Air Pollution Linked to 16 Million Deaths in India Over the Last Decade

In a stark reminder of the human cost associated with environmental neglect, a new study reveals the grave impact of air Pollution in India, leading to 16 million deaths over the past ten years. This research, conducted by experts from Karolinska Institutet and published in The Lancet: Planetary Health, sheds light on the deadly consequences of prolonged exposure to particulate matter, particularly PM2.5.

PM2.5 are fine particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter—about 30 times smaller than a human hair. Though invisible to the naked eye, these particles can cluster in high concentrations, creating smog that not only obscures visibility but poses severe health risks. When inhaled, these particles penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammatory responses and exacerbating chronic conditions like heart disease, lung disorders, cancer, and even impacting maternal and child health.

The study utilized machine learning to analyze data from air Pollution monitoring, satellite observations, and land use patterns, correlating them with mortality data across 655 Indian districts from 2009 to 2019. The findings are alarming: regions with the lowest Pollution levels reported nearly 20 µg/m3 of PM2.5, while the most polluted districts reached a staggering 72 µg/m3 annually. Each ten unit increase in PM2.5 concentration was associated with an 8.6% rise in mortality risk.