A new study has come up with findings that fine particulate matter attributes to death of an estimated 2.1 million people. Air pollution is the main cause behind that as it releases these materials directly in the air.

The study has been published in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters on 12 July. It revealed that an estimated 470,000 people die each year because of human-caused increases in ozone.

These fine particulate matter tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs. This as a result causes cancer and other respiratory diseases. The World Health Organization also published figures in 2012 that indicated a combination of indoor and outdoor pollution becomes a cause of 3,000,000 deaths per year.

The new study also focused on deaths caused by human induced air pollution. It also suggested that climate change can exacerbate the effects of air pollution to increase the death toll.

Jason West from the University of North Carolina is co-author of the study. Jason said, "Our estimates make outdoor air pollution among the most important environmental risk factors for health. Many of these deaths are estimated to occur in East Asia and South Asia, where population is high and air pollution is severe".