Areas Of High Pollution Research Articles

Effect of government's environmental attention on corporate philanthropy based on the institutional theory: Evidence from China's heavily polluting companies.

The underlying motivation behind corporate philanthropy (CP) is subject to multiple interpretations. For emerging markets, traditional interpretations based on a perspective of interest exchange often fall short. The institutional environment in China is characterized by uncertainty, particularly in the field of environmental protection, where the government's attention, a scarce institutional resource, can influence the behaviors of heavily polluting companies. The government's environmental attention (GEA) may be subject to campaign-style investment, which provides an opportunity for research. This study attempts to use institutional theory to construct a difference-in-differences model using the Central Inspection of Environmental Protection as an exogenous shock. It examines the causal impact of GEA on CP, observing that GEA has a positive effect on CP, especially for large companies, companies in less competitive industries, companies located in high-pollution areas, and companies with high environmental expenditure. The results indicate that campaign-style institutional changes provide a non-transactional political motivation for CP. In addition, we discuss the mechanism, which is the expectation change. Campaign-style institutional changes work by altering corporations' expectations of the future institutional environment. We verify this mechanism from two perspectives, namely, the intensity of changes caused by uncertainty and corporate sensitivity to changes. Our results remain robust when subject to several tests based on different identification hypotheses and alternative measures. Unlike the existing literature on the political connections driving CP in China, this study, based on the institutional theory framework, reveals that campaign-style institutional changes constitute a non-transactional, unidirectional political motivation, which is a significant driving factor for CP in a Chinese context. This study evaluates the importance of GEA and reveals the non-transactional political motivations from the institutional theory perspective. This not only enriches existing discussions on the political motivations of CP but also broadens our understanding of the relationship between institutional uncertainty and CP in emerging markets.

Assessing the life cycle and economic impact of cement-modified biochar compared to conventional adsorbents for heavy metal removal in stormwater

Modified biochar is used for heavy metal removal from stormwater, but current modifications rely on high-cost chemicals and result in highly toxic effluents. Additionally, there is limited research on these modifications' environmental impact and cost. This study aims to investigate the life cycle analysis (LCA) and economics of the process of absorption of Cu, Pb and Zn from synthetic stormwater utilizing cement-modified biochar adsorbent and compared it with commonly available adsorbents, activated carbon and zeolite. The cradle-to-gate LCA used experimental data and the Ecoinvent 3.0 database. Adding 1.5 % cement to biochar reduced its negative environmental impact by two to three times compared to plain biochar. Cement addition enhances heavy metal removal by raising pH, promoting precipitation, and reducing metal mobility. Combined with biochar, it increases the available surface area for adsorption, further boosting the system's efficiency in contaminant removal. The cement-modified biochar had the lowest global warming potential (kg CO2 eq), about half of Paddy Husk Biochar (PHBC). Approximately 50–90 % of the environmental impact of cement-modified biochar, zeolite, and PHBC was attributed to raw material collection. The Saw Dust Biochar (SDBC) had the highest sensitivity towards transportation distances among the adsorbents considered. Due to its heightened adsorption capacity, the 98.5 % PHBC composite demonstrated the lowest environmental impacts for Cu and Zn removal in multi-metal systems. Transportation of raw materials and labor costs were the primary cost drivers for biochar-based adsorbents. Among the adsorbents, 98.5 % PHBC was the best, being cost-effective and efficient for heavy metal removal. It is suitable for at-source pollutant removal in low-rainfall and high-pollution areas. Overall, this study helped identify performance weaknesses and modification opportunities for cement modification of biochar in heavy metal pollution control.

The interplay between host-specificity and habitat-filtering influences sea cucumber microbiota across an environmental gradient of pollution

Environmental gradients can influence morpho-physiological and life-history differences in natural populations. It is unclear, however, to what extent such gradients can also modulate phenotypic differences in other organismal characteristics such as the structure and function of host-associated microbial communities. In this work, we addressed this question by assessing intra-specific variation in the diversity, structure and function of environmental-associated (sediment and water) and animal-associated (skin and gut) microbiota along an environmental gradient of pollution in one of the most urbanized coastal areas in the world. Using the tropical sea cucumber Holothuria leucospilota, we tested the interplay between deterministic (e.g., environmental/host filtering) and stochastic (e.g., random microbial dispersal) processes underpinning host-microbiome interactions and microbial assemblages. Overall, our results indicate that microbial communities are complex and vary in structure and function between the environment and the animal hosts. However, these differences are modulated by the level of pollution across the gradient with marked clines in alpha and beta diversity. Yet, such clines and overall differences showed opposite directions when comparing environmental- and animal-associated microbial communities. In the sea cucumbers, intrinsic characteristics (e.g., body compartments, biochemistry composition, immune systems), may underpin the observed intra-individual differences in the associated microbiomes, and their divergence from the environmental source. Such regulation favours specific microbial functional pathways that may play an important role in the survival and physiology of the animal host, particularly in high polluted areas. These findings suggest that the interplay between both, environmental and host filtering underpins microbial community assembly in H. leucospilota along the pollution gradient in Hong Kong.

Metal variability of the shrimp Palaemon elegans across coastal zones: anthropogenic and geological impacts.

This study focused on 120 specimens of the shrimp Palaemon elegans collected in intertidal zones in eight selected areas. This study aimed to assess the suitability of P. elegans as a bioindicator of natural and anthropogenic marine pollution. Metal concentrations of aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were measured in shrimp collected from various sites in the Canary Islands, including areas affected by volcanic activity, industrial activity, and control zones. The determination of metal concentrations was conducted using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometry (ICP-OES). The results showed significant differences in metal concentrations across the studied sites, with the highest levels of Al, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn observed in areas impacted by the Tajogaite volcanic eruption and harbor activity. Sites near old landfills and sewage pipes also exhibited elevated levels of Cd, Cu, and Pb, indicating strong anthropogenic influence. Al was found in the highest concentration in Harbour, reaching 25.7 ± 6.2mg/kg, while the lowest concentration was observed in Control Lp at 11.5 ± 0.69mg/kg. Conversely, lower metal concentrations were detected in control zones and areas with high dinoflagellate presence, suggesting a potential role of bioremediation by marine phytoplankton. The ability of P. elegans to accumulate metals in its tissues, particularly in areas of high pollution, highlights its potential as a bioindicator species. This study underscores the importance of P. elegans in monitoring marine pollution and provides insights into the environmental impact of both natural and human-induced contamination on coastal ecosystems.

Mobile monitoring of air pollutant concentration in the park of Urumqi, China

The concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, O3 and NO2 in Urumqi People's Park were monitored by mobile monitoring in July and October 2023, and the temporal and spatial changes of pollutant concentrations in urban parks and their influencing factors were analyzed. The results show that park can effectively reduce PM and NO2 concentration, increase O3 concentration. PM concentration in the park was higher in the morning than the noon. O3 and NO2 concentration is lower in the morning than the noon. The concentration within the park was lower than that outside the park. The mitigative effect of pollutants in the park was better in summer than in autumn. The concentration of PM in the park showed a high value aggregation, and PM2.5 and PM10 showed the same spatial distribution in the high value cluster, and the pollution of both showed homology in summer. O3 and NO2 concentrations tend to accumulate at low value cluster. Pollutants are affected by the local environment. PM2.5 concentration is greatly affected by wind speed and distance from water, O3 concentration is greatly affected by temperature and average distance from road. The closer to the road, the higher the concentration of NO2. Attention should be paid to the landscape design of the buffer zone of 30–50 m with the high pollution area. This study can provide reference for park planning and design.

DeNOxing the air in urban spaces by building and construction photocatalytic coverings

A variety of air depolluting TiO2-based marketed products were applied on bituminous mixtures, sidewalk pavements and facades, giving NOx oxidation ratios under ISO 22197–1:2007 in the 35–9%, 56–2% and 28–2% ranges, respectively. Correspondingly, DeNOx toxicity indexes varied from −0.8 to 5.6, 0 to 14 and −4 to 1.The three most efficient photocatalytic products were selected: two TiO2-water emulsions, for road and sidewalk, and a TiO2-paint, for facade. NOx purifying ability of these materials were evaluated when key physical parameters were modified. The observed NOx conversion is positively correlated with UV-A irradiance up to 10 W/m−2(−|-), reaching a plateau, and negatively correlated with relative humidity, with a more pronounced decrease above 35 %. Inversely, no dependence with inlet NOx concentration is observed in the range of 0.14–1 ppmv.Further, two first-order kinetic approximations were followed to calculate NO surface deposition rates, giving 2 to 8 10−3 m/s on the selected photocatalytic urban surfaces. Subsequently, the potential NOx sink effect induced in a photocatalytic urban canyon and a NOx-purifier was modelled taking NOx surface deposition rates from 10−3 to 10−1 m/s. Purifying devices could be utilised as a preferred option to help alleviate local atmospheric NOx in high-polluted areas.

Maternal exposure to ambient ozone and fetal congenital heart defects: a national multicenter study in China.

Ambient O3 has demonstrated an aggravated increasing trend in the context of global warming. The available evidence of maternal exposure to ambient O3 on fetal congenital heart defects (CHD) is still limited, especially in high polluted areas. To examine associations of maternal exposure to ambient O3 during early pregnancy with fetal CHDs. We conducted a national multicenter study in 1313 hospitals from 26 provinces in China and collected a total of 27,817 participants athigh risk of CHD from 2013 to 2021. Exposure to ambient O3 during the embryonic period, preconception, the first trimester and periconception was assessed by extracting daily concentrations from a validated grid dataset at each subject's residential district. CHDs were diagnosed based on fetal echocardiography. Each 10 µg/m3 increase of exposure to ambient O3 during the embryonic period was approximately linearly associated with a 12.7% (odds ratio [OR]: 1.127, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.098, 1.155) increase in odds of pooled CHD (p < 0.001). The associations remain robust after adjusting for ambient PM2.5 and NO2 exposure. The odds of different types of CHD in association with ambient O3 exposure varied greatly. We observed significant association of ambient O3 exposure with ventricular septal defect (VSD), tetralogy of Fallot (TOF); pulmonary stenosis (PS), pulmonary atresia (PA), transposition of great arteries (TGA) and persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC), with TOF demonstrating the strongest estimates (OR: 1.194, 95% CI:1.107, 1.288). The estimates for preconception, the first trimester and periconception demonstrate consistent findings with the main analyses, indicating stronger associations of ambient O3 exposure during the periconception period. Our study provides evidence that higher ambient O3 during early pregnancy was significantly associated with increased odds of fetal CHD. Our findings suggest that pregnant women, clinical practitioners, and policy makers need to pay more attention to the exposure to higher ambient O3 during early pregnancy to reduce the risk of developing CHD and to improve outcomes across the life span.

On-site monitoring and numerical simulation on groundwater flow and pollution plume evolution in a hexavalent-chromium contaminated site

Accurately ascertaining spatiotemporal distribution of pollution plume is critical for evaluating the effectiveness of remediation technologies and environmental risks associated with contaminated sites. This study concentrated on a typical Cr(VI) contaminated smelter being currently remediated using pump-and-treat (PAT) technology. Long-term on-site monitoring data revealed that two highly polluted regions with Cr(VI) concentrations of 162.9 mg/L and 234.5 mg/L existed within the contaminated site, corresponding to previous chromium slag yard and sewage treatment plant, respectively. The PAT technology showed significant removal performance in these highly polluted areas (>160 mg/L) after six months of pumping, ultimately achieving complete removal of the pollutants in these high-pollution areas. Numerical simulation results showed that although the current remediation scheme significantly reduced the Cr(VI) pollution degree, it did not effectively prevent the incursion of the pollution plume into the downstream residential area after 20 years. Additionally, an improved measure involving supplementary pumping wells was proposed, and its remediation effects were quantitatively evaluated. Results indicated that the environmental pollution risk of groundwater downstream could be effectively mitigated by adding pumping wells, resulting in a reduction of the pollution area by 20 % in the case of adding an internal well and 41 % with the addition of external wells after 20 years. The findings obtained in this study will provide an important reference and theoretical guidance for the reliability analysis and design improvement of the PAT remediation project.

Ambient air pollution and survival in childhood cancer: A nationwide survival analysis.

Particulate matter consisting of fine particles measuring 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5), a component of air pollution, has been linked to adverse health outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess the association between ambient PM2.5 exposure and survival in children with cancer in the United States. Individuals aged birth to 19 years who were diagnosed with cancer between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2019, were selected from the National Cancer Database. The association between the annual PM2.5 level at the patient's zip code of residence at the time of diagnosis and overall survival was evaluated using time-varying Cox proportional hazards models (crude and adjusted for diagnosis year and age). To address concerns that exposure to air pollution is correlated with other social determinants of health, the authors tested the association between PM2.5 levels and survival among sociodemographic subgroups. Of the 172,550 patients included, 27,456 (15.9%) resided in areas with annual PM2.5 concentrations above the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annual PM2.5 standard of 12 μg/m3. Residing in these high-pollution areas was associated with worse overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.012-1.10). Similarly, when PM2.5 was evaluated as a linear measure, each unit increase in PM2.5 exposure was associated with worse survival (aHR, 1.011; CI, 1.005-1.017). Exposure to PM2.5 at levels above the EPA standards was also significantly associated with worse overall survival among sociodemographic subgroups. Exposure to PM2.5 was significantly associated with worse overall survival among children with cancer, even at levels below EPA air quality standards. These results underscore the importance of setting appropriate air quality standards to protect the health of this sensitive population. The authors investigated how living in areas with high air pollution (defined as particulate matter consisting of fine particles measuring 2.5 microns or less in diameter; PM2.5) affects the overall survival of children with cancer in the United States. The results indicated that children living in areas with higher PM2.5 levels, and even at levels below prior and current US Environmental Protection Agency standards, had lower survival rates than children living in areas with lower levels of PM2.5. This finding emphasizes the need for stricter air quality standards to better protect children, particularly those with serious health conditions like childhood cancer.

Innovative Approach for Human Semen Quality Assessment Based on Volatilomics.

The volatilome profile of some biofluids (blood, urine, and human semen) identified by Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) and collected from young men living in two high-pollution areas in Italy, i.e., Land of Fires and Valley of Sacco River, have been coupled to sperm parameters obtained by spermiogram analysis to build general multiple regression models. Panels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been selected to optimize the models and used as predictive variables to estimate the different sperm quality parameters (sperm cell concentration, total and progressive motility/immotile cells, total/head/neck/tail morphology anomalies, semen round cell concentration). The results of the multiple linear regression models based on the different subgroups of data joining VOCs from one/two or three biofluids have been compared. Surprisingly, the models based on blood and urine VOCs have allowed an excellent estimate of spermiogram values, paving the way towards a new method of indirect evaluation of semen quality and preventive screening. The significance of VOCs in terms of toxicity and dangerousness was discussed with the support of chemical databases available online.

Health Impacts of Natural Background Radiation in High Air Pollution Area of Thailand.

Chiang Mai province of Thailand is known for having the highest natural background radiation in the country, as well as being recognized as one of the world's most polluted cities for air quality. This represents the major contributor to the development of lung cancer. This research aims to estimate the comprehensive dose of both internal and external exposure due to natural background radiation and related health perspectives in the highly polluted area of Chiang Mai. The average values of indoor radon and thoron concentrations in 99 houses over 6 months were 40.8 ± 22.6 and 17.8 ± 16.3 Bq/m3, respectively. These results exceed the worldwide value for indoor radon and thoron (40 and 10 Bq/m3), respectively. During burning season, the average values of indoor radon (56.7 ± 20 Bq/m3) and thoron (20.8 ± 20.4 Bq/m3) concentrations were higher than the world-wide averages. The radon concentration in drinking water (56 samples) varied from 0.1 to 91.9 Bq/L, with an average value of 9.1 ± 22.8 Bq/L. Most of the drinking water samples (87%) fell below the recommended maximum contamination limit of 11.1 Bq/L. The average values of natural radionuclide (226Ra, 232Th and 40K) in 48 soil samples were 47 ± 20.9, 77.9 ± 29.7 and 700.1 ± 233 Bq/kg, respectively. All values were higher than the worldwide average of 35, 30 and 400 Bq/kg, respectively. The average value of outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate (98 ± 32.5 nGy/h) exceeded the worldwide average of 59 nGy/h. Meanwhile, the average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in 25 plant food samples were 2.7 ± 0.1, 3.2 ± 1.6 and 1000.7 ± 1.9 Bq/kg, respectively. The 40K concentration was the most predominant in plant foods. The highest concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K were found in Chinese cabbage, celery and cilantro, respectively. The total annual effective dose for residents in the study area varied from 0.6 to 4.3 mSv, with an average value of 1.4 mSv. This indicates a significant long-term public health hazard due to natural background radiation and suggests a heightened radiation risk for the residents. The excess lifetime cancer risk value (5.4) associated with natural background radiation was found to be higher than the recommended value. Moreover, the number of lung cancer cases per year per million average of 25.2 per million persons per year was in the limit range 170-230 per million people. Overall, our results will be used for future decision making in the prevention of lung cancer risk associated with natural background radiation.

Pollution Based Ventilation Control in Automobiles

Abstract: Growing worries about air pollution have driven new approaches to confined spaces, such autos. The proposed system includes air quality sensors, ventilation control mechanisms, and data processing units inside the car. It continuously monitors the amount of CO2 and other air pollutants. It emits warning sounds and turns on automated window ventilation when thresholds are passed. Furthermore, the system proposes closing windows in high-pollution areas and detects foul odors to put on air fresheners accordingly. Alerts are sent by push notifications, sirens that sound, or dashboard lights. This innovation combines sophisticated ventilation control, real-time monitoring, and alerts to make driving safer while prioritizing both environmental sustainability and passenger safety

Assessment of air pollution and air quality perception mismatch using mobility-based real-time exposure.

Air pollution poses a threat to human health. Public perceptions of air pollution are important for individual self-protection and policy-making. Given the uncertainty faced by residence-based exposure (RB) measurements, this study measures individuals' real-time mobility-based (MB) exposures and perceptions of air pollution by considering people's daily movement. It explores how contextual uncertainties may influence the disparities in perceived air quality by taking into account RB and MB environmental factors. In addition, we explore factors that are related to the mismatch between people's perceived air quality and actual air pollution exposure. Using K-means clustering to divide the PM2.5 values into two groups, a mismatch happens when the perceived air quality is poor but the air pollution level is lower than 15.536μg/m3 and when the perceived air quality is good but the air pollution level is higher than 15.608μg/m3. The results show that there is a mismatch between air pollution exposure and perception of air pollution. People with low income are exposed to higher air pollution. Unemployed people and people with more serious mental health symptoms (e.g., depression) have a higher chance of accurately assessing air pollution (e.g., perceiving air quality as poor when air pollution levels are high). Older people and those with a higher MB open space density tend to underestimate air pollution. Students tend to perceive air quality as good. People who are surrounded by higher MB transportation land-use density and green space density tend to perceive air quality as poor. The results can help policymakers to increase public awareness of high air pollution areas, and consider the health effects of landscapes during planning.

Small noncoding RNAs and sperm nuclear basic proteins reflect the environmental impact on germ cells

BackgroundMolecular techniques can complement conventional spermiogram analyses to provide new information on the fertilizing potential of spermatozoa and to identify early alterations due to environmental pollution.MethodsHere, we present a multilevel molecular profiling by small RNA sequencing and sperm nuclear basic protein analysis of male germ cells from 33 healthy young subjects residing in low and high-polluted areas.ResultsAlthough sperm motility and sperm concentration were comparable between samples from the two sites, those from the high-pollution area had a higher concentration of immature/immune cells, a lower protamine/histone ratio, a reduced ability of sperm nuclear basic proteins to protect DNA from oxidative damage, and an altered copper/zinc ratio in sperm. Sperm levels of 32 microRNAs involved in intraflagellar transport, oxidative stress response, and spermatogenesis were different between the two areas. In parallel, a decrease of Piwi-interacting RNA levels was observed in samples from the high-polluted area.ConclusionsThis comprehensive analysis provides new insights into pollution-driven epigenetic alterations in sperm not detectable by spermiogram.Graphical

Remote Sensing Model for Estimating Atmospheric PM2.5 Concentration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

PM2.5 is extremely harmful to the atmospheric environment and human health, and a timely and accurate understanding of PM2.5 with high spatial and temporal resolution plays an important role in the prevention and control of air pollution. Based on multi-angle implementation of atmospheric correction algorithm (MAIAC), 1 km AOD products, ERA5 meteorological data, and pollutant concentrations (CO, O3, NO2, SO2, PM10, and PM2.5) in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area during 2015-2020, a geographically and temporally weighted regression model (GTWR), BP neural network model (BPNN), support vector machine regression model (SVR), and random forest model (RF) were established, respectively, to estimate PM2.5 concentration. The results showed that the estimation ability of the RF model was better than that of the BPNN, SVR, and GTWR models. The correlation coefficients of the BPNN, SVR, GTWR, and RF models were 0.922, 0.920, 0.934, and 0.981, respectively. The RMSE values were 7.192, 7.101, 6.385, and 3.670 μg·m-3. The MAE values were 5.482, 5.450, 4.849, and 2.323 μg·m-3, respectively. The RF model had the best effect during winter, followed by that during summer, and again during spring and autumn, with correlation coefficients above 0.976 in the prediction of different seasons. The RF model could be used to predict the PM2.5 concentration in the Greater Bay Area. In terms of time, the daily ρ(PM2.5) of cities in the Greater Bay Area showed a trend of "decreasing first and then increasing" in 2021, with the highest values ranging from 65.550 μg·m-3 to 112.780 μg·m-3 and the lowest values ranging from 5.000 μg·m-3 to 7.899 μg·m-3. The monthly average concentration showed a U-shaped distribution, and the concentration began to decrease in January and gradually increased after reaching a trough in June. Seasonally, it was characterized by the highest concentration during winter, the lowest during summer, and the transition during spring and autumn. The annual average ρ(PM2.5) of the Greater Bay Area was 28.868 μg·m-3, which was lower than the secondary concentration limit. Spatially, there was a "northwest to southeast" decreasing distribution of PM2.5 in 2021, and the high-pollution areas clustered in the central part of the Greater Bay Area, represented by Foshan. Low concentration areas were mainly distributed in the eastern part of Huizhou, Hong Kong, Macao, Zhuhai, and other coastal areas. The spatial distribution of PM2.5 in different seasons also showed heterogeneity and regionality. The RF model estimated the PM2.5 concentration with high accuracy, which provides a scientific basis for the health risk assessment associated with PM2.5 pollution in the Greater Bay Area.

Long-term PM2.5 exposure and early-onset diabetes: Does BMI link this risk?

ObjectiveLimited studies investigated the association between high-level fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution and early-onset diabetes, leaving the possible metabolic mechanisms unclear. We assessed the association of cumulative PM2.5 exposure with diabetes, including early-onset, in high-pollution areas of China and explored whether metabolic factors mediated this association. Methods124,204 participants (≥18 years) from 121 counties in Hunan province, China, were enrolled between 2005 and 2020, with follow-up until 2021. The ground-level air pollution concentrations at each participant's residence were calculated using a high-quality dataset in China. The independent association of PM2.5 with incident diabetes and early-onset diabetes was assessed by Cox proportional hazards models. Restricted cubic splines were utilized to establish the exposure-response relationships. The role of metabolism-related mediators was estimated by mediation analysis. ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 8.47 (IQR, 6.65–9.82) years, there were 3650 patients with new-onset diabetes. Each 1 μg/m3 increase in the level of cumulative PM2.5 exposure was positively related to an increased incidence of diabetes (HR 1.177, 95 % CI 1.172–1.181) among individuals in the PM2.5 > 50 μg/m3 group after adjusting for multiple variables. The relationship of the PM2.5 dose-response curve for diabetes was non-linear. Significant associations between PM2.5 exposure and early-onset diabetes risk were observed, with this risk showing an increase with the earlier age of early diabetes onset. Males, young individuals (≤45 years), and those with a lower body mass index (BMI <24 kg/m2) appeared to be more susceptible to diabetes. Moreover, change in BMI significantly mediated 31.06 % of the PM2.5-diabetes relationship. ConclusionsLong-term cumulative PM2.5 exposure increased the risk of early-onset diabetes, which is partially mediated by BMI. Sustained air pollution control measures, priority protection of vulnerable individuals, and effective management of BMI should be taken to reduce the burden of diabetes.

Mercury behaviour features in soils and bottom sediments of technogenic landscapes water bodies in the Rostov region

Mercury is one of the priority pollutants entering the Rostov region`s water bodies from numerous natural and anthropogenic sources. Analysis of heavy metal extraction in the world indicates a reduction in its use in production. Based on expedition and laboratory studies, the mercury concentrations levels in soils and bottom sediments were determined. The bottom sediments of the region belong to the low and medium range of impact, areas of high pollution are formed within residential areas and in coal-mining areas. Hg concentrations do not exceed MPC in soils.

Производственный травматизм в гражданской авиации

Statistical data on the Russian occupational injuries over two decades indicate a reduction in the victims annual number in all the sectors of the country economy from more than 150 thousand employees per year (2000) to 20 thousand (2021). It is shown that the number of fatal accidents during the same time decreased from 4.4 thousand per year to 1 thousand. The authors argue that during the aircraft ground maintenance in civil aviation, the cases of injury to employees and occupational diseases occur in accordance with what happens at the industrial enterprises. Statistics on monitoring working conditions and injury incidents at the aviation enterprises over the past three decades (excluding those injured in aviation accidents) are presented. Based on monitoring data, it is shown that in the period from 2000 to 2021, the rate of decline in the number of employees affected by industrial hazards in civil aviation is approximately 1.5 times higher than the same figure for the country. The results of a statistical analysis of the employee injury causes cases that occurred are described. It is stated that the working conditions characteristic feature of the employees at enterprises and organizations of the country during the period of time under consideration was and remains increased noise levels in the workplaces. At the civil aviation enterprises, the share of people employed in work with such harmful and (or) hazardous working conditions as noise, ultrasound, and infrasound the last decade is about 20 % over. The review is provided concerning the modern methods for reducing the impact of noise on the employees conducting aircraft ground handling operations. Recommendations are given on improving methods for counteracting the noise negative effects, developing personal protective equipment for areas of high noise pollution, and for further research.

The impact of air pollution and pollutants on the progression of dementia

AbstractBackgroundAir pollution is known to increase the incidence of dementia, but whether dementia in areas with high air pollution likely to get worse is still unclear. We investigate the impact of high air pollution areas on the progression in dementia, and which air pollutants have more obvious influences.MethodA retrospective case‐control study was performed using the data from the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital Research Database and Environmental Protection and Administration, Taiwan. Clinical data and air pollution data were concatenated with addresses to assess the exposure to each case. Further, divide Kaohsiung into areas with severe air pollution and compare them with general areas. Exacerbation of dementia was defined as detection with use of advanced medications. We constructed conditional logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultThere were 529 cases in the group of worsening dementia and 2351 cases in the control group. The OR of dementia exacerbation in the general area is significantly lower than that of the high SO2 exposure area (OR: 0.745, 95% CI: 0.616‐0.901). Exposure to SO2 and PM2.5 at all five time points studied were significantly associated with an increased risk of worsening dementia of all types and non‐degenerative types. The maximum total peak ORs (95% CI) were 1.285 (1.154–1.431) in the first year with exposure to high SO2 and 1.111 (1.043–1.183) in the four years with exposure to high PM2.5, respectively. In the dementia of degenerative types, exposure to SO2 were significantly associated with an increased risk of worsening dementia. The maximum total peak ORs (95% CI) were 1.386 (1.174–1.638) in the first year.ConclusionThis study confirms that cumulative exposure in the previous one to five years in high‐exposure areas has a significantly higher risk of all dementia worsening. SO2 pollutant has the obvious effect on the progression of dementia of all types, degenerative and non‐degenerative types. PM2.5 pollutant has the obvious effect on the progression of dementia of all types and non‐degenerative types. The protection from air pollution, especially SO2 and PM2.5 pollutants is very important in the treatment of dementia.

Analysis of Spatiotemporal Variation and Influencing Factors of PM2.5 in China Based on Multisource Data

The urbanization process over the past decades has resulted in increasing attention being paid to atmospheric pollution by researchers, especially changes in PM2.5 concentration. This study attempted to explore the spatiotemporal changes in PM2.5 concentration in China from 2000 to 2021, as well as their interaction patterns and intensities with temperature, precipitation, vegetation coverage, and land use types. This was carried out by analyzing monthly average PM2.5 concentration data and various meteorological and geographical factors. Suggestions have also been made to reduce PM2.5 concentration and improve air quality. The results show that in the past 22 years, the overall concentration of PM2.5 in China has shown a downward trend, with an average annual rate of 1.42 μg/m3 from 2013 to 2021, accompanied by a clear spatial pattern and significant seasonal changes. The high pollution areas are mainly concentrated in the Tarim Basin, Sichuan Basin, North China Plain, and the Middle and Lower Yangtze Valley Plain, where the PM2.5 concentration in autumn and winter is significantly higher than that in spring and summer. In addition, based on the national spatial scale, PM2.5 concentration is negatively correlated with precipitation and vegetation coverage, while it is significantly positively correlated with arable land and impervious surfaces. Strengthening the control of farmland pollution, accelerating urban greening construction, further expanding the scale of forests and grasslands, and enriching vegetation types will help reduce PM2.5 concentration and improve air quality.