The European Union body that monitors atmospheric conditions has warned that air quality across several European countries, including Ireland, will deteriorate over the next few days.
The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), said the deterioration is being driven by an increase in pollution from fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, across the continent.
PM2.5 particles of pollution are tiny nano-sized organic compounds, one thirtieth the width of a human hair.
They are so small they can pass through the air-blood barrier in our lungs, travel to various organs in the body and, over time, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
