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Understanding the causes, effects and distribution
Jesse Bowman, Will Fleurant, Riddhi Gandhi, Jess Sloan & Mark Zajac
Outdoor air pollution affects the health of people all over the world, whether in high-income or low-income countries, or urban or rural settings.
The World Health Organization and the US Environmental Protection Agency have identified the primary sources of air pollution:
Particulate matter is a general term used to describe an atmospheric mixture of a variety of solid, liquid and gaseous substances, and is the most common form of air pollution. Many activities can contribute to local particulate matter concentrations, including industrial processes, construction and demolition, residential fires, and wood combustion through wildfires or cooking/heating fires.
Particles are classified as coarse (PM10-2.5), measuring between 2.5 and 10 micrometers, or fine (PM2.5), measuring at or below 2.5 micrometers. While both coarse and fine particles can penetrate the lungs, fine particles are more closely associated with health effects, such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and developmental effects in children.
Ground-level ozone is a major contributor to smog and is formed through the chemical reaction between sunlight and industrial and vehicle emissions.
Effects of exposure to ozone can range from acute and chronic respiratory distress to premature death.
Carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide enter the atmosphere through fossil fuel combustion processes in power plants and vehicles.
These pollutants can cause a wide range of health problems, from eye irritation and respiratory inflammation to reduced lung function and oxygen supply, especially in children and those with pre-existing conditions like asthma.
Global Death Count
Outdoor air pollution has a significant effect on human health and is a major contributor to deaths globally each year by causing or exacerbating many diseases and disorders.
In 2019, air pollution (both outdoor and indoor) contributed to 6.67 million deaths worldwide, of which 66% were attributed exclusively to outdoor air pollution.
Source: Death-Causes 2019, IHME
Global % share of Diseases caused by Air Pollution
While many different factors contribute to common diseases, outdoor air pollution can be a contributing factor to some of the leading causes of death globally.
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, IHME
Country wise % share of Diseases caused by Air Pollution
The distribution of these causes of death varies globally
Cancers
Cardiovascular Diseases
Respiratory Infections
Sense Organ Diseases
Chronic Respiratory Diseases
Skin Diseases
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, IHME
Of deaths directly attributed to outdoor air pollution:
Source: World Health Organization
The next slides display the top five worst US counties with unhealthy air based on maximum daily Air Quality Index (AQI) values in year 2020.
Worst US Counties for Sulfur Dioxide
Source: AirData from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Worst US Counties for Ground-Level Ozone
Source: AirData from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Worst US Counties for PM2.5
Source: AirData from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Worst US Counties for PM10
Source: AirData from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Worst US Counties for Carbon Monoxide
Source: AirData from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease
China & India currently have some of the worst urban air quality in the world due to their densely populated megacities. In China, nearly the entire population lives in areas that do not meet WHO air quality standards.
Hotan, China
Primary pollutants include PM2.5 and ground-level ozone, which come primarily from traffic emissions. These pollutants have an inverse relationship, so efforts to decrease PM2.5 levels have inadvertently increased ozone levels.
Ghaziabad, India
The levels of outdoor air pollution and attributable deaths in the US are dwarfed by those in China & India.
Average Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) Concentration in Most Polluted Cities by Country
(in micrograms per cubic meter of air)
Number of Deaths Attributable to Air Pollution by Country, 2020
Average Weighted PM 2.5 Level by Country, 1990-2019
Number of Deaths Attributable to PM 2.5 Exposure, 1990-2019
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. IHME, 2020
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. IHME, 2020
Source: 2020 World Air Quality Report, IQAir
Pollution Levels
Deaths
Despite the disparities that exist throughout the world, we are all exposed to and affected by outdoor air pollution.
While high-income regions like North America and Europe have made significant progress in reducing the health impacts of air pollution through targeted public policies, continued improvements remain necessary.
In developing regions, particularly in Asia, where air pollution levels and their adverse health effects are at their highest, similar policies must be adapted to safeguard the public health of their populations.
Fortunately, advances in energy technology and in understanding human health make a future with clean air possible for all.
95% of the world population are exposed to mean concentrations of particulate matter which exceed the WHO recommended limit