By Priyanjana Pramanik, MSc. Reviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc. Sep 9 2025 Tiny particles in polluted air trigger lung damage, chronic disease, and early deaths, making cleaner air a critical global health priority. Air pollution accounts for about 4.7 million premature deaths annually and contributes to nearly 8 percent of global disability-adjusted life years, placing it above smoking, obesity, and high cholesterol as a modifiable risk factor. Review: Particulate matter air pollution: