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.

Ocean Pollution and Human Health

How do Microplastics Affect Our Health?

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

Anti-Pollution Skincare: Protecting Skin in Urban Environments

Pollution and Alzheimer's

Pollution and Mental Health

How has COVID-19 Influenced Pollution?

Can Weather or Air Pollution Trigger Migraine?

Health Effects of Artificial Light

5 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Microplastic Intake

Urbanization and Human Health

See more featured articles »

Pollution and Mental Health

The Role of Toxicology in Wildlife Conservation

Air Pollution and Eye Health

How Air Pollution Impacts Brain Health

Environmental Health Hazards: An Overview

What Impact does Climate Change have on Our Health?

How PFAS Are Impacting Human Health

Autism and Particulate Air Matter

Environmental Hazards in Pregnancy

What is Planetary Health?

What are the Health Effects of Exhaust Emissions?

Healthcare During The Climate Crisis

AAM - Air pollution and Alzheimer's

How Composting Protects Public Health and Our Planet

What are the Health Effects of Exhaust Emissions?

Air Pollution and Lung Health

The Effect of Climate Change on Asthma

Latest Pollution News and Research

Prenatal exposure to pollution impacts infant cognitive development

The prenatal period is a critical window for brain development, yet few studies have examined the impact of air pollution exposure during pregnancy on child cognition.

27 Jan 2026

Wildfire smoke significantly raises stroke risk among older adults

People exposed to wildfire smoke have a higher risk of suffering a stroke, according to research published in the European Heart Journal today (Tuesday).

27 Jan 2026

Tiny plastic particles may interfere with brain processes implicated in Parkinson’s disease

Micro- and nanoplastics are increasingly detected in human tissues, including the brain, and experimental evidence suggests they can interact with biological pathways central to Parkinson’s disease pathology. This review synthesises mechanistic data indicating that plastic particles may influence protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the gut–brain axis, while emphasising the need for prospective human studies.

26 Jan 2026

Wildfire smoke in late pregnancy may raise autism risk

Prenatal exposure to wildfire smoke in late pregnancy may modestly raise autism risk in children, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding pregnant women.

23 Jan 2026

Nearly half of adults now live with heart disease as obesity and diabetes surge

The 2026 American Heart Association Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics report shows that nearly half of adults are living with cardiovascular disease, with cardiometabolic risk factors projected to rise substantially by 2050. Despite progress in smoking reduction and cholesterol control, worsening obesity, diabetes, hypertension, sleep health, and persistent inequities threaten future cardiovascular health.

22 Jan 2026

New photocatalyst rapidly removes hidden carcinogenic byproducts from drinking water sources

A new photocatalyst that combines sunlight and a common water-treatment oxidant can rapidly strip dangerous organic matter from water, offering a promising tool for safer drinking water and cleaner natural waterways.

22 Jan 2026

More urban trees associated with fewer heart disease cases

A multi-institutional study led by the University of California, Davis, finds that living in urban areas with a higher percentage of visible trees is associated with a 4% decrease in cardiovascular disease.

21 Jan 2026

Long-term air pollution exposure raises motor neuron disease risk

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution was associated with a higher risk of developing motor neuron disease and poorer prognosis after diagnosis in a large nationwide Swedish study. Higher particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide exposure were also linked to faster functional decline and increased likelihood of invasive ventilation.

21 Jan 2026

Air bubbles on plastics release microplastics into water

Microbubble-induced erosion on plastics releases microplastics into aquatic systems, emphasizing the need to understand this low-energy pollution mechanism.

21 Jan 2026

Mcgill researchers find unexpected chemical contaminants in human milk samples

An interdisciplinary team including researchers at McGill University has found a range of unexpected chemical contaminants in human milk samples from Canada and South Africa.

20 Jan 2026

Prenatal wildfire smoke exposure linked to higher autism risk in children

Exposure to wildfire smoke during the final months of pregnancy may raise the risk that a child is later diagnosed with autism, according to a new study led by Tulane University researchers.

20 Jan 2026

Early pregnancy sulfur dioxide exposure raises odds of congenital limb defects

Maternal exposure to sulfur dioxide during the first trimester was associated with higher odds of congenital limb defects in offspring in a large population-based cohort from Wuhan. Associations were strongest for polydactyly and limb shortening, while other major air pollutants showed no consistent links with overall risk.

20 Jan 2026

Prolonged exposure to air pollution linked to elevated risk for ALS

Prolonged exposure to air pollution can be linked to an elevated risk for serious neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and seems to speed up the pathological process, report researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

20 Jan 2026

Leading cardiovascular societies call for urgent action to address environmental stressors

The world's leading cardiovascular societies, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association and the World Heart Federation (WHF) have today issued the first ever joint statement calling for urgent action to address environmental stressors as major, yet preventable, causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

20 Jan 2026

Can dietary supplements support nutrition security as climate change disrupts food systems?

Environmental change is reshaping food availability, nutrient quality, and health risks, exposing major gaps in how nutrition science addresses climate-related stressors. This perspective argues that dietary supplements may have a context-dependent role but require rigorous, interdisciplinary research before informing public health action.

19 Jan 2026

Ancient ice and modern pollution combine to spread antibiotic resistance as glaciers melt

Glaciers harbor both ancient and human-derived antibiotic resistance genes, preserved in ice and increasingly mobilized by climate-driven melt. This global review proposes a glacier-to-downstream “continuum” to understand how resistance genes may move through connected freshwater ecosystems.

18 Jan 2026

Experts issue strong call for overhaul of UK dementia prevention strategy

A national panel of experts has issued the strongest call yet for the Department of Health and Social Care to overhaul how it approaches dementia prevention, pointing to vital evidence that dementia risk can be reduced and providing a framework for the development of new government policy that could improve brain health for millions.

16 Jan 2026

Research shows racial-ethnic differences in the risk of pregnancy-related high blood pressure

The risk of pregnancy-related high blood pressure varied markedly among subgroups of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander people, highlighting the need for tailored prevention and treatment, according to research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

14 Jan 2026

Exposure to micro- and nanoplastics linked to rising number of people with chronic IBD

A research team led by the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna has investigated a possible link between the rising number of people with chronic inflammatory bowel disease and the increasing exposure to micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs).

8 Jan 2026

Airport tire wear emerges as a major source of hidden air pollutants

New findings reveal Milan's airport operations release industrial chemicals, reshaping our understanding of aviation-related air pollution and benzothiazoles.

2 Jan 2026