Air Pollution News and Research

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Air pollution associated with memory decline and Alzheimer's-like brain atrophy

Women in their 70s and 80s who were exposed to higher levels of air pollution experienced greater declines in memory and more Alzheimer's-like brain atrophy than their counterparts who breathed cleaner air, according to USC researchers.

20 Nov 2019

Premature deaths for some racial groups caused by emissions from electricity generation plants

Air pollution doesn't just come from cars on the road, generating electricity from fossil fuels also releases fine particulate matter into the air.

20 Nov 2019

Research shows substantial health benefit of shifting to clean energy sources in Africa

With economies and populations surging, an industrial revolution is inevitable on the African continent. The question is, what's going to power it?

18 Nov 2019

Climate change poses unprecedented threat to children's health

A report warns that climate change poses an unprecedented threat to children and will have lifelong impacts on human health.

14 Nov 2019

Bushfire smoke more hazardous to inhale than dust storm particles

Bushfire smoke particles covering Queensland and New South Wales are more dangerous to inhale than the particles from the dust storms which blanketed Brisbane in 2009.

14 Nov 2019

FIRS calls for an end to preventable deaths from pneumonia

In support of World Pneumonia Day, Nov. 12, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, of which the American Thoracic Society is a member, calls for an end to preventable pneumonia deaths, ensuring equitable access to interventions for prevention and control of pneumonia.

12 Nov 2019

A child died from Pneumonia every 39 seconds last year, poorest families most affected

New data has revealed that over 800,000 children died from pneumonia last year and that the poorest of society are most at risk.

12 Nov 2019

Indoor plants do not improve indoor air quality

A new study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology in November says houseplants aren’t much good at removing pollutants from your home. The researchers systematically reviewed a dozen other studies, looking at factors related to indoor air quality, and especially on the contribution of potted plants to the efficient removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

10 Nov 2019

Research discovers link between biomarker for RA and industrial air pollutants

New, late-breaking research discovered that there are significant associations between anti-citrullinated protein bodies, a characteristic biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis, and industrial emissions of fine particles matter and sulfur dioxide.

10 Nov 2019

Top organizations announce awards for emerging leaders in brain health and dementia

To address the growing worldwide public health crisis due to dementia, the prevalence of which is expected to triple worldwide to 152 million by 2050, three leading organizations announced this year's Pilot Awards for Global Brain Health Leaders.

8 Nov 2019

Vaping carries significant potential heart risks

Science hasn't yet caught up with electronic cigarettes, leaving health care providers and users with many unknowns. But a new review of the research so far finds growing evidence that vaping can harm the heart and blood vessels.

7 Nov 2019

Trees and plants may be better than technology at mitigating air pollution

Adding plants and trees to the landscapes near factories and other pollution sources could reduce air pollution by an average of 27 percent, new research suggests.

6 Nov 2019

Chest infections cause 1 in 7 child deaths

The number of deaths in children due to lower respiratory infections (LRIs) such as pneumonia and influenza has come down considerably. Yet, they still account for the highest number of deaths in children under 5 years of age, at one in seven of all deaths in this age group, according to a detailed study published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

31 Oct 2019

New wearable sensors can help assess workers’ exposure to occupational air pollutants

Every day, millions of workers head to their jobs and breathe any number of airborne chemicals, particles or vapors, all of which may or may not be affecting their health.

31 Oct 2019

Study identifies local traffic exhaust as a risk factor for stroke

High levels of traffic exhaust at one's residence increases the risk of stroke even in low-pollution environments, according to a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and other universities in Sweden.

30 Oct 2019

Prenatal exposure to air pollution associated with reduced cardiac response to stress in infants

A mother's exposure to particulate air pollution during pregnancy is associated with reduced cardiac response to stress in six-month-old infants, according to Mount Sinai research published in Environmental Health Perspectives in October.

30 Oct 2019

Shape of lung tissue fibers influences respiratory elasticity

Take a deep breath. Now exhale. Congratulations! You've just done something completely ordinary, yet so mysterious that scientists still don't know everything about it.

29 Oct 2019

Unique collaboration launches 'Clean Air for Schools' program in the UK

The Philips Foundation, a charitable organization set up in 2014 by global health technology leader Royal Philips to provide access to care for disadvantaged communities, has today launched the ‘Clean Air for Schools’ program with Global Action Plan, a leading environmental charity and the University of Manchester, a leading research institute of air quality.

23 Oct 2019

Scientists ask all countries to wake up to the challenge of halving nitrogen waste

More than 150 top international scientists are calling on the world to take urgent action on nitrogen pollution, to tackle the widespread harm it is causing to humans, wildlife and the planet.

22 Oct 2019

Increase in air pollution levels linked to more premature mortality in the U.S.

In the United States, annual average levels of fine particulate matter--PM2.5, a measure of solid particles and liquid droplets that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller found in the air--declined 24% from 2009 to 2016, then increased 5% between 2016 to 2018.

21 Oct 2019