Cost-effective analysis of different intervention scenarios with air cleaners to reduce the exposure to fine particulate matters in China

Abstract

Using air cleaners is an intervention to reduce exposure to indoor air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for health benefits. However, neither the cost-effectiveness nor the optimal PM2.5 at which an air cleaner should be turned on (instantaneous threshold) has been determined. This study provided a cost-effective analysis to find the best placement of air cleaners in multizone residences (including bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens) and classrooms. We used the coefficient of economic-benefit (COE) and net economic-benefit (NE) to evaluate health benefits (HB) and control costs (CC) under six different intervention scenarios. The results show that the most cost-effective intervention is to use the air cleaners in the bedrooms in residences and that controlling the PM2.5 concentrations in the entire residence is not cost-effective. We also found that air cleaners are cost-effective in classrooms of all 335 cities. The optimal instantaneous thresholds of PM2.5 concentration are 5–15 μg/m3 in bedrooms and 15–25 μg/m3 in classrooms for most cities. This study can provide a foundation for determining the optimal control strategies for indoor air quality to improve population health in China and other developing countries with serious air pollution.