Carbon monoxide's potential comeback as a key air pollutant

Abstract

In The Lancet Planetary Health, Kai Chen and colleagues present an impressive study on the potential effects of short-term exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) on mortality.1 Health effects of very high CO concentrations have been well documented,2 but it is less clear whether mortality effects still occur at the current, much lower outdoor pollution levels. Chen and colleagues collected daily data on all-cause mortality and air pollution from 337 cities around the world within the Multi-Country Multi-City Collaborative Research Network.