Air pollution is a silent long-term health hazard, warns expert

Air pollution should no longer be viewed as a temporary environmental inconvenience, but a serious long-term health emergency, said Dr Kalyan Singh, MD (Medicine), DFID. Citing growing scientific evidence, Dr Kalyan said fine particulate matter, known as PM 2.5, acted as a chronic toxin that silently damaged multiple organs and shortened life expectancy.

Dr Kalyan explained that PM 2.5 particles are extremely small—about thirty times thinner than a human hair—allowing them to bypass the body’s natural defence systems. “These particles penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, from where they travel to vital organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys and blood vessels. This is why air pollution cannot be seen as only a respiratory issue; it is a whole-body health threat,” he added.

Everyday exposure to polluted air arises from several sources, including vehicle exhaust, particularly diesel emissions, coal-based power plants, industrial units and brick kilns, construction and road dust, open burning of garbage and agricultural residue, and the use of solid fuels for cooking. Dr Singh emphasized that health damage depends on cumulative exposure over time. “Even moderate pollution, when inhaled continuously, causes significant biological injury,” he noted.

According to Dr Singh, once PM2.5 enters the bloodstream it triggers persistent low-grade inflammation. This ongoing process often produces no immediate symptoms but gradually damages tissues. “Blood vessels age faster, clotting tendencies increase, and metabolism of sugar and fats is disturbed. These changes explain the strong link between polluted air and heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and cognitive decline,” he said. Importantly, he added, feeling healthy does not mean the body is unharmed.

Short-term spikes in air pollution also pose serious risks. Dr Singh said that within one to three days of high pollution levels, blood pressure can rise, heart rhythms may become unstable and blood becomes more prone to clotting.

The most severe impact, however, comes from long-term exposure. In children, polluted air interferes with lung development, resulting in permanently reduced capacity. In adults, years of exposure accelerate arterial ageing and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, Type-II diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. “The human body does not develop tolerance to pollution. Damage accumulates with every exposure,” Dr Singh warned.