University study will look at harmful air pollution in our homes

Researchers from the University of Leicester have been awarded £2 million to investigate how harmful particles in the air inside our homes affect the breathing and lung health of both children and adults. 

The project is funded by Wellcome with major partners including the European Respiratory Society and the European Lung Foundation and researchers based at the University of Maastricht (Netherlands) and the University of Duesseldorf (Germany). 

Research will explore how climate change and global warming influence indoor air quality and find practical solutions to reduce harmful substances in the air we breathe at home. 

‘The United Nations recently stated that climate change and global warming is the challenge of our time,’ said Dr Erol Gaillard, from the University of Leicester’s Department of Respiratory Sciences.

He added, ‘We are at a defining time in history. Our homes should be safe spaces, but as the climate changes, the air indoors may increasingly affect our health. This project will help us understand and reduce those risks.’

During the study, which will begin next year (2026) the team will monitor the air inside 300 Leicestershire homes throughout summer and winter.

Unobtrusive portable monitors will record the air composition while household members will be asked to complete some health and activity questionnaires. This information will allow researchers to calculate the residents’ exposures to potentially harmful substances in the indoor air. 

Study participants will also be invited to provide a breath sample, perform some simple, non invasive lung function tests and give a small blood sample, enabling researchers to understand how harmful substances in the air can affect lung health, particularly for children and vulnerable populations, who may be most at risk from the impacts of global warming.

In addition to household monitoring, the research team will conduct laboratory experiments to measure the effect of specific indoor air pollutants directly on lung cells to better understand how individual substances interact with the body. 

The findings from this project will not only inform public health advice, providing specific actions individuals can take to protect their health, but it will also inform government policy in developing strategies to mitigate against the harmful effects of global warming. 

‘By linking climate change, indoor air quality, and lung health, our research will provide critical evidence to protect people’s health in a rapidly changing world,’ Dr Gaillard said.