pollution

Plastics are generally considered to be chemically inert, which is why they are so frequently used for food packaging, bottling water or manufacturing toys. However, when a large piece breaks down into microplastics — less than 5 mm in size — its surface area increases dramatically in relation to its volume. As a result, the amount of material exposed to the environment is much greater. A study published in Nature concludes that this new surface area is not necessarily safe when submerged in water, but may generate high-energy reactive radicals — reactive oxygen species — which can cause harm to health and the environment.

Although human-caused mercury emissions have been declining since 1990 in Europe and North America and since 2010 in East Asia, large reserves have accumulated in the soil and water. A Perspective article published in Science and written by two researchers from the Blas Cabrera Institute of Physical Chemistry at the CSIC warns that climate change—through global warming, wildfires, permafrost thaw, changes in precipitation, and altered ocean conditions—may be increasing the mobilization of accumulated mercury. According to the authors, this phenomenon may exacerbate risks to the environment and the health of humans and other organisms, primarily due to its concentration in shellfish and fish. 

The Atmosphere Watch analysis, published by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, shows how, in 2026, air pollution has crossed borders and caused nearly 40 per cent of the world’s population to be exposed to high levels of tropospheric ozone. This pollutant is produced when other harmful compounds react with sunlight and high temperatures. The report highlights the massive wildfires in France, Spain and Belgium this summer, which generated significant smoke transport, affecting air quality thousands of kilometres away. Furthermore, across Europe as a whole, successive heatwaves between June and August led to an increase in ozone emissions from local sources, resulting in the health protection limit values being exceeded.  

A meta-analysis has examined the relationship between four environmental exposures – air, noise, light and water pollution – and the risk of death by suicide, suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts. The research shows an association between these three events and exposure to various air pollutants. Specifically, the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, links these three events to short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and long-term exposure to PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide. The research encompassed 45 studies, 29 of which were included in the meta-analysis and 16 in a systematic review. In the review, the authors found possible associations between suicide and other air pollutants (including sulphur dioxide and ozone) as well as noise pollution. By contrast, no significant associations were found with either light pollution or water pollution.

Rivers around the world discharged approximately 263,000 tonnes of microplastics into the oceans in 2022, with 96 per cent of this originating from the Global South. This is the main finding of a study that has analysed various data sources showing that extreme rainfall events can substantially increase this transport of microplastics, particularly in regions with high plastic use and poor waste management. The authors, whose findings are published in Science, warn that climate change could exacerbate the problem as extreme rainfall becomes more frequent and intense.

A study led by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) shows that, between 2013 and 2018, on days when fires were recorded, there was an increase in A&E admissions for respiratory problems in nine Spanish provinces. At a briefing organised by SMC Spain, Cristina Linares and Julio Díaz, the study’s authors and researchers at the ISCIII, explained the implications of the research and called for a surveillance plan, alongside the monitoring of these harmful particles and compounds, in the face of increasingly severe wildfires.

A team from Canada analyzed nearly one million emergency room visits for migraines or headaches that occurred between 2010 and 2023 in two Canadian provinces during the peak wildfire season. Their analysis shows that the presence of small particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke was associated with an increase in emergency room visits for migraines and headaches. The study is published in JAMA Network Open. In Spain, the Ministry of Health has published health recommendations for action in the event of wildfires. The Community of Madrid, with several active fire fronts, has shared this video with safety and protection tips.

A Danish study published in JAMA Neurology found an association between long-term exposure to residential road traffic noise and an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The study followed more than three million Danish adults aged 40 years and older for 18 years using data from Denmark's national administrative and health registries. The researchers assessed residential road traffic noise exposure at both the most exposed and the least exposed façades of participants' homes. The study also found that individuals with a quiet façade had a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease than those whose homes were exposed to high levels of noise on all sides.

Concentrations of desert dust rose steadily across much of Europe between 2012 and 2021, according to a study published today in the journal Nature. This was despite the fact that particulate matter pollution from emissions had fallen as a result of regulations. The trend could be linked to changes in atmospheric circulation and desertification in North Africa. Some of the largest increases were recorded in southern Europe and the Mediterranean region, where levels are more than double those in the north of the continent. The authors warn that dust pollution could have an increasing impact on air quality and public health.

A study involving a small group of people, published in the European Heart Journal, has measured the levels of plastic in the blood supplying the heart in 61 patients with myocardial infarction, chronic ischaemic heart disease or normal coronary arteries. According to the data, microplastics and nanoplastics were detected in 84 per cent of patients who had suffered a heart attack, compared with 40 per cent of patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease and 32 per cent of those with normal coronary arteries. Those exposed to higher levels of air pollution and smokers were more likely to have microplastics in their blood.