Air Pollution Control Research Articles

Optimizing air quality and health Co-benefits of mitigation technologies in China: An integrated assessment

Carbon mitigation technologies lead to air quality improvement and health co-benefits, while the practical effects of the technologies are dependent on the energy composition, technological advancements, and economic development. In China, mitigation technologies such as end-of-pipe treatment, renewable energy adoption, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and sector electrification demonstrate significant promise in meeting carbon reduction targets. However, the optimization of these technologies for maximum co-benefits remains unclear. Here, we employ an integrated assessment model (AIM/enduse, CAM-chem, IMED|HEL) to analyze air quality shifts and their corresponding health and economic impacts at the provincial level in China within the two-degree target. Our findings reveal that a combination of end-of-pipe technology, renewable energy utilization, and electrification yields the most promising results in air quality improvement, with a reduction of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by −34.6 μg m−3 and ozone by −18.3 ppb in 2050 compared to the reference scenario. In contrast, CCS technology demonstrates comparatively modest improvements in air quality (−9.4 μg m−3 for PM2.5 and −2.4 ppb for ozone) and cumulative premature deaths reduction (−3.4 million from 2010 to 2050) compared to the end-of-pipe scenario. Notably, densely populated regions such as Henan, Hebei, Shandong, and Sichuan experience the most health and economic benefits. This study aims to project effective future mitigation technologies and climate policies on air quality improvement and carbon mitigation. Furthermore, it seeks to delineate detailed provincial-level air pollution control strategies, offering valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders in pursuing sustainable and health-conscious environmental management.

Effects of " Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan " on PM2.5 and Chemical Compositions in Zhengzhou in Polluted Winters

The Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan （APPCAP） was promulgated in China in 2013. To explore the effectiveness of APPCAP on PM2.5 in winter in Zhengzhou, PM2.5 samples were collected in Zhengzhou Monitoring Center during December 2013 and December 2018. The chemical composition of PM2.5 was analyzed, including EC, OC, water soluble ions, and metal elements. Pollution episodes under different stages were selected to investigate the changes in PM2.5 concentration and composition. The results showed that： ① The average concentration of PM2.5 in winter in Zhengzhou decreased from （215.38 ±107.28） μg·m-3 in 2013 to （77.45 ±49.81） μg·m-3 in 2018, with a decrease rate of 64%. ② The concentrations of EC, K+, SO42-, and Cl- decreased by 85%, 80%, 78%, and 72%, respectively, and the decrease rate in OC, NH4+, and NO3- was 50%, 41%, and 32%, respectively. ③ Compared with those in winter of 2013, the ratios of OC/EC in winter of 2018 increased by 2.6 times, and the proportion of secondary organic carbon in OC increased to 57%； meanwhile, values of sulfur oxidation rate and nitrogen oxidation rate increased by 1.5 and 1.0 times, respectively, indicating heavy secondary pollution in Zhengzhou. ④ The mass ratios of NO3-/SO42-increased from 0.8 ±0.2 in 2013 to 2.5 ±1.0 in 2018, indicating that the contribution of mobile sources increased and surpassed fixed sources as the main source in Zhengzhou. ⑤The comparison results of different stages of the heavy pollution process showed that ρ（PM2.5） decreased significantly in 2018 compared with that in 2013, with the peak concentration decreasing by 61%. The main chemical composition changed from OC, NO3-, SO42-, and NH4+ to OC, NO3-, and NH4+. The results indicated that the primary emission source control in Zhengzhou had achieved remarkable effects, but the contribution of secondary generation to PM2.5 showed an elevated trend； thus, the influence of secondary generation requires further attention in the future.

Spatiotemporal Trends and Driving Factors of PM2.5-related Health Burden in Gansu Province, China from 2013 to 2020

To evaluate the spatiotemporal trends and drivers of PM2.5-related health effects in Gansu Province since the implementation of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, the latest global exposure mortality model （GEMM） was adopted to estimate the health burden attributable to PM2.5 in Gansu Province from 2013 to 2020. The factor decomposition method was used to further quantify the main causes of the long-term changes in deaths attributable to PM2.5 pollution. The results showed that from 2013 to 2020, the population-weighted PM2.5 concentration in Gansu Province decreased by 34.57%, and the proportion of people exposed to areas with an annual average PM2.5 concentration exceeding 35 μg·m-3 decreased significantly from 72.89% to 11.61%. Moreover, the number of attributable deaths in Gansu Province declined from 12 826 （95%CI： 7 840-17 408） in 2 013 to 9 814 （95%CI： 6 407-13 036） in 2020, indicating a decrease of 23.48%. Attributable deaths from stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and lower respiratory infection declined, whereas deaths from ischemic heart disease increased by 12.11%. Notably, individuals aged 60 years and older accounted for more than 80% of all age-related deaths. The number of deaths attributable to PM2.5 in central and eastern Gansu Province was significantly higher than that in the Hexi region, and most regions showed a downward trend. The contribution of the total population, age structure, baseline mortality rate, and PM2.5 concentration to the change in PM2.5-related deaths was -1.26%, 16.16%, -9.84%, and -28.55%, respectively. Overall, population aging and a decrease in PM2.5 concentration were the main factors contributing to the increase and decrease in PM2.5-related deaths, respectively. The active clean air policies in Gansu Province have reduced the health burden caused by PM2.5 pollution, but with the trend of population aging, a significant reduction in PM2.5 concentration will be needed in the future to avoid more attributable deaths.

How Does Air Pollution Impact Residence Intention of Rural Migrants? Empirical Evidence from the CMDS

Based on data from the China Migrant Dynamic Survey project and urban statistics, this article examines the impact of air pollution on the residence intentions of rural migrants. The research findings indicate that: (1) Air pollution reduces the residence intentions of rural migrants. On average, for every one-unit increase in AQI, the residence intention of rural migrants will reduce by 1.5l%. (2) Mechanism analysis shows that social networks and social integration have a negative moderating effect on the relationship between air pollution and the residence intention of rural migrants. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows that in cities north of the Qinling Mountains-Huaihe River, cities with low precipitation, and cities with weak environmental regulations, the negative impact of air pollution on residence intention of rural migrants is more significant. Compared with high human capital levels, inter-provincial flow, and the new generation of rural migrants, the residence intention of low human capital levels, intra-provincial flow, and the old generation of rural migrants makes them more vulnerable to the negative impact of air pollution. This article reveals the inherent relationship between air pollution and the residence intention of rural migrants, which has certain practical enlightenment for cities to accelerate the process of citizenization of rural migrants through air pollution control and also provides important empirical evidence for cities to sustainably address air pollution.

Spatiotemporal distribution of oxidative potential in PM2.5 and its key components across six Chinese cities

Increasing evidence has supported that oxidative potential (OP) serves as a crucial indicator of health risk of exposure to PM2.5 over mass concentration. However, there is a lack of comparative studies across multiple cities, particularly on a fine temporal scale. In this study, we aim to investigate daily variation of ambient PM2.5 OP through simultaneous samplings in six Chinese cities for one year. Results showed that more than 60 % of the sampling days exhibited non-zero ranking difference between volume-normalized oxidative potential (OPv) and mass concentration among the six cities. Key components contributing to OPv inculde Mn, NO3-, and K+, followed by Ca2+, Al, SO42-, Cl-, Fe, and NH4+. Based on these chemical components, we developed a stepwise multivariable linear regression model (R2: 0.71) for OPv prediction. The performance of the model is comparable to both species- and sources-based ones in the literature. These findings suggest that a relatively lower daily-averaged mass concentration of PM2.5 does not necessarily indicate a lower oxidative risk. Future studies and policy developments on health benefits should also consider OPv rather than mass concentration alone. Priority could be given to sources/species that contribute significantly to oxidative potential of ambient PM2.5. SynopsisThis study highlights inclusion of oxidative potential as a complementary metric for air pollution assessment and control.

Characterization of winter PM2.5 source contributions and impacts of meteorological conditions and anthropogenic emission changes in the Sichuan Basin, 2002–2020

In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and Community Multiscale Air Quality–Integrated Source Apportionment Method (CMAQ–ISAM) were utilized, which were integrated with the Multiresolution Emission Inventory for China (MEIC) emission inventory, to simulate winter PM2.5 concentrations, regional transport, and changes in emission source contributions in the Sichuan basin (SCB) from 2002 to 2020, considering variations in meteorological conditions and anthropogenic emissions. The results indicated a gradual decrease in the basin's winter average PM2.5 concentration from 300 μg/m3 to 120 μg/m3, with the most significant decrease occurring after 2014, reflecting the actual impact of China's air pollution control measures. Spatially, the main pollution area shifted from Chongqing to Chengdu and the western basin. The sources of PM2.5 at the eastern and western margins of the basin have remained stable and have been dominated by local emissions for many years, while the sources of PM2.5 in the central part of the basin have evolved from a multiregional co-influenced source during the early period to a high proportion of local emissions; except for boundary condition sources, residential sources were the main PM2.5 sources in the basin (approximately 29.70 %), followed by industrial sources (approximately 14.11 %). Industrial sources exhibited higher contributions in Chengdu and Chongqing and gradually stabilized with residential sources over the years, while residential sources dominated in the eastern and western parts of the basin and exhibited a declining trend. Meteorological conditions exacerbated pollution in the whole basin from 2008 to 2014, especially in the west (21–40 μg/m3). The eastern basin and Chongqing exhibited more years with alleviated meteorological pollution, including a 40+ μg/m3 decrease in Chongqing from 2002 to 2005. Reduced anthropogenic emissions alleviated annual pollution levels, with a greater reduction (> −20 μg/m3) after 2011 due to pollution control measures.

Efektivitas Penegakan Sanksi Hukum Terhadap Pelanggaran Baku Mutu Udara Di Wilayah Industri

Indonesia's land is not doing well now, because there is a lot of pollution, especially air pollution, which is very worrying. It was proven that in Jakarta in 2021, for 3 (three) days, the sky in Jakarta was covered with fog, which turned out to be pollution. It was created by the people of Jakarta, starting from factory fumes, then motor vehicle fumes. Based on the example above, there are actually regulations that regulate the monitoring and/or control of fumes coming out of factories or motorized vehicles, but up to now there are still many people being overlooked regarding air pollution. The method used in this research is normative juridical or library research, with a statutory approach to issues. That protection for the public against air pollution in general already exists in Law Number 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management Jo. Government Regulation Number 41 of 1999 concerning Control of Air Pollution, but the implementation regarding law enforcement by Environmental Law Enforcers is not optimal, so there is a need for cooperation between the community and the government.

Changes in source composition of wet nitrate deposition after air pollution control in a typical area of Southeast China

In recent years, China has adopted numerous policies and regulations to control NOx emissions to further alleviate the adverse impacts of NO3−-N deposition. However, the variation in wet NO3−-N deposition under such policies is not clear. In this study, the southeastern area, with highly developed industries and traditional agriculture, was selected to explore the variation in NO3−-N deposition and its sources changes after such air pollution control through field observation and isotope tracing. Results showed that the annual mean concentrations of NO3−-N in precipitation were 0.67 mg L−1 and 0.54 mg L−1 in 2014–2015 and 2021–2022, respectively. The average wet NO3−-N depositions in 2014–2015 and 2021–2022 was 7.76 kg N ha−1 yr−1 and 5.03 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively, indicating a 35% decrease. The δ15N–NO3− and δ18O–NO3− values were lower in warm seasons and higher in cold seasons, and both showed a lower trend in 2021–2022 compared with 2014–2015. The Bayesian model results showed that the NOx emitted from coal-powered plants contributed 53.6% to wet NO3−-N deposition, followed by vehicle exhaust (22.9%), other sources (17.1%), and soil emissions (6.4%) during 2014–2015. However, the contribution of vehicle exhaust (33.3%) overpassed the coal combustion (32.3%) and followed by other sources (25.4%) and soil emissions (9.0%) in 2021–2022. Apart from the control of air pollution, meteorological factors such as temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation are closely related to the changes in atmospheric N transformation and deposition. The results suggest phased achievements in air pollution control and that more attention should be paid to the control of motor vehicle exhaust pollution in the future, at the same time maintaining current actions and supervision of coal-powered plants.

Enhancing Air Quality Prediction with an Adaptive PSO-Optimized CNN-Bi-LSTM Model

Effective air quality prediction models are crucial for the timely prevention and control of air pollution. However, previous models often fail to fully consider air quality’s temporal and spatial distribution characteristics. In this study, Xi’an City is used as the study area. Data from 1 January 2019 to 31 October 2020 are used as the training set, while data from 1 November 2020 to 31 December 2020 are used as the test set. This paper proposes a multi-time and multi-site air quality prediction model for Xi’an, leveraging a deep learning network model based on APSO-CNN-Bi-LSTM. The CNN model extracts the spatial features of the input data, the Bi-LSTM model extracts the time series features, and the PSO algorithm with adaptive inertia weight (APSO) optimizes the model’s hyperparameters. The results show that the model achieves the best results in terms of MAE and RMSE. Compared to the PSO-SVR, BPTT, CNN-LSTM, and GA-ACO-BP models, the MAE improved by 9.375%, 6.667%, 2.276%, and 4.975%, while the RMSE improved by 8.371%, 8.217%, 6.327%, and 5.293%. These significant improvements highlight the model’s accuracy and its promising application prospects.

The joint impact of PM2.5, O3, and CO2 on the East Asian Summer Monsoon in 2013 and 2018 due to contrasting emission reduction

With the rapid urbanization and the implementation of a series of air pollution control measures, significant changes have occurred in the emission of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3) precursors, and CO2 in China. In this study, we comprehensively assess the impact of emission variations on the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) climate from 2008 to 2018 using a regional-chemistry-ecology model RegCM-Chem-YIBs. The investigations indicated a strengthening of the EASM from 2008 to 2018, with all four EASM Indices exhibiting an increase trend ranging from 0.08 to 1.09 per year based on the simulations. Since 2008, alterations in the emissions of PM2.5 and O3 precursors in 2013 and 2018 led to a rise in near-surface temperatures in China by 0.5–1.5 K, thereby enhancing the EASM. Conversely, the changed CO2 emissions, through its influence on radiative balance and altering BVOCs (Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions via its effect on vegetation growth, decreased temperatures by 0.5–1.5 K, thus weakening the EASM. However, when considering the combined effects of total emissions changes in PM2.5, O3 precursors, and CO2, surface temperatures increased by 0.5–2 K, ultimately strengthening the EASM. In addition, compared to 2013, EASM was strongly enhanced in 2018 due to the notable increase in CO2 and significant reduction of PM2.5 and O3 precursors. Our study underscores the significant influence of variations in PM2.5, O3 precursors, and CO2 emissions on EASM climate and emphasizes the importance of coordinated governance of air pollution and climate change.

Research on strategies of air pollution prevention and control in civil Engineering projects

Abstract The prevention and control of air pollution is an important issue of social concern at present. With the acceleration of urbanization and the improvement of industrialization level, air pollution poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. In the process of construction and use, civil engineering projects can inevitably cause air pollution, which may have a certain impact on the environment. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the prevention and control strategy of air pollution in civil engineering field, and to provide reference for the planning and implementation of related projects. First, the main sources of air pollution in civil engineering projects are introduced. Then, a series of prevention and control strategies were proposed. Finally, this paper summarizes the challenges and opportunities of air pollution prevention strategies and research in civil engineering projects. With the improvement of social environmental awareness and the introduction of relevant policies, air pollution control will usher in broader development prospects in the field of civil engineering.

The Future of Environmental Engineering Technology: A Disruptive Innovation Perspective

Scientific and technological revolutions and industrial transformations have accelerated the rate of innovation in environmental engineering technologies. However, few researchers have evaluated the current status and future trends of technologies. This paper summarizes the current research status in eight major subfields of environmental engineering—water treatment, air pollution control, soil/solid waste management, environmental biotechnology, environmental engineering equipment, emerging contaminants, synergistic reduction of pollution and carbon emissions, and environmental risk and intelligent management—based on bibliometric analysis and future trends in greenization, low carbonization, and intelligentization. Disruptive technologies are further identified based on discontinuous transformation, and ten such technologies are proposed, covering general and specific fields, technical links, and value sources. Additionally, the background and key innovations in disruptive technologies are elucidated in detail. This study not only provides a scientific basis for strategic decision-making, planning, and implementation in the environmental engineering field but also offers methodological guidance for the research and determination of breakthrough technologies in other areas.

Non-thermal plasma technology for air pollution control and bacterial deactivation

Non-thermal plasma technology for air pollution control and bacterial deactivation

Global health costs of ambient PM2·5 from combustion sources: a modelling study supporting air pollution control strategies

Climate actions targeting combustion sources can generate large ancillary health benefits via associated air-quality improvements. Therefore, understanding the health costs associated with ambient fine particulate matter (PM2·5) from combustion sources can guide policy design for both air pollution and climate mitigation efforts. In this modelling study, we estimated the health costs attributable to ambient PM2·5 from six major combustion sources across 204 countries using updated concentration-response models and an age-adjusted valuation method. We defined major combustion sources as the sum of total coal, liquid fuel and natural gas, solid biofuel, agricultural waste burning, other fires, and 50% of the anthropogenic fugitive, combustion, and industrial dust source. Global long-term exposure to ambient PM2·5 from combustion sources imposed US$1·1 (95% uncertainty interval 0·8-1·5) trillion in health costs in 2019, accounting for 56% of the total health costs from all PM2·5 sources. Comparing source contributions to PM2·5 concentrations and health costs, we observed a higher share of health costs from combustion sources compared to their contribution to population-weighted PM2·5 concentration across 134 countries, accounting for more than 87% of the global population. This disparity was primarily attributed to the non-linear relationship between PM2·5 concentration and its associated health costs. Globally, phasing out fossil fuels can generate 23% higher relative health benefits compared to their share of PM2·5 reductions. Specifically, the share of health costs for total coal was 36% higher than the source's contributions to corresponding PM2·5 concentrations and the share of health costs for liquid fuel and natural gas was 12% higher. Other than fossil fuels, South Asia was expected to show 16% greater relative health benefits than the percentage reduction in PM2·5 from the abatement of solid biofuel emissions. In most countries, targeting combustion sources might offer greater health benefits than non-combustion sources. This finding provides additional rationale for climate actions aimed at phasing out combustion sources, especially those related to fossil fuels and solid biofuel. Mitigation efforts designed according to source-specific health costs can more effectively avoid health costs than strategies that depend solely on the source contributions to overall PM2·5 concentration. The Health Effects Institute, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and NASA.

Genetic evidence supports a causal relationship between air pollution and brain imaging-derived phenotypes

BackgroundObservational studies have reported associations between air pollutants and brain imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs); however, whether this relationship is causal remains uncertain. MethodsWe conducted bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to explore the causal relationships between 5 types of air pollutants (N=423,796 to 456,380 individuals) and 587 reliable IDPs (N=33,224 individuals). Two-step MR was also conducted to assess whether the identified effects are mediated through the modulation of circulating cytokines (N=8293). ResultsWe found genetic evidence supporting the association of nitrogen oxides (NOx) with mean intra-cellular volume fraction (ICVF) in the left uncinate fasciculus (IVW β=-0.42, 95 % CI −0.62 to −0.23, P=1.51×10−5) and mean fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left uncinate fasciculus (IVW β=-0.42, 95 % CI −0.62 to −0.21, P=4.89×10−5). In further two-step MR analyses, we did not find evidence that genetic predictions of any circulating cytokines mediated the association between NOx and IDPs. ConclusionThis study provides evidence for the association between air pollutants and brain IDPs, emphasizing the importance of controlling air pollution to improve brain health.

Cross-national sanctions and green innovation: Worldwide investigation

Research background: Cross-national sanctions are external factors with high uncertainty. The current situation of green innovation is not optimistic and the future of the uncertain development is worth exploring. Purpose of the article: This study intends to investigate how cross-national sanctions affect green innovations by examining data from 130 countries from 1990 to 2020. We use six different forms of sanctions (including those from the U.S., EU, UN, as well as unilateral, plurilateral, and economic sanctions) as the primary explanatory variables, with environmental management innovations serving as a proxy for green innovations. Methods: Difference-in-Difference (DID) technique; Logit model. Findings & value added: The number of environmental management inventions produced by a nation's inventors is negatively affected by plurilateral and economic sanctions, as well as by the US and the EU sanctions, while other types of sanctions have weaker effects. In terms of sub-indicators, plurilateral and the US sanctions have a serious negative impact on air pollution control and water pollution control inventions, while plurilateral, The EU and economic sanctions have a negative impact on waste management innovations. However, unilateral and the UN sanctions have no apparent effect on any type of environmental technology. Further logit model tests show that the US and economic sanctions lead to a decrease in green innovations. Moreover, the difference between Asian and African countries is that the negative effects of plurilateral, the U.S., the EU, and economic sanctions are more obvious in African countries, while cross-national sanctions have no significant impact on Asian countries. The results of our study should help countries under sanctions to respond more effectively to environmental progress.

Existing Green Port Sustainable Practices under Fuzzy AHP Model: A Case Study of Karachi Port

Maritime transport drives globalization and international trade. Ports worldwide handle 80% of seaborne trade by volume and 70% by value. Sustainable development is more important due to unexpected worldwide environmental changes. Ports are vital to economic progress. Port construction and operation polluted the environment, prompting the green concept. The present study used the "Fuzzy AHP Model"to assess Karachi Port's sustainable green port practices based on previous research. The study identified five key characteristics of a green port: little hazardous waste handling, a weak air and water pollution control system, poor port greenery, and habitat quality maintenance below international standards at Karachi port. Future research should create and apply solutions to improve this study's prioritized features. Innovative technology, policies, and collaborations can sustain green ports. Port and regional studies uncover green port best practices and contextual differences. Monitor and evaluate strategies to adapt to changing environmental standards and maritime transport issues.

Varying Drivers of 2013–2017 Trends in PM2.5 Pollution over Different Regions in China

A significant decrease in surface PM2.5 concentrations has been reported since the implementation of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan in 2013. In this study, we use the GEOS-Chem model to simulate the trend in surface PM2.5 pollution in China from 2013 to 2017, as well as the relative contributions of emission reduction and meteorology. The simulated decline rate averaged over monitoring sites in China is around −4.7 μg m−3 yr−1 in comparison with the value of −6.4 μg m−3 yr−1 from observations. The model also captures the variations over different regions, with r in the range of 0.85–0.95. Based on the sensitivity tests against emissions and meteorology, the study finds that the decline in PM2.5 concentrations is mainly driven by the reduction in anthropogenic emissions. The variation in open biomass burning (OBB) is not significant, except in Northeast China (NEC) and Pearl River Delta (PRD), where the changes originated from OBB are 40% and 30% of those associated with anthropogenic emission reductions. Changes in meteorology from 2013 to 2017 led to significant increases in PM2.5 concentrations in most areas in China, except in NEC. The increase attributed to meteorology, to a large extent, could be explained by the significant decrease in surface wind speed (WS) and planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) between 2013 and 2017, combined with their negative correlation with PM2.5. The decrease in PM2.5 concentrations in NEC, on the other hand, could be explained by the significant decrease in relative humidity (RH) there combined with the positive correlation of RH with PM2.5, while the changes in WS and PBLH there are relatively small compared with other areas. The change in meteorology, therefore, hinders the improvement of air quality via emission controls in most of China. In Sichuan Basin (SCB), the increase due to meteorology almost compensates for the decrease associated with emission reduction, leading to the least change in PM2.5 concentrations, although the decrease due to emission controls is the largest compared with other areas.

Source-Specific Air Pollution and Loss of Independence in Older Adults Across the US

Air pollution is a recognized risk factor associated with chronic diseases, including respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, which can lead to physical and cognitive impairments in later life. Although these losses of function, individually or in combination, reduce individuals' likelihood of living independently, little is known about the association of air pollution with this critical outcome. To investigate associations between air pollution and loss of independence in later life. This cohort study was conducted as part of the Environmental Predictors Of Cognitive Health and Aging study and used 1998 to 2016 data from the Health and Retirement Study. Participants included respondents from this nationally representative, population-based cohort who were older than 50 years and had not previously reported a loss of independence. Analyses were performed from August 31 to October 15, 2023. Mean 10-year pollutant concentrations (particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] or ranging from 2.5 μm to 10 μm in diameter [PM10-2.5], nitrogen dioxide [NO2], and ozone [O3]) were estimated at respondent addresses using spatiotemporal models along with PM2.5 levels from 9 emission sources. Loss of independence was defined as newly receiving care for at least 1 activity of daily living or instrumental activity of daily living due to health and memory problems or moving to a nursing home. Associations were estimated with generalized estimating equation regression adjusting for potential confounders. Among 25 314 respondents older than 50 years (mean [SD] baseline age, 61.1 [9.4] years; 11 208 male [44.3%]), 9985 individuals (39.4%) experienced lost independence during a mean (SD) follow-up of 10.2 (5.5) years. Higher exposure levels of mean concentration were associated with increased risks of lost independence for total PM2.5 levels (risk ratio [RR] per 1-IQR of 10-year mean, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10), PM2.5 levels from road traffic (RR per 1-IQR of 10-year mean, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.03-1.16) and nonroad traffic (RR per 1-IQR of 10-year mean, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03-1.24), and NO2 levels (RR per 1-IQR of 10-year mean, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08). Compared with other sources, traffic-generated pollutants were most consistently and robustly associated with loss of independence; only road traffic-related PM2.5 levels remained associated with increased risk after adjustment for PM2.5 from other sources (RR per 1-IQR increase in 10-year mean concentration, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00-1.21). Other pollutant-outcome associations were null, except for O3 levels, which were associated with lower risks of lost independence (RR per 1-IQR increase in 10-year mean concentration, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.97). This study found that long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with the need for help for lost independence in later life, with especially large and consistent increases in risk for pollution generated by traffic-related sources. These findings suggest that controlling air pollution could be associated with diversion or delay of the need for care and prolonged ability to live independently.

Measurement of volatile organic compounds using tethered balloons in a polluted industrial site in Catalonia (Spain).

Understanding the chemical composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) near emission sources and in the background atmosphere above the mixing layer height (MLH) provides insight into the fate of VOCs and is essential for developing effective air pollution control strategies. Unfortunately, knowledge of the qualitative and quantitative changes of VOCs and their vertical transport in the atmosphere is limited due to challenging experimental setups. In this study, an innovative method using tethered balloons was tested and implemented to sample 40 VOCs and O3 below and above the MLH at an industrial site in Spain. VOC and O3 samples were collected with different types of sorbent cartridges and analyzed using chromatographic techniques. Overall, a decrease in VOC concentration with altitude was observed along with a homogeneous chemical composition up to 300 m AGL. This decrease with altitude denoted the primary origin of these VOCs, which were strongly influenced by industrial processes and the traffic emissions in the area. Conversely, O3 concentrations were notably higher at balloon level and increased during nighttime temperature inversion episodes in those samples collected above the mixing layer. Ground samples contained freshly emitted pollutants of industrial origin, while balloon samples consisted of aged pollutants from traffic, other combustion sources, or from a secondary origin. This study is the first to assess the vertical composition of VOCs at a site of these characteristics and demonstrates that tethered balloons are a cost-effective method for studying air pollution dynamics from the ground to higher altitudes in the low troposphere.