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Three recent studies published this year underscore the alarming reach of air pollution—ranging from thousands of premature deaths, to damaging the liver, and even disrupting molecular pathways linked to memory, the consequences were severe.

One study conducted by researchers at the University College London and the Stockholm Environment Institute found that air pollution from oil and gas is causing approximately 91,000 premature deaths in the United States each year.

Furthermore, the researchers linked pollution emitted from the U.S. oil and gas industry to 216,000 childhood asthma cases, 10,350 preterm births, and 1,610 lifetime cancers.

Emissions were tracked across the entire fossil fuel lifecycle, from extraction to refining to combustion and consumption, in order to model the use of the resources on health outcomes.

A notable finding was that the damage was not uniformly distributed: Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian communities experienced consistently higher levels of health risk, pointing to a critical environmental justice issue, as long-standing health inequities are exacerbated by industrial activity.

The urgency “to accelerate the phase-out of oil and gas production and combustion with hard numbers” was highlighted by Dr. Ploy Achakulwisut, one of the researchers on the team, as “hundreds of thousands of children, adults, and the elderly in the US could be saved from illnesses and early deaths every year.”

Another recent study, published by researchers at the University of Hong Kong in August, focused specifically on the impact of air pollution on a clinical population: Chinese adults aged 65 or older with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, commonly known as MASLD. 

Drawing upon data from nearly 24,000 seniors, the researchers found that exposure to a mix of common pollutants—including nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, PM₂.₅, and PM₁₀—increased the probability of developing liver fibrosis, a dangerous stage of disease progression.

The association was shown to be most pronounced for ozone and PM₁₀.

Interestingly, participants exhibited  elevated risk regardless of obesity and diabetes history, suggesting that air pollution may drive disease progression independently, not demarcated by traditional lifestyle risk factors. 

The researchers cited precedent studies supporting the importance of maintaining low air pollutant levels to potentially mitigate health concerns, arguing that clinicians should consider environmental exposures when monitoring vulnerable patients

A March 2025 study conducted by the Scripps Research Institute uncovered the role of S-nitrosylation, a chemical change triggered by noxious molecules that cause disruptions to the brain’s function.

The research team identified that a protein known as CRTC1 can be chemically modified by nitrosative stress from environmental toxins, preventing the protein from interacting and initiating processes critical to activating genes involved in acquiring and maintaining healthy brain connections and memory.

Conversely, protecting CRTC1 from this modification showed preserved synaptic function in experiments using human stem cell-derived neurons and mouse models.

The discovery not only opens new avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting S-nitrosylation and its effects, but also reinforces the rising focus on the effect of environmental factors on cognitive decline.

Collectively, these studies raise a pressing alarm on air pollution’s pervasive impact. 

At the societal level, it lowers life quality and expectancy, deepening inequities in the process as well. At the clinical level, it worsens chronic diseases such as liver fibrosis in vulnerable populations

At the cellular level, it modifies the chemistry of proteins that govern memory and critical brain function.

The underlying message is irrefutable: air pollution is not merely an environmental concern—it constitutes a profound public health crisis. 

Addressing emissions at their source, protecting high-risk groups, and investing in further research are essential steps.

As scientific evidence accumulates, so does the urgency to act.

Improving air quality may be one of the most powerful forms of medicine available, capable of generating wide, generational benefits for both individuals and entire communities.