Increase In PM2 Research Articles

Industrial agglomeration and PM2.5 pollution in Yangtze River Economic Belt in China: non-linear estimation and mechanism analysis

Introduction: The uncertainty associated with PM2.5 pollution hinders the economic high-quality development and threatens public health. Industrial agglomeration stands as a critical factor in regional economic and environmental governance, and the current studies about its impact on PM2.5 pollution are mostly limited to a specific industry or unidirectional influence.Methods: Our study constructed spatial econometric models to analyze the effect of three major industrial agglomerations on PM2.5 pollution, based on evidence from 110 prefecture-level cities of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in 2005–2019.Results: The results show that: 1) The three major industrial agglomerations and PM2.5 pollution present different spatiotemporal characteristics and show prominent positive spatial autocorrelation and agglomeration effect. 2) The primary industrial agglomeration contributes to a decrease in PM2.5 pollution and exhibits negative spatial spillover effects. A nonlinear relationship is observed between the secondary industrial agglomeration and PM2.5 pollution. The tertiary industrial agglomeration results in an increase in PM2.5 pollution. 3) The effects of secondary industrial agglomeration on PM2.5 pollution exhibit varying degrees of ‘inverted U-shape’ curves in the upstream, midstream, and downstream cities. The midstream cities are the first to reach the inflection point of agglomeration. 4) Industrial agglomeration affects PM2.5 pollution through three mechanisms, including scale expansion effect, technological spillover effect, and population scale effect.Discussion: Based on the empirical findings, this study provides scientific support and decision-making reference to improve the positive impacts of industrial agglomerations on PM2.5 pollution.

Characteristics of Secondary Inorganic Ions in PM2.5 and Its Influencing Factors in Summer in Zhengzhou

Nitrate (NO3-), sulfate (SO42-), and ammonium (NH4+) are important components of PM2.5, and studying their characteristics and influencing factors is essential for the continuous improvement of air quality. A series of online instruments were used to analyze the chemical components of PM2.5 in Zhengzhou in the summer of 2020. The results showed that the average ρ(PM2.5) was (28 ±13) μg·m-3, showing a daily variation characteristic of high at night and low during the day. The main concentrations of NO3-, SO42-, and NH4+ were (7.8 ±6.7), (7.2 ±3.7), and (5.5 ±3.1) μg·m-3, accounting for 22%, 21%, and 16% in PM2.5, respectively. The proportions of NO3- (27%) and SO42- (23%) in PM2.5, respectively, increased with the increase in PM2.5 and O3 concentration. In addition, the proportions of NO3- and NH4+ increased under low wind speed, high humidity, low temperature, and rainfall conditions. Moreover, the proportion of NO3- showed a daily variation characteristic of high at night and low during the day, whereas the opposite was true for SO42-. The gas-particle partitioning process of NH4NO3 was the main factor affecting the concentrations of NO3- and NH4+ in PM2.5. Low temperature, high humidity, and high aerosol water content concentrations favored the partitioning of HNO3 and NH3 to the particulate phase. High pH also favored the partitioning of gas-phase HNO3 to NO3-; however, it was not conducive to the partition of NH3 to NH4+. These trends partially explained the increase in the concentration and proportion of NO3- in PM2.5 under different scenarios.

Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Carbonaceous Aerosols in the Typical Urban Areas in Chongqing During Winter

To investigate the characteristics, source apportionment, and potential source areas of carbonaceous aerosols in Chongqing during winter, PM2.5 samples were collected from January 2021 to February 2021 in the urban areas of Wanzhou (WZ), Yubei (YB), and Shuangqiao (SQ). The results showed that the average mass concentrations of PM2.5, OC, and EC in SQ were (72.6 ±33.3), (18.2 ±8.2), and (4.4 ±1.7) μg·m-3, respectively, higher than those in WZ[(67.2 ±30.3), (17.2 ±7.4), and (5.1 ±2.4) μg·m-3] and YB[(63.4 ±25.7), (15.4 ±6.3), and (4.2 ±1.9) μg·m-3]. Compared with that during the clear period, the concentration and fraction of EC in total carbon increased by 103.0% and 8.1%, respectively, in WZ compared to that in other areas during pollution period, whereas the OC/EC ratio was decreased significantly (-10.5%), indicating that the primary emission of carbonaceous aerosols increased significantly during the pollution period. The average mass concentrations of secondary organic carbon (SOC) in SQ and YB were (7.7 ±4.8) μg·m-3 and (6.9 ±2.8) μg·m-3 significantly higher, respectively, than that in WZ[(4.5 ±1.9) μg·m-3] during the campaign. This indicated that the secondary transformation had a greater influence on the carbonaceous aerosols in SQ and YB than that in WZ. Furthermore, in contrast to that in WZ, the ratios of SOC/OC were increased with the increase in PM2.5 concentrations, and significant correlations between SOC concentration and aerosol water content, NO2 concentration, and the value of NOR were observed in SQ and YB (P < 0.01), indicating that the increasing of carbonaceous aerosol concentrations might be mainly driven by the SOC with -NO2 groups produced by aqueous chemical reactions during winter in SQ and YB. The positive definite matrix factor (PMF) results in these urban areas showed that the contribution of biomass/coal combustion source in WZ (47.4%) was significantly higher than that in YB (34.2%) and SQ (38.1%), whereas the gasoline motor vehicle emission and secondary transformation impacts were more significant in YB. The results of the concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) showed that the potential sources of carbonaceous aerosols were mainly the local and northeastern parts of these urban areas (such as Changshou).

Prenatal air pollution exposure and childhood obesity: Effect modification by maternal fruits and vegetables intake

Background & aimsPrenatal exposure to air pollution is robustly associated with fetal growth restriction but the extent to which it is associated with postnatal growth and the risk of childhood obesity remains unknown. We examined the association of prenatal exposure to air pollution with offspring obesity related measures and evaluated the possible protective effect of maternal fruits and vegetables intake (FV). MethodsWe included 633 mother-child pairs from the Rhea pregnancy cohort in Crete, Greece. Fine particles (PM2.5 and PM10) exposure levels during pregnancy were estimated using land-use regression models. We measured weight, height and waist circumference at 4 and 6 years of age, and body composition analysis was performed at 6 years using bioimpedance. Maternal diet was evaluated by means of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in mid-pregnancy. Adjusted associations were obtained via multivariable regression analyses and multiplicative interaction was used to evaluate the potential modifying role of FV intake. ResultsExposure to PMs in utero was not associated with measures of adiposity at 4 or 6 years of age. Associations at 4 years did not differ according to maternal consumption of FV. However, at 6 years, among children whose mothers reported consuming less than 5 servings of FV per day, one SD increase in PM10 during pregnancy was associated with increased BMI (beta 0.41 kg/m2, 95% CI: −0.06, 0.88, p-interaction = 0.037) and increased waist circumference (beta 0.83 cm, 95% CI: −0.38, 2.05, p-interaction = 0.043) and one SD increase in PM2.5 was associated with increased fat mass (beta 0.5 kg, 95% CI: 0.0, 0.99, p-interaction = 0.039) and increased percentage of body fat (beta 1.06%, 95% CI: −0.06, 2.17, p-interaction = 0.035). Similarly, higher prenatal PM2.5 and PM10 exposure was associated with increased risk for obesity and abdominal obesity at 6 years only in the low FV group. ConclusionsExposure to fine particulate matter during pregnancy was not associated with obesity-related measures at 4 and 6 years. However, only among offspring of mothers who consumed inadequate FV, we observed higher obesity-related measures at 6 years. Our results indicate that mothers' diet during pregnancy may play a role in the relationship between air-pollution and childhood obesity.

Monitoring of farmland dust during tillage and sowing operations and comparative analysis of cultivation modes in the suburban areas of Beijing

Agricultural machinery's tillage and sowing processes can generate much farmland dust, adversely affecting the surrounding environment. Clarifying the dust emissions from various agricultural machinery operations and selecting a reasonable cultivation mode is significant for reducing dust in the atmosphere and protecting the environment. However, a systematic exploration of the agricultural dust generated during agricultural machinery operations is needed. Here, we designed a dust monitoring system to monitor farmland dust (PM2.5, PM10, and TSP) and environmental parameters at different points. The system is applied to monitor the dust emission concentration caused by agricultural machinery. We found the concentration of PM2.5, PM10, and TSP from straw returning operations to be 2.06, 3.16, and 2.84 times higher than that of ploughing operations. The increase in cultivation speed will lead to an increase in dust concentration. In straw returning operations, compared with low-speed, the increase in PM2.5, PM10, and TSP concentration during medium-speed cultivation is 21.6%, 12.5%, and 16.8%, whereas high-speed cultivation is 68.2%, 38.9%, and 35.7%, respectively. Moreover, conservation tillage modes can significantly suppress dust emissions. We found that conservation tillage produced the lowest concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and TSP during the tillage and sowing stages, which were 64.7%, 73.1%, and 72.1%, compared to traditional tillage. As the amount of straw coverage increases, the dust concentration decreases. The average PM2.5, PM10, and TSP concentration increment of NTS with LSMQ increased by 307.8%, 344.8%, and 346.8%. Our results demonstrate that adopting a conservation tillage and sowing model and increasing straw coverage can reduce dust emissions. The research results have specific guiding significance for reducing dust emissions during the spring and autumn cultivation. We anticipate evaluating further the contribution of small particulate matter generated during agricultural machinery operations to air pollution, and our research will provide a basis for future work.

Relation of prenatal and postnatal PM2.5 exposure with cognitive and motor function among preschool-aged children

The literature informing susceptible periods of exposure on children's neurodevelopment is limited. We evaluated the impacts of pre- and postnatal fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on children's cognitive and motor function among 1303 mother-child pairs in the Spanish INMA (Environment and Childhood) Study. Random forest models with temporal back extrapolation were used to estimate daily residential PM2.5 exposures that we averaged across 1-week lags during the prenatal period and 4-week lags during the postnatal period. The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) were administered around 5 years to assess general cognitive index (GCI) and several subscales (verbal, perceptual-performance, memory, fine motor, gross motor). We applied distributed lag nonlinear models within the Bayesian hierarchical framework to explore periods of susceptibility to PM2.5 on each MSCA outcome. Effect estimates were calculated per 5 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and aggregated across adjacent statistically significant lags using cumulative β (βcum) and 95% Credible Intervals (95%CrI). We evaluated interactions between PM2.5 with fetal growth and child sex. We did not observe associations of PM2.5 exposure with lower GCI scores. We found a period of susceptibility to PM2.5 on fine motor scores in gestational weeks 1–9 (βcum = −2.55, 95%CrI = −3.53,-1.56) and on gross motor scores in weeks 7–17 (βcum = −2.27,95%CrI = −3.43,-1.11) though the individual lags for the latter were only borderline statistically significant. Exposure in gestational week 17 was weakly associated with verbal scores (βcum = −0.17, 95%CrI = −0.26,-0.09). In the postnatal period (from age 0.5–1.2 years), we observed a window of susceptibility to PM2.5 on lower perceptual-performance (β = −2.42, 95%CrI = −3.37,-1.46). Unexpected protective associations were observed for several outcomes with exposures in the later postnatal period. We observed no evidence of differences in susceptible periods by fetal growth or child sex. Preschool-aged children's motor function may be particularly susceptible to PM2.5 exposures experienced in utero whereas the first year of life was identified as a period of susceptibility to PM2.5 for children's perceptual-performance.

Exploring the association between atmospheric pollutants and preterm birth risk in a river valley city.

To investigate the association between exposure to atmospheric pollutants and preterm birth in a river valley-type city and its critical exposure windows. A retrospective cohort study was used to collect data from the medical records of preterm and full-term deliveries in two hospitals in urban areas of a typical river valley-type city from January 2018 to December 2019. A total of 7,288 cases were included in the study with general information such as pregnancy times, the number of cesarean sections, occupation, season of conception and regularity of the menstrual cycle. And confounding factors affecting preterm birth were inferred using the chi-square test. The effects of exposure to each pollutant, including particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), particulate matter 10 (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3), during pregnancy on preterm birth and the main exposure windows were explored by establishing a logistic regression model with pollutants introduced as continuous variables. Maternal age, pregnancy times, number of births, number of cesarean sections, season of conception, complications diseases, comorbidities diseases, hypertension disorder of pregnancy and neonatal low birth weight of the newborn were significantly different between preterm and term pregnant women. Logistic regression analysis after adjusting for the above confounders showed that the risk of preterm birth increases by 0.9, 0.6, 2.4% in T2 and by 1.0, 0.9, 2.5% in T3 for each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10, NO2 concentrations, respectively. The risk of preterm birth increases by 4.3% in T2 for each 10 μg/m3 increase in SO2 concentrations. The risk of preterm birth increases by 123.5% in T2 and increases by 188.5% in T3 for each 10 mg/m3 increase in CO concentrations. Maternal exposure to PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO was associated with increased risk on preterm birth in mid-pregnancy (T2) and late pregnancy (T3), SO2 exposure was associated with increased risk on preterm birth in mid-pregnancy (T2).

Association between air pollution (PM10, PM2.5), greenness and depression in older adults: a longitudinal study in South Korea

Abstract Aims Although it has been hypothesized that air pollution, particularly PM2.5 and PM10, causes depressed symptoms, their interactions with greenness have not yet been confirmed. This study examined the association between depression symptoms and air pollution, as well as the potential moderating effects of greenness. Methods A total of 7657 people from all around South Korea were examined using information from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, for the years 2016, 2018 and 2020. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES-D 10 score (Center for Epidemiology Studies of Depression scale, Boston form), and annual air pollution levels (PM2.5, PM10) and greenness (NDVI, Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) at the district level (si-gun-gu) were considered for the association analysis. The investigation was primarily concerned with determining how the CES-D 10 score changed for each 10 ${\mu \text{g/}}{{\text{m}}^{\text{3}}}$ increase in PM2.5 and PM10 according to NDVI quantiles, respectively. The analysis used generalized estimating equation models that were adjusted with both minimal and complete variables. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age groups (<65, ≥65 years old), sex and exercise status. Results The impact of PM10 on depression in the fourth quantile of NDVI was substantially less in the fully adjusted linear mixed model (OR for depression with a 10 ${\mu\text{ g/}}{{\text{m}}^{\text{3}}}$ increment of PM10: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.58) than in the first quantile (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.58, 2.25). In a similar vein, the effect of PM2.5 on depression was considerably reduced in the fourth quantile of NDVI (OR for depression with a 10 ${\mu\text{ g/}}{{\text{m}}^{\text{3}}}$ increment of PM2.5: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.44) compared to the first (OR: 3.75, 95% CI: 2.75, 5.10). Subgroup analysis results demonstrated beneficial effects of greenness in the relationship between particulate matter and depression. Conclusions This longitudinal panel study found that a higher quantile of NDVI was associated with a significantly reduced influence of air pollution (PM10, PM2.5) on depression among older individuals in South Korea.

Associations between PM2.5, ambient heat exposure and congenital hydronephrosis in southeastern China.

This research aims to analyze how exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ambient heat during pregnancy increases the risk of congenital hydronephrosis (CH) in newborns. A case-control study was conducted to investigate the relationship between exposure to PM2.5 and ambient heat during pregnancy and the occurrence of CH in newborns. The study, which was conducted from 2015 to 2020, included 409 infants with CH as the case group and 409 infants without any abnormalities as the control group. Using spatial remote sensing technology, the exposure of each pregnant mother to PM2.5 concentration was meticulously mapped. Additionally, data on the ambient temperature of exposure for each participant were also collected. A logistics regression model was used to calculate the influence of exposure to PM2.5 and ambient heat on the occurrence of CH. Stratified analysis and interaction analysis were used to study the interaction between ambient heat exposure and PM2.5 on the occurrence of CH. At the 6th week of gestation, exposure to PM2.5 may increase the risk of CH. For every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure, the risk of CH increased by 2% (95%CI = 0.98, 1.05) at a p-value of >0.05, indicating that there was no significant relationship between the results. Exposure to intense heat at 6th and 7th weeks of gestation increased the risk of CH. Specifically, for every 1°C increase in heat exposure, the risk of CH in offspring increased by 21% (95%CI = 1.04, 1.41) during the 6th week and 13% during the 7th week (95%CI = 1.02, 1.24). At 5th and 6th weeks of gestation, the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was greater than 0 at the 50th percentile (22.58°C), 75th percentile (27.25°C), and 90th percentile (29.13°C) of daily maximum temperature (Tmax) distribution, indicating that the risk of CH was higher when exposed to both ambient heat and PM2.5 at the same time compared to exposure to a single risk factor. Exposure to higher levels of PM2.5 and ambient heat during pregnancy increases the risk of CH in infants. There was a positive interaction between exposure to intense heat and high concentration of PM2.5 on the occurrence of CH.

Association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and biomarkers indicative of inflammation and oxidative stress: a cross-sectional study using KoGES-HEXA data.

Air pollution-induced systemic inflammation and oxidative stress are hypothesized to be the major biological mechanisms underlying pathological outcomes. We examined the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in 2199 general middle-aged Korean population residing in metropolitan areas. Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and urinary levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured. Daily concentrations of a series of air pollutants (particulate matter [PM]10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3) were predicted using the Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system, and participant-level pollutant exposure was determined using geocoded residential addresses. Short-term exposure was defined as the 1- to 7-day moving averages. The multivariable-adjusted linear models controlling for the sociodemographic, lifestyle, temporal, and meteorological factors identified positive associations of PM with IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and 8-OHdG levels; SO2 with IL-10 levels, CO with IL-1β, IL-10, and TNF-α levels; and O3 with IL-1β, IL-8, and 8-OHdG levels. O3 levels were inversely associated with IL-10 levels. For each pollutant, the strongest associations were observed for the 7-day average PM and CO with IL-1β (per 10-µg/m3 increase in PM10: 2.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.6-4.8; per 10-µg/m3 increase in PM2.5: 6.4%, 95% CI = 2.4-10.5; per 0.1-ppm increase in CO: 3.3%, 95% CI = 0.3-6.5); the 2-day average SO2 with IL-10 levels (per 1-ppb increase in SO2: 1.1%, 95% CI = 0.1-2.1); and the 7-day average O3 with IL-8 levels (per 1-ppb increase in O3: 1.3%, 95% CI = 0.7-1.9). Short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants may induce oxidative damage and pro-inflammatory roles, together with counter-regulatory anti-inflammatory response.

Reflection of prenatal exposure to wildfire smoke on reduced birth weight in 2015-2019

Wildfire smoke contains many different types of air pollutants which are cause for concern. Studies on epidemiology have identified correlations between PM2.5 exposure to wildfire smoke and mortality, respiratory and cardiovascular morbidities, and may result in a reduction in birth weight. However, evidence from Indonesia is limited. For this study, a retrospective cohort epidemiological study was undertaken to quantify the Indonesian population’s exposure to wildfire-PM2.5. We present 9652 (88%) records of newborns to identify an association between fire-sourced PM2.5 and birth weight in Palangka Raya, Indonesia from 2015 to 2019. On an annual basis, geospatial, and season variations in wildfire-PM2.5 concentrations were observed using a satellite-based dataset from CAMS and used for gestational exposure to wildfire smoke. Applying a general linear model with birth weight (yi) as a continuous outcome, the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and low birth weight was examined. In addition, the binary outcome of low birth weight was analysed. A statistically significant difference in the birth weight reduction between infants delivered to mothers exposed to high levels of wildfire smoke and those exposed to low levels of wildfire smoke was observed over the entire time frame (2015-2019) (ρ-value < 0.001). In comparison to infants born to mothers exposed to lower concentrations, the birth weight of infants delivered to mothers exposed to high concentrations of PM2.5 in the third trimester decreased by 19.96%. A 1.9% reduction in birth weight could be caused by exposure during the fire-prevalent in the first trimester of pregnancy (ρ-value < 0.001). Since an estimation model predicted a 10 g/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure between the first and last trimesters of pregnancy, variations in the second trimester did not significantly affect the association (ρ-value = 0.761). This emphasizes the significance of foetal development during these two trimesters. Exposure to pollution from wildfires contributes significantly to the global burden of newborns’ birth weight.

Particulate Matter and Incident Chronic Kidney Disease in Japan: The Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study (IPHS).

Global health hazards caused by air pollution, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), have been gaining attention; however, air pollution-associated CKD has not been explored in Japan. We examined 77,770 men and women with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2 in the Ibaraki Prefecture who participated in annual community-based health checkups from 1993 at 40-75 years old and were followed up through December 2020. The outcome was newly developed kidney dysfunction with eGFR of <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 during follow-up. To assess air pollution, a PM2.5 exposure model was employed to estimate yearly means at 1 × 1-km resolution, converted into means at the municipal level. Hazard modeling was employed to examine PM2.5 concentrations in residential areas as a risk factor for outcomes. Participants were distributed across 23 municipalities in the Ibaraki Prefecture, with PM2.5 concentrations between 16.2 and 33.4 μg/m3 (mean, 22.7 μg/m3) in 1987-1995 as the exposure period. There were 942 newly developed kidney dysfunctions during follow-up. Based on 1987-1995 PM2.5 concentrations as the baseline exposure, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio per 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 for newly developed kidney dysfunction was 1.02 (95%CI, 0.80-1.24) in men and 1.19 (95%CI, 0.95-1.44) in women. Elevated PM2.5 did not represent a significant risk factor for incident CKD in a prefecture in Japan.

Ambient PM2.5 and cardiopulmonary mortality in the oldest-old people in China: A national time-stratified case-crossover study

Evidence on the associations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with cardiopulmonary mortality in the oldest-old (aged 80+ years) people remains limited. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study of 1,475,459 deaths from cardiopulmonary diseases in China to estimate the associations between short-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 and cardiopulmonary mortality among the oldest-old people. Each 10μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration (6-day moving average [lag05]) was associated with higher mortality from cardiopulmonary diseases (excess risks [ERs]= 1.69%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.54%, 1.84%), cardiovascular diseases (ER= 1.72%, 95% CI: 1.54%, 1.90%), and respiratory diseases (ER= 1.62%, 95% CI: 1.33%, 1.91%). Compared to the other groups, females (ER= 1.94%, 95% CI: 1.73%, 2.15%) (p for difference test= 0.043) and those aged 95-99 years (ER= 2.31%, 95% CI: 1.61%, 3.02%) (aged 80-85 years old was the reference, p for difference test= 0.770) presented greater mortality risks. We found 14 specific cardiopulmonary causes associated with PM2.5, out of which emphysema (ER= 3.20%, 95% CI: 1.57%, 4.86%) had the largest association. Out of the total deaths, 6.27% (attributable fraction [AF], 95% CI: 5.72%, 6.82%) were ascribed to short-term PM2.5 exposure. This study provides evidence of PM2.5-induced cardiopulmonary mortality and calls for targeted prevention actions for the oldest-old people. This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Foreign Expert Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong, China, and the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou.

Relationship between exposure to fine particulate matter and cardiovascular risk factors and the modifying effect of socioeconomic status: a cross-sectional study in Beijing, China.

Accumulating research suggested that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, evidence regarding the relationship between PM2.5 and CVD risk factors remains inconsistent. We hypothesized that this association may be partially modified by socioeconomic status (SES). To investigate the relationships and to test the modifying effect of SES, we included baseline data for 21,018 adults from September 2017 to May 2018. PM2.5 concentrations were determined by employing an amalgamation of linear measurements obtained from monitoring stations located near the participants' residential and workplace addresses. We assessed SES across several domains, including income, education, and occupation levels, as well as through a composite SES index. The results indicated that for every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure, the risk of hypercholesterolemia, hyperbetalipoproteinemia, diabetes, and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) increased by 7.7% [Odds ratio (OR) = 1.077, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.011, 1.146], 19.6% (OR = 1.196, 95% CI = 1.091, 1.312), 4.2% (OR = 1.042, 95% CI = 1.002, 1.084), and 17.1% (OR = 1.171, 95% CI = 1.133, 1.209), respectively. Compared to the high SES group, those with low SES are more prone to hypercholesterolemia, hyperbetalipoproteinemia, diabetes, and HHcy. Notably, the disparities in SES appear significant in the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and hypercholesterolemia as well as hyperbetalipoproteinemia. But for diabetes and HHcy, the modification effect of SES on PM2.5 shows an inconsistent pattern. In conclusion, the results confirm the association between PM2.5 and cardiovascular risk factors and low SES significantly amplified the adverse PM2.5 effect on dyslipidemia. It is crucial to emphasize a need to improve the socioeconomic inequality among adults in Beijing and contribute to the understanding of the urgency in protecting the health of vulnerable groups.

The short-term effect of air pollution on the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in Chongqing, China, 2014-2020.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten causes of death in the world. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the short-term exposure to air pollutants and the risk of pulmonary TB in Chongqing. A distributed lag nonlinear model was used to explore the effect of short-term exposure to air pollutants on the risk of pulmonary TB. Stratified analysis was used to explore the impact of gender and age on the risk of pulmonary TB. There were 170,934 confirmed cases of pulmonary TB in Chongqing from January 1st, 2014 to December 30th, 2020. There was a positive correlation between the exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm (PM10) ozone (O3) and the incidence risk of TB. The maximum lag-specific relative risk (RR) of pulmonary TB was 1.012 (95% CI: 1.001-1.023, 14 days delay) for each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5; 1.010 (95% CI: 1.003-1.017, 14 days delay) for each 10μg/m3 increase in PM10; and 1.002 (95% CI:1.000-1.004, 2 days delay) for each 10 mg/m3 increase in O3. Stratified analysis showed that the exposure effects of PM2.5, PM10 and O3 were different between different genders and age. This study suggested that exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and O3 was associated with the risk of pulmonary TB, and the risk was higher for males than females, while the exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 was riskier for people aged 15-60 years.

The impact of air pollution on employment location choice: Evidence from China's migrant population

Air pollution and labor mobility are two important social phenomena associated with China's pursuit of high-quality development. First, this paper matches China's urban characteristics data with China Migrants Dynamic Survey in 2017. Then, the conditional logit model is used to empirically investigate the effects and heterogeneity of air pollution on employment location choice. Finally, combined with the concept of risk perception in psychology, this paper explores the underlying mechanisms. The main results are as follows: (1) Air pollution has a significant negative effect on employment location choice of labor force. Specifically, a 1 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration in a city can result in a significant decrease of 0.917 percentage points in the probability that the labor force will choose to work in that city. (2) There are heterogeneous characteristics of the negative impact of air pollution on employment location choice. Those with higher education level, outdoor work, relatively higher individual income, and 1–2 minor children are more sensitive to air pollution when choosing employment sites. (3) The mechanism analysis shows that perceived air pollution is an important channel influencing labor's employment location choice, and the stronger the stimulus of air pollution, the greater the negative impact of perceived air pollution on labor force.

Addition of Facilities to Bottle Capping Machine

Particulate pollution increases with population and activity. Likewise, the city of Surabaya is the 2nd largest metropolitan city in Indonesia based on its population. PM2.5 is a fine particulate that can pose a greater health risk than PM10. This research aims to identify PM2.5 ambient air quality in the city of Surabaya by analyzing daily fluctuations in PM2.5 and calculating an index to be able to categorize ambient air quality in the city of Surabaya. The analytical method used is a quantitative observation method that involves analyzing fluctuations in the distribution of PM2.5 over 24 hours and 7 days and calculating ISPU and NAAQS. The results of the observations showed an increase in PM2.5 particulates at certain times, and the highest spike in PM2.5 levels occurred on Saturday. Based on ISPU and NAAQS calculations, there are differences: according to ISPU, the ambient air quality in Surabaya is classified as moderate, while according to US-EPA standards, the ambient air quality in Surabaya is classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Analisa Kualitas Lingkungan Udara Ambien (PM2.5) di Kota Surabaya

Particulate pollution increases with population and activity. Likewise, the city of Surabaya is the 2nd largest metropolitan city in Indonesia based on its population. PM2.5 is a fine particulate that can pose a greater health risk than PM10. This research aims to identify PM2.5 ambient air quality in the city of Surabaya by analyzing daily fluctuations in PM2.5 and calculating an index to be able to categorize ambient air quality in the city of Surabaya. The analytical method used is a quantitative observation method that involves analyzing fluctuations in the distribution of PM2.5 over 24 hours and 7 days and calculating ISPU and NAAQS. The results of the observations showed an increase in PM2.5 particulates at certain times, and the highest spike in PM2.5 levels occurred on Saturday. Based on ISPU and NAAQS calculations, there are differences: according to ISPU, the ambient air quality in Surabaya is classified as moderate, while according to US-EPA standards, the ambient air quality in Surabaya is classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Exposure to outdoor particulate matter and risk of respiratory diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

According to epidemiological studies, particulate matter (PM) is an important air pollutant that poses a significant threat to human health. The relationship between particulate matter and respiratory diseases has been the subject of numerous studies, but these studies have produced inconsistent findings. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the connection between outdoor particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) exposure and respiratory disorders (COPD, lung cancer, LRIs, and COVID-19). For this purpose, we conducted a literature search between 2012 and 2022 in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Out of the 58 studies that were part of the systematic review, meta-analyses were conducted on 53 of them. A random effect model was applied separately for each category of study design to assess the pooled association between exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 and respiratory diseases. Based on time-series and cohort studies, which are the priorities of the strength of evidence, a significant relationship between the risk of respiratory diseases (COPD, lung cancer, and COVID-19) was observed (COPD: pooled HR = 1.032, 95% CI: 1.004-1.061; lung cancer: pooled HR = 1.017, 95% CI: 1.015-1.020; and COVID-19: pooled RR = 1.004, 95% CI: 1.002-1.006 per 1μg/m3 increase in PM2.5). Also, a significant relationship was observed between PM10 and respiratory diseases (COPD, LRIs, and COVID-19) based on time-series and cohort studies. Although the number of studies in this field is limited, which requires more investigations, it can be concluded that outdoor particulate matter can increase the risk of respiratory diseases.

Association of residential greenness, air pollution with adverse birth outcomes: Results from 61,762 mother‑neonatal pairs in project ELEFANT (2011–2021)

BackgroundEmerging evidence has demonstrated the benefits of greenness exposure on human health, while conflicts remain unsolved in issue of adverse birth outcomes. MethodsUtilizing data from project ELEFANT spanning the years 2011 to 2021, we assessed residential greenness using the NDVI from MODIS data and residential PM2.5 exposure level from CHAP data. Our primary concerns were PTD, LBW, LGA, and SGA. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to examine the association of residential greenness and air pollution exposure with risk of adverse birth outcomes. We performed mediation and modification effect analyses between greenness and air pollutant. ResultsWe identified 61,762 mother‑neonatal pairs in final analysis. For per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration during entire pregnancy was associated with 19.8 % and 20.7 % increased risk of PTD and LGA. In contrast, we identified that an 0.1 unit increment in NDVI were associated with 24 %, 43 %, 26.5 %, and 39.5 % lower risk for PTD, LBW, LGA, and SGA, respectively. According to mediation analysis, NDVI mediated 7.70 % and 7.89 % of the associations between PM2.5 and PTD and LGA. Residential greenness could reduce the risk of PTD among mothers under 35 years old, living in rural areas, primigravidae and primiparity.. ConclusionsIn summary, our results highlighted the potential of residential greenness to mitigate the risk of adverse birth outcomes, while also pointing to the adverse impact of PM2.5 on increased risk of multiple adverse birth outcomes (PTD and LGA). The significant mediation effect of NDVI emphasizes its potential as an important protective factor of PM2.5 exposure. Additionally, the identification of susceptible subgroups can inform targeted interventions to reduce adverse birth outcomes related to air pollution and lack of green spaces. Further research and understanding of these associations can contribute to better public health strategies aimed at promoting healthier pregnancies and birth outcomes.