Abstract

Air is a primary component of the environment. A healthy adult respirates between 10 and 20 cubic metres of air each day, and this air is exchanged across lung tissue with a surface area between 50 and 100 square metres (Colls 2002). Significant public health concerns exist due to the pervasive nature of air pollution and its associated negative health impacts. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution results in more than 2 million premature deaths globally each year (WHO 2005).