The effects of urban air pollution on health.

Abstract

An impressive body of scientific information points to the inescapable conclusion that the levels of pollutant contamination existing today in many American cities are sufficient to produce profound health consequences. This review describes the relationship between pollutant emission, atmospheric cleansing processes, and ambient air pollutant concentrations. Toxicologic studies involving the administration of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate suspensions to both animals and man are reviewed and demonstrate that single pollutants cannot explain the irritant potential of the urban atmosphere. A number of important epidemiologic studies are presented which emphasize the relationship between human illness and atmospheric pollution, Synthesis of both toxicologic and epidemologic studies leads to the conclusion that the noxious nature of the environment is due to a complicated "mix" of pollutant and meteorologic factors.