A 10-year assessment of ambient fine particles and related health endpoints in a large Mediterranean city

Assessing the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on air quality change and human health outcomes in a capital city, southwestern Iran

The aimsof this study were to assess the spatial variation of PM2.5, NO2, and O3 between 2019 (before) and 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic); and calculation the health outcomes of exposure to these pollutants. The daily PM2.5, NO2, and O3 concentrations were applied to assess health effects by relative risk, and baseline incidence. The annual PM2.5 and NO2 mean concentrations exceeded the WHO guideline values, while O3 did not exceed. The restrictive measures associated to COVID-19 led to reduction at the annual means of PM2.5 and NO2 by -25.5% and -23.1%, respectively, while the annual mean of O3 increased by +7.9%. The number of M-CVD and M-RD (-25.6%, -26.1%) related to PM2.5 exposure, and HA-COPD and HA-RD >65 years old (-21% and -3.84%) related to NO2 exposure were reduced in 2020, and O3 exposure-related M-CVD (+30.1%) and HA-RD >65 years old (+23.4%) increased compared to the previous year 2019.

Air pollution trends and exceedances: ozone and particulate matter outlook in Brazilian highly urbanized zones

In Brazil, scarce air quality data hinders air pollutant chemical understanding and policy decisions regarding public health and environmental impacts. From this perspective, our study assessed the O3, PM2.5, and PM10 yearly and seasonal trends and also the WHO Air Quality Guidelines 2021 exceedance trends at 40 air quality stations located in four highly urbanized zones in Brazil (Belo Horizonte, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Espírito Santo) from early 1990s up to 2019. We applied the Mann-Kendall test aligned with Sen's Slope estimator to assess the trends and the Cox-Stuart test to verify the WHO AQG 2021 exceedances trends. Our findings pointed out that the current national legislation is outdated when compared to WHO AQG 2021 values, leading to multiple exceedances episodes. We also found out that 62% of São Paulo's stations presented O3 increasing trends, while in Rio de Janeiro 85.7% presented decreasing trends. The Cox-Stuart test pointed out that PM2.5 exceedance trends showcase positive values, and most of the significative values are located in São Paulo stations. Therefore, we endorse that the national legislation needs to be updated meanwhile the air monitoring network needs to expand its coverage.

Trends in urban air pollution over the last two decades: A global perspective

Ground-level ozone (O₃), fine particles (PM_2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) are the most harmful urban air pollutants regarding human health effects. Here, we aimed at assessing trends in concurrent exposure of global urban population to O₃, PM_2.5, and NO₂ between 2000 and 2019. PM_2.5, NO₂, and O₃ mean concentrations and summertime mean of the daily maximum 8-h values (O₃ MDA8) were analyzed (Mann-Kendall test) using data from a global reanalysis, covering 13,160 urban areas, and a ground-based monitoring network (Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report), collating surface O₃ observations at nearly 10,000 stations worldwide. At global scale, PM_2.5 exposures declined slightly from 2000 to 2019 (on average, - 0.2 % year^-1), with 65 % of cities showing rising levels. Improvements were observed in the Eastern US, Europe, Southeast China, and Japan, while the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia experienced increases. The annual NO₂ mean concentrations increased globally at 71 % of cities (on average, +0.4 % year^-1), with improvements in North America and Europe, and increases in exposures in sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, and South Asia regions, in line with socioeconomic development. Global exposure of urban population to O₃ increased (on average, +0.8 % year^-1 at 89 % of stations), due to lower O₃ titration by NO. The summertime O₃ MDA8 rose at 74 % of cities worldwide (on average, +0.6 % year^-1), while a decline was observed in North America, Northern Europe, and Southeast China, due to the reduction in precursor emissions. The highest O₃ MDA8 increases (>3 % year^-1) occurred in Equatorial Africa, South Korea, and India. To reach air quality standards and mitigate outdoor air pollution effects, actions are urgently needed at all governance levels. More air quality monitors should be installed in cities, particularly in Africa, for improving risk and exposure assessments, concurrently with implementation of effective emission control policies that will consider regional socioeconomic imbalances.

Ambient PM2.5 and O3 pollution and health impacts in Iranian megacity

The main objectives of this study were to (i) assess variation within fine particles (PM_2.5) and tropospheric ozone (O₃) time series in Khorramabad (Iran) between 2019 (before) and 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic); (ii) assess relationship between PM_2.5 and O₃, the PM_2.5/O₃ ratio, and energy consumption; and (iii) estimate the health effects of exposure to ambient PM_2.5 and O₃. From hourly PM_2.5 and O₃ concentrations, we applied both linear-log and integrated exposure-response functions, city-specific relative risk, and baseline incidence values to estimate the health effects over time. A significant correlation was found between PM_2.5 and O₃ (r =-0.46 in 2019, r =-0.55 in 2020, p < 0.05). The number of premature deaths for all non-accidental causes (27.5 and 24.6), ischemic heart disease (7.3 and 6.3), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17 and 19.2), and lung cancer (9.2 and 6.25) attributed to ambient PM_2.5 exposure and for respiratory diseases (4.7 and 5.4) for exposure to O₃ above 10 µg m^-3 for people older than 30-year-old were obtained in 2019 and 2020. The number of years of life lost declined by 11.6% in 2020 and exposure to PM_2.5 reduced the life expectancy by 0.58 and 0.45 years, respectively in 2019 and 2020. Compared to 2019, the restrictive measures associated to COVID-19 pandemic led to reduction in PM_2.5 (-25.5%) and an increase of O₃ concentration (+ 8.0%) in Khorramabad.

Increased tropospheric ozone levels as a public health issue during COVID-19 lockdown and estimation the related pulmonary diseases

The aims of this study were to i) investigate the variation of tropospheric ozone (O₃) levels during the COVID-19 lockdown; ii) determine the relationships between O₃ concentrations with the number of COVID-19 cases; and iii) estimate the O₃-related health effects in Southwestern Iran (Khorramabad) over the time period 2019-2021. The hourly O₃ data were collected from ground monitoring stations, as well as retrieved from Sentinel-5 satellite data for showing the changes in O₃ levels pre, during, and after lockdown period. The concentration-response function model was applied using relative risk (RR) values and baseline incidence (BI) to assess the O₃-related health effects. Compared to 2019, the annual O₃ mean concentrations increased by 12.2% in 2020 and declined by 3.9% in 2021. The spatiotemporal changes showed a significant O₃ increase during COVID-19 lockdown, and a negative correlation between O₃ levels and the number of COVID-19 cases was found (r = - 0.59, p < 0.05). In 2020, the number of hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases increased by 4.0 per 10⁵ cases, the mortality for respiratory diseases increased by 0.7 per 10⁵ cases, and the long-term mortality for respiratory diseases increased by 0.9 per 10⁵ cases. Policy decisions are now required to reduce the surface O₃ concentrations and O₃-related health effects in Iran.

COVID-19 Outbreak Related to PM10, PM2.5, Air Temperature and Relative Humidity in Ahvaz, Iran

In this study, we assessed several points related to the incidence of COVID-19 between March 2020 and March 2021 in the Petroleum Hospital of Ahvaz (Iran) by analyzing COVID-19 data from patients referred to the hospital. We found that 57.5% of infected referrals were male, 61.7% of deaths by COVID-19 occurred in subjects over 65 years of age, and only 2.4% of deaths occurred in younger subjects (< 30 years old). Analysis showed that mean PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations were correlated to the incidence of COVID-19 (r = 0.547, P < 0.05, and r = 0.609, P < 0.05, respectively) and positive chest CT scans (r = 0.597, P < 0.05, and r = 0.541, P < 0.05 respectively). We observed that a high daily air temperature (30–51 °C) and a high relative humidity (60–97%) led to a significant reduction in the daily incidence of COVID-19. The highest number of positive chest CT scans were obtained in June 2020 and March 2021 for daily air temperature ranging from 38 °C and 49 °C and 11 °C and 15 °C, respectively. A negative correlation was detected between COVID-19 cases and air temperature (r =  − 0.320, P < 0.05) and relative humidity (r =  − 0.384, P < 0.05). In Ahvaz, a daily air temperature of 10–28 °C and relative humidity of 19–40% are suitable for the spread of coronavirus. The highest correlation with the number of COVID-19 cases was found at lag3 (r = 0.42) and at lag0 with a positive chest CT scan (r = 0.56). For air temperature and relative humidity, the highest correlations were found at day 0 (lag0). During lockdown (22 March to 21 April 2020), a reduction was observed for PM₁₀ (29.6%), PM_2.5 (36.9%) and the Air Quality Index (33.3%) when compared to the previous month. During the pandemic period (2020–2021), the annual mean concentrations of PM₁₀ (27.3%) and PM_2.5 (17.8%) were reduced compared to the 2015–2019 period.

More obvious association between short-term ambient nitrogen dioxide and atrial fibrillation outpatient visits in cool seasons: A hospital-based study in northwestern China

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder associated with high mortality and morbidity. Limited studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and AF attacks. This study aimed to explore the association between short-term ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exposure and outpatient visits for AF in Xi'an, China. Data on daily AF outpatient visits and air pollutants from 2013 to 2019 (2555 days) were obtained. A time-series approach using over-dispersed Poisson generalized additive model (GAM) was employed, and stratified analyses were performed to investigate the potential modifying effects by season, age, and gender. A total of 8307 outpatient visits for AF were recorded. Increased levels of NO₂ were associated with increased AF outpatient visits, and the most significant effect estimates were observed at lag 03: A 10 μg/m³ increase of NO₂ at lag 03 was related to an elevation of 5.59% (95% CI: 2.67%, 8.51%) in daily outpatient visits for AF. Stratified analyses showed that there were no gender and age difference in the effect of NO₂, while more obvious association was observed in cool seasons (October to March) than in warm seasons (April to September). In summary, short-term ambient NO₂ exposure can be positively associated with daily outpatient visits for AF, especially in cool seasons. This work provided novel data that the association between air pollutants and AF can vary by seasons, further supporting that the prevention of cardiovascular health effects should be strengthened in winter.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with an increased incidence and mortality of acute respiratory distress syndrome in a large French region

INTRODUCTION

Air pollution exposure is suspected to alter both the incidence and mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The impact of chronic air pollutant exposure on the incidence and mortality of ARDS from various aetiologies in Europe remains unknown. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of ARDS in a large European region, 90-day mortality being the main secondary outcome.

METHODS

The study was performed in the Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur (PACA) region. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) and ozone (O3) were measured. The Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information (PMSI), which captures all patient hospital stays in France, was used to identify adults coded as ARDS in an intensive care unit.

RESULTS

From 2016 to 2018, 4733 adults with ARDS treated in intensive care units were analysed. The incidence rate ratios for 1-year average exposure to PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were 1.207 ([95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.145-1.390]; P < 0.01) and 1.168 (95% CI, 1.083-1.259; P < 0.001), respectively. The same trend was observed for both 2- and 3-year exposures, while only chronic 1- and 2-year exposure NO₂ exposures were related to a higher incidence of ARDS. Increased PM_2.5 exposure was associated with a higher 90-day mortality for both 1- and 3-year exposures (OR 1.096 (95% CI, 1.001-1.201) and 1.078 (95% CI, 1.009-1.152), respectively). O₃ was not associated with either of incidence nor mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

While chronic exposure to NO2, PM2.5, and PM10 was associated with an increased ARDS incidence and a higher mortality rate (for PM2.5) in those patients presenting with ARDS, further research on this topic is required.

Ozone modelling and mapping for risk assessment: An overview of different approaches for human and ecosystems health

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is one of the most concernedair pollutants dueto its widespread impacts on land vegetated ecosystems and human health. Ozone is also the third greenhouse gas for radiative forcing. Consequently, it should be carefully and continuously monitored to estimate its potential adverse impacts especially inthose regions where concentrations are high. Continuous large-scale O₃ concentrations measurement is crucial but may be unfeasible because of economic and practical limitations; therefore, quantifying the real impact of O₃over large areas is currently an open challenge. Thus, one of the final objectives of O₃ modelling is to reproduce maps of continuous concentrations (both spatially and temporally) and risk assessment for human and ecosystem health. We here reviewedthe most relevant approaches used for O₃ modelling and mapping starting from the simplest geo-statistical approaches andincreasing in complexity up to simulations embedded into the global/regional circulation models and pro and cons of each mode are highlighted. The analysis showed that a simpler approach (mostly statistical models) is suitable for mappingO₃concentrationsat the local scale, where enough O₃concentration data are available. The associated error in mapping can be reduced by using more complex methodologies, based on co-variables. The models available at the regional or global level are used depending on the needed resolution and the domain where they are applied to. Increasing the resolution corresponds to an increase in the prediction but only up to a certain limit. However, with any approach, the ensemble models should be preferred.

Using Bayesian networks for environmental health risk assessment

The study investigated the potential relationships between air pollution, socio-economy, and proven pathologies (e.g., respiratory, cardiovascular) within an industrial area in Southern France (Etang de Berre), gathering steel industries, oil refineries, shipping, road traffic and experiencing a Mediterranean climate. A total of 178 variables were simultaneously integrated within a Bayesian model at intra-urban scale. Various unsupervised and supervised algorithms (maximum spanning tree, tree-augmented naive classifier) as well as sensitivity analyses were used to better understand the links between all variables, and highlighted correlations between population exposure to air pollutants and some pathologies. Adverse health effects (bronchus and lung cancers for 15-65 years old people) were observed for hydrofluoric acid at low background concentration (<0.003 μg m^-3) while exposure to particulate cadmium (0.210-0.250 μg m^-3) disrupts insulin metabolism for people over 65 years-old leading to diabetes. Bronchus and lung cancers for people over 65 years-old occurred at low background SO₂ concentration (6 μg m^-3) below European limit values. When benzo[k]fluoranthene exceeded 0.672 μg m^-3, we observed a high number of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases for 15-65 years-old people. The study also revealed the important influence of socio-economy (e.g., single-parent family, people with no qualification at 15 years-old) on pathologies (e.g., cardiovascular diseases). Finally, a diffuse polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pollution was observed in the study area and can potentially cause lung cancers.