2 ) is a poisonous and suffocating volatile liquid which is employed in dye industry and synthesis of organic compounds. Release of phosgene and MIC in industrial accident of Bhopal (Dec. 2, 1984) killed over 2500 and maimed several thousand persons.

7. Aerosols:

They are widely used as disinfectants. Other sources are jet plane emissions which contain chlorofluorocarbons. Chlorofluorocarbons are also used in refrigeration and formation of certain types of solid plastic foams. Burning of plastics produces polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The latter are persistent and pass into the food chain. Chlorofluorocarbons and carbon tetrachloride react with ozone layers of stratosphere and hence deplete the same.

8. Photochemical oxidants:

Hydrocarbons have carcinogen properties. Some of these are also harmful to plants because they cause senescence and abscission. In the presence of sunlight, hydrocarbons react with nitrogen oxides to produce ozone, peroxy-acyl nitrates, aldehydes and other compounds. Peroxy-acyl nitrates are a major constituent of air pollution. They cause eye irritation and respiratory diseases.

9. Automobile Exhausts:

They are one of the major sources of air pollution. The important pollutants are Carbon monoxide, Benzpyrene, Lead, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur compounds and Ammonia.

10. Pollen and Microbes:

Excess of microbes in the atmosphere directly damage the vegetation, food articles and causes diseases in plants, animals and human beings. Excess of pollen causes allergic reactions in several human beings. The common reactions are also collectively called hay-fever. The important allergic pollen belong to Amaranthus spinosus, Chenopodium album, Cynodon dactylon, Ricinus communis, Sorghum vulgare, Prosopis chilensis etc.

Control of Air Pollution :

1. Industrial estates should be established at a distance from residential areas.

2. Use of tall chimneys shall reduce the air pollution in the surroundings and compulsory use of filters and electrostatic precipitators in the chimneys.

3. Removal of poisonous gases by passing the fumes through water tower scrubber or spray collector.

4. Use of high temperature incinerators for reduction in particulate ash production.

5. Development and employment of non-combustive sources of energy, e.g., nuclear power, geothermal power, solar power, tidal power, wind power, etc.

6. Use of non-lead antiknock agents in gasoline.

7. Attempt should be made to develop pollution free fuels for automobiles, e.g., alcohol, hydrogen, battery power. Automobiles should be fitted with exhaust emission controls.

8. Industrial plants and refineries should be fitted with equipment for removal and recycling of wastes.

9. Growing plants capable of fixing carbon monoxide, e.g. Phaseolus vulgaris, Coleus blumei, Daucus carota, Ficus variegata (Bidwell and Bebee, 1974).

10. Growing plants capable of metabolising nitrogen oxides and other gaseous pollutants, e.g., Vitis, Pimis, Jttniperus, Quercus, Pyrus, Robinia pseudo-acacia, Viburnum, Crataegus, Ribes, Rhamnus.

11. Afforestation of the mining area on priority basis.

Related Articles:

• Speech on Thermal Pollution: Causes, Effects and Measures
• Air Pollution: Sources and Effects of Air Pollution

Air Pollution

No comments yet.

Leave a reply click here to cancel reply..

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Air pollution is the most important concern of many countries. What are the main causes and effects of this issue?

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Writing9 with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Use a variety of complex and simple sentences

You should use complex sentences in your writing, but it does not mean that you should try to make all of our sentences complex.

‘Complex’ sentences are not actually very complex; they are just two or more simple sentences put together. Putting them together makes the essay more coherent and cohesive.

I really want to study but I’m too tired.

I wore a warm coat because the weather was cold.

If action is not taken soon on climate change , global warming will get worse.

Discover more tips in The Ultimate Guide to Get a Target Band Score of 7+ » — a book that's free for 🚀 Premium users.

• Check your IELTS essay »
• Find essays with the same topic
• View collections of IELTS Writing Samples
• Show IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics

3.What would you contribute to the cohort and to the Imperial community?3.What would you contribute to the cohort and to the Imperial community?

Nowadays, a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor. do you think this is a positive or a negative development, some people think that secondary school children should study international news as one of the school subjects. other people think that it is a waste of valuable school ti. me. discuss both views and give your opinion., some people believe sports creates competition among school children rather than cooperative do you agree or disagree and give your opinion, some people believe that handwriting is no longer useful in the modern world and should not be taught in schools. to what extent do you agree or disagree.

Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Air Pollution — Air Pollution Its Causes And Damaging Effects

Air Pollution Its Causes and Damaging Effects

• Categories: Air Pollution Environmental Issues Global Warming

About this sample

Words: 2501 |

13 min read

Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 2501 | Pages: 5 | 13 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof Ernest (PhD)

Verified writer

• Expert in: Environment

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1158 words

2 pages / 718 words

8 pages / 3471 words

3 pages / 1319 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Air Pollution

Smog, characterized by a combination of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter, poses a significant threat to public health and the environment. In recent years, researchers have [...]

Pollution is the presence of harmful substances or contaminants in the environment that cause negative impacts on living organisms. Pollution has been a significant problem for many years, and its effects continue to worsen day [...]

Environmental pollution is a pressing issue that affects the health and well-being of our planet and its inhabitants. Pollution can take many forms, including air pollution from industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust, water [...]

Air pollution is a pervasive and complex issue that poses significant threats to human health, the environment, and socioeconomic development worldwide. The emission of pollutants into the atmosphere from various sources, [...]

Carbon is critical to sustain a huge range of Earth’s functions. It is abundant in the atmosphere (air), biosphere (living and dead organisms), hydrosphere (oceans, rivers, and lakes), and lithosphere (soli and rocks). These act [...]

Air pollution has continued to increase over recent decades, particularly in Vietnam. The World Health Organization’s cancer agency said, the air we breathe is laced with cancer-causing substances and is being officially [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

These colourful diagrams show how air quality has changed in over 100 countries around the world since 1850

Associate Professor of Atmospheric Composition, University of Leeds

Atmospheric Scientist and Project Manager, Software Sustainability Institute, The University of Edinburgh

Professor of Creative Pedagogies, Edinburgh Napier University

Disclosure statement

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Leeds provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK.

Edinburgh Napier University and The University of Edinburgh provide funding as members of The Conversation UK.

View all partners

Air pollution is an unseen menace that poses a major threat to human health and the climate. We have created the air quality stripes , a visual tool that captures global air pollution trends, to bring this hidden threat into sharp focus.

Inspired by professor of climate science Ed Hawkins’ climate warming stripes , the air quality stripes depict particulate matter (PM) concentrations in 176 cities worldwide since 1850. These tiny particles, often smaller than one-30th of the width of a human hair , can penetrate deep into the lungs, posing serious health risks.

By making air pollution more visible, the stripes provide a clear way to understand how air quality has evolved over time across different regions .

These new stripes reveal a stark contrast between significant improvements in air quality across Europe and alarming deterioration in parts of Africa and central Asia. Cities like London, Brussels and Berlin are represented by lighter blue stripes, indicating substantial reductions in PM levels. This progress reflects stricter air quality regulations and advancements in reducing emissions.

Conversely, cities in central Asia and Africa, such as Islamabad, Delhi and Nairobi, are depicted by darker hues, reflecting a worrying rise in pollution. Rapid urbanisation, industrial growth and limited regulations are worsening air quality issues in these regions, while people living in poorer areas are often exposed to higher concentrations of pollution .

In 2021, the World Health Organization issued new guidelines for air quality, revealing that over 99% of the global population lives above recommended levels. The air quality stripes clearly outline the urgent need for targeted international efforts to address this pollution crisis.

Creating the air quality stripes involved more than just illustrating trends – it involved capturing the complexity of air pollution. PM originates from both natural and human-made sources .

Natural contributors, such as desert dust, wildfires and volcanic activity predate the industrial revolution. Human activities like industry, agriculture and vehicle emissions are significant contributors, particularly in urban areas.

We observed the influence of natural sources in certain regions. For example, coastal cities like Jakarta show lower particulate levels than expected, likely due to sea breezes. Conversely, regions near deserts or with frequent wildfires often show higher PM concentrations, reflected by darker stripes.

Between 1990 and 2021 , deaths caused by PM increased by 93% . As other factors affecting mortality improve, air pollution becomes an increasingly critical issue.

One compelling aspect of the air quality stripes is their historical reach. We combined data from computer simulations and satellite observations to estimate PM concentrations back to the industrial revolution. This long-term perspective is crucial for understanding how human activity has shaped air quality over the centuries.

However, this historical analysis presented challenges. Early data is sparse and often anecdotal. For instance, we drew insights from an analysis of Claude Monet’s paintings , which depict the smog-laden skies of London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

These artistic interpretations provide valuable context but also highlight the limitations of early air quality records. While we now have literally millions of observations from satellites detailing levels of pollution and the weather patterns that transport them around the world, these are only relatively recent.

For early data points, we have to rely upon historical emissions inventories as starting points to estimate annual PM concentration profiles. These databases are used to simulate the current generation of climate models .

The colour of pollution

A key challenge was choosing a colour scheme that accurately represented the data. We chose a gradient from light blue to black. Light blue represents clean air, while black indicates high levels of pollution. We collaborated with a visualisation expert, Ethan Brain , who analysed more than 200 online images with the “air pollution” tag to identify the most appropriate colour palettes.

The resulting visual tool is both scientifically accurate and easy for everyone to understand. Richard Rigby, a research software engineer from the Centre for Environmental Modelling and Computation at the University of Leeds, helped bring the stripes to life through an interactive website . The stripes distil complex data into a format that is instantly recognisable, helping to raise awareness about the global state of air quality.

The air quality stripes are more than just a data visualisation. They are a call to action. By making air pollution visible, we hope to highlight progress and confront ongoing challenges. The stark contrasts between regions remind us that there are major environmental inequities. While some parts of the world are breathing easier, others face an increasingly toxic environment.

The transition to net zero hinges on moving away from using fossil fuels for transport and power generation. That will also dramatically improve air quality .

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like? Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

• Climate change
• Air pollution

Director of STEM

Community member - Training Delivery and Development Committee (Volunteer part-time)

Chief Executive Officer

Finance Business Partner

Head of Evidence to Action

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Environ Health Insights
• PMC11348364

Global Public Health Implications of Traffic Related Air Pollution: Systematic Review

Desi debelu.

1 School of Environmental Health, College of Health and Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia

Dechasa Adare Mengistu

Alemayehu aschalew.

2 Institutional Development and Facility Management, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia

Bizatu Mengistie

3 Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Wegene Deriba

Background:.

Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) has significant public health implications and a wide range of adverse health effects, including cardiovascular, respiratory, pulmonary, and other health problems. This study aimed to determine the public health impacts of traffic-related air pollution across the world that can be used as an input for protecting human health.

This study considered studies conducted across the world and full-text articles written in English. The articles were searched using a combination of Boolean logic operators (AND, OR, and NOT), MeSH, and keywords from the included electronic databases (SCOPUS, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Google Scholars). The quality assessment of the articles was done using JBI tools to determine the relevance of each included article to the study.

In this study, 1 282 032 participants ranging from 19 to 452 735 were included in 30 articles published from 2010 to 2022. About 4 (13.3%), 9 (30.0%), 12 (40.0%), 8 (26.7%), 2 (6.7%), 15 (50.0%), 3 (10.0%), 3 (10.0%) 1 (3.3%), and 3 (10.0%) of articles reported the association between human health and exposure to CO, PM10, PM2.5, NO x , NO, NO 2 , black carbon, O 3 , PAH, and SO 2 , respectively. Respiratory diseases, cancer, cognitive function problems, preterm birth, blood pressure and hypertension, diabetes, allergies and sensitization, coronary heart disease, dementia incidence, and hemorrhagic stroke were associated with exposure to TRAP.

Conclusions:

Exposure to nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and fine particulate matter was associated with various health effects. This revealed that there is a need for the concerned organizations to respond appropriately.

Introduction

Urban areas are hot spots for human exposure to air pollution, mainly originating from road traffic. Understanding efforts to curb traffic related air pollution (TRAP) in urban areas is particularly critical, as the world is currently witnessing its largest urban growth in human history. According to the United Nations and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division, about two-thirds of the world’s population is estimated to reside in urban areas by 2050 1 meaning more people will be at risk of exposure to TRAPS.

Traffic-related air pollution is a complex mixture of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) derived from combustion and non-combustion sources such as road dust, tire wear, and brake wear, as well as primary gaseous emissions, including nitrogen oxides. These primary emissions lead to the generation of secondary pollutants such as ozone, nitrates, and organic aerosols that can cause various health problems, including asthma and other health conditions. 2

The prominence of traffic emissions and TRAPS has great implications for human exposure and its wide range of adverse health effects. Traffic emissions disperse into the ambient air that humans are exposed to and cause health impacts that result from direct exhaust emissions or non-exhaust emissions. 3 , 4 Exposure to air pollution increases health risks, including adverse cardiovascular, respiratory, pulmonary, and other health-related outcomes. Particularly, low-income countries suffer the highest burden of disease and premature death attributable to environmental pollution. 5

According to some findings, the health impacts associated with TRAPS have proven costly, including the cost of death from ambient air pollution (over $496 000 000 in the United States, $201 000 000 in Japan, $148 000 000 in Germany, $102 000 000 in Italy, and $85 000 000 in the United Kingdom). Despite the growing awareness of the links between traffic, air pollution exposure, and associated adverse health impacts, many cities across the globe struggle to meet the air quality guidelines set to protect public health. 6

Various review articles are conducted on the impacts of traffic-related air pollution on specific health conditions, such as lung function and other respiratory illnesses. 7 , 8 In addition, the previous studies addressed some air pollutants such as NO 2 , elemental carbon, and PM2.5 7 , 9 and were conducted on a specific group of the population, particularly among students 7 and children. 8 However, the current study addressed the health impacts of various traffic-related air pollutants in addition to those addressed by previous studies, such as CO, NO x , NO, O 3 , PAH, and SO 2 , and multiple health conditions, including respiratory diseases, cancer, cognitive function problems, preterm birth, coronary heart disease, allergic diseases, dementia, and hemorrhagic stroke.

Materials and Methods

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline was used to perform this systematic review. 10

Eligibility criteria

Articles that met the following predetermined inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review.

• i. Location : This study included traffic-related air pollutants across the world, regardless of their location and their health impacts.
• ii. Study design : There was no restriction based on the study design used in the study.
• iii. Types of pollutants : carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), ozone (O 3 ), and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) were included in the current study.
• iv. Outcome : Studies reported quantitative outcomes (magnitude, frequency, rate, or prevalence).
• v. Language : Studies written in English

Sources of information and Search Strategies

The searches of the literature were performed by the authors using keywords from search strategies such as the databases SCOPUS, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Google Scholars from June 1, 2023, to December 30, 2023. Articles were searched using a combination of Boolean logic operators (“AND, OR, and NOT”), medical subject headings (MeSH), and keywords. The authors used the following main keywords to search articles from the included electronic databases: public health OR health impacts, OR health consequences, OR asthma (related terms), OR respiratory disease, OR respiratory illness OR cancer, AND traffic-related air pollution AND air pollution AND particulate matter AND gases AND pollutants AND mobile sources of air pollution, etc.

For example, the following are the search strategies used by all authors in the initial search of PubMed: “health” OR “public health” OR “population” OR “community” OR “rrespiratory disease” OR “asthma” OR “pulmonary” OR “disease OR illness” OR etc. AND “Impact” OR “implication” OR “risk” OR “hazards” AND “Air pollutants” OR “air pollution” OR “traffic related” OR “transport related” OR “ambient air pollution” OR “urban air pollution” AND “Developing countries” OR “worldwide” OR “global” OR “low in countries” OR “developed countries” OR “high income countries” OR “low and middle income countries” etc.

The combination of the above terms was used based on the search protocols used for each database. Additionally, manual searching of the articles was done to cover those articles that were difficult to locate and missed from the included electronic databases. Finally, references within eligible articles were further screened for additional articles.

Study selection

The study selection process was performed using the PRISMA flow chart, showing the number of articles included in the current study as well as those excluded from the study and the reasons for their exclusion. Following the search for articles, duplicate articles were removed using the Endnote software version X5 (Thomson Reuters, USA). After duplicated articles were removed, the authors independently screened the articles based on their titles and abstracts to determine their eligibility for this study by applying the inclusion criteria. Any disagreements made with respect to the inclusion of studies were resolved by consensus. Finally, articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in this study.

Data extraction

The data were extracted using Microsoft Excel 2016 form, which was developed by authors under the following headings: author(s), year of publication, sample size, study region or country, and primary outcomes: carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), nitrogen oxide (NO x ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), ozone (O 3 ), and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10).

Quality assessment

Then the selected articles were subjected to quality assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Evaluation, 11 to determine the quality and relevance of the articles for the current study. The evaluation tools have 9 evaluation criteria: appropriate sampling frame, proper sampling technique, adequate sample size, description of the study subject and setting description, sufficient data analysis, use of valid methods for identifying conditions, valid measurement for all participants, use of appropriate statistical analysis, and adequate response rate. Then, failure to satisfy each parameter was scored as 0, and if it met the criteria, it was scored as 1. The score was then given for each study and graded as high (7/9 and above), moderate (5/9%-6/9% score), or low (if it scored less than 5/9) quality. The disagreement over what was to be extracted was solved by discussion after repeating the same procedures.

A total of 1211 articles were searched through the selected electronic databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. After searching for articles, 452 duplicate articles were excluded from the study. About 750 articles were excluded after initial screening, and 41 articles were excluded after full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Finally, 29 articles were included in the systematic review ( Figure 1 ).

Study selection process of included articles in the current systematic review, 2023.

Characteristics of included articles

In the current study, 1 282 032 participants, ranging from 19 to 452 735, were included in 30 articles published from 2010 to 2022. Regarding the countries where the studies were conducted, 4 articles were conducted in the USA, 4 in China, 2 each in Spain, Germany, England, and the Netherlands, and 1 article from Taiwan, Japan, Sweden, France, Australia, Korea, Malaysia, Columbia, Brazil, India, Denmark, and Nigeria.

Among the included articles, about 4 (13.3%), 9 (30.0%), 12 (40.0%), 8 (26.7%), 2 (6.7%), 15 (50.0%), 3 (10.0%), 3 (10.0%) 1 (3.3%), and 3 (10.0%) reported the association between human health and exposure to CO, PM10, PM2.5, NO x , NO, NO 2 , black carbon, O 3 , PAH, and SO 2 , respectively. However, in 2 articles, the types of traffic-related pollutants were not reported.

Furthermore, regarding the health outcome of exposure to traffic-related air pollution, various health problems or impacts associated with exposure to traffic-related air pollution, such as respiratory diseases, cancer, cognitive function problems, preterm birth, blood pressure and hypertension, diabetes, allergies and sensitization, coronary heart disease, pediatric allergic diseases, dementia incidence, hemorrhagic stroke, and lung cancer, were identified in the current study ( Table 1 ).

Characteristics of the included articles used to determine the public health impacts of traffic-related air pollution, 2023.

Abbreviations: CO, carbon monoxide; EC, elemental carbon; HR, hazard ratio; NO 2 , nitrogen dioxide; NO x , nitrogen compounds; O 3 , Ozone; PM2.5, fine particulate matter; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SO 2 , sulfur dioxide; TRAP, traffic related air pollution.

The current study aimed to determine the public health impacts of traffic-related air pollution. This study identified various health impacts related to different types of traffic-related air pollutants across the world. The results of this systematic review indicate that exposure to higher levels of traffic-related air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide can increase the risk of various health conditions.

According to the current finding, traffic-related air pollutants could cause respiratory disease, particularly among children 12 , 18 , 21 , 22 , 26 , 28 - 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 37 and elderly people. 16 , 24 , 25 , 27 , 35 , 38 - 40 For example, according to the study conducted in Nigeria, 12 respiratory illness (phlegm and wheeze) among children with ages ranging from 7 to 14 years was about 1.38 times higher among those exposed to CO than those not exposed. It was in line with the findings of another study that reported the same outcome. 42

Similarly, another study conducted in the US reported that an increase in near-roadway NO x of 17.9 ppb was associated with deficits of 1.6% in forced vital capacity among children aged 5 to 7 years old. 18 A study conducted in the USA reported that an increase in exposure to traffic-related pollution was associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia [OR: 1.05; 95%CI: 1.01, 1.10] and germ cell tumors [OR: 1.16; 95%CI: 1.04, 1.29]. 21

Most studies reported a significant association between traffic air pollutants such as PM10, NO 2 , PM2.5, and O 3 and respiratory disease, illness, or function, including lung function and bronchitis. 12 , 15 - 18 , 24 , 29 , 34 The current finding was in line with the findings of another systematic review and meta-analysis, which reported a positive association between asthma and exposure to vehicle air pollution such as nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide, which were associated with a higher prevalence of childhood asthma. 42

According to the current finding, exposure to traffic-related air pollutants such as PM10, NO 2 , PM2.5, and O 3 can increase diastolic blood pressure, 20 , 23 , 31 and pediatric allergic diseases. 32 Another health problem reported in the included articles is cancer, including cervical cancer, 14 and lung cancer. 38 This study was in line with the findings of another study that reported a statistically significant association between traffic-related air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, fine particulate matter, and lung cancer, that was supported by the current evidence. 43

Cognitive development 37 and cognitive function problems 19 is another health consequences related to traffic air pollution exposure. The study reported that children from highly polluted environments had a smaller growth in cognitive development than children from the paired lowly polluted 37 and particle metrics (PM10 and PM2.5) were associated with lower scores in reasoning and memory. For example, higher PM2.5 was associated with a 5-year decline in standardized memory score. 19 Furthermore, Exposure to a high concentration of traffic-related air pollutants, higher than the maximum recommended level, can be toxic to different organs. Some experimental evidence showed a toxic effect of traffic-related air pollutants, including inflammation and changes in lung tissue. 44 Furthermore, TRAP, such as Particulate matters may cause neurotoxicity, such as neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. 45

In general, the current study found that there was a statistically significant association between various traffic-related air pollution caused by different air pollutants, including CO, NO x , NO 2 , PM2.5, and PM10, and human health. Despite current progress in different countries adopting vehicle emission standards, transportation emissions remain a major contributor to ambient air pollution and are associated with major health impacts. 46 This indicates a need to implement control strategies to reduce traffic-related air pollution and its public health burden by having a TRAP management plan 46 and policy. 47 Furthermore, using alternative transportation methods or technology, and strict regulations by the concerned organizations across the world can play a major role in reducing TRAP. 47 - 49 International cooperation on pollution, including research, development, developing policy, monitoring, and politics, is vital for effective air pollution control. 47

Furthermore, the authors recommend future researchers to focus on identifying an effective traffic related air pollution control interventions and role of national and international entities, particularly in controlling health burden of traffic related air pollution.

In general, the current study found that exposure to nitrogen dioxide; nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and fine particulate matter was associated with various health conditions such as respiratory diseases, cancer, cognitive function problems, preterm birth, blood pressure and hypertension, diabetes, allergies and sensitization, coronary heart disease, pediatric allergic diseases, dementia incidence, hemorrhagic stroke, and lung cancer. This revealed that there is a need to take appropriate action, including using alternative transportation methods or technology, reducing exposure to air pollutants, and enforcing regulations. 48 , 49

Limitations

Exposure was assessed differently using different methods. The publication is not evenly distributed across various countries. Even though there is a limited number of articles conducted on the public health, impacts of traffic-related air pollutants or pollution, particularly in developing countries as a result of poor databases for recording pollutants, various health outcomes have been reported in this study based on the previous findings.

Acknowledgments

The authors extend their deepest thanks to Haramaya University, School of Environmental Health staff, for providing their support.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Abbreviations: BC: Black Carbon; CO: Carbon Monoxide; EC: Elemental Carbon; HR: Hazard Ratio; NOx: Nitrogen compounds; PAH: Poly-Aromatic Hydrocarbon; PM: Particulate Maters; PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis; SBP: Systolic Blood Pressure; TRAP: Traffic Related Air Pollution; WHO: World Health Organization.

Author Contributions: DD conceived the idea and had a major role in the review, extraction, and analysis of data, as well as the as well as the writing, drafting, and editing of the manuscript. DD, BM, DAM, WD, and AA have contributed to data extraction. DD, BM, DAM, WD, and AA contributed to the quality assessment, drafting, and editing of the manuscript. Finally, all authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published and agreed on all aspects of this work.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate: Not applicable.

Consent for Publication: Not applicable.

Data Availability: Almost all data are included in this study. However, additional data can be available from the corresponding authors on the reasonable request.

The Effects of Heat and Air Pollution on the Brain and Behavior

• Climate Change

Essential Science Conversations

• Slides (PDF, 6MB)
• Transcript (PDF, 115KB)
• Related resources (PDF, 41KB)

Understanding the relationship between our environment and our psychological wellbeing is critical for effectively responding to climate change. Science is supplying important insights into how heat and air pollution impact human behavior, brain development, and functioning, with significant impacts occurring across the lifespan. This interdisciplinary webinar will provide psychologists, other mental health professionals, scientists, and practitioners with a deeper appreciation of biopsychosocial impacts caused by climate change and air pollution associated with fossil fuel use, to support their engagement in efforts to mitigate these risks. This webinar is being presented in partnership with the Climate Psychiatry Alliance and the Climate Psychology Alliance.

This program does not offer CE credit.

Presented in collaboration with

Climate psychiatry alliance.

Joseph Taliercio, PhD

Member, Joint Advocacy and Outreach Committee of the Climate Psychiatry and Climate Psychology Alliance.

Robin Cooper, MD

President, Climate Psychiatry Alliance.

Scott Barstow, MSc

Senior director of Congressional and Federal Relations, APA Services.

More in this series

The number of publications among graduate school/faculty applicants, or among those applying for tenure and promotion seems to have increased considerably

September 18, 2024 Live Webinar

Physical activity benefits mental and physical health, yet participation rates are declining.

May 2024 On Demand Webinar

Discussing AI's impact on psychological research: potential to replace human participants, unintended consequences, peer review challenges, and ethical considerations.

April 2024 On Demand Webinar

Panel discusses strategies to combat stigma across clinical, research, educational, and community settings.

March 2024 On Demand Webinar

Impact of indoor air pollution on DNA damage and chromosome stability: a systematic review

• Kazensky, Luka
• Matković, Katarina
• Gerić, Marko
• Žegura, Bojana
• Pehnec, Gordana
• Gajski, Goran

Indoor air pollution is becoming a rising public health problem and is largely resulting from the burning of solid fuels and heating in households. Burning these fuels produces harmful compounds, such as particulate matter regarded as a major health risk, particularly affecting the onset and exacerbation of respiratory diseases. As exposure to polluted indoor air can cause DNA damage including DNA sd breaks as well as chromosomal damage, in this paper, we aim to provide an overview of the impact of indoor air pollution on DNA damage and genome stability by reviewing the scientific papers that have used the comet, micronucleus, and γ-H2AX assays. These methods are valuable tools in human biomonitoring and for studying the mechanisms of action of various pollutants, and are readily used for the assessment of primary DNA damage and genome instability induced by air pollutants by measuring different aspects of DNA and chromosomal damage. Based on our search, in selected studies (in vitro, animal models, and human biomonitoring), we found generally higher levels of DNA strand breaks and chromosomal damage due to indoor air pollutants compared to matched control or unexposed groups. In summary, our systematic review reveals the importance of the comet, micronucleus, and γ-H2AX assays as sensitive tools for the evaluation of DNA and genome damaging potential of different indoor air pollutants. Additionally, research in this particular direction is warranted since little is still known about the level of indoor air pollution in households or public buildings and its impact on genetic material. Future studies should focus on research investigating the possible impact of indoor air pollutants in complex mixtures on the genome and relate pollutants to possible health outcomes.

• Indoor air quality;
• Genome damage;
• Comet assay;
• Micronucleus assay;
• γ-H2AX assay;
• Health risk

share this!

August 29, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

peer-reviewed publication

trusted source

The impact of human activity on air quality: A look at aerosol pollution before and after the Industrial Revolution

by Chinese Academy of Sciences

A recent study led by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences sheds new light on how human activities have altered the composition of the atmosphere over time, particularly focusing on secondary organic aerosols (SOA). These aerosols play a significant role in air quality and climate change, making it crucial to understand their evolution from the preindustrial era to the present day.

The study, published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences , highlights the need to quantify the differences in SOA levels between the preindustrial period and today to accurately assess the environmental impact of human activities.

SOAs are tiny particles that form in the atmosphere from natural and man-made emissions. They influence both climate and air quality , and their levels have changed dramatically since the Industrial Revolution.

Two major challenges have historically hindered accurate SOA simulations.

"One is missing historical data. There is limited information about vegetation cover during the preindustrial period, making it difficult to estimate natural emissions," explains Dr. Chen Xueshun, one of the corresponding authors. "The other is uncertainties in SOA formation. Understanding how SOAs form is complex, and existing models have struggled to capture this process accurately."

To overcome these obstacles, the research team incorporated advanced tools into their models, including the MEGAN emissions module and the IAP-AACM atmospheric chemistry model. They used a dynamic vegetation model to simulate the natural emissions from plants, allowing for a more accurate comparison of SOA levels between the two periods.

The study found that while natural emissions (biogenic SOAs) dominated in the preindustrial atmosphere, human-made SOAs have surged since the Industrial Revolution. Today, anthropogenic SOAs contribute up to 53% of total SOA levels, a significant increase from preindustrial times.

"In the preindustrial period, natural sources were the primary contributors to SOA. However, our findings show that human activities have greatly amplified SOA production in the present day, leading to significant changes in global air quality," explained Dr. Chen.

Looking ahead, the research team plans to delve deeper into the climate impacts of these aerosols. "Our next step is to quantify the climate effects of organic aerosols and explore the interactions between vegetation, air quality, and climate," said Prof. Wang Zifa, also the corresponding author of the study. "This will help us better understand the full scope of human impact on the environment."

Journal information: Advances in Atmospheric Sciences

Provided by Chinese Academy of Sciences

Explore further

Feedback to editors

Human mouth bacteria reproduce through rare form of cell division, research reveals

3 hours ago

Chemists create gel to prevent leaks and boost lithium-ion battery life

Study suggests gun-free zones do not attract mass shootings

Double-peaked supernovae offer clues to pre-supernova outbursts

5 hours ago

New discovery of how bacteria navigate their environment could change how we treat infection

Engineers smash rocks to see what occurs when top layer of an asteroid-like object is hit with extreme external force

Copper-based catalyst paves the way for sustainable ammonia production

6 hours ago

Electricity generated by earthquakes might be the secret behind giant gold nuggets

7 hours ago

Geoinformatics: Using AI to take better aim against mosquitoes

Creating an 'imprint' on a super photon

Relevant physicsforums posts, the secrets of prof. verschure's rosetta stones.

Aug 29, 2024

Alaska - Pedersen Glacier: Landslide Triggered Tsunami

Aug 23, 2024

Iceland warming up again - quakes swarming

Shiveluch volcano erupts on kamchatka peninsula.

Aug 18, 2024

A very puzzling rock or a pallasite / mesmosiderite or a nothing burger

Aug 14, 2024

M6.8 and M6.3 east of Mindanao, Philippines

Aug 13, 2024

More from Earth Sciences

Related Stories

Fifty-three experts weigh in on the global methane budget

Jun 27, 2024

Aphid-stressed pines show different secondary organic aerosol formation

Sep 11, 2019

Emissions from human activity modify biogenic secondary organic aerosol formation

May 7, 2021

Where liquid meets air: Unearthing how air pollutants form

Nov 14, 2019

Organic aerosols in remote regions are forming clouds and may have an underestimated effect on climate change

Dec 5, 2022

New study reveals influencers of global biogenic volatile organic compound emission trends over the last 20 years

Mar 26, 2024

Recommended for you

Amazon rainforest fires produce secondary ultrafine particles that may affect weather and climate

The risk of global water scarcity is greater when accounting for the origin of rain, study shows

8 hours ago

Hillside erosion worsening in California due to wildfires and intense rain

10 hours ago

Global South cities lack cooling green spaces

13 hours ago

New study highlights expansion of drylands amidst impact of climate change

Aug 30, 2024

How a salt giant radically reshaped Mediterranean marine biodiversity

Let us know if there is a problem with our content.

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

Amyloids May Not Cause Alzheimer’s: Quantum Effect in the Brain Challenges Conventional Wisdom

A unique quantum effect in biology may hold the key to deciphering a common indicator of Alzheimer’s disease, challenging existing assumptions about the condition and guiding the quest for a cure.

Amyloid fibrils are fibrous protein structures in the brain, linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. These fibrils are commonly targeted by experimental treatments aimed at combating these diseases, typically through drugs designed to decrease the amount of amyloids or inhibit further formation.

But many people who test positive for significant amounts of amyloid don’t develop dementia at all, and so far, treatment regimens that target amyloid have not been successful. Another known indicator of Alzheimer’s is the so-called allostatic load, a general term for the cumulative burden of chronic wear and tear on the body. The more oxidative stress, the higher the load and the higher risk of dementia.

Previously,  a group of researchers found  that a certain quantum effect—single- photon superradiance—could survive the turbulent environment of the human body in networks of the amino acid tryptophan, and could potentially mitigate oxidative stress in the body. Now that group, led by Dr. Philip Kurian, principal investigator and founding director of the Quantum Biology Laboratory at Howard University in Washington, D.C., has established that these tryptophan networks have an even stronger ability to harness superradiant effects in amyloid fibrils than in the structures they studied previously. The result, published in  Frontiers in Physics , has prominent implications for the role of amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease.

Quantum Effects in Amyloid Fibrils

“Our previous experimental confirmation of single-photon superradiance in protein fibers encouraged us to examine other neurobiological architectures, including amyloid fibrils,” said Kurian. “While the superradiant enhancement of the quantum yield we saw previously was modest though detectable, our predicted superradiant enhancement for amyloid fibrils is enormous, up to five times the quantum yield of an individual tryptophan molecule. This finding has the potential to transform available treatments for dementia, and to revolutionize our understanding of information processing throughout the web of life.”

Oxidative stress, a contributing factor linked with Alzheimer’s, occurs when the body produces a large number of free radicals, which can emit damaging, high-energy UV photons. Single-photon superradiance is a quantum phenomenon where a collective network of molecules can very efficiently absorb these high-energy light particles and re-emit them at a lower, safer energy.

Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease and Future Research

Because many amyloid fibrils have a very high density of tryptophans arranged in multiple helices, their ability to absorb damaging photons and downconvert the energy—photoprotection—is much stronger than anyone suspected before. This could suggest that amyloid, rather than being a cause of Alzheimer’s, is actually the body’s adaptive response to a stressful environment that is awash with a higher proportion of UV photons from free radicals.

“The Kurian group has made an outstanding scientific contribution in elucidating the potential role of amyloid fibrils in mitigating oxidative stress and photophysical damage,” said Professor Lon Schneider, director of the USC California Alzheimer’s Disease Center, who was not involved in the research. “This work has profound implications for understanding the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, as researchers generally work under the assumption that amyloid must be the proper target for treatment. On the contrary, Kurian’s work suggests that, rather than a cause of the disease, amyloid aggregation and fibril formation are a protective response.”

The next step is to validate this prediction experimentally, but Kurian also wants colleagues in biology and neuroscience to start thinking more broadly about how quantum perspectives are an essential part of the life sciences. “We want to help others see that the interactions of light and quantum matter have significant relevance to all living systems,” he said.

The first author on the paper, Mr. Hamza Patwa, is a 2024 Barry Goldwater Scholar and a senior undergraduate intern in the Quantum Biology Laboratory. “For me,” he said, “this work represents what true science is supposed to be. To make such a cognitive leap, one has to be versed in several different disciplines: open quantum systems, computational biology, and photophysics. It has taught me that science doesn’t always have to be separated into mutually exclusive categories. When we try to use tools from whichever subfields are necessary to solve a problem, this is where the awesome explanatory power of science is revealed.”

Reference: “Quantum-enhanced photoprotection in neuroprotein architectures emerges from collective light-matter interactions” by Hamza Patwa, Nathan S. Babcock and Philip Kurian, 18 June 2024,  Frontiers in Physics . DOI: 10.3389/fphy.2024.1387271

The study was funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Guy Foundation, and the Chaikin-Wile Foundation.

Related Articles

Neurologist explores link between covid and “brain fog,” memory loss and dementia, power of light and oxygen clears alzheimer’s disease protein in brains of live mice, national institutes of health small business funding boosts alzheimer’s science advances, higher risk of dementia associated with fine particulate air pollution, covid-19 associated with long-term cognitive dysfunction, acceleration of alzheimer’s symptoms, are we wrong about alzheimer’s researchers question prevailing theory after new discovery, statins used to lower cholesterol linked to doubled risk of developing dementia, “cognitive clock” – researchers develop new measure of brain health, identifying “the terrorist inside my husband’s brain” – living brain imaging can clearly differentiate between types of dementia.

Of course they are not the cause, they are the outcome

Have been thinking about Brain Related Malfunction and Diseases like Alzheimer and others .

Remembered the Chinese Word for Risk in which Opportunity is embedded .

Thought of how to penetrate the blood-brain barrier to deliver the Molecule to the Site, after he ACTIVE MOLECULE WITH THE required curative property is discovered/.

It occurred to me that the COVID 19 Virus seemed to possess the ability to penetrate the Blood -Brain Barrier. Maybe, just maybe a mild Variant of this Virus with the ability to Penetrate the Blood Brain Barrier could be the Carrier on which the Active Molecule could piggyback a ride to the affected site.

Delivery mechanism is the Critical Requirement for focused treatment of Brain Disorders.

Views expressed are personal and not binding on anyone.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.