Contaminated air as a cause of death

About three million people die each year from diseases that develop due to air pollution. This figure exceeds the number of deaths from HIV infection and malaria taken together. Of the deaths that have occurred through the fault of air pollution, about a third fall on strokes and heart attacks. It is assumed that the death rate due to air pollution will only increase and by 2050 can amount to more than 6 million people. This conclusion was made by German scientists.

In Germany, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry carried out relevant studies. In particular, they were engaged in Jos Leliver with colleagues who came to this conclusion. They studied the relationship between the seven categories of different emissions( both in urban and rural areas) and the level of premature mortality. In order to study this issue, they used a global model that reflects the entire chemical composition of the atmosphere.

In the course of the study, German scientists found that the greatest danger to humans is represented by solid particles that have a diameter of 0.0025 mm. It is these components from the polluted air that can penetrate deep into the lungs during breathing and thus cause various diseases.

Also scientists have identified the most common causes of air pollution in countries leading to premature mortality. In particular, in Asia, the leading role in this belongs to the emissions that occur in the conduct of the household. For example, such air pollution can be attributed to the burning of wood and coal, necessary for cooking and heating of housing. Also a lot of harmful emissions into the atmosphere is associated with the use of diesel fuel. This type of air pollution in India causes about 50-70% of fatalities, and in China - about 30%.

In the United States, most often the atmosphere is polluted by emissions from power plants and transport. With this type of atmospheric pollution, scientists associate about 20% of the lethal outcomes of various diseases. Separately, it is worth noting the eastern states of America, where the main harmful emissions into the air fall due to active agricultural activities. The same reason is at the root of premature mortality due to air pollution in East Asia and Russia. With it, scientists associate approximately 40% of the lethal outcomes noted in these regions.

All results of the above studies were published in the journal Nature.

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