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Study reveals rapid health impact of air pollution
Brief exposure to everyday air pollution including woodsmoke, diesel exhaust and cooking emissions, impairs brain function and lung health, UK-based study finds
Asthma + Lung UK says the research underlines why “modern, accessible public health communication that reaches those who need it” is urgently needed
Just an hour’s exposure to common sources of indoor and outdoor air pollution is enough to affect lung function and cognitive performance, a new study published by a team of UK-based researchers has found.
In recent decades, neurological diseases have increased, with long-term exposure to elevated levels of air pollution now linked to dementia risk. Air quality is typically measured by the total amount of particulate matter, but this double-blind study shows it’s not just the quantity of air pollution that matters; the source does too.
Fifteen healthy volunteers were exposed to clean air, diesel exhaust, woodsmoke, cooking emissions and limonene SOA, a citrus fragrance often found in cleaning products.
Researchers tested volunteer’s respiratory function after 60 minutes of exposure and a four-hour break; limonene had the greatest impact on lung function, followed by woodsmoke, diesel exhaust and cooking emissions.
Indicators of cognitive function – working memory, selective attention, socio‑emotional processing, psychomotor speed and motor control – were also affected. Woodsmoke and diesel exhaust improved processing speed but the latter impaired executive function. A limonene‑derived secondary organic aerosol enhanced working memory compared to cooking emissions.
Researchers believe the presence of nitrogen oxides could alter blood flow to the brain and contribute to these mixed cognitive effects.
“…[the study adds to] evidence that short-term exposure can affect brain and lung function within hours,”
One of the researchers, Dr Thomas Faherty of the University of Birmingham, said the study adds to “evidence that short-term exposure can affect brain and lung function within hours,” but it “is not just about how much pollution is present, but also what type.”
Professor Gordon McFiggans, Consortium Lead, from the University of Manchester, said the pollution mixtures were adjusted to contain similar levels of particulate matter, as that is how air pollution is currently measured, but there was no single, uniform response.
Each produced its own pattern of short‑term changes in the lungs and the brain, which “tells us that the body doesn’t respond to all air pollution in the same way, the source and composition of the pollution really matter,” McFiggans added.
Current air quality standards manage risk at the population level over longer periods, “balancing health protection with what is realistically achievable in real-world environments”, Faherty said. However, EU and WHO standards “may overlook meaningful differences between pollution sources,” as they “rely heavily on PM2.5 mass concentration as a single metric.”
Faherty emphasised the work focuses on short-term, controlled exposures to understand underlying biological mechanisms, but could help interpret the cumulative effects seen over longer periods.
Larger, more targeted studies to better understand the health implications of specific indoor exposures are needed, particularly as measurable changes in lung function following exposure to cleaning products and woodsmoke were unexpected.
This study “adds to a growing body of evidence showing that common indoor activities can generate meaningful short-term exposure events,” Faherty said.
Olivia Scott, Clean Air Policy Manager at Asthma + Lung UK, said the research adds to already extensive evidence that even brief exposure to pollution harms far more than just our lungs. “Short-term spikes in air pollution are closely associated with increases in emergency hospital admissions which is why we urgently need modern, accessible public health communication that reaches those who need it.”
Scott believes the government should work with local authorities to deliver a national public awareness campaign on the health impacts of toxic air, while local authorities should prioritise interventions to reduce pollution at source and protect those most at risk, including children, older people, and people living with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
