Health Effects of Near-Roadway Diesel-Related Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations in Beijing, China

Abstract

Traffic exhaust is a main source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities. Heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDDTs), the main mode of freight transport, contribute significantly to PM2.5, posing a great threat to public health. However, existing research based on dispersion models to simulate pollutant concentrations lacks high-spatiotemporal-resolution emission inventories of HDDTs as input data, and health effects in different populations have not been thoroughly assessed. To fill this gap, we, taking Beijing as the research area, constructed a high-resolution PM2.5 emission inventory for HDDTs based on Global Navigation Satellite System-equipped vehicle trajectory data. We then simulated the fine-scale spatial distribution patterns of PM2.5 by integrating the RLINE dispersion model to assess the exposure risk of different populations and to quantify mortality attributable to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) plus lower respiratory infections (LRIs) related to high PM2.5 concentrations. The results showed that the per-capita exposure dose of PM2.5 from HDDTs in Beijing first increased and then decreased with age, peaking at four times the minimum in individuals 20–44 years of age. In general, the per-capita exposure dose for male (186 μg) was significantly higher than that for female (147 μg). Moreover, the number of NCD+LRI annual premature deaths caused by PM2.5 from HDDTs in Beijing was 559 (95% confidence interval: 466–648). The number of premature deaths in male was 1.6 times higher than that in female, although the total population of male was approximately the same as that of female. Furthermore, 94.5% of premature deaths occurred in individuals 60 years age and older. These findings provide important insights into the adverse health effects from HDDTs and help authorities establish early warning strategies for high-risk populations in Beijing.