Poor Air Quality Correlation to Respiratory Diseases

Written By Beti Mehari

What Is Happening?

Air pollution has become an increasingly prevalent issue in recent years, and along with it, respiratory disease. Air quality depends on the particle pollution/matter that is present. A large majority of the air pollution in the United States stems from power plants, industries and automobiles. Activities such as cooking, smoking, dusting, and vacuuming can also cause particle pollution in indoor settings.

Luwum Street East, Central Kamplala, Uganda – PM 2.5 60 - 70 micrograms per cubic metre

How Is This Happening?

Particle matter (PM): A mixture of liquid and solid particles that pollute the air we breathe.

- These particles can be anything ranging from soot and pollen to acids and inorganic compounds.

- Particle pollution is at its highest on busy roads, near industrial areas, when there is no precipitation, and when there is smoke in the air from wood stoves, fireplaces, campfires, or wildfires.

- Rising temperatures due to climate change cause extreme weather conditions such as wildfires and heatwaves to increase pollutant concentration—> further leading to more particulate matter to appear in the air

Types Of Particulate Matter:

  1. Coarse particles

- Coarse particles have a diameter of 2.5 μm- 10 μm.

- Coarse particles are big enough for our bodies' airways to filter them out

2. Fine Particles

-Fine particles have diameters smaller than 2.5 μm

- Finer particles pose a threat as they are small enough to go deeper into the lungs

Significance: PM2.5 particles (fine particles) are known to accumulate in the small airways of the lungs, causing inflammation and epigenetic changes that can lead to cancer. The inflammation of the lungs and airways can cause a plethora of other respiratory illnesses, such as Asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other side effects include coughing, wheezing, lung infections, tissue damage, and increased asthma attacks to those who suffer from it. Long term exposure to particle pollution has also been shown to stunt lung development in children.

So, what can we do?

1. We must push for stricter regulations on pollution control. More specifically, regulating traffic and industrial emissions; along with pushing for greater investments in cleaner energy, public transport, and recycling.

2. We must focus on targeted care for high-risk communities, as they are affected the most. Emphasis must be placed in urban, low-income areas.

3. For the mitigation of the climate change induced impacts, better ventilation systems and air filtration, moisture control, and balanced insulation must be developed.


References

  1. Behinaein, P., Hutchings, H., Knapp, T., & Okereke, I. C. (2023). The growing impact of air quality on lung-related illness: a narrative review. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 15(9). https://doi.org/10.21037/jtd-23-544

  2. Gherasim, A., Lee, A. G., & Bernstein, J. A. (2024). Impact of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality. Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America, 44(1), 55–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iac.2023.09.001

  3. US EPA. (2014, September 12). What is Particle Pollution? | US EPA. US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/pmcourse/what-particle-pollution

  4. Written in the wind: visualising air pollution levels – in pictures. (2025). Guim.co.uk. https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/bd24d1c7184ae245b1f263e1c0a1e4fc27479618/0_0_6000_4000/master/6000.jpg?width=1010&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=e163e1118cd39fb99ef35ec635b94ea1

Beti Mehari