Air Pollution News and Research

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Researchers release new online tool for air pollution exposure mitigation

Researchers at the University of Surrey have released a new online tool to help schools, hospitals and residents understand and reduce the impact of traffic-related air pollution.

23 Sep 2021

Prenatal ultrafine PM exposure has adverse effects on children’s health, development

Particulate matter (PM) is a major component of air pollution that is increasingly associated with long-term consequences for the health and development of children.

14 Sep 2021

Study: Canadians have the highest risk of respiratory mortality from wildfire pollution

An international study has found Canadians have the highest relative risk of respiratory mortality resulting from wildfire pollution, with Regina and Saskatoon among the worst hit.

10 Sep 2021

Study reveals the serious health consequences of wildfires in Brazil

Last year the number of wildfires in Brazil increased 12.7 percent to a decade-high. Now the largest and most comprehensive study to date of the health effects of wildfires in Brazil reveals the serious health consequences of this burning, linking exposure to wildfire pollutants to increased hospitalisation.

8 Sep 2021

Prolonged exposure to low-level air pollution associated with cardiovascular disease risk

Prolonged exposure to air pollution can be linked to an increased risk of stroke and coronary heart disease, even when levels are below the limits specified by the EU and WHO.

8 Sep 2021

HKBU scientists find significant link between PM2.5 exposure and neurological disorders

A comprehensive, systematic meta-analysis conducted by HKBU scientists found a significant association between exposure to PM2.5, i.e., fine particulates with equivalent diameters of less than 2.5 microns suspended in the air, and neurological disorders.

7 Sep 2021

New insights could help unlock the mystery of how lung cancer arises in never smokers

A genomic analysis of lung cancer in people with no history of smoking has found that a majority of these tumors arise from the accumulation of mutations caused by natural processes in the body.

6 Sep 2021

Long-term exposure to low levels of air pollution may be linked to higher mortality

Long-term exposure to air pollution appears to still be linked to higher mortality despite the existence of air quality standards that restrict levels of pollution, suggests a study published online in The BMJ today.

2 Sep 2021

Losing weight and treating excess fat levels may help prevent lung disease in 9/11 firefighters

Losing weight and treating excess levels of fat in the blood may help prevent lung disease in firefighters who were exposed to dangerous levels of fine particles from fire, smoke, and toxic chemicals on September 11, 2001, a new study shows.

2 Sep 2021

Association between COVID-19 mitigation measures and preterm birth rate in China

A new study published in British Medical Journal Global Health addresses the effect of COVID-19 mitigation measures on the preterm birth rate in China.

31 Aug 2021

Airflow optimization reduces time required to remove particulate matter from the classroom

According to the WHO, about 7 million people die each year due to air pollution. Particulate matter (PM) triggers inflammatory responses in the human body, causing asthma and other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. It is more fatal for young and growing students. The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has reduced time required to remove particulate matter from the classroom by more than 30% by optimizing the locations of supply and return diffusers for air supplied into the classroom.

28 Aug 2021

Study identifies link between common air pollutants and incidence of cardiac arrest

A study in Italy has identified a dose-response relationship between the concentration of everyday pollutants and the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The research is presented at ESC Congress 2021.

27 Aug 2021

Fine particle pollution doubles the risk of Alzheimer's disease in Black women

Fine particle pollution may be one reason why Black women have double the risk of developing Alzheimer's than white women, suggests new research from the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

27 Aug 2021

Exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy raises risk for preterm birth

Exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy increases the risk that a baby will be born too early, a new Stanford University study suggests.

23 Aug 2021

Energy-efficient buildings could prevent thousands of premature deaths every year

Buildings in the U.S. are responsible for 40% of the country's total energy consumption. By improving the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings, the emissions generated from heating and cooling them could be reduced – preventing thousands of premature deaths every year.

20 Aug 2021

Chemical Insights, Underwriters Laboratories and GSU launch research initiative on vaping and e-cigarettes

Chemical Insights Research Institute, Underwriters Laboratories Inc., and Georgia State University's School of Public Health announced the launch of a research initiative on understanding human exposure and the potential health effects of vaping and e-cigarettes.

20 Aug 2021

Did particulate matter from wildfires cause excess COVID-19 deaths in the US?

New research published in Science Advances investigates the relationship between wildfire smoke and COVID-19 mortality using pollution and COVID-19 incidence and mortality data.

19 Aug 2021

Report outlines strong scientific foundations for taking actions to stop the next pandemic

As the world struggles to contain COVID-19, a group of leading, scientific experts from the U.S., Latin America, Africa, and South Asia released a report today outlining the strong scientific foundations for taking actions to stop the next pandemic by preventing the spillover of pathogens from animals to people.

18 Aug 2021

New bioengineered lung model could help scientists to advance research in lung conditions

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from McMaster and SickKids are developing a cutting-edge lung model that can better respond to viruses and drug treatments, giving scientists a tool to advance research in lung conditions like COVID-19, cystic fibrosis and allergens for asthma and air pollution.