Air Pollution and Human Health: A Medical Geology Perspective

Air, water, and soil, all of which are influenced by regional and local geology, directly impact human health and well-being. Medical geology, a multidisciplinary filed, studies the impact of earth processes and materials on human and ecosystem health. Endemic health hazards related to geochemistry of soil and water has been studied extensively. However, the medical geology of air pollution, and more particularly, atmospheric particulates, is still in its infancy. This is mainly due to the highly dispersive nature of the air pollutants, which can travel hundreds of kilometers from their source. The link between airborne particulates and human health has been evidenced by many clinical and experimental studies. However, our understanding of the exact disease-causing mechanisms is not clear, which can be improved with a medical geology approach to the problem. This paper discusses the atmospheric particle cycles, their complex pathways, and health risks. It also discusses the challenges and emerging research areas related to medical geology of air particulates.