July 28, 2021 | Between 340,000 and 900,000 premature deaths each year can be linked to air pollution caused by the release of volatile organic compounds, such as pesticides, paints, and cleaning agents, from anthropogenic sources. The findings, published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, were drawn from an international team of over 50 scientists, led by researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Lead author of the study, Benjamin Nault, PhD, said. “[W]e’re showing that if you’re not getting at the cleaning and painting products and other everyday chemicals, then you’re not getting at a major source.” [Nault, Benjamin et al. Secondary organic aerosols from anthropogenic volatile organic compounds contribute substantially to air pollution mortality. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 21(14), 11201–11224, 2021.]
