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A new study from the National Institutes of Health has found that prolonged exposure to low levels of air pollution, even within current regulatory limits, is associated with measurable declines in lung function among otherwise healthy adults.

The research, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, analyzed data from over 12,000 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) lung cohort, tracking respiratory health and environmental exposures across six U.S. Metropolitan areas between 2000 and 2018.

Researchers focused on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), two common pollutants linked to vehicle emissions, industrial activity, and power generation. Despite average exposure levels falling below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s annual standards for these pollutants, the study found a statistically significant association between long-term exposure and reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), a key measure of lung function.

For every 5 microgram per cubic meter increase in annual average PM2.5 exposure, participants showed an average decline in FEV1 equivalent to approximately 1.2 years of lung aging. Similarly, a 10 parts per billion increase in NO2 was linked to a decline comparable to 1.8 years of accelerated lung aging.