A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that long-term exposure to air pollution contributes to millions of deaths in India. The research, publis

Air pollution in India linked to millions of deaths

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2024-12-12 01:00:15

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that long-term exposure to air pollution contributes to millions of deaths in India. The research, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, emphasises the need for stricter air quality regulations in the country.

Air pollution consisting of particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, PM2.5, can enter the lungs and bloodstream and is a major health risk in India. Researchers have now examined the link between these particles and mortality over a ten-year period. The study is based on data from 655 districts in India between 2009 and 2019.

“We found that every 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in PM2.5 concentration led to an 8.6 percent increase in mortality,” says Petter Ljungman, last author and researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet.

The research analysed the relationship between changes in air pollution levels and mortality. The results show that around 3.8 million deaths over the period can be linked to air pollution levels above India's own air quality guidelines of 40 micrograms per cubic metre.