Pollution

Environmental exposures, from air and ocean pollution to climate change and urbanization, have profound and far-reaching effects on human health and well-being. This hub brings together authoritative, evidence-based articles that examine the health risks associated with pollution, microplastics, toxicants, and environmental changes, alongside practical strategies for risk reduction and public health protection. Explore how environmental hazards influence conditions such as asthma, neurological health, pregnancy outcomes, and skin health, and discover the vital connections between planetary health and individual well-being. These resources support informed decision-making for clinicians, policymakers, and the public alike.

Bacterial Risks at Beaches and Evidence-Based Safety Strategies

Beaches face escalating risks from microbial contamination due to climate change and human activity, increasing the burden of waterborne illnesses for swimmers. Integrating advanced monitoring technologies, improved public education, and policy reforms is essential for protecting beachgoers’ health.

How Air Pollution Impacts Brain Health

Autism and Particulate Air Matter

Urbanization and Human Health

How Does the Health of Our Planet Affect Our Own Health?

AAM - Air pollution and Alzheimer's

Healthcare During The Climate Crisis

How Composting Protects Public Health and Our Planet

Anti-Pollution Skincare: Protecting Skin in Urban Environments

What are the Health Effects of Exhaust Emissions?

How do Microplastics Affect Our Health?

Pollution and Alzheimer's

See more featured articles »

What are the Health Effects of Exhaust Emissions?

What Impact does Climate Change have on Our Health?

Can Weather or Air Pollution Trigger Migraine?

How PFAS Are Impacting Human Health

Health Effects of Artificial Light

The Effect of Climate Change on Asthma

How has COVID-19 Influenced Pollution?

What is Planetary Health?

5 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Microplastic Intake

Environmental Hazards in Pregnancy

The Role of Toxicology in Wildlife Conservation

Pollution and Mental Health

Air Pollution and Lung Health

Ocean Pollution and Human Health

Air Pollution and Eye Health

Pollution and Mental Health

Environmental Health Hazards: An Overview

Latest Pollution News and Research

Freshwater swimming linked to doubled risk of skin problems and stomach bugs

People swimming in rivers and lakes could be putting themselves at risk of nasty skin conditions and stomach bugs, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia.

27 Aug 2026

China faces rising lung cancer deaths driven by aging population

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death both globally and in China, accounting for roughly 40% of the world's lung cancer deaths in 2022—a disproportionate burden given that China represents about 18% of the global population.

26 Aug 2026

Exposure to drought during pregnancy associated with higher risk of preterm birth

Climate change is making droughts more frequent, prolonged, and intense in many regions of the world, increasing the need to understand their effects on health.

25 Aug 2026

New EAACI guidelines for effective allergy management

Allergic rhinitis and asthma are among the most common chronic diseases today, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

24 Aug 2026

New model measures social drivers behind infectious disease outbreaks

Influenza spreads in a crowded barracks or prison. Ebola proliferates when per-capita hospital beds plummet below the typical levels in developed countries.

19 Aug 2026

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone delivers measurable lung health benefits for children

A landmark study of more than 3,400 children, led by Queen Mary University of London, has found that air quality improvements following the introduction of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) are strongly associated with accelerated lung growth in children.

18 Aug 2026

Leisure-time exercise linked to lower dementia risk

For years, scientists have known that regular physical activity can help lower the risk of dementia. But new USC research suggests that it's not only the amount but also the activity's context - for work or for leisure - that makes a difference.

18 Aug 2026

A study of 60 popular Chinese teas found reassuring results and one important warning

Researchers analyzing 60 best-selling online teas in China found that concentrations of six harmful elements remained within Chinese national limits and modeled noncarcinogenic risks were below concern thresholds.

13 Aug 2026

Neighborhood conditions help explain racial disparities in ovarian cancer survival

A new study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that women living in socially vulnerable communities face a 20% higher risk of death after an ovarian cancer diagnosis compared with women living in less vulnerable communities.

10 Aug 2026

Study finds more than half of mapped US parks lie near toxic chemical-reporting facilities

A nationwide geospatial analysis of 151,366 publicly accessible parks found that 52.6% lay within two miles of at least one industrial facility reporting toxic chemical management to the EPA, while 17.7% had parkland within two miles of a current or former Superfund site. The study mapped proximity rather than contamination or exposure, highlighting locations where targeted environmental assessment and healthier urban planning may be warranted.

9 Aug 2026

Rising wildfire smoke in the US offsets improvements in prenatal health

Wildfires are well-known health risks. Now, in a new Frontiers in Environmental Health study, researchers in the US have – for the first time – evaluated how prenatal PM2.5 exposure has changed over space and time on a national scale, and what role wildfires play in shaping these trends.

7 Aug 2026

Fine particle pollution raises rheumatoid arthritis flare risk and disease activity

Higher ambient PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased rheumatoid arthritis disease activity and a greater likelihood of flares in a four-year South Korean cohort of 1,070 patients. The association appeared stronger with sustained exposure over approximately two weeks or longer, while women and nonsmokers showed more pronounced links between PM2.5 and DAS28-CRP.

7 Aug 2026

Air pollution in pregnancy raises birth risks differently across trimesters

A population-based study of 26,582 live singleton births in Madrid found that associations between NO₂ exposure and adverse birth outcomes varied by pregnancy stage, with key patterns emerging in the first and third trimesters.

6 Aug 2026

Galápagos wastewater is creating new reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Portable field surveillance reveals how untreated sewage is reshaping coastal microbial communities and spreading diverse resistance genes across one of the world’s most protected marine environments.

6 Aug 2026

Proper wastewater treatment can reduce the impact of hospitals on surrounding waters

Antibiotic resistance genes are now widely found in rivers, lakes, soils, animals, and people. Hospitals are often considered important sources because their wastewater can contain antibiotics, drug-resistant bacteria, and resistance genes.

5 Aug 2026

Air pollution may worsen rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and flare risk

A novel study shows that exposure to air pollution, especially fine particulate matter like dust, soot, and smoke (PM2.5), is associated with increased disease activity and flare risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

5 Aug 2026

Two British birth cohorts find no added health burden from a coastal childhood

Researchers analyzing two British birth cohorts found no association between coastal residence in adolescence and midlife multimorbidity, while an unadjusted association in the 1958 cohort weakened after accounting for neighborhood deprivation.

3 Aug 2026

Study links neighborhood visual traits to human sleep

Your neighborhood's "streetscape"-the physical environment of your street-is something that you have probably never consciously thought about, despite seeing it every day.

3 Aug 2026

A 10-country survey finds an unexpected air pollution awareness gap

Researchers surveyed 10,618 adults across 1,372 localities in the world’s 10 most populous countries and matched their responses with average 2019-2021 PM2.5 concentrations. Higher PM2.5 exposure was associated with lower air-quality knowledge but greater concern and more frequent protective behaviors, with patterns differing across demographic groups.

2 Aug 2026

Midpregnancy herbicide exposure linked to increased preterm birth risk

Exposure to a widely used herbicide during the middle months of pregnancy may increase the chance of giving birth too early, before 37 weeks, a new study shows.

31 Jul 2026