这项研究首次将空气污染对人类健康的全球影响与世界范围内的其他风险因素进行了比较。

　　“我们对不同全球风险因素的比较表明，环境空气污染是导致过早死亡和预期寿命缩短的主要原因，尤其是心血管疾病，”美因茨大学医学中心心脏病学中心主任、该论文的合著者(Thomas Munzel)说。

　　Relationship between pollution and disease

　　污染与疾病之间的关系

　　The scientists examined the connection between exposure to pollutants and the occurrence of diseases.In order to calculate the worldwide exposure to pollutants,which primarily include fine particles and ozone,the researchers used an atmospheric chemical mode.They then combined the exposure data with the Global Exposure--Mortality Model that derives from many epidemiological cohort studies.Using these tools and data,scientists investigated the effects of different pollution sources,distinguishing between natural(wildfires,aeolian dust)and anthropogenic emissions,including fossil fuel use.Based on their results they could estimate the disease-specific excess mortality and loss of life expectancy in all countries world-wide.

　　科学家们研究了接触污染物与疾病发生之间的联系。为了计算世界范围内的污染物暴露，主要包括细颗粒物和臭氧，研究人员使用了大气化学模式。然后，他们将接触数据与许多流行病学队列研究得出的全球接触死亡率模型结合起来。利用这些工具和数据，科学家调查了不同污染源的影响，区分了自然(野火、风沙)和人为排放，包括化石燃料的使用。根据他们的研究结果，他们可以估计出全世界所有国家的疾病特定的超额死亡率和预期寿命损失。

　　The study results show that the mortality caused by ambient air pollution is highest in East Asia(35 percent)and South Asia(32 percent),followed by Africa(11 percent),Europe(9 percent)and North-and South America(6 percent).Lowest mortality rates are found in Australia(1,5 percent)associated with the strictest air quality standards of all countries."We understand more and more that fine particles primarily favor vascular damage and thus diseases such as heart attack,stroke,cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure.It is of outmost importance that air pollution is adopted as a cardiovascular risk factor and that it is distinctly mentioned in the ESC/AHA guidelines of prevention,acute and coronary syndromes and heart failure,"continued Münzel.

　　研究结果表明，环境空气污染导致的死亡率最高的是东亚(35%)和南亚(32%)，其次是非洲(11%)、欧洲(9%)和南北美洲(6%)。死亡率最低的是澳大利亚(1.5%)，那里的空气质量标准是所有国家中最严格的。“我们越来越多地了解到，细颗粒物主要有利于血管损伤，从而导致心脏病、中风、心律失常和心力衰竭等疾病。最重要的是将空气污染作为心血管风险因素，并在ESC/AHA预防、急性和冠状动脉综合征和心力衰竭的指南中明确提及，”Munzel继续说。

　　Avoidable deaths

　　可避免的死亡

　　According to the findings of the study,almost two thirds of the deaths caused by air pollution,namely around 5.5 million a year are avoidable,and the majority of polluted air comes from the use of fossil fuels.The researchers estimate that the average life expectancy world-wide would increase by more than a year if the emissions from the use of fossil fuels were eliminated.

　　根据这项研究的结果，几乎三分之二的由空气污染造成的死亡是可以避免的，即每年约有550万人死亡，而大部分被污染的空气来自使用化石燃料。研究人员估计，如果消除化石燃料的排放，全世界的平均预期寿命将增加一年以上。

　　The team from the University Medical Center Mainz and Max Planck Institute for Chemistry published a similar paper last year focusing on the consequences of air pollution in Europe.According to the earlier study,nearly 800,000 Europeans die prematurely every year due to illnesses caused by air pollution.Polluted air shortens the lifespan of Europeans by more than two years.

　　来自美因茨大学医学中心和马克斯·普朗克化学研究所的研究小组去年发表了一篇类似的论文，关注欧洲空气污染的后果。根据早期的研究，每年有近80万欧洲人因空气污染导致的疾病而过早死亡。被污染的空气使欧洲人的寿命缩短了两年多。