Air pollution and health effects

The quality of the air we breathe is still a major concern to human health. Notwithstanding the air pollution mitigation efforts that have been pursued since the last half of the twentieth century, the World Health Organization estimates that more than two million premature deaths each year can be attributed to the effects of urban outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution. This chapter addresses the evolution of knowledge on the relationship between air pollution and human health, since the first records until nowadays. It also reviews the current approaches to do health impact assessment and the common air pollution - health indicators. A particular case study based on a chain of events, from emissions to the atmosphere until health, passing through exposure and inhaled dose, illustrates how this approach can be explored, providing useful and concrete information.