Air Quality and health impacts: A Review

Rapid urbanization has resulted in increasing air pollution emissions due to transportation, energy production and industrial activity, all concentrated in densely populated areas. There has also been emerging evidence of PM-related cardiovascular health effects and growing knowledge regarding interconnected general pathophysiological pathways that link PM exposure with cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality. Air quality indices are used for local and regional air quality management in many metro cities of the world. Several concepts and indicators exist to measure and rank urban areas in terms of their socio-economic infrastructural and environment related parameters.). The direct and indirect adverse effects caused by atmospheric pollution on the environment and human health necessitate the measurement and reporting of air quality on local, regional and global scales.in developed countries the measuring and monitoring of air quality is done on priority basis whereas in developing countries less emphasis is placed on environmental issues, because resources are mostly utilized for economic growth. This review focuses on the effects of air pollutant on human health. There has also been emerging evidence of PM-related cardiovascular health effects.