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Air Pollution Exposure and Its Impact on Human Health
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Air Pollution Exposure and Its Impact on Human Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 July 2026 | Viewed by 991

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Nedim Durmus

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
Interests: asthma; lung cancer; pharmacology; diseases associated with the World Trade Center disaster (particularly chronic respiratory diseases and cancer)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Air pollution remains one of the most significant environmental health risks worldwide, contributing to a range of acute and chronic diseases. Exposure to pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ozone (O₃) has been linked to respiratory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, neurodevelopmental impacts, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, climate change is intensifying air pollution through rising temperatures, altering atmospheric chemistry, and increased frequency of wildfires, exacerbating its health effects.

With rapid urbanization, industrialization, excessive drug waste, and climate change-driven environmental changes, there is an urgent need for multidisciplinary research to understand the mechanisms, risks, and mitigation strategies associated with air pollution. This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research on air pollution, climate change, and human health, including epidemiological studies, toxicological assessments, exposure science, and policy-driven interventions. By fostering collaboration between environmental scientists, public health experts, policymakers, and clinicians, this collection of articles will provide valuable insights into mitigating the adverse effects of air pollution and climate change while protecting public health.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Air.

Dr. Nedim Durmus
Guest Editor

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • air pollution
  • particulate matter (PM)
  • human health
  • respiratory diseases
  • cardiovascular diseases
  • environmental exposure
  • urban air quality
  • epidemiology
  • public health policy
  • pollution mitigation
  • climate–health interactions
  • wildfire smoke
  • extreme weather and air quality
  • drug pollution

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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13 pages, 898 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Air Quality on Patient Mortality: A National Study
by Divya Periyakoil, Isabella Chu, Ndola Prata and Marie Diener-West
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(7), 1123; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071123 - 16 Jul 2025
Viewed by 263
Abstract
Introduction: Air pollution is a risk factor for a variety of cardiopulmonary diseases and is a contributing factor to cancer, diabetes, and cognitive impairment. The impact on mortality is not clearly elucidated. Objectives: The goal of this study is to determine the impact [...] Read more.
Introduction: Air pollution is a risk factor for a variety of cardiopulmonary diseases and is a contributing factor to cancer, diabetes, and cognitive impairment. The impact on mortality is not clearly elucidated. Objectives: The goal of this study is to determine the impact (if any) of air pollution on the 5-year mortality of patients in the American Family Cohort (AFC) dataset. Methods: The AFC dataset is derived from the American Board of Family Medicine PRIME Registry electronic health record data. It includes longitudinal information from 6.6 million unique patients from an estimated 800 primary care practices across 47 states, with 40% coming from rural areas. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index (AQI) measures were downloaded for the study period (2016–2022). Using the Python library pandas, the AFC and EPA datasets were merged with respect to date, time, and location. Cox Regression Models were performed on the merged dataset to determine the impact (if any) of air quality on patients’ five-year survival. In the model, AQI was handled as a time-independent (time-fixed) covariate. Results: The group with AQI > 50 had an adjusted hazard of death that was 4.02 times higher than the hazard of death in the group with AQI ≤ 50 (95% CI: 3.36, 4.82, p < 0.05). The hazard of death was 6.73 times higher in persons older than 80 years of age (95% CI: 5.47, 8.28; p < 0.05) compared to those younger than 80 years of age. Black/African American patients had a 4.27 times higher hazard of death (95%CI: 3.47, 5.26; p < 0.05) compared to other races. We also found that regional effects played a role in survival. Conclusions: Poor air quality was associated with a higher hazard of mortality, and this phenomenon was particularly pronounced in Black/African American patients and patients older than 80 years of age. Air pollution is an important social determinant of health. Public health initiatives that improve air quality are necessary to improve health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Its Impact on Human Health)
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Review

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20 pages, 758 KiB  
Review
Adjustment Criteria for Air-Quality Standards by Altitude: A Scoping Review with Regulatory Overview
by Lenin Vladimir Rueda-Torres, Julio Warthon-Ascarza and Sergio Pacsi-Valdivia
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(7), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071053 - 30 Jun 2025
Viewed by 467
Abstract
Air-quality standards (AQS) are key regulatory tools to protect public health by setting pollutant thresholds. However, most are based on sea-level data. High-altitude (HA) environments differ in atmospheric conditions, influencing pollutant behavior and human vulnerability. These differences have prompted proposals for altitude-specific AQS [...] Read more.
Air-quality standards (AQS) are key regulatory tools to protect public health by setting pollutant thresholds. However, most are based on sea-level data. High-altitude (HA) environments differ in atmospheric conditions, influencing pollutant behavior and human vulnerability. These differences have prompted proposals for altitude-specific AQS adjustments. This systematic review identifies models and criteria supporting such adaptations and examines regulatory air-quality frameworks in countries with substantial populations living at very high altitudes (VHA). This review follows PRISMA-P guidelines, focusing on studies examining AQS adjustment approaches based on altitude. The Population/Concept/Context (PCC) framework was used to define search terms: population (AQS), concept (air pollutants), and context (altitude), with equivalents. The literature was retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Gale OneFile: Environmental Studies and Policy. A total of 2974 articles were identified, with 2093 remaining after duplicate removal. Following title and abstract screening, 2081 papers were excluded, leaving 12 for full-text evaluation. Ultimately, six studies met the eligibility criteria. Three studies focused on adjustment models based on atmospheric conditions, such as temperature and pressure changes, while the other three examined human physiological responses, particularly the increased inhaled air volume. China, Peru, and Bolivia have the largest populations living above 3500 m a.s.l., yet none of these countries have specific air-quality regulations tailored to HA conditions. The review underscores the necessity for tailored AQS in HA environments, highlighting specific criteria related to both atmospheric conditions and human physiological responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Its Impact on Human Health)
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