Air pollution in Europe: a groundbreaking assessment of a new measure of particulate exposure

A large-scale study conducted across 43 European countries by an international team of scientists coordinated by IGE (UGA, CNRS, Inserm, and IRD), in collaboration with LCE (AMU, CNRS) and Atmosud, has revealed in Nature that the ability of airborne particles to induce oxidative stress in the lungs — known as oxidative potential (OP) — varies depending on the type of environment (urban, rural, industrial, etc.) and the associated pollution sources. The researchers found that this oxidative stress can be up to three times higher in urban areas with heavy road traffic than in rural regions. These findings provide a solid scientific basis for developing future European standards and guiding public health policies.
 

Ref.

Tassel, C., Jaffrezo, JL., Dominutti, P. et al. Oxidative potential of atmospheric particles in Europe and exposure scenarios. Nature (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09666-9