Different types of air pollution have been linked to cancers. Recent studies have found direct relations with long term exposure to the high concentration of particulate matters. It has been found that some fine particles floating in the air may be the culprit as they can potentially cause lung cancer in people who are exposed to the high level of indoor air pollutant.

The risk of having the symptoms of lung cancer from air pollution is lower than that from smoking, but we hardly have any control over the air we breathe in our home and offices. Globally, people are exposed to the higher levels of unsafe air pollution than that of toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke.

Even though air pollution has been found to have adverse health impacts, there are some other key situations that may trigger someone’s chances of developing cancer, and they are:

• Exposure to air toxics from living near or working in industrial facilities
• Exposure to pesticides, other chemicals or diesel and car exhaust
• Genetics
• Whether someone smokes tobacco, drinks alcohol
• Diet and exercise

These risk factors can sometimes compound one another, increasing the chances of cancer in case of long-term exposure. 

For the first time, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has studied the connections between cancer and the environment, examining the new scientific studies on different particulate matters and pollutants like radon, ultraviolet radiation, second-hand smoke, and chemicals. The report estimates that environmental and occupational risks lie behind around 10% of cancer cases in Europe.

Which Pollutants May Cause Cancer?

Air pollution is a complex mix of different of contaminants including chemicals, but as per the WHO, particulate matter (PM) is closely associated with cancer, including other diseases. Principally, indoor air pollutants that are released from several sources have adverse impact on our health.

Children and elderly people are prone to the harmful pollutants as they spend the most time indoor. Examples of indoor air pollutants include:

• Asbestos
• Volatile organic
• Radon
• Lead
• Carbon monoxide
• Tobacco smoke

How to Reduce the Exposure to These Pollutants:

It is always possible to protect yourself from the adverse impact of indoor pollutants as we have some effective methods to keep the air clean and healthy. You may reduce your outdoor activities during the days when air quality is unhealthy.

Test your home for radon levels—take actions if it is above the standard level. In addition, you may also consider using an advanced air cleaning machine to trap all types of pollutants in homes and offices. PetriMed CA is an emerging brand in the field of indoor air treatment, offering an advanced air purification system with 99.999% filtration efficiency. It includes the latest HEPA to capture PM2.5, pre-activated carbon filter to capture TVOC, UVC to kill microbes, and ionizer to nourish the air.