by Sam Farr – 

Do you live, or plan to live, in a major European city such as London or Barcelona? You may want to reconsider. From 2008 to March 2011 the Aphekom project measured health impacts of urban air pollution in 25 major European cities, with the results revealing some eye-opening results [1].

The Aphekom project involved 60 scientists measuring short- and long-term impacts of reducing particulate matter exposure in 25 cities which inhabit 39 million people in 12 countries, using health impact assessments. The results were frightening, with citizens experiencing air pollution exceeding World Health Organization recommendations (WHO) [2] which could potentially cause lowered life expectancy. It is estimated there are seven to eight million premature deaths annually due to air pollution [3]. 4.2 million of these deaths are caused by outdoor pollution, with another 3.8 million connected to household air pollution. Figure 1 shows air pollution over the river Seine in Paris. These numbers are alarming but what causes air pollution to be so devastating to human health?

Humans experience toxic effects after pollutants enter the body, which is linked to illnesses like cancer, asthma, heart disease and diabetes. The pollutants the Aphekom project studied were PM2.5, PM10 and Ozone (03), with PM standing for particulate matter and the numbers representing diameter in micrometres (µm). These can be very harmful to humans; if PM is smaller than 10µm it can get deep into your lungs and potentially your bloodstream [4], which can cause implications such as heart and lung disease. Furthermore, Ozone when inhaled can cause breathing difficulties, infections, lung damage and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [5]. Figure 2 shows Ozone and PM concentrations in 25 major European cities, the results show that all cities exceeded PM2.5 guidelines set by the WHO apart from Stockholm. For

The river Seine showing the smog prevalent in Paris. Image: Raphael Desrosiers, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

PM10, 22 out of the 25 European cities exceed guidelines. Ozone only exceeds WHO guidelines in the Summer in Athens, Rome, and Marseille, as Ozone is more prevalent in warmer climates. To sum up, Stockholm is the only city that does not exceed WHO guidelines in PM or Ozone, therefore most residents in major cities will experience a high amount of air pollution. Figure 3 shows life expectancy gain at 30 years old, if PM2.5 guidelines were met. Every city has an increase, apart from Dublin, proving that the air quality in European cities is detrimental to us.

However, this is not specific to cities as 91% of the world’s population lives in areas where air pollution exceeds guidelines, it is just believed to be more concentrated in cities due to more pollution from anthropogenic sources and other effects taking place like the urban heat island effect [6].

In conclusion, the Aphekom project shows air pollution in cities is causing implications to health, and that air quality across Europe needs improving. Hopefully, living in a city will have no threats to our health from air pollution in the future, and with improving knowledge and action on air quality that may be a reality soon.

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References

[1] M. Pascal et al (2013) Assessing the public health impacts of urban air pollution in 25 European cities: Results of the Aphekom project. Science of the Total Environment 449, 390-400.

[2] WHO (2005) WHO air quality guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide. Global update 2005.

[3]  WHO (2020) Health topics; air pollution.  

[4] United States Environmental Protection Agency (April 13^th, 2020) Health and Environmental effects of Particulate Matter (PM).

[5]: United States Environmental Protection Agency (September 10^th, 2020) Health effects of Ozone pollution.

[6] Rutledge et al (January 21^st 2011) Urban Heat island. National Geographic.

Environmental Protection Agency (September 10^th, 2020) Health effects of Ozone pollution. [1/12/2020]

[6]:

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/urban-heat-island/ National Geographic, Kim

Rutledge et al (January 21^st 2011) Urban Heat island. [2/12/2020]