Air quality, as a phenomenon, refers to the physicochemical state of the atmosphere with respect to the presence, concentration, and reactivity of gaseous and particulate constituents, including criteria pollutants (e.g., ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter) and numerous hazardous air pollutants. It emerges from dynamic interactions among emission sources, atmospheric transport, dispersion, chemical transformation, and removal processes such as deposition and scavenging. Quantification of air quality relies on continuous or episodic monitoring, expressed through pollutant concentrations and composite indices, and is central to studying atmospheric chemistry, exposure assessment, and the impacts of atmospheric composition on biological, ecological, and material systems.
Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) have published a paper in Communications Earth & Environment that demonstrates for the first time that using data gathered on atmospheric particles from Chinese ...
Earth Sciences
Aug 13, 2025
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Wildfires release vast amounts of visible pollutants into the atmosphere that darken skies and push people indoors to avoid unhealthy air. But a near-invisible threat to public health associated with wildfires is ozone, the ...
Environment
Aug 9, 2025
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In early 2025, wildfires spread in Los Angeles, destroying tens of thousands of homes and businesses. During the fires, smoke blanketed the region and online maps provided residents with rapid air quality information.
Environment
Aug 8, 2025
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Black carbon, the sooty byproduct of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, has emerged as a major contributor to climate change and human health impacts. Researchers in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University ...
Environment
Aug 5, 2025
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Concern over pollution and its impact on weather patterns continues to increase—but what if severe weather events are also impacting pollution?
Environment
Aug 5, 2025
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At the start and end of every school day, many Australian children head to the carpark or street to get picked up. While they're waiting, they will be breathing in a mix of toxic gases and particle pollution.
Environment
Aug 5, 2025
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Periods of extreme heat often lead to increased exposure to ground-level ozone, in addition to other negative effects. This is dangerous for humans, the environment and agriculture. A study led by Forschungszentrum Jülich ...
Earth Sciences
Aug 5, 2025
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Minneapolis had the fifth worst air quality among 125 cities worldwide on Saturday morning, according to an international air quality monitoring platform.
Environment
Aug 4, 2025
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Chinese air quality improvements are likely to have contributed to accelerated global surface temperature warming, according to a research paper, with the Asian landmass warming at twice the global average.
Environment
Jul 31, 2025
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Canada is facing another dangerous wildfire season, with burning forests sending smoke plumes across the provinces and into the U.S. again. The pace of the 2025 fires is reminiscent of the record-breaking 2023 wildfire season, ...
Environment
Jul 28, 2025
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