Air Pollutants in Puerto Rico: Key Pollutants and Carcinogenic Properties.

ABSTRACT: Air pollutants pose a growing public health concern in Puerto Rico (PR), particularly from rapid industrialization, military activities, environmental changes and natural disasters. A total of 193 pollutants, comprising the 187 hazardous air pollutants and the 6 criteria air pollutants-including particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and heavy metals-coincide with rising respiratory disease rates (e.g., lung cancer) documented in national and regional health registries. This study aimed to review major air pollutants in PR, their molecular carcinogenic mechanisms (mostly focused on respiratory-related cancers), and the geographic areas impacted significantly. We conducted an extensive literature search utilizing peer-reviewed scientific articles (P

SUBMITTER: Kaya D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12564895 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature