Researchers estimate the amount of people who die early from diseases caused by exposure to air pollution will more than double by 2050.

More than 3 million people die prematurely from prolonged exposure to air pollution each year, according to the World Health Organization.

A new study shows the number could more than double by 2050. Researchers predict that 6.6 million people could die early from exposure to air pollution.

The Study

Researchers found that residential energy emissions significantly contributed to air pollution.
Image: eur web

The study, published in the international journal Nature, measured outdoor emission sources in urban and rural environments. It included residential and commercial energy use, agriculture, power generation, industry, biomass burning, natural causes and land traffic.

The study identifies various causes of air pollution that lead to serious diseases. By analyzing country-specific population and health statistics from the World Health Organization, researchers were able to measure different sources of air pollution that could cause premature death.

Fuel emissions from cooking and heating in countries such as India and China had the largest impact worldwide, according to Jos Lelieveld, a leading study author and a professor at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany.

“When most people think of outdoor air pollution, they tend to think of traffic and industry having the largest impact on global premature mortality, not residential energy emissions and agriculture,” Lelieveld told CNN..

The study was conducted using atmospheric chemistry devices that took measurements on the ground and via satellite. The technology compared the amount of fine particle matter in air pollution from different emission sources globally.

“Testing for the effects of air pollution emissions in different parts of the world was a very challenging task,” Lelieveld said, “especially in many developing countries, where air quality monitoring systems are minimal.”

Major Causes Of Pollution Worldwide

In the United States, agriculture and traffic emissions mix in the atmosphere to create a dangerous brew of pollutants.
Image: Humans Are Free

The highest death rates caused by exposure to air pollution are in the Western Pacific region,  eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.

The main cause of early death in major areas of Asia, such as China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal was due to low-quality fuels used for cooking, heating and waste disposal.

Agricultural emissions are the most significant contributors in the Eastern United States, Europe, Russia, Turkey, Korea and Japan. Secondary causes are traffic and power generation emissions.

Chemicals mixing in the atmosphere create a brew that is harmful to your body. Fertilizers and animals release ammonia that fuse with traffic emissions, which contaminate the air.

The study also cites natural forms of pollution such as desert storm sands, which are prominent in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.

Risk of Disease

Air pollution causes lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses that lead to premature death.
Image: NYM

Chronic exposure to air pollution particles contributes to the risk cardiovascular issues, respiratory diseases and lung cancer, according to the WHO.

“The total number of deaths due to HIV and malaria is 2.8 million per year,” Lelieveld said. “That’s half a million less than the number of people who die from air pollution globally.”

The study uses toxicity levels to identify the source of pollution in order to improve public health. Each country is better able to address the atmosphere when they’re aware of the specific issues.

“It takes more than making the technology available. You have to convenience people to abandon traditional ways of doing things, which is not easy,” Lelieveld said. “This can be a win-win situation. Changes on the individual level can have a positive impact, not only on our health but also on climate change.”

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Studies show the Grand Canyon has been contaminated by mercury and selenium from a nearby coal burning power plant and distant river irrigation runoff.

The Grand Canyon has been a world heritage site since 1979. Despite the desire to protect it, pollution has permeated its natural features.

Findings from a recent U.S. Geological Survey study shows alarming levels of mercury and selenium in the Grand Canyon’s ecosystem, creating a risk for fish, other area wildlife and humans.

The Study

Mercury is a dangerous chemical that has been linked to autism, psychotic reactions, hallucinations, suicidal tendencies and delirium.
Via: RSC

Researchers examined six waterways that connected to the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and found chemical contamination in the aquatic food webs. The study was recently published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

The waters contained chemical compounds of mercury and selenium that can affect minnows, invertebrates and fish. The amount of chemicals present in the water would make the fish and fish-eating wildlife unsafe to eat.

However, rainbow trout had mercury levels that were below the EPA threshold, which means the most common kind of Colorado River fish are safe to eat. Researchers didn’t notice the usual deformities caused by mercury exposure in these animals, which could be because of a positive interaction between the mercury and selenium.

The Cause

Researchers believe that mercury was introduced to the Grand Canyon through pollution from a coal burning power plant in Page, Arizona.
Via: AZ Capitol Times

The Grand Canyon is in a remote part of Arizona, which makes data collection of distant areas difficult. The study cites potential sources of contamination from atmospheric deposition, watershed runoff, coal ash or irrigation returns.

There is a coal burning power plant located northeast of the Grand Canyon near Page, Arizona, which most likely contributed to the mercury contamination. Selenium probably exists naturally in the area, but upstream reservoir called Lake Powell could have contributed irrigation runoff from algae to the waterway.

“Our research adds to a growing body of evidence showing that remote ecosystems are vulnerable to long-range transport and subsequent bioaccumulation of contaminants,” according to the study. “Airborne transport and deposition is most commonly identified as the mechanism for contaminant introduction to remote ecosystems.”

Can The Contamination Be Contained?

Researchers believe that contamination in the Grand Canyon is going to continue to have a negative effect on the area’s wildlife and ecosystem.
Via: National Geographic

Environmentally conscious Americans have been advocating for the protection of historical natural sites, but the study shows that mercury concentrations are higher in comparison to other large rivers.

It is important to note that these chemicals are harmful to humans. Mercury contains a neurotoxin that affects the central nervous system. Selenium is a nutritional element, but an improper exposure to too much of the compound can cause teeth and hair to fall out, decreased alertness, lesions, skin discoloration and potentially liver tumors, according to the EPA.

The study says that mercury and selenium are “leading causes of impairment of lotic ecosystems.” Because the source of contaminated begins far beyond the borders of the Grand Canyon, it will be very difficult to contain.

“Protecting fish and wildlife in Grand Canyon from contaminant exposure driven by processes occurring beyond park and other political boundaries will remain an ongoing challenge,” according to the study.

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Air pollution could shrink the brain!

As humans age, the neurons in the brain begin to deteriorate and it shrinks in size. A new study illustrates that constant exposure to air pollution may decrease the volume of the brain just as aging does, leading to issues such as silent strokes and cognitive impairment.

The study, authored by Elissa H. Wilker, a researcher in the cardiovascular epidemiology research unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, attempted to understand the link between air pollution and brain changes in older adults.

The team of researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), just like the MRI in Bucharest to examine the brain structures of 943 healthy adults who were at least 60 years old. The researchers then compared the findings with the amount of  fine-particle air pollution near the participant’s homes.

Fine-particle pollution, caused by car exhaust, industry and other sources, is common in an average city. The study found that 2 micrograms per cubic meter of fine-particle pollution was linked to a 0.32 percent reduction in brain volume. According to Wilker, this is equal to one year of brain aging.

Elephant Journal

When the brain ages, there is an increased risk of silent strokes, or lesions on the brain that indicate damage. In the same study, the researchers also found that 2 micrograms per cubic meter of fine-particle pollution led to a 46 percent increase in silent strokes. The study illustrates that brain shrinkage can also lead to cognitive impairment in the form of impaired mobility, memory problems and dementia.

Because this is the first study that measures the link between air pollution and brain changes in older adults, Wilker asserts that the findings are not yet certain. However, the team believes that the shrinkage is potentially due to inflammation, and will continue to investigate the matter.

For now, residents in areas with high amounts of air pollution should be aware of the potential changes taking place in their brain.

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