Air Pollution, Aging and Lifespan: Air Pollution Inside and Out Accelerates Aging

Airborne toxins cause an excess of 14 million premature deaths per year, arising mainly from combustion of biomass, fossil fuels, and tobacco. Burning of these and other organic materials produces toxic gases and particles, while global warming alone increases ozone. These diverse airborne toxins appear to act through convergent mechanisms of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. The excess mortality of airborne toxins is associated with the acceleration of many age-related conditions, including arterial degeneration, cancer, dementia, and obesity. These disorders have major socio-economic bias, particularly for impoverished homes that suffer exposure to high levels of smoke from inefficient fuels used for cooking and warmth. Future studies should analyze the impact of airborne toxins across the entire lifespan, including prenatal development. The mechanisms through which inhaled toxins impact arteries and the brain, and cross the placenta are poorly understood.