During the last several decades, industrialization and urbanization have resulted in dramatic increases in vehicle-associated emissions. More than 50% of the total particulate matter (PM) emissions in urban areas are related to road traffic (Briggs et al. 1997).

People burn crackers world over on different occasions in different countries to express their happiness. Fireworks in large amounts aggravate the level of air pollutants and cause significant short-term air quality degradation with possible impact on human health.

Fine particulate matter [aerodynamic diameter ? 2.5 ?m (PM2.5)] has been associated with autonomic dysregulation. The authors hypothesized that PM2.5 influences postural changes in systolic blood pressure (?SBP) and in diastolic blood pressure (?DBP) and that this effect is modified by genes thought to be related to chronic lung disease.

During the last week of June 2008, central and northern California experienced thousands of forest and brush fires, giving rise to a week of severe fire-related particulate air pollution

Studies of chronic health effects due to exposures to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ? 2.5 ?m (PM2.5) are often limited by sparse measurements. Satellite aerosol remote sensing data may be used to extend PM2.5 ground networks to cover a much larger area.

Since the end of World War II, the world