Air Pollution News and Research

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Cleaner air after industrial plant closure improves lung health in local residents

A new study by NYU Langone Health researchers found that the shutdown of a significant fossil fuel pollution source near Pittsburgh, PA, resulted in immediate improvements in respiratory health.

22 Jul 2025

Study identifies mechanism that helps prevent cancer, neurodegeneration, and premature aging

Researchers at the University of Oxford and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have uncovered the mechanism by which cells identify and repair a highly toxic form of DNA damage that causes cancer, neurodegeneration, and premature aging.

21 Jul 2025

Lead exposure in early life linked to faster memory loss in children

A study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai shows that exposure to lead during pregnancy and early childhood may accelerate the rate at which children forget information-a critical marker of memory impairment that may have implications for learning and development.

9 Jul 2025

Prenatal exposure to air pollution and climatic factors associated with adverse birth outcomes in India

Prenatal exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and climatic factors, such as temperature and rainfall, are associated with adverse birth outcomes in India, according to a study published July 2nd, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Mary Abed Al Ahad from the University of St Andrews, U.K.

3 Jul 2025

‘MAHA Report’ calls for fighting chronic disease, but Trump and Kennedy have yanked funding

‘MAHA report’ calls for fighting chronic disease, but Trump and Kennedy have yanked funding

2 Jul 2025

Long-term exposure to air pollution associated with early signs of heart damage

Researchers using cardiac MRI have found that long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with early signs of heart damage, according to a study that was published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

1 Jul 2025

Prenatal air pollution exposure linked to higher childhood obesity risk

Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy, specifically to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), may increase the risk of childhood overweight or obesity.

25 Jun 2025

Wildfire smoke exposure linked to increased heart failure risk

Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke may increase the risk of heart failure (HF), especially in older adults, women and vulnerable populations, according to a study published today in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology.

23 Jun 2025

New screening method for Parkinson's analyzes odors in ear wax

Most treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) only slow disease progression. Early intervention for the neurological disease that worsens over time is therefore critical to optimize care, but that requires early diagnosis.

18 Jun 2025

Living near microplastic polluted waters linked to higher risk of heart and metabolic diseases

Living in a U.S. coastal county bordered by ocean waters with very high concentrations of microplastics may increase the risk of heart and metabolic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and stroke.

18 Jun 2025

Global warming fuels an alarming increase in obstructive sleep apnea cases

Global warming significantly raises the risk and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), especially on hotter nights. A multinational sensor-based study links temperature-driven OSA increases to major losses in healthy life years and billions in economic costs.

17 Jun 2025

Black tea helps in one Parkinson’s type, but soda and pesticides worsen another

A large longitudinal study found that pesticide exposure and caffeinated soda intake were linked to more severe motor symptoms in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD). In contrast, black tea consumption was associated with milder symptoms in patients with LRRK2-related Parkinson’s disease (LRRK2-PD).

16 Jun 2025

Prenatal air pollution exposure related to subtle fetal brain changes

Fetuses more exposed to certain air pollutants show changes in the size of specific brain structures, particularly during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

11 Jun 2025

Lung cells in COPD patients show higher levels of soot-like carbon deposits

Cells taken from the lungs of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a larger accumulation of soot-like carbon deposits compared to cells taken from people who smoke but do not have COPD, according to a study published today (Wednesday) in ERJ Open Research.

10 Jun 2025

Asthma sufferers could be at greater risk if Trump cuts health program

Esther Bejarano's son was 11 months old when asthma landed him inhh the hospital. She didn't know what had triggered his symptoms — neither she nor her husband had asthma — but she suspected it was the pesticides sprayed on the agricultural fields near her family's home.

6 Jun 2025

Scientists identify genetic clues linking air pollution to neurodegeneration

This review highlights how air pollution and occupational inhalation exposures may contribute to neurodegenerative disorders by triggering epigenetic changes. The authors stress the urgent need for advanced research to identify early biomarkers and guide protective health strategies for high-risk populations.

6 Jun 2025

Dementia rates decline among newer generations of older adults

A person aged 75 to 80 is less likely to have dementia today compared to someone of the same age several decades ago, a University of Queensland study has found.

5 Jun 2025

Fine particulate matter exposure may alter pregnancy outcomes

A new study by Emory University researchers, published Thursday in Environmental Science & Technology, found that exposure to the tiny particles in air pollution during pregnancy can disrupt maternal metabolisms, altering key biological pathways.

3 Jun 2025

Study uncovers how exposure to PM2.5 air pollutants causes airway dysfunction

Air pollution is the second leading risk factor for death globally, with most of the world population subject to harmful air pollutant levels. However, the mechanisms behind air pollution affecting human health and mortality remain poorly understood, leaving treatment strategies unknown.

3 Jun 2025

Coastal living adds years to your life while inland waters may cut them short

Proximity to coastal waters is linked to longer life expectancy in the US, while living near large inland water bodies often reduces it, except in rural settings, where the effect is positive. Environmental quality, income, and context drive these differences.

29 May 2025