Nearly 180,000 deaths could have been avoided within 14 years in the rapidly growing tropical cities caused by the rapid increase in Air pollution that emerges, research has revealed. According to the study, there has been a significant increase in the number of premature deaths due to air pollution in cities. The study was sponsored by the University of Birmingham UK.
Published today in Science Advances, research reveals a rapid decline in air quality and an increase in urban exposure to harmful pollutants that are harmful to health. In all cities, the authors found a significant annual increase in direct health hazards of up to 14% in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to 8% of fine particles (PM2.5), and an increase in precursors of PM2 .5 to -12% ammonia and up to 11% organic compounds.
Researchers say that the rapid decline in air quality is due to emerging industries and settlements such as roads, waste burning, and the widespread use of coal and wood. “Biomass exposure for land clearing and the dumping of agricultural waste in the past has been very dominant in tropical air pollution.
Scientists also found a 1.5- to 4-fold increase in urban population exposure to air pollution during a study in 40 of 46 NO2 cities and 33 of 46 46 cities in PM2.5., Caused by a combination of population growth and decline rapid air quality.
Study Findings
According to the study, the increase in the number of premature deaths due to air pollution exposure was highest in South Asian cities, particularly Dhaka, Bangladesh (population 24,000), and the Indian cities of Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Surat, Pune and Ahmedabad (a total of 100,000 people). Researchers say that while the death toll in tropical Africa is relatively low due to recent developments in healthcare across the continent leading to a reduction in premature mortality, the worst effects of pollution air conditioning in life is likely to occur in the coming decades.
One study author Dr Eloise Marais (UCL Geography) said: “We continue to move air pollution from one region to another, rather than learn from past mistakes and ensure that industrial development and rapid economic development do not harm public health. The study was funded by the University of Birmingham Global Challenges PhD Studentship which was awarded to Dr. Vohra and an NERC / EPSRC grant to Dr. Marais.
Source Journal Reference:Karn Vohra, Eloise A. Marais, William J. Bloss, Joel Schwartz, Loretta J. Mickley, Martin Van Damme, Lieven Clarisse, Pierre-F. Coheur. Rapid rise in premature mortality due to anthropogenic air pollution in fast-growing tropical cities from 2005 to 2018. Science Advances, 2022; 8 (14) DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm4435
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