لخّصلي

Air pollution, a major scourge of our time, poses a significant threat to public and individual health due to its impact on climate change and the increasing morbidity and mortality associated with it. Various pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals like lead, are detrimental to human health. PM, for instance, penetrates the respiratory system and causes respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, reproductive and central nervous system dysfunctions, and even cancer. Ozone, while protective in the stratosphere, is harmful at ground level, similarly affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. These pollutants contribute to a range of health problems, including respiratory illnesses like COPD, asthma, and lung cancer, cardiovascular events, central nervous system dysfunctions, and skin diseases. Moreover, climate change, fueled by environmental pollution, influences the geographical distribution of infectious diseases and exacerbates the impact of natural disasters. To address this critical issue, public awareness campaigns and a multidisciplinary approach involving scientific experts and national and international organizations are essential. These entities must acknowledge the threat and propose sustainable solutions to mitigate the harmful effects of air pollution.

One of our era's greatest scourges is air pollution, on account not only of its impact on climate change but also its impact on public and individual health due to increasing morbidity and mortality. There are many pollutants that are major factors in disease in humans. Among them, Particulate Matter (PM), particles of variable but very small diameter, penetrate the respiratory system via inhalation, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, reproductive and central nervous system dysfunctions, and cancer. Despite the fact that ozone in the stratosphere plays a protective role against ultraviolet irradiation, it is harmful when in high concentration at ground level, also affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular system. Furthermore, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are all considered air pollutants that are harmful to humans. Carbon monoxide can even provoke direct poisoning when breathed in at high levels. Heavy metals such as lead, when absorbed into the human body, can lead to direct poisoning or chronic intoxication, depending on exposure. Diseases occurring from the aforementioned substances include principally respiratory problems such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, bronchiolitis, and also lung cancer, cardiovascular events, central nervous system dysfunctions, and cutaneous diseases. Last but not least, climate change resulting from environmental pollution affects the geographical distribution of many infectious diseases, as do natural disasters.
The only way to tackle this problem is through public awareness coupled with a multidisciplinary approach by scientific experts; national and international organizations must address the emergence of this threat and propose sustainable solutions.