Associations between Source-Specific Fine Particulate Matter and Mortality and Hospital Admissions in Beijing, China

Abstract

The health effects of PM2.5 exposure have become a major public concern in developing countries. Identifying major PM2.5 sources and quantifying the health effects at the population level are essential for controlling PM2.5 pollution and formulating targeted emissions reduction policies. In the current study, we have obtained PM2.5 mass data and used positive matrix factorization to identify the major sources of PM2.5. We evaluated the relationship between short-term exposure to PM2.5 sources and mortality or hospital admissions in Beijing, China, using 441 742 deaths and 9 420 305 hospital admissions from 2013 to 2018. We found positive associations for coal combustion and road dust sources with mortality. Increased hospital admission risks were significantly associated with sources of vehicle exhaust, coal combustion, secondary sulfates, and secondary nitrates. Compared to the cool season, excess mortality risk estimates of coal combustion source were significantly higher in the warm season. Our findings show that reducing more toxic sources of PM2.5, especially coal emissions, and developing clean energy alternatives can have critical implications for improving air quality and protecting public health.

Association between Ambient Volatile Organic Compounds Exposome and Emergency Hospital Admissions for Cardiovascular Disease

“…In addition, the lack of information about individual-level temporal activity was another potential source of misclassification. This is a major limitation in most time series studies on air pollution and health . Finally, this study was a single-city study conducted in Beijing, with fewer VOCs monitoring stations.…”

“…This is a major limitation in most time series studies on air pollution and health. 50 Finally, this study was a single-city study conducted in Beijing, with fewer VOCs monitoring stations. The generalization of the findings was limited.…”

Accountability analysis of health benefits related to National Action Plan on Air Pollution Prevention and Control in China

“…In 2018, coal use in another 4 million households was substituted by clean energy in BTH and the surrounding areas. PM 2.5 from coal combustion sources is associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions or deaths ( 44 ), and rural residential coal burning is one of the major components of coal combustion in China and leads to high indoor exposure to PM 2.5 . A recent study in Beijing showed that eliminating coal use in households in high- and middle-income districts markedly reduced indoor PM 2.5 exposure and increased life satisfaction compared to untreated homes ( 12 ).…”

Persistent Uptake of H2O2 onto Ambient PM2.5 via Dark-Fenton Chemistry

“…Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) is a well-known air pollutant that profoundly impacts air quality, climate change, and human health. , As a sensitive indicator for atmospheric oxidizing capacity, − hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) plays an important role in the conversion of primary pollutants, contributing to secondary aerosol formation. , Atmospheric H 2 O 2 regulates the chemical budgets of odd-hydrogen radicals (OH and HO 2 ). , Additionally, as one of the typical reactive oxygen species (ROS), H 2 O 2 can also cause oxidative stress such as DNA strand breakage and cell damage, posing severe health risks. , …”