Air pollution and public health: emerging hazards and improved understanding of risk

• Published in: Environmental geochemistry and health Vol. 37; no. 4; pp. 631 - 649
• Main Authors: Kelly, Frank J, Fussell, Julia C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.08.2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: air; Air pollution; Air Pollution - adverse effects; air quality; Airborne particulates; Earth and Environmental Science; endpoints; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Geochemistry; guidelines; Health hazards; Humans; information systems; issues and policy; monitoring; Original Paper; Outdoor air quality; Particulate Matter - toxicity; particulates; Public Health; risk; Risk Assessment; Soil Science & Conservation; Terrestrial Pollution; toxicity; urban areas; urban population; World Health Organization; Public awareness; PM toxicity; Emerging risks; Air quality communication
• ISSN: 0269-4042; 1573-2983
• DOI: 10.1007/s10653-015-9720-1

Despite past improvements in air quality, very large parts of the population in urban areas breathe air that does not meet European standards let alone the health-based World Health Organisation Air Quality Guidelines. Over the last 10 years, there has been a substantial increase in findings that particulate matter (PM) air pollution is not only exerting a greater impact on established health endpoints, but is also associated with a broader number of disease outcomes. Data strongly suggest that effects have no threshold within the studied range of ambient concentrations, can occur at levels close to PM₂.₅ background concentrations and that they follow a mostly linear concentration–response function. Having firmly established this significant public health problem, there has been an enormous effort to identify what it is in ambient PM that affects health and to understand the underlying biological basis of toxicity by identifying mechanistic pathways—information that in turn will inform policy makers how best to legislate for cleaner air. Another intervention in moving towards a healthier environment depends upon the achieving the right public attitude and behaviour by the use of optimal air pollution monitoring, forecasting and reporting that exploits increasingly sophisticated information systems. Improving air quality is a considerable but not an intractable challenge. Translating the correct scientific evidence into bold, realistic and effective policies undisputedly has the potential to reduce air pollution so that it no longer poses a damaging and costly toll on public health.