Natural dust particles can cause physical damage to the lungs and trigger an asthma attack. Particles of carbon produced when fossil fuels are burned can lead to similar problems but they are also coated with toxic heavy metals, chemicals and volatile organic compounds.
天然粉尘可能使肺部受损,引发哮喘.燃烧化石燃料时产生的碳微粒可能导致类似问题,但它们外表还包裹着有毒的重金属、化学物质和挥发性有机物.
These are able to pass from the lungs into the blood stream where it is thought they cause further damage to the body.
这些物质可能从肺部进入血液,据称这会给身体造成进一步损害.
Areeba Hamid, an air pollution campaigner with environmental group Greenpeace, said: "Toxic air causes havoc to people's health wherever in the world they live.
环境团体绿色和平组织的反空气污染活动家阿丽芭-哈米德说："有毒空气给世界各地人们的健康造成严重损害."
"We now know fumes from diesel vehicles are a lot more toxic than car companies claimed and this is a big cause of air pollution in Europe and North America.
"我们如今知道,柴油车排放的废气毒性比汽车公司宣称的要大得多,而这是欧洲和北美空气污染的一大原因."
"These companies have a lot to answer for, but so far they've managed to avoid any real accountability."
"这些公司要承担很大责任,但到目前为止它们都避免承担任何真正的责任."
The study of cities in China found the average annual expose to PM2.5 was 56 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to the WHO guideline limit for safe air quality of 10 micrograms.
对中国城市的这项研究发现,PM2.5的年均接触量为每立方米56微克,而世界卫生组织的空气质量安全标准为每立方米10微克.
People who were older than 75, had less education or who lived in hotter places were more likely to die.
75岁以上、教育水平较低或生活在较热地区的人死亡风险更高.
It is thought people in warmer cities were more likely to spend time outside or leave their windows open, thereby breathing more polluted air, the researchers said.
研究人员说,在较热城市生活的人到户外去或开窗的时间可能更长,因此会吸入更多的污染空气.
They also speculated that less well educated people might have poorer access to health care or experience poorer environmental health conditions.
他们还推测说,教育水平较低的人享受医疗服务的机会较少,他们接触的环境卫生状况也较差.
英文来源：独立报
