Industrial Air Pollution Research Articles

Interaction of exposure to outdoor air pollution and temperature during pregnancy on childhood asthma: Identifying specific windows of susceptibility

Mounting studies have associated asthma with environmental and climatic factors, but their interaction during pregnancy on childhood asthma are unclear. This study aims to investigate the interaction of in utero air pollution and environmental temperature exposure on childhood asthma, to identify key timing windows for exposure. A retrospective cohort study with 2,598 pre-schoolers was conducted during 2011–2012 in Changsha, China. Maternal exposure to three critical ambient air pollutants (PM10, SO2 and NO2, as proxies of industrial and vehicular air pollution) and temperature (T), was assessed for the 40 gestational weeks, three trimesters of gestation, and entire pregnancy by an inverse distance weighted (IDW) method. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of childhood asthma with air pollution and temperature exposure. Our results showed that pre-schooler's asthma was significantly associated with SO2 and NO2 exposure in utero, ORs = 1.46 (95% CI: 1.12–1.89) and 1.67 (95% CI: 1.24–2.26) by inter quartile range (IQR) increase of their exposure respectively. Significant risk was observed for exposure of SO2 and NO2 particularly during the 1st and 2nd trimesters and their specific gestational weeks. Pre-schooler's asthma was related with high temperature exposure during 1st trimester, OR = 2.33 (95% CI: 1.11–4.90) by IQR increase of T exposure. Low T and high T respectively increased the asthma risk of NO2 exposure in the 1st and 3rd trimester. Boys were more susceptible to the temperature-pollution interaction on asthma development. Our study indicates that low and high temperature respectively during early and late pregnancy significantly increased the impact of air pollution exposure in utero on pre-schooler's asthma.

Spectrum of sperm mtDNA deletions in men exposed to industrial air pollution.

Sperm mtDNA status can serve as a molecular marker of oxidative stress and environmental exposure. High levels of air pollution may be associated with increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion rates in sperm. We compared the length spectra of sperm mtDNA deletions in semen samples collected from city policemen exposed to traffic and industrial air pollution in two seasons with different levels of air pollution. We used long-range PCR to amplify a fragment of mtDNA (8066bp) frequently affected by deletions, visualized the PCR products by gel electrophoresis, and analysed aberrant bands corresponding to deleted mtDNA, using gel documentation software. The predominance of undeleted sperm mtDNA was accompanied by a variety of shorter PCR product lengths in the vast majority of sperm samples, in both seasons. Sperm mtDNA molecules and bands corresponding to long deletions were more frequently detected than shorter deletions, in both seasons. We did not detect any difference in the total number of electrophoretic bands corresponding to deleted sperm mtDNA and in the number of deleted sperm mtDNA molecules between the two seasons. In our study, air pollution during sperm maturation did not induce formation of large mtDNA deletions detectable by long PCR and gel electrophoresis (>1kb) in maturing sperm mtDNA.

Assessment of air toxicity in the megalopolis of Krasnoyarsk using long-term monitoring of suburban pine forests.

The present study develops the application of suburban forests as bioindicators, with the industrial metropolis of Krasnoyarsk (Central Siberia, Russia) taken as an example. Huge forests, such as those found in large Siberian territories, are climate-forming for the entire planet. Hence, their conservation is essential at both the local and global scales. During the period 2002-2021, the vigor state of two pine forests was evaluated using several inventory and morphological parameters: needle damage, deterioration in tree condition, increased entropy, and tree mortality. Additionally, an original bioindication parameter was applied: episodic increase in the size of needles was analyzed. We hypothesized that this increase in needle size was related to the activation of tree protection at the initial stage of tree damage; the mechanism assumes a redirection of sugar transport into the crown to aid tree regeneration. All parameters were measured annually on six permanent sample plots; each plot included 200-300 numbered trees of similar age (approximately 60-80 years). The long-term parameter changes were analyzed and attributed to chronic exposure to industrial air pollution. Significant changes in pine-forest parameters observed over the past few years (2019-2021) may indicate an approaching stage of irreversible toxic damage that is the destruction of the entire forest system. The results encourage involving forest-based bioindication in the regional system of ecological monitoring. Forest-based bioindication can be used as a tool for evaluating the efficiency of long-term governmental activity on air quality in industrial metropolises. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:980-987. © 2022 SETAC.

An ecological analysis of the association between industrial air pollution and asthma onset in children of Quebec, Canada

An ecological analysis of the association between industrial air pollution and asthma onset in children of Quebec, Canada

Comprehensive Evaluation of Odor-Causing VOCs from the Painting Process of the Automobile Manufacturing Industry and Its Sustainable Management

Automotive manufacturing is one of the potential sources of air pollution particularly involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study intensively evaluated VOC emissions and their dispersion from the industry. The measured VOCs were speciated for further evaluation of their odor threats according to the characteristics of each compound. Mathematical emission and air dispersion models were applied to assist in elaborating the source–receptor relationship allowing the determining of existing business-as-usual conditions with proposed mitigation measures to manage the pollution of the factory studied in this paper. Seven VOC species potentially caused odor problems to the surrounding community, including 1-butanol, ethyl benzene, toluene, m,p xylene, o xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, and methyl isobutyl ketone. The results from the AERMOD dispersion model revealed that the smell from these chemicals could reach up to about 800 m from the source. Analysis of mitigation measures indicated that two interesting scenarios should be considered according to their effectiveness. The concentrations of VOCs can decrease by up to 4.7, 14.0 and 24.9% from increasing the physical stack height by +1, +3 and +5 m from its existing height, respectively. Modification of the aeration tank of the wastewater treatment unit to a closed system also helped to reduce about 27.8% of emissions resulting in about a 27.6% decreased ambient air concentration. This study provided useful information on the characteristics of VOCs emitted by the automobile manufacturing industry. It also demonstrated the relevant procedures and highlights the necessity to comprehensively analyze the source–receptor relationship to evaluate the most appropriate measures in managing industrial air pollution.

Towards achieving the sustainable development goal of industry: How does industrial agglomeration affect air pollution?

Industrial agglomeration not only brings economic prosperity, but also raises concerns about its environmental impact. How to balance industrial agglomeration and inclusive economic growth is a major challenge for today's social development. On the foundation of the balanced panel data of 164 cities in China from 2003 to 2013, our study employs the dynamic spatial Dubin model to empirically analyze the possible spatial effects between industrial agglomeration and air pollution at China's urban level, and detects the potential transmission mechanism through the lens of environmental regulation, technological progress and industrial structure upgrading. The findings denote that: (1) An inverted “N" type relationship exists between industrial agglomeration and air pollution, namely, with the deepening of industrial agglomeration, the air pollution of the city will first decline, then rise, and finally recover the trend of decline. (2) The influence of local industrial agglomeration on neighbor air pollution also presents an inverted “N" shape, denoting that local industrial agglomeration also has an alleviating influence on air pollution in adjacent regions in the long run. (3) Industrial agglomeration can reduce the air pollution level in urban agglomeration by affecting environmental regulation, technological progress and industrial structure upgrading. These results provide a detailed reference for promoting industrial development and air pollution control.

Interaction effect of prenatal and postnatal exposure to ambient air pollution and temperature on childhood asthma.

Although mounting evidence has associated air pollution and environmental temperature with children's health problems, it is unclear whether there is an interaction between these factors on childhood asthma. To explore the effects of temperature-pollution interactions during pre- and post-natal periods on asthma among pre-schoolers. A retrospective cohort study of 39,782 pre-schoolers was performed during 2010-2012, in seven cities in China. Exposure to three temperature indicators (TI) and three critical ambient air pollutants, including particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter≤10μm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as proxies of industrial and vehicular air pollution, was estimated by an inverse distance weighted (IDW) method. Two-level logistical regression analysis was used to examine the association between both pre- and post-natal exposure and childhood asthma in terms of odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Asthma prevalence in pre-schoolers at age of 3-6years (6.9%) was significantly associated with traffic-related air pollutant (NO2) exposure, with ORs (95% CI) of 1.17 (1.06, 1.28), 1.19 (1.05-1.34) and 1.16 (1.03-1.31) for an IQR increase in NO2 exposure during lifetime, pregnancy, and entire postnatal period respectively. Furthermore, childhood asthma was positively associated with exposure to increased temperature during lifetime, pregnancy, and entire postnatal period with ORs (95% CI)=1.89 (1.66, 2.16), 1.47 (1.34, 1.61), and 1.15 (1.11, 1.18) respectively, while was negatively associated with decreased temperatures. Childhood asthma was positively related with exposure to extreme heat days (EHD) during postnatal period particularly in first year of life respectively with ORs (95% CI)=1.23 (1.04, 1.46) and 1.26 (1.07, 1.47), but was not related with extreme cold days (ECD) exposure. A combination of high air pollutant levels and high temperatures significantly increased the risk of asthma during both pre- and post-natal periods. Strikingly, we found a significantly positive interaction of temperature and PM10 or SO2 on asthma risk among boys and younger children. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to ambient air pollution and high temperatures are independently and jointly associated with asthma risk in early childhood.

Droughts Are Not the Likely Primary Cause for Abies sibirica and Pinus sibirica Forest Dieback in the South Siberian Mountains

Background. Since the mid-20th century, massive dieback of coniferous forests has been observed in the temperate and boreal zones across North America and Northern Eurasia. The first hypotheses explaining forest dieback were associated with industrial air pollution (acid rain). At the end of the century, new hypotheses emerged that supported critical climate-induced aridization to explain forest dieback. Many studies were based on the SPEI (Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index) drought index. Our goals were to investigate if the SPEI drought index was a suitable metric to reflect drought conditions in wet and moist dark-needled forests in the South Siberian Mountains (Mts) and if droughts trigger the dieback of those forests. Methods. We calculated the SPEI drought index, the annual moisture index AMI, potential evapotranspiration PET, and water balance dynamics for the period 1961–2019 for four transects in the South Siberian Mts. where decline/dieback of dark-needled Siberian pine and fir forests were identified in situ. Climate data from nine weather stations located at lower and upper elevations of each transect were used to calculate climatic index dynamics for the 1961–2019 period to identify dry and wet phases of the period. Results. Our findings showed that climatic moisture/dryness indices have rarely gone down to high risk levels during the last 60 years (1961–2019). AMI did not reach the critical limit, 2.25, characteristic of the lower border for the dark-needled taiga. SPEI values < −1.5 represent drought stress conditions for dark-needled conifers at the lower border, and these conditions occurred 3–4 times during the 60-year period. However, the annual water balance stayed positive in those years in wet and moist forests at mid-to-high elevations. Trees are known to survive occasional (1–2) dry years. We found that dark-needled conifer dieback often occurs in wet years with plentiful rain rather than in drought years. We found forest dieback was associated with the westerlies that bring atmospheric pollution from the west at 50–56 N latitudes, where the air masses cross populated regions that have widespread industrial complexes. Conclusions. We concluded that the observed decline of dark-needled conifers at middle-to-high elevations across the South Siberia’s Mts was conditioned by several plausible causes, among which air pollution seems to be more credible, rather than dry climatic conditions, as cited in recent literature. Results are essential for understanding these ecosystems and others as our planet changes. Other causes and mechanisms should be further investigated, which would necessitate creating infrastructure that supports multi-disciplinary, inter-agency teamwork of plant physiologists, foresters, chemists, etc.

Industrial air pollutant emissions and mortality from Alzheimer's disease in Canada

BackgroundThere is increasing interest in the health effects of source-specific air pollution. However, the relationship between industrial air pollutants and Alzheimer's disease has received limited investigation. ObjectivesTo assess associations of industrial fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposures with mortality from Alzheimer's disease. MethodsApproximately 3.2 million adults involved in the 2006 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC) were followed from Census day (May 16, 2006) until death or December 31, 2016. Three-year moving-average industrial emissions with a one-year lag were assigned to the participants based on their residential postal codes. The neighborhood emission of each of the three industrial air pollutants for a postal code was estimated by considering weights of the air pollutant emissions from all industries within a 15 km buffer area, distances between the postal code area and the emitters, and percentages of time per year that the postal code area was downwind of the industrial emitters. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) for deaths from Alzheimer's, adjusting for 15 socio-demographic and contextual covariates. Sensitivity analyses were conducted by adjusting for other industrial emissions, greenness, and comorbidity index, individually. ResultsWe identified 4500 deaths due to Alzheimer's disease from 2006 to 2016 for a total of 32,909,200 person-years across the follow-up period. The adjusted HR for mortality from Alzheimer's related to one interquartile range increase in industrial PM2.5, NO2, and SO2 tonnes/meter per year are 1.006 (95% confidence intervals: 1.000-1.011), 0.994 (0.978-1.011), and 0.998 (0.996-1.001), respectively. Similar positive associations between industrial PM2.5 and mortality from Alzheimer's disease were observed, but there were no clear associations for NO2 and SO2 in sensitivity analyses. ConclusionsExposure to industrial PM2.5 increases the risk of mortality from Alzheimer's disease.

Examining industrial air pollution embodied in trade: implications of a hypothetical China-UK FTA.

Very few developed economies have a full free trade agreement (FTA) with China. This study employs one GTAP model and builds an extended environmental multi-region input–output model to investigate a hypothetical China-UK FTA, concerning embodied industrial emissions of SO2, PM2.5, NOX, and NH3. The economic sectors are also classified based on their embodied pollution intensity and trade advantage index under various FTA scenarios. Results show that the UK’s GDP and welfare and China’s welfare will increase, along with changes in their trade structures. Overall, this FTA brings about larger net impacts on embodied emissions of SO2 than on PM2.5, NOX and NH3, and both countries are net importers of the latter three pollutants. Key sectors such as non-metallic mineral products, chemical products, and agriculture are inclined to become less competitive and less polluting under the FTA. The inclusion of agri-food sectors exhibits slight counteracting effects in general. The findings are of policy importance as they provide insights into how best to target key sectors, seeking a balance between trade development and environmental protection.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10668-022-02612-z.

Industrial Air Pollution Leads to Adverse Birth Outcomes: A Systematized Review of Different Exposure Metrics and Health Effects in Newborns.

Objectives: To review the evidence of associations between adverse birth outcomes (ABO) and industrial air pollution. Methods: Searches were conducted in PubMed, and Scopus databases, and additional articles were found from snowball search techniques. The included studies feature a study population of mothers with live-born babies exposed to industrial air pollutants, and they examine the effects of industrial pollutants on adverse birth outcomes—namely, low birth weight, term low birth weight, preterm birth, and small for gestational age. Results: Altogether, 45 studies were included in this review. Exposure to PM2.5, PAHs, benzene, cadmium, and mixtures of industrial air pollutants and living near an industrial area affect birth outcomes. Conclusion: This study concludes that industrial air pollution is an important risk factor for ABO, especially low birth weight and preterm birth. The strongest evidence is associations between ABO and air pollution from power plants and petrochemical industries. Understanding of specific chemicals that are critical to birth outcomes is still vague. However, the evidence is strongest for more specific air pollutants from the industry, such as PAH, benzene, BTEX, and cadmium.

Can the Urban Growth Boundary Reduce Urban Industrial Air Pollution in China? A Study from the Perspective of the Sustainability of Land Urbanization

Can the Urban Growth Boundary Reduce Urban Industrial Air Pollution in China? A Study from the Perspective of the Sustainability of Land Urbanization

Label-free detection and quantification of ultrafine particulate matter in lung and heart of mouse and evaluation of tissue injury

While it is known that air borne ultrafine particulate matter (PM) may pass through the pulmonary circulation of blood at the alveolar level between lung and heart and cross the air-blood barrier, the mechanism and effects are not completely clear. In this study the imaging method fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy is adopted for visualization with high spatial resolution and quantification of ultrafine PM particles in mouse lung and heart tissues. The results showed that the median numbers of particles in lung of mice exposed to ultrafine particulate matter of diameter less than 2.5 µm was about 2.0 times more than that in the filtered air (FA)-treated mice, and about 1.3 times more in heart of ultrafine PM-treated mice than in FA-treated mice. Interestingly, ultrafine PM particles were more abundant in heart than lung, likely due to how ultrafine PM particles are cleared by phagocytosis and transport via circulation from lungs. Moreover, heart tissues showed inflammation and amyloid deposition. The component analysis of concentrated airborne ultrafine PM particles suggested traffic exhausts and industrial emissions as predominant sources. Our results suggest association of ultrafine PM exposure to chronic lung and heart tissue injuries. The current study supports the contention that industrial air pollution is one of the causative factors for rising levels of chronic pulmonary and cardiac diseases.

Polycentricity, Agglomeration, and Industrial Air Pollution in the Chinese City-Regions

With the rise of the city-regions development strategy, the impact of the spatial structure in city-regions on environmental pollution becomes an increasingly important issue related to sustainable regional development. Although previous studies have paid attention to spatial structure affecting environmental quality, there is a lack of analyzing the reduction effect of industrial pollution emission from the perspective of polycentricity and monocentricity. In order to provide the evidence from industrial production activities to test the relationship between spatial structure and industrial pollution, this study extends the production density model by treating industrial pollution emissions as non-expected output and introducing the spatial structure factor into the model, thus revealing the non-linear interactive effects of spatial structure and agglomeration on industrial pollution emissions, and exploring this emission reduction effect and its mechanisms using threshold regression model and mediation model. The empirical analysis shows that spatial structure matters and the results are as follows: Firstly, polycentricity is associated with lower industrial pollution emission intensity, but the emission reduction effect of polycentricity depends on regional agglomeration. Secondly, the higher the regional agglomeration, the greater the emission reduction effect. Thirdly, the heterogeneity test also indicates that the geographical compactness and unified administration of city-regions strengthen this emission reduction effect. Fourthly, the mediating effect test verifies the three mechanisms proposed in this study, among which energy utilization efficiency effect plays a major role. The governments are expected to promote the transformation of the spatial structure from a monocentricity to polycentricity based on the level of regional agglomeration to ensure that the expected emission reduction effect can be achieved.

Strengthening the control of enterprises with industrial pollution of atmospheric air

Purpose. To analyze and assess the legal basis of the activities of enterprises that have an impact on the atmospheric air due to the result of their activities, to elaborate recommendations on improving the mechanism for monitoring and influencing the activities of such enterprises, and types of legal liability for violations of legislation in the sphere of atmospheric air protection. Methodology. The study on problematic issues of strengthening the control of the activities of enterprises with industrial air pollution was carried out by studying and analyzing the regulatory and legal framework of Ukraine, theoretical research in the relevant sectors, analysis of official statistics on air pollution Findings. The current legislation on the control of enterprises with industrial air pollution has been studied in the paper. Some problems and lack of proper control over the activity of enterprises with industrial atmospheric pollution were revealed. Originality. The main ways have been formulated of influence and improvement of control over the activity of industrial enterprises, the functioning of which is connected with atmospheric air pollution: reforming the state control bodies in the field of environmental protection; strengthening public control in the sphere of environmental protection; adjustment of legislation and strengthening of the liability of the enterprises. Practical value. The paper recommends the introduction of compulsory public participation at the stage of monitoring compliance with the law in the activities of enterprises with industrial pollution of atmospheric air, which will help to conduct a political dialogue on such an important issue. In order to give the necessary powers to public inspectors, it is proposed to amend the legislation in the sphere of atmospheric air protection and supplement it with the relevant norms, which will introduce mandatory training of public eco-inspectors. Also, the necessity to strengthen administrative responsibility at the stage of control over the activity of enterprises with industrial air pollution is argued. It will be relevant to strengthen administrative responsibility and to determine a fine in the amount of 50% of losses due to being fully compensated. Thus, amendments to Article 78 and 79 of the Code of Ukraine on administrative offenses will deter relevant actors from violations of environmental legislation.

Investigation of phenolic compounds potential to reduce dust pollution of pomegranate trees

The present study was carried out in two seasons from two areas at different distances from the industrial zone of Gabes city which is classified as a Mediterranean host-spot pollution region. Pomegranate tree were highly exposed to various industrial air pollutants containing Zn and Cu. The relation between Zn, Cu, morphological, physiological and biochemical changes induced in pomegranate leaves was evaluated based to the measurement of leaf heavy metals, leaf changes, total phenolic content and quali-quantification of individual phenol profile by LC-ESI-MS. Results showed that the highest levels of metals were found in the closet site to the industrial area. This accumulation varied significantly between areas and seasons and cause significant increase of necrosis leaf area, decrease of leaf area, green leaf area and specific leaf area. LC-ESI-MS analysis showed a spatial and seasonal variation of total phenolic acids and flavonoids which indicate that phenolic compounds are rigorously depending to stressful conditions. A significant positive correlation was found among total Zn, Cu, necrosis, cirsiliol, caffeic and trans-ferulic acids. This accumulation can serve as protective defensive mechanism to minimize the air pollutants effects, chelate Zn and Cu and then to improve the resistance of pomegranate trees.

Water and Air Pollution as an Emerging Problem for Pakistan: A Review

Currently, the development of human societies is greatly affected because of global environmental problems. Pakistan is also on the list of the most affected countries facing a number of environmental issues that affect not only people health but also the economy. The present work examines with focus on secondary data and information gathered from various literature on water and air pollution. Both water and air pollution are very complex issues and their connection to measuring the exact level of pollution is an extremely difficult one. Therefore, in this review, the main sources influencing pollution risks in Pakistan are human urbanization, surface water pollution, industrial sewage pollution, air pollution, and soil pollution. This study will help to develop suitable strategies and rules for Pakistan environmental protection in the near future. Finally, the aim of this article is to raise awareness of environmental pollution, including water pollution, air pollution, and their effect on human health, animals, and agricultural activities.

Artificial weathering of rock types bearing petroglyphs from Murujuga, Western Australia

AbstractMurujuga in Western Australia has the largest concentration of ancient rock engravings (petroglyphs) in the world. However, the Murujuga rock art is potentially threatened by local industrial air pollution, in particular by acid rain, but unambiguous scientific evidence is still missing. Here, we report on results of an accelerated weathering experiment, simulating Murujuga weather and climate conditions that was designed and performed to test whether the expected small changes in chemical, mineralogical, and physical characteristics of the rock surface can be detected and reliably quantified by various analytical means. Locally acquired Murujuga granophyre and gabbro samples with natural varnish were artificially weathered for up to four months in a climate chamber under conditions that simulated 2 years of natural weathering. Mineralogical, chemical, and physical changes were qualitatively monitored by X-ray diffraction and confocal Raman spectroscopy, and quantified by colorimetry, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and micro-computed tomography. In addition, artificial rainwater that was sprinkled over the rock samples was collected and analysed by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results show significant chemical and physical changes of the surfaces of the rock varnish after 1 month of artificial weathering. The analytical results demonstrate that it is possible to quantitatively monitor small changes caused by the weathering of gabbro and granophyre. Therefore, such a semi-actualistic experimental approach, when carefully designed, potentially allows testing the hypothesis that the weathering rate of the Murujuga petroglyphs is increased by local industrial air pollution. Further experimental work is currently under way.

Broad-Leaved Tree Growth Modulated by Industrial Air Pollution in the Northern Romania (Baia Mare Region)

Atmospheric pollutants over the last century have led to increased negative impacts on the environment, especially on forest ecosystems. In the Baia Mare region of Romania, the influence of pollution on the neighboring forests of the municipality has been reported since 1970, and its negative effects have been reported mainly in the form of reduced tree growth, which implies significant losses of wood biomass. The objective of this study is to analyze the temporal and spatial effect of industrial pollution on the auxological processes of beech trees in this region. Quantification of auxological changes was performed by analyzing the resilience, recovery and resistance indices. The most intense negative effect of local pollution with heavy metal dusts, sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and sulfuric acid vapors, on the auxological processes of beech trees was found in the period 1960–1990, with a maximum in the period 1970–1980, when the mining activity was at its highest intensity. Beech trees responded to the negative effect of pollution by significantly reducing their growth during the period affected by local pollution, and after 1990 they resumed their auxological activity close to normal. In addition, it was noted that the index that best captures the effect of pollution over time is the resilience index. Tree growth resilience, recovery, and resistance assessment and analysis significantly contributes to our understanding of trees response to environment pollution more broadly creating also the base for strategic planning initiatives with valuable insight into the efforts of making the forests more resilient and resistant.

No Country for Old Men. Assessing Socio-Spatial Relationships Between Air Quality Perceptions and Exposures in Southern Chile.

An extensive body of research has been noted that many socially deprived communities tend to live in areas characterized by higher levels of outdoor air pollution. Whilst there is an expanding literature documenting this disproportionate distribution, most previous studies have taken place in the Global North, have focused with industrial or vehicle air pollution sources and have tend to ignore the complex interactions between exposures, public perceptions and social factors. In this paper, we investigate the social vulnerability to and risk perceptions of air pollution sourced from domestic heating in two Chilean cities with particularly high levels of PM2.5 during winter months. To this end, we integrate primary survey data, with geographically detailed estimates of air pollution exposures and area-level characteristics obtained from the Chilean Census. We first examine the spatial distribution of PM2.5 exposures and air quality perceptions, and subsequently explore relationships between socio-demographic characteristics, air pollution exposure, and health concerns. Our results revel evident spatial patterns of dispersion, with some neighborhoods being more polluted than others. Age and percentage of roofs in poor condition in the participant's census tract are the best predictors of PM2.5 exposure. We find no correlation between perceived and real levels of contamination. Our multivariate analysis indicates that personal perceptions of air quality are significantly associated with age, gender, family structure, and heating behaviors. Such detailed depictions provide insights into potential meaningful strategies to improve air quality and highlight the need to incorporate measures to better protect older adults.