[Air pollution, particulate matter and human health]

Air pollution in Israel is an increasing problem, mainly due to the sharp rise in the number of motor vehicles, and in particular diesel engined vehicles. It has become a focus of interest for the general public, as part of the rising awareness of Israelis to environmental matters, and for the medical community in particular, due to the associated rise in the incidence of asthma. The present review deals with the importance of the role of fine particulate matters (PM10 and PM2.5), while more classical pollution parameters, such as Sulfate and Nitrate Oxides, currently seem to be less relevant in predicting associated health effects. There is a need for an intensification of applied research in this field in Israel, in orders to establish a better data platform required for defining the national health policy in this field.