Abstract
The mass concentration of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has been systematically used in epidemiological studies as an indicator of exposure to air pollutants, connecting PM concentrations with a wide variety of human health effects. However, these effects can be hardly explained by using one single parameter, especially because PM is formed by a complex mixture of chemicals. Current research has shown that many of these adverse health effects can be derived from the oxidative stress caused by the deposition of PM in the lungs. The oxidative potential (OP) of the PM, related to the presence of transition metals and organic compounds that can induce the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), could be a parameter to evaluate these effects. Therefore, estimating the OP of atmospheric PM would allow us to evaluate and integrate the toxic potential of PM into a unique parameter, which is related to emission sources, size distribution and/or chemical composition. However, the association between PM and particle-induced toxicity is still largely unknown. In this commentary article, we analyze how this new paradigm could help to deal with some unanswered questions related to the impact of atmospheric PM over human health.
Highlights
In the last 50 years, the share of the population living in urban areas has increased from 36.5%to 55.3%, and it is expected to reach 68.4% by 2050 [1]
Another study in New England established that for each 10 μg m−3 increase on PM2.5 concentration, the mortality risk associated with short (2-day) and long-term (1-year) exposures increased by 2.14% and 7.52%, respectively, for population over 65 years old [23]
This study suggested that some particulate matter (PM) concentrations, even below the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, were positively associated with higher mortality rates after chronic exposures
Summary
In the last 50 years, the share of the population living in urban areas has increased from 36.5%. To 55.3%, and it is expected to reach 68.4% by 2050 [1] This amount of people and activity in urban areas exerts increasing amounts of stress on the natural environment, and one of the major problems associated with an urbanized world is the air pollution and its impact on human health. Mass concentration has been a common approach used to correlate the atmospheric PM and its effects on human health. This study suggested that some PM concentrations, even below the EPA standards, were positively associated with higher mortality rates after chronic exposures. PM contains organic compounds, including biological materials, such as pollen, spores, plants or animal waste, and inorganic ions, crustal materials, elemental carbon, and metals These components, either alone or as part of a mixture, can induce negative effects on human health. (vii) what would be the best metric, other than PM mass concentration, for determining the association between the exposure to PM and the adverse effects on human health? Answering these questions will help us understand the mechanisms of action of PM pollution on human health
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