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Meeting the World Health Organization's recommended annual guidelines for air pollution resulting from fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has the potential to save more than 9 million lives a year in low- and middle-income countries, say University of Cambridge researchers.

It would also bring substantial savings from reduced illness, including lower health care costs and increased productivity as individuals take less time off work resulting from preventable illness.

Outdoor air pollution is the largest environmental threat to human health worldwide. It has been linked to increases in heart and lung diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and dementia. As well as the burden on individuals and their families, these diseases also have a substantial economic toll in terms of health care costs and lost productivity.

Because of the growing body of evidence of the impact of poor air quality, in 2021 the World Health Organization (WHO) revised its air quality guideline values for recommended maximum levels for several pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).

5 microns or less, tiny particles small enough that they can be inhaled deep into the lungs. These particles come from several sources, including vehicle emissions, power plants, industrial processes, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces, and construction dust. They also form in the atmosphere because of complex chemical reactions involving other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

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