Pollution News and Research

Latest Pollution News and Research

Bacterial strains determine pneumonia and meningitis risk from air pollution

Air pollution leads to different risk of bacterial pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis, depending on the subtype of bacteria a person has, new research suggests.

15 Sep 2026

Air pollution linked to higher risks of glaucoma and cataract

People who live in areas with higher levels of air pollution are more likely to develop glaucoma and cataract, according to a large study presented today (Monday) at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS).

15 Sep 2026

Neighborhood environments impact long-term health of 9/11 responders

Twenty-five years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that environmental conditions where World Trade Center responders live may influence their long-term physical and mental health.

11 Sep 2026

Neural network model accurately predicts regional heat mortality risk

Extreme heat is a leading cause of climate-related mortality, responsible for over five million deaths globally each year. As climate change intensifies, these events are becoming more frequent and severe, posing significant challenges to public health, particularly in densely populated urban areas.

10 Sep 2026

Nighttime light exposure may alter heart structure and function

Exposure to light during the nighttime is linked to important and potentially harmful changes to the structure and function of the heart, according to a study of more than 11,000 people published in the European Heart Journal today (Thursday).

10 Sep 2026

The link between PM2.5 and ADHD held up after researchers tested other explanations

Using two decades of U.S. county-level data, researchers found that long-term PM2.5 exposure was robustly associated with higher childhood ADHD prevalence, while associations with low birth weight and diabetes weakened after accounting for county-specific temporal trends. The ADHD association persisted after socioeconomic, demographic, state-level, exposure-period, and spatial adjustments, although the ecological study cannot establish an individual-level causal relationship.

9 Sep 2026

River-type drinking water sources generally carry higher antibiotic resistance risks

Antibiotic resistance is increasingly recognized as a major public health and environmental challenge, yet the risks are not evenly distributed across aquatic environments.

8 Sep 2026

Bacteria found in classroom dust may affect children’s respiratory health

Common bacteria found in classroom dust are associated with reduced lung function in children according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

6 Sep 2026

Genetic COPD risk emerges early with higher air pollution

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious, incurable lung disease that is common in older people.

6 Sep 2026

Microplastics transport toxins and antibiotic resistance across ecosystems

Microplastics are often viewed as pollutants in their own right, but their environmental impact may extend far beyond the plastic particles themselves.

4 Sep 2026

Researchers find greater microplastic burden in lung cancer patients

People with lung cancer are more likely to have microplastics in their lungs and to have larger quantities of microplastics in their lungs, according to research that will be presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

4 Sep 2026

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