Air pollution doesn’t just increase the risk of lung cancer, new research shows. A study of thousands of elderly people living in Hong Kong showed that long-term exposure to pollution from tiny but toxic air particles increased their risk of dying from any cancer by 22 percent. Particle pollution is made up of microscopic solids or liquid droplets so small they can get into the lungs or bloodstream. These particles consist of substances that include hydrocarbons, nitrates, sulfates and heavy metals and are pervasive in cities, where the burning of fossil fuels for transportation or to generate power takes its toll. Some particle pollutants, like soot, dust and smoke, are large or dark enough