Air pollution outdoors represents the greatest threat to environmental health, leading to approximately 8 million premature deaths annually worldwide. This is the result of exposure to fine airborne particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are among the fine particles that pollute the air and pose a significant health risk. Decades of research have linked inhaling VOCs with an increased chance of hospitalization due to respiratory illnesses such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and cancer.

VOCs are a diverse group of chemical compounds that easily evaporate at room temperature because they are lighter than air. They are responsible for the distinctive smells of substances like gasoline, car exhausts, paints, building materials, and cleaning products, as well as smoke from fires.

VOCs can stem from natural sources like wildfires and grasslands, and industrial sources such as emissions from vehicles, coal, oil, and natural gas-powered power stations, petrochemical plants, and some cleaning products, deodorants, perfumes, and hair straightening creams.

These compounds include benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde, which are used in many everyday products like adhesives in wooden furniture manufacturing, dyes, paints, plastics, insulating materials, and disinfectants.

People are exposed to VOCs through inhalation, skin absorption, and potentially through consuming food or drinking liquids that contain them.

Cancer Risk

Dr. Taha Abdel Hamid, a professor of chest and allergy diseases at Al-Azhar University's faculty of medicine, told Asharq Al-Awsat that inhaling VOCs poses a severe danger to public health, especially those resulting from exposure to car exhausts, smoking, and the burning of trash and agricultural waste. He added that excessive inhalation of VOCs can cause chronic inflammation in the airways and sinuses, severe lung infections, increased allergies, and can even lead to cancer.

Abdel Hamid explained that some VOCs are carcinogenic and can cause tumors in the lungs and airways by irritating cells, causing them to divide excessively, and increasing inflammation levels in the lungs and airways.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicates that continued exposure to VOCs can increase the risk of leukemia and cancers of the lung and pharynx. Regarding formaldehyde, it is considered a significant cancer risk inducer.

A recent international research team found that about one-third of the world’s population is exposed to harmful levels of VOCs, which could increase the risk of cancer.

The study, published in the latest issue of the journal "Climate and Atmospheric Science," is the first to assess the global health risks associated with exposure to VOCs between 2000 and 2019.

Steady Emissions

The researchers found that global VOC emissions increased by 10.2% from 2000 to 2019, with growth being primarily driven by developing regions like sub-Saharan Africa, the rest of Asia, and China, while developed regions like the United States and Western Europe saw significant decreases.

According to the study, there are substantial differences between developed and developing countries, with the highest exposure rates and cancer risks from VOCs occurring in China. There, between 82.8% and 84.3% of the population are exposed to harmful VOC levels. In contrast, exposure rates are much lower in Europe (1.7 - 5.8%).

Public Health

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the study's lead researcher at the University of Michigan, Dr. Ying Xiong, remarked that VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solid or liquid materials, comprising a variety of chemicals that may have short-term and long-term adverse health effects.

These health impacts may include eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination and nausea; damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

"Some VOCs such as benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde can cause cancer in animals, with some suspected or known to cause cancer in humans," Xiong continued. For example, long-term exposure to benzene can lead to leukemia. VOCs can also cause oxidative stress and inflammation, contributing to lung cancer growth. Therefore, it is crucial to protect the public from exposure to dangerous VOCs.

Protection Methods

Xiong urged local governments to ban the outdoor burning of agricultural products, especially in low-income countries, to reduce outdoor air pollution and exposure to VOCs.

He pointed out that outdoor VOCs come from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, the use of paints and solvents, wood burning, vehicle exhausts, industrial emissions, oil and gas exploitation, etc. Individuals can take measures to reduce their exposure to outdoor VOCs by monitoring air quality using websites or apps to determine air quality in your area, limiting outdoor activities during high pollution periods, and wisely choosing residential locations far from pollution sources like industrial areas and heavy traffic.

Xiong also encouraged citizens to use public transportation to help reduce emissions from vehicle exhausts and support local and national initiatives aimed at improving air quality and reducing industrial emissions. Furthermore, planting trees and vegetation that help absorb pollutants can enhance the surrounding air quality.