Understanding Air Quality's Impact on Life Expectancy

This calculator provides insights into how air pollution exposure affects life expectancy, based on rigorous scientific research from leading institutions worldwide.

How It Works

The calculator converts Air Quality Index (AQI) values to PM2.5 concentrations using established EPA guidelines. It then applies a sophisticated health impact model that considers:

• The World Health Organization's guideline value of 10 μg/m³ as a baseline

• Research showing approximately 0.98 years of life expectancy reduction per 10 μg/m³ increase in PM2.5

• Non-linear exposure responses at different pollution levels

• Duration of exposure and its cumulative effects

• Diminishing health impacts at higher concentrations

Scientific Foundation

Our calculations draw from multiple peer-reviewed studies:

1. The Global Burden of Disease Study (2019) established clear links between long-term PM2.5 exposure and reduced life expectancy

2. Research in PNAS by Chen et al. (2013) demonstrated the relationship between air pollution and life years lost

3. WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (2021) provided evidence-based air quality thresholds

4. The India Air Quality Collaborators study in Lancet Planetary Health (2019) validated exposure-response relationships

Understanding Your Results

The calculator provides estimates based on:

• Your location's current AQI or a manually entered average

• Duration of exposure

• Scientific models of how air pollution affects human health

Results show potential impacts on life expectancy, helping you understand the importance of air quality in your daily life and long-term health outcomes.

Note: These calculations provide estimates based on population-level studies and may vary for individuals based on factors like age, health status, and other environmental conditions.