Search

Abstract The impact of O3 on the respiratory system is a significant global problem. Nevertheless, there is insufficient information about its impact on respiratory disorders in northeast China. In this study, we used a generalized additive model (GAM) to determine the correlation between O3 concentrations and respiratory deaths based on the daily meteorological data, pollutant concentrations, and respiratory deaths from 2014 to 2016 in Shenyang, a typical city in northeast China. Single and cumulative lag structures and seasonal modification were considered to investigate the link between O3 exposure and respiratory mortality in Shenyang, northeast China. Synergic effects of O3 and meteorological factors were also evaluated. Results indicated that there was a significant correlation between O3 and the number of deaths caused by respiratory diseases on a daily basis, regardless of the time delay between exposure and the occurrence of the deaths. A 10 µg/m3 rise in O3 concentration was associated with a 0.85% (95% CI 0.18–1.52%) increase in respiratory death at a lag of 1 day and a 1.43% (95% CI 0.40–2.48%) increase at a cumulative lag of 3 days. Stratified analyses revealed that O3 had a greater impact on health under warm conditions compared to cold settings. Additionally, O3 had a more pronounced effect on females than on males. The results for this study could provide some scientific guidance for local environment and health departments.

Abstract Few studies have considered nutrients as a mixture and their impact on Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The generalized linear regression (GLM), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models are fitted to estimate the association between intake of a mixture of nutrients and MCI. Comparing the results from these three models, vitamin E and vitamin B6 were identified as the most important factors associated with the risk of MCI. Considering the characteristics of BKMR, it may be more advantageous to use BKMR to estimate the combined the joint effects of nutrients mixture. In the future, studies need to move from a “one nutrient at a time” approach to simultaneous analyses of multiple nutrients intakes in order to understand and quantify the joint effect of nutrients mixture on health.

Abstract Air pollution poses a major threat to both the environment and public health. The air quality index (AQI), aggregate AQI, new health risk–based air quality index (NHAQI), and NHAQI-WHO were employed to quantitatively evaluate the characterization of air pollution and the associated health risk in Gansu Province before (P-I) and after (P-II) COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicated that AQI system undervalued the comprehensive health risk impact of the six criteria pollutants compared with the other three indices. The stringent lockdown measures contributed to a considerable reduction in SO2, CO, PM2.5, NO2 and PM10; these concentrations were 43.4%, 34.6%, 21.4%, 17.4%, and 14.2% lower in P-II than P-I, respectively. But the concentration of O3 had no obvious improvement. The higher sandstorm frequency in P-II led to no significant decrease in the ERtotal and even resulted in an increase in the average ERtotal in cities located in northwestern Gansu from 0.78% in P-I to 1.0% in P-II. The cumulative distribution of NHAQI-based population-weighted exposure revealed that 24% of the total population was still exposed to light pollution in spring during P-II, while the air quality in other three seasons had significant improvements and all people were under healthy air quality level.

Abstract Ambient pollutants, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3), pose significant risks to both public health and economic development. In recent years, PM2.5 concentration in China has decreased significantly, whereas that of O3 has increased rapidly, leading to considerable health risks. In this study, a generalized additive model was employed to establish the relationship of PM2.5 and O3 exposure with non-accidental mortality across 17 districts and counties in Jilin Province, China, over 2015–2016. The health burden and economic losses attributable to PM2.5 and O3 were assessed using high-resolution satellite and population data. According to the results, per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and O3 concentrations related to an overall relative risk (95% confidence interval) of 1.004 (1.001–1.007) and 1.009 (1.005–1.012), respectively. In general, the spatial distribution of mortality and economic losses was uneven. Throughout the study period, a total of 23,051.274 mortalities and 27,825.015 million Chinese Yuan (CNY) in economic losses were attributed to O3 exposure, which considerably surpassing the 5,450.716 mortalities and 6,553,780 million CNY in economic losses attributed to PM2.5 exposure. The O3-related health risks and economic losses increased by 3.75% and 9.3% from 2015 to 2016, while those linked to PM2.5 decreased by 23.33% and 18.7%. Sensitivity analysis results indicated that changes in pollutant concentrations were the major factors affecting mortality rather than baseline mortality and population.

Abstract Emission sources and meteorological conditions are key factors affecting the intensity and duration of air pollution events. In the current study, using the daily concentrations of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) and the water-soluble ions thereof in Lanzhou from March 1, 2021, to May 31, 2021, we investigated the contributions of emission sources and locations of potential sources through positive matrix factorization and potential source contribution function analysis. In addition, synoptic weather patterns affecting pollution were typed using T-model principal component analysis. The results revealed that the average concentrations of PM2.5 for the entire spring, dust storm days, and normal days were 54.3, 158.1 and 33.0 μg/m3, respectively. During dust storm days, sulfate produced from primary emissions was mainly present in the form of K2SO4, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and CaSO4, and nitrate was mainly produced through secondary conversion and took the form of NH4NO3. Dust, industrial entities, biomass combustion, metal smelting, secondary aerosol, and sea salt contributed to 32.0, 29.8, 13.4, 11.2, 10.8 and 2.7% of the spring PM2.5, respectively, in Lanzhou. The main potential sources of PM2.5 during the normal days were in the western parts of Lanzhou. Dust storms entered Lanzhou through the Hexi Corridor from several dust sources: southeastern Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Kurbantungut Desert, and the Badain Jaran Desert. The northwest high-pressure; northern strong high-pressure and southwest low-pressure; northwest high-pressure and southwest high-pressure synoptic weather circulation types were prone to dust storms. Our results may provide a basis for local environmental governance.

Abstract Particulate matter (PM) has been proved to be a risk factor for the development of circulatory system diseases (CSDs) around the world. In this study, we collected daily air pollutants, emergency room (ER) visits for CSDs, and meteorological data from 2009 to 2012 in Beijing, China. After controlling for the long-term trend and eliminating the influence of confounding factors, the generalized additive model (GAM) was used to evaluate the short-term effects of PM10 on CSDs and cause-specific diseases. The results showed that for every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM10, the largest effect estimates in ER visits of total CSDs, arrhythmia, cerebrovascular diseases, high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease and other related diseases were 0.14% (95% CI: 0.06–0.23%), 0.37% (95% CI: − 0.23 to 0.97%), 0.20% (95% CI: 0.00–0.40%), 0.15% (95% CI: 0.02–0.27%), 0.18% (95% CI: 0.02–0.35%) and 0.35% (95% CI: − 0.04 to 0.79%), respectively. When NO2 or SO2 was added into the model, the effect estimates of PM10 were mostly attenuated, while in those models with PM2.5 added, the effect estimates of PM10 were mostly increased. Stratified analysis indicated that PM10 had a greater effect on males and the elderly.