Air pollutants can have immediate as well, long term ill effects on human body and can cause simple or serious health maladies. It is realized that certain pollutants in air can really reduce life expectancy of humans. Air polluted by ozone irritates breathing of people and can cause asthma like symptoms or may be responsible for some of the diseases of the lung or heart. It's already known that tobacco smoke, a form of polluted air, can cause many diseases connected with the respiratory system, most common of which is asthma. Recent medical reports go to extent of warning that continued exposure to some specific pollutants might be the cause of human infertility.

The ill effects of air pollutants on health could be wide ranging from physiological to biochemical changes. The maladies connected with the reparatory system like cough and asthma or cardiovascular system, are often caused by pollutants present in the air we breathe. Unless treated in time, these medical conditions could lead to hospitalization and might even cause premature death.

The state of our health is largely determined by the quality of air that we breathe. As the process of breathing involves respiratory system of which lungs form the most important part, these are severely affected by the quality of breathed air. Of course, we know air contains oxygen, essential for our survival, but it also contains pollutants.

Our respiratory system gets especially affected by air pollutants as its inner surface comprises of mucous membrane. The lungs have a natural ability for absorbing large volumes of air, and help to transport oxygen that is essentially needed.

Air pollutants like ozone, free radicals and metals can harm the cells in the lung tissues. Air sac, the point of lungs that absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide can get damaged by ozone. The tissues in the airway are particularly prone to damage by pollutants, causing some of the serious injuries to the lungs or neurobehavioral disorders. It may also be the cause of cancers.

As we breathe polluted air, air pollutants enter our body. These naturally are absorbed by blood and on entering the blood stream they easily get transferred to our heart. Structural damages of the cardiovascular system can be caused by many of the chemical or biological pollutants contained in the inhaled air. Certain pollutants can have adverse effects on hearts ability to contract that could prove fatal. Organs inflamed because of air pollutants might release cytokines, which could cause malfunctioning of the cardiovascular system.

What can we do?

As you know prevention is better than cure. One possible way to help have better quality of air to breathe is the installation of systems for filtering air at commercial places and residences. Definite systems are available for indoor installation that significantly improve the quality of air.