This may force you to hold your breath for a while. According to a new study, air pollution is so harmful that it contributes to humanity's overall mortality, specifically to the increased risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
The study was conducted by a team from Langone Medical Centre in New York with Professor George Thurston as the main author. For their research, they used the information available in one of the surveys of American Association of Retired Persons along with US National Institutes of Health. Overall, they worked with more than 500,000 people with ages between 50 and 71, living in different states and cities.
They then measured the level of exposure of the participants with the particulates found in the air and their increased risk of death. They also compared the data with those of air pollution records from Environmental Protection Agency and other sources.
Based on their analysis, non-smokers have an increased risk of dying from air pollution by as much as 27%. But that isn't enough. Every time the amount of particulates in the air increases by at least 10 mcg per cubic meter, the death risk climbs by 10%.
The one disease that is associated with air pollution is heart disease, but it also places a lot of burden to the lungs. According to the researchers, unlike other kinds of particulates that are found in, say, soil, which can be released through sneezing or coughing, those of the air are not expelled by the body. Rather, they settle in the bloodstream and the lungs. This is because the particles are so small they can get past the body's natural defenses.
Further, as industrialization develops, factories and many other areas now emit dangerous chemicals into the air, such as mercury and sulfur, which worsen the condition of both the lungs and the heart.
To significantly decrease the risk, the team suggests scheduling commute in non-rush hours.