Articles tagged with Air Pollution
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A new decade-long database of aerosol measurements over land has been compiled, revealing a global decline in clear sky visibility from 1973 to 2007. This trend is indicative of increases in airborne pollution and its impact on climate change research.
A new study published in Neurology found that higher temperatures and lower barometric air pressure may increase the risk of headaches. Air pollution levels had no effect on headache risk in the study. The study examined 7,054 people diagnosed with headache in a Boston emergency department over seven years.
A study of over 7,000 patients found that higher air temperature and lower barometric pressure contribute to severe headaches, challenging the notion that weather triggers headaches. The research suggests that headache sufferers should identify personal triggers with their doctors, including environmental factors.
Researchers discovered a new cause of airway irritation and wheezing after exposure to ozone, a common urban air pollutant. They found that high amounts of hyaluronan, a sugar molecule, are responsible for narrowing the airways.
A meta-analysis of decades-long experimental evidence reveals that modern day concentrations of ground level ozone pollution are decreasing tree growth in northern and temperate mid-latitudes. The study predicts a 17% reduction in tree growth by the end of the century if current fossil fuel dependence continues.
A new method for tracing zinc pollution in the atmosphere has been developed, which can identify the source of the pollution. This breakthrough could improve pollution monitoring and inform national and international strategies to reduce zinc pollution.
Researchers have developed an application called Zoetrope that allows users to easily search and analyze historical web data. The system captures and stores archived websites, enabling users to view past versions of sites and track changes over time.
A study in Mexico City found that asthmatic children are more likely to experience worsening respiratory symptoms when living near high-traffic areas. The study, led by Dr Isabelle Romieu, suggests that diesel particles have a significant impact on respiratory health.
A new study suggests that air pollution can both increase and decrease rainfall, depending on local environmental conditions. The research, led by Prof. Daniel Rosenfeld of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found that aerosol particles in the air can affect cloud formation and precipitation patterns.
Researchers used proteomics to compare the nuclear proteome of immature and mature gonadotrophic cells, revealing novel proteins that regulate gonadotropin gene transcription and RNA splicing. Urban air pollution was found to affect placental development, leading to reduced fetal growth and pregnancy complications.
A recent study found that over 30% of American public schools are within 400 meters of major highways, putting children at risk for respiratory diseases. The research suggests that proximity to highways and environmental pollutants can leave school-age children more susceptible to asthma and other chronic respiratory problems.
Researchers have identified a unique molecule essential to breaking down pollutants in the atmosphere, including acid rain. This breakthrough discovery will help scientists model pollutant reactions and predict potential outcomes.
A German research group found associations between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the onset of allergic diseases in children. Children living less than 50m from a busy main road were 1-50% more likely to contract diseases like asthmatic bronchitis, hay fever, and eczema.
Scientists use A-Train sensors to find that polluted clouds in South America produce less rain during dry season. The study suggests aerosol pollution suppresses rainfall due to smaller ice particles not growing large enough to fall as rain.
A study found a strong association between air pollution and an increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis, with higher exposure levels leading to faster clotting. The risk was stronger in men than women, highlighting the need for tighter air quality standards.
A new study from researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that carbon monoxide in air pollution and tobacco smoke triggers tuberculosis infection to shift into a dormant state. This dormant state is difficult to detect and treat, contributing to the spread of TB and its high mortality rate.
Biomonitoring utilizes bioindicators to detect pollutant accumulation and provides real-time trend monitoring. This approach is particularly suitable for environments where technological monitoring is impossible or too costly.
A University of Virginia study finds that air pollution destroys flower scents by up to 90 percent, impairing pollinators' ability to locate flowers. This decline in fragility contributes to the declining populations of bees and butterflies, which are essential for food production.
A University of Utah study reveals that polar explorers saw an aerosol 'dry haze' in the late 1800s, likely generated by smelting and coal combustion. The haze was found to contain metallic particles, including vanadium and cobalt, consistent with heavy oil and coal combustion.
Scientists found that summer storms in the Southeast drop more rainfall on weekdays than weekends. The study suggests that atmospheric pollution from humans may be driving this trend, as pollution levels peak midweek.
A new study by Queensland University of Technology scientists found that exposure to air pollution significantly reduces foetus size during pregnancy. Mothers with higher exposure to air pollution had foetuses that were smaller in terms of abdominal circumference, head circumference and femur length.
Research published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that high temperatures increase the risk of cardiovascular death from heart disease or stroke. Ozone levels are a common link between temperature fluctuations, with higher ozone levels associated with increased cardiovascular mortality.
Ozone intrusions are associated with sudden changes in tropopause altitude, damaging forests and crops. The study uses windprofilers to monitor ozone movements, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the role of human activities in atmospheric pollution.
A USC study found that driving in LA can expose people to harmful air pollutants for up to half their day. The biggest contributors are diesel-fueled trucks on freeways and hard accelerations on surface streets.
Studies in mice reveal that ozone exposure enhances lung injury in response to bacterial toxins and boosts programmed cell death in innate immune system cells. This can lead to an overactive immune response, killing key immune cells and potentially making the lung more vulnerable to subsequent invaders.
New research from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine identifies how microscopic air pollution kills people at risk. The study found that lungs inflamed by the pollution secrete a substance that causes blood to clot, raising the risk of fatal heart attacks or strokes.
A study found that inhaling diesel exhaust causes changes in the heart's electrical activity, reducing oxygen availability during exercise. Exposure to diesel exhaust also reduced the body's ability to release a 'guardian' protein, increasing the risk of blood clots.
A lack of access to clean energy causes 1.6 million premature deaths worldwide from household fuels annually, and 0.8 million from air pollution in cities. Improving energy access through renewable resources has the potential for major health dividends.
A new UCLA study found that women exposed to high levels of air pollution in Los Angeles County were more likely to have preterm babies. The research, which analyzed data from over 2,500 births in 2003, controlled for other risk factors and found a significant link between air pollution exposure and increased preterm birth rates.
A three-year study measured lung function growth in 3,170 eight-year-old children in Mexico City, finding significant deficits in children exposed to higher levels of air pollutants. The effects of long-term exposure on lung health are associated with increased risk of chronic obstructive lung disease and cardiovascular morbidity.
Researchers found that urban air pollution increases indices of cardiovascular risk, including inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation, and autonomic dysfunction, in healthy Taiwanese college students. The study suggests a link between air pollution and systemic inflammation/oxidative stress in young adults.
A new analysis reveals that atmospheric brown clouds over south Asia significantly contribute to observed warming, leading to the alarming retreat of Himalayan glaciers. The findings suggest that reducing air pollution could help arrest some of this melting by reducing the combined heating effect of greenhouse gases and brown clouds.
Research reveals air pollution particles can trigger inflammation in blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to particulate matter increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
A new UCLA study finds that combining diesel exhaust particles with cholesterol fats leads to a dangerous synergy that causes blood vessel inflammation and cardiovascular disease. The researchers discovered that the interaction activates genes promoting cellular inflammation, accelerating the narrowing and blockage of blood vessels.
Researchers found that platooning with four vehicles reduces drag, saves fuel and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Cars in a platoon experience lower drag coefficients as they move closer together.
Research by a Chinese-Israeli team shows that air pollution significantly reduces precipitation on mountains in semi-arid regions, highlighting the dire consequences for water resources in the Middle East and worldwide. The study found that increasing levels of manmade air pollution have led to a 20% decrease in precipitation on Mount ...
Scientists at UC Irvine found that ozone-emitting air purifiers can create additional microscopic particles when used with household cleaning products, increasing harmful particulate matter levels. The researchers developed a mathematical model to predict whether an air purifier will make the air dirtier in a given indoor environment.
A study published in Inhalation Toxicology found that rats exposed to highway pollution showed a significant drop in heart rate and disruption of the autonomic nervous system. This discovery highlights the potential risks of air pollution on cardiovascular health, particularly for individuals with pre-existing heart disease.
A University of Washington study found that women living in areas with higher levels of air pollution have a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease and dying from cardiovascular causes. Fine particulate matter, tiny airborne particles, were linked to a significant increase in cardiovascular disease events.
A systematic review found smokers have a higher risk of TB infection and disease compared to non-smokers. Indoor air pollution from tobacco smoke was also associated with an increased risk of TB infection, disease, and mortality.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found consistent evidence that smoking is associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis. Passive smoking and indoor air pollution from biomass fuels were also linked to a higher TB risk.
A study by Nives Dolsak and Maureen Dunn finds that developed countries invest in developing countries' greenhouse gas emission-reduction projects mainly due to economic reasons, such as reducing air pollution and transaction costs. The authors suggest policy makers to consider regional pollution dynamics when designing international r...
A team of researchers found a significant link between ozone levels in Mexico City and US cities like Houston, highlighting the global impact of air pollution. The study used ozonesondes to measure ozone and other atmospheric variables, revealing that pollution from Asia can also affect the Pacific Northwest.
Historical data analysis reveals that combined effects of atmospheric brown clouds and greenhouse gases negatively impacted Indian rice harvests. The study estimates that harvests would have been 20-25% higher in the 1990s if pollution-related climate impacts hadn't occurred.
Research published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that high hourly air pollution levels significantly increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. The study analyzed data from 13 major urban areas in Japan and found a doubling of stroke risk when particulate matter levels exceeded 200 ug/m3 two hours before death.
Scientists at NASA have found that aerosol particles in air pollution can prevent clouds from forming, while lighter particles can help them form. This discovery could improve climate predictions and understanding of the Earth's climate system.
Climate change is likely to affect health through vector-borne and diarrheal diseases, malnutrition, flood-related conditions, heat and cold deaths. Increasing renewable energy use can improve health by reducing air pollution and addressing climate change.
Exposure to combustion-related urban air pollutants during pregnancy is linked to lower scores on mental development tests and a higher risk of developmental delay at age three. The study found that children exposed to the highest levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) scored significantly lower on cognitive tests.
The Maldives AUAV Campaign has demonstrated the effectiveness of lightweight AUAVs in analyzing atmospheric chemistry, revealing how pollution particles cause dimming and contribute to cloud formation. The data produced will aid in understanding climate change science.
Researchers have successfully completed 18 data-gathering missions using autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles in pollution-filled skies over the Maldives. The aircraft flew in synchronous vertical formation, collecting unprecedented detail on how pollution particles contribute to cloud formation and dimming.
The study reveals how ozone reacts with carbon-carbon double bonds to form crosslinked networks within the thin film, degrading organic surfaces with prolonged exposure. Understanding this reaction mechanism may lead to improved films for organic coatings and polymeric materials.
A study found that cities with reduced fine particulate matter pollution (PM2.5) had lower adjusted mortality rates, especially for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The largest drops in mortality rates were seen in cities with the greatest reduction in PM2.5 concentrations.
A research team led by Professor Eberhard Bodenschatz has experimentally tested two theories on how particles separate in strong turbulence. The results, which agree with George Batchelor's predictions but not the Richardson-Obukhov law, suggest that particles move more slowly away from each other than previously assumed.
UCLA researcher Dr. Andre Nel has developed a new testing method to evaluate the safety and health risks of engineered nanomaterials. The approach uses existing toxicity testing frameworks to predict potential hazards, enabling the classification of materials as safe or toxic.
A study by PNNL found that China's air pollution has caused a decrease in cloud cover over the past 50 years, resulting in more frequent clear skies and reduced surface heat from sunshine. The likely culprit is a nine-fold increase in fossil fuel emissions, which have entrenched China in a foggy haze.
A new study by Imperial College London found that taking a taxi can expose individuals to high levels of ultrafine particles, even when sitting in the vehicle. The study used a visualisation system to measure exposure levels across different modes of transport, revealing that walking results in the lowest exposure.
Researchers found that prolonged exposure to low levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) increases the risk of heart disease by accelerating atherosclerosis and causing vascular inflammation in mice. The study used real-world exposure to airborne pollutants to demonstrate the link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease.
A randomized controlled trial found that fish oil supplementation prevented a reduction in heart rate variability in elderly subjects exposed to indoor air pollutant particles. In contrast, soy oil supplements showed a marginal, nonsignificant protective effect against the negative impact of particulate matter on heart rate variability.
Scientists found high levels of ozone at extreme altitudes in Tibet, forming a 'halo' that may put climbers at risk due to its medical effects. Ozone concentrations are higher than expected and could exacerbate hypoxia and respiratory issues.
A worldwide compilation of exceptionally preserved fossil assemblages suggests that prehistoric global warming may have led to the formation of these fossils. The widespread death and burial of animals and their carbon created fossil bonanzas, potentially saving Earth from a heat sterilization event like Venus.