Eight million of the ten million deaths per year are linked to which pollutant produced from burning fossil fuels?

Eight million of the ten million deaths per year are linked to which pollutant produced from burning fossil fuels?

• A. Ground-level ozone
• B. Nitrogen dioxide
• C. Particulate matter
• D. Sulfur dioxide

Answer: (C)

Particulate matter is the pollutant most closely tied to deaths from burning fossil fuels because its tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. This leads to serious cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes—heart attacks, strokes, COPD, lung cancer, and other illnesses—that drive the largest share of the mortality burden from air pollution. Other pollutants like ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide contribute to health problems, but the overall mortality impact from fossil-fuel combustion is dominated by particulate matter (especially PM2.5), reflecting its pervasive presence and the severe harm it can cause across populations.

Particulate matter is the pollutant most closely tied to deaths from burning fossil fuels because its tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. This leads to serious cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes—heart attacks, strokes, COPD, lung cancer, and other illnesses—that drive the largest share of the mortality burden from air pollution. Other pollutants like ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide contribute to health problems, but the overall mortality impact from fossil-fuel combustion is dominated by particulate matter (especially PM2.5), reflecting its pervasive presence and the severe harm it can cause across populations.