Rising levels of ozone, particulate matter resulting in two million deaths a year

Air pollution is causing over two million deaths a year – mostly from increased levels of ozone and particulate matter brought on by human activities.

A study published in the Institute of Physics journal “Environmental Research Letters” placed the number of deaths a year due to increases in ozone at around 470,000 a year.

An additional 2.1 million deaths are said to be caused by increases in particulate matter.

When inhaled by humans, both ozone and particulate matter have been shown to impair and irritate the respiratory system and have been linked to cardiopulmonary problems.

“Our estimates make outdoor air pollution among the most important environmental risk factors for health. Many of these deaths are estimated to occur in East Asia and South Asia, where population is high and air pollution is severe,” said co-author Jason West from the University of North Carolina.

These findings are similar those of a recently released M.I.T. study which say a direct correlation between rising particulate matter levels in China and a lower life expectancy among the population (see related story).

The researchers used an ensemble of climate models in their study. These models simulate the concentrations of ozone and particulate matter from the years 1850 to 2000. Previous epidemiological studies were then used to assess how the concentrations of air pollution from the climate models related to current global mortality rates.

The study also looked at how climate change also affects air pollution and what effect this would have on health.

Climate change can increase or decrease air pollution in several ways. For example, temperature and humidity levels can determine how long the pollutant remains in the atmosphere and rainfall can determine the time that these pollutants can accumulate.