Air Pollution and the Rising Instance of Diseases among Human Beings

Poor air quality has a direct effect on human health. Exposure to air pollutants or airborne allergens can harm our respiratory and cardiovascular systems or exacerbate existing conditions in susceptible populations. Children, older adults, persons with asthma, and immunocompromised persons are most vulnerable to air quality impacts. Respiratory impacts can include advanced stage asthma, respiratory allergies, and airway diseases, while cardiovascular impacts can include hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke. Bad air quality is also being linked to instances of eye problems up to and including partial blindness, skin allergies, lack of mental alertness and kidney problems due to inhalation of chemical particles that are bad for kidney health. The national library of medicine at the National Centre for Biotechnology Information in the United States has published a detailed report on each particulate element in polluted air and its effect on people. The same report * validates other medical findings by more organizations in this regard.

Exposure to, and inhalation of ground-level ozone and particulate pollution account for tens of thousands of hospital visits each year that cause loss of human time, money and negatively affects the overall economy. Symptoms of ozone and particulate pollution exposure can include chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, congestion, and reduced lung function. Similarly, higher pollen concentrations and longer growing seasons, consequences of warming temperatures, can increase sensitivity to allergens and severe allergic reactions, such as allergy-induced asthma attacks.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) USA, a leader in air pollution research, conducted research into how air pollution affects health and the population groups who are most affected. When the National Ambient Air Quality Standards were established in 1970, air pollution was regarded primarily as a threat to respiratory health. In 1993, NIEHS researchers published the landmark Six Cities Study**, which established an association between fine particulate matter and mortality. Air pollution exposure is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation in human cells, which may lay a foundation for chronic diseases and cancer. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO) classified air pollution as a human carcinogen.

At present, the worldwide research on air pollution and health effects continually advances. Public health concern now includes cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and reproductive, neurological, and immune system disorders. Some of these diseases’ data is alarming and concerning, and needs immediate action from a medical as well as air pollution control aspects.

Cancer Cancer is one of the most common air pollution diseases. It is caused by exposure to carcinogenic airborne particles, such as those released from burning fossil fuels.

• Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for about 80% of all lung cancer cases. Though smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, other risk factors include exposure to second-hand smoke, radon gas, asbestos, and air pollution.
• Women living near major roadways may have an increased risk for breast cancer.
• Airborne toxic substances, especially methylene chloride which is used in aerosol products and paint removers, are also associated with increased risk of breast cancer.
• Occupational exposure to benzene, an industrial chemical and component of gasoline, can cause leukaemia and is associated with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
• Long-term studies have found an association between lung cancer incidence and increased reliance on coal for energy generation.

Cardiovascular Disease

Pollution has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It can lead to inflammation and damage to the heart and blood vessels. Fine particulate matter can impair blood vessel function and speed up calcification in arteries. Studies have shown that exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other forms of heart disease. Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is one of the major sources of exposure in urban areas and is associated with a wide range of adverse human health effects.

• Particulate matter can enter the lungs and cause inflammation. This can lead to an increase in blood pressure and damage to the lining of the arteries.
• Pollutants can trigger changes in heart rate and rhythm, which can lead to arrhythmias or cardiac arrest. Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
• NIEHS researchers established links between short-term daily exposure by post-menopausal women to nitrogen oxides and increased risk of haemorrhagic stroke. 
• Exposure to TRAP can result in lowered levels of high-density lipoprotein, sometimes called good cholesterol, increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease. 
• TRAP exposure also increases a pregnant woman’s risk for dangerous changes in blood pressure, known as hypertensive disorders, which are a leading cause of pre-term birth, low birth weight, and maternal and foetal illness and death. Respiratory Disease Air pollution can affect lung development and is implicated in the development of emphysema, asthma, and other respiratory diseases, such as Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Asthma is a condition in which the airways narrow and swell, and produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Increases in asthma prevalence and severity are linked to urbanization and outdoor air pollution. Children living in low-income urban areas tend to have more asthma cases than others. Research published in 2023 tied two air pollutants, ozone and PM2.5, to asthma-related changes in children’s airways.
• PM and nitrogen oxide are linked to chronic bronchitis. Bronchitis is another common air pollution-related disease. It occurs when the bronchi, or airways, become inflamed and irritated. This can be caused by exposure to airborne irritants, such as smoke, dust, or chemical fumes. Symptoms of bronchitis include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung condition that makes it hard to breathe. COPD is caused by long-term exposure to harmful particles in the air, such as smoke from cigarettes or factory emissions. People with COPD often experience symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. In severe cases, COPD can be fatal.
• In 2020, a major public health challenge was confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires across the western U.S. Building on a well-established connection between air pollution and respiratory-tract infections, a study linked wildfire smoke with additional COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Neurological Disorders

Air pollution has been linked to a variety of neurological disorders as well. Some of the illnesses include Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

• Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder. It leads to memory loss and cognitive decline. Studies have shown that air pollution can accelerate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. It affects movement and coordination. Air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Several gastrointestinal disorders have been linked to air pollution, including irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. Studies have shown that people who live in areas with high levels of air pollution are more likely to suffer from these conditions. Symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, and bloating. Gastrointestinal disorders can be very serious and even life-threatening if they are not treated properly.

Kidney Diseases

Several kidney diseases can be caused by air pollution, including:

• Chronic kidney disease: This is a long-term condition that can lead to kidney failure. It is caused by the accumulation of toxins in the body, including those from air pollution. 
• Acute kidney injury: This is a sudden and potentially reversible loss of kidney function. It can be caused by exposure to high levels of air pollution, particularly particulate matter.

Liver Diseases

Exposure to air pollution is associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-linked fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease is the accumulation of fat in the liver, which can lead to inflammation and scarring.

Skin Diseases

There are a variety of skin diseases that have been linked to air pollution, including eczema, psoriasis, and acne.

• Eczema is a condition that causes the skin to become dry, itchy, and inflamed. It is thought that air pollution can trigger or worsen eczema flare-ups. 
• Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the skin to develop raised, red patches covered with white scales. Air pollution has been shown to trigger psoriasis flare-ups. 
• Acne is a common skin condition that causes pimples and blackheads. Air pollution has been linked to an increase in acne breakouts.

The above is proof enough that the human beings are sitting on a health hazard that is enormous and irreversible unless quick intervention is done. Controlling air pollution and reversing it is the ideal short and long term solution. Everyone including the government, private entities, general public, students and young professionals need to play their role in it. Through advocacy, generating mass opinion against polluting practices and industries, and helping in putting together strict laws ad their implementation in word and spirit are the way forward.