Long term exposure to air pollutants in suburban areas of Britain can increase the risk of lung cancer by up to 36 percent, according to reports.
The impurities are produced by diesel exhausts, and are 100 times small than a human hair, the Telegraph UK reports. If the particles make it to the lungs and pass through the blood stream, it is known to cause inflammation.
Researchers say their findings show current safety limits on air pollution are still too high and must be lowered to reduce public health risks.
"Everybody is exposed to air pollution and it is difficult to escape," Dr Anoop Shah told the Telegraph. "Our results indicate that the lower the levels, the better it is. The pollution effects can be chronic which can produce the sort of conditions like lung cancer, but acute exposures on a day-to-day basis can also affect the way your heart pumps blood."
Europe's current safety limit measurements for the toxins is reportedly described as PM2.5s, meaning 25 micrograms in every cubic meter of air. PM10s is used to describe larger particles at 40 micrograms per cubic meter.
The yearly average for UK is around 10-15 micrograms per cubic metre for PM2.5s and 19-22 micrograms per cubic metre for PM10s, the Telegraph reports.
According to researchers, more than 313,000 people exposed in 17 European countries show higher risks of lung caner at current levels. Lung cancer is the most common in the UK, which sees 40,000 people diagnosed with the disease yearly.
Dr Takashi Yorifuji, the study lead from Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, told the Telegraph: "At this stage, we might have to add air pollution, even at current concentrations, to the list of causes of lung cancer and recognize that air pollution has large effects on public health."
To read the full story about the lung cancer studies, click here.
