Comparison of Short-Term Associations between PM2.5 Components and Mortality across Six Major Cities in South Korea

Abstract

Association between short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and mortality or morbidity varies geographically, and this variation could be due to different chemical composition affected by local sources. However, there have been only a few Asian studies possibly due to limited monitoring data. Using nationwide regulatory monitoring data of PM2.5 chemical components in South Korea, we aimed to compare the associations between daily exposure to PM2.5 components and mortality across six major cities. We obtained daily 24-h concentrations of PM2.5 and 11 PM2.5 components measured from 2013 to 2015 at single sites located in residential areas. We used death certificate data to compute the daily counts of nonaccidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory deaths. Using the generalized additive model, we estimated relative risks of daily mortality for an interquartile range increase in each pollutant concentration, while controlling for a longer-term time trend and meteorology. While elemental carbon was consistently associated with nonaccidental mortality across all cities, nickel and vanadium were strongly associated with respiratory or cardiovascular mortality in Busan and Ulsan, two large port cities. Our study shows that PM2.5 components responsible for PM2.5-associated mortality differed across cities depending on the dominant pollution sources, such as traffic and oil combustion.

Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Cognitive Impairment in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study

“…Therefore, differences in race, lifestyle, air-pollutant concentration, and exposure duration may have affected the results. The level of air pollution in Korea has been shown to be higher than in the UK or the US (two countries in which the associations between cognitive impairment and air pollution have been shown) [2,17,18]. However, there has been little research on this association for the Korean older population.…”

The 10-Year Study of the Impact of Particulate Matters on Mortality in Two Transit Cities in North-Eastern Poland (PL-PARTICLES)

“…A different pattern of lag effects between cities has been reported in other publications [43]. It could be due to different sources of pollution, resulting in different chemicals bound on the surface of particulate matter [44].…”

Prolonged Short-Term Exposure To A High Concentration of Ambient Fine Particulate Matter And Effect Modification On Daily Mortality

“…However, in other studies, the effects of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonia ions on cardiovascular mortality from 2008 to 2009 and emergency hospital visits for cardiovascular disease from 2010 to 2013 in Seoul were greater than those of PM 2.5 mass concentration [23,24]. In a multi-city study of six cities in Korea from 2013 to 2015, the pooled effect size of nitrate and sulfate was not greater than that of the mass concentration of PM 2.5 [25]. With the ndings reported in Korea, the evidence for these three water-soluble ions is still insu cient and inconsistent.…”