Abstract
Ambient pollutants and occupational pollutants may cause and exacerbate various lung and respiratory diseases. This review describes lung and respiratory diseases in relation to ambient pollutants, particularly particulate matter (PM2.5), and occupational air pollutants, excluding communicable diseases and indoor pollutants, including tobacco smoke exposure. PM2.5 produced by combustion is an important ambient pollutant. PM2.5 can cause asthma attacks and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the short term. Further, it not only carries a risk of lung cancer and death, but also hinders the development of lung function in children in the long term. It has recently been suggested that air pollution, such as PM2.5, is a risk factor for severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Asbestos, which causes asbestosis, lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma, and crystalline silica, which cause silicosis, are well-known traditional occupational pollutants leading to pneumoconiosis. While work-related asthma (WRA) is the most common occupational lung disease in recent years, many different agents cause WRA, including natural and synthetic chemicals and irritant gases. Primary preventive interventions that increase awareness of pollutants and reduce the development and exacerbation of diseases caused by air pollutants are paramount to addressing ambient and occupational pollution.
Highlights
Air and occupational pollution are well known to negatively affect human health and cause chronic inflammation [1], leading to the development and exacerbation of respiratory diseases
This review describes lung and respiratory diseases in relation to ambient pollutants, PM2.5, and occupational air pollutants, excluding communicable diseases and indoor pollutants, including tobacco smoke exposure
Such pollutants emerge from various sources, including industry, transportation, soil, volcanoes, and the ocean, each of which has different characteristics depending on its components, such as biological materials and aeroallergens [1,6]
Summary
Air and occupational pollution are well known to negatively affect human health and cause chronic inflammation [1], leading to the development and exacerbation of respiratory diseases. Various human health issues have recently been raised due to urbanization, industrialization, population growth, climate change, and aging of the working population [2,3]. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution accounts for >6.5 million deaths worldwide per annum, equating to 11.6% of all global annual deaths [2]. Particulate matter2.5 (PM2.5 ) (≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter), is a leading cause of several adverse health effects, including pulmonary diseases, and leads to 3.3 million premature deaths per annum worldwide [3]. Occupational air pollution is another crucial public health issue. Air pollution and occupational air pollution can be avoided, and primary prevention is critical for their control and prevention
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
