Resurgence of Sandstorms Complicates China's Air Pollution Situation

Dust particulate matter increases pulmonary embolism onset: A nationwide time-stratified case-crossover study in China

BACKGROUND

Particulate matter (PM) has been found to elevate the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) onset. Among the contributors to PM, dust PM stands as the second natural source, and its emissions are escalating due to climate change. Despite this, information on the effect of dust PM on PE onset is scarce. Hence, this study aims to investigate the impacts of dust PM10, dust PM2.5-10, and dust PM2.5 on PE onset.

METHODS

A nationwide time-stratified case-crossover study was conducted between 2015 and 2020, using data from 18,616 PE onset cases across 1,921 hospitals in China. The analysis employed a conditional logistic regression model to quantify the associations between dust PM10, dust PM2.5-10, and dust PM2.5 and PE onset. Furthermore, the study explored the time-distributed lag pattern of the effect of dust PM on PE development. Stratified analyses were performed based on sex, age, region, and season.

RESULTS

Dust PM10, dust PM2.5-10, and dust PM2.5 exhibited significant health effects on PE onset, particularly concerning exposure on the same day. The peak estimates were observed at lag 01 day, with the odds ratio being 1.011 [95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.003, 1.019], 1.014 (95 % CI: 1.003, 1.026), and 1.039 (95 % CI: 1.011, 1.068), for a 10 μg/m3 increase in the concentration of dust PM10, dust PM2.5-10, and dust PM2.5, respectively. In addition, the study identified a higher risk of PE onset associated with dust PM exposure during the warm season than that in cool season, particularly for dust PM2.5.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study suggest that short-term exposure to dust PM, particularly dust PM2.5, may trigger PE onset, posing a significant health threat. Implementing measures to mitigate dust PM emissions and protect patients with PE from dust PM exposure is imperative.

New approach to soil management focusing on soil health and air quality: one earth one life (critical review)

Soil plays a key role in ecosphere and air quality regulation. Obsolete environmental technologies lead to soil quality loss, air, water, and land systems pollution. Pedosphere and plants are intertwined with the air quality. Ionized O2 is capable to intensify atmosphere turbulence, providing particulate matter (PM2.5) coalescence and dry deposition. Addressing environmental quality, a Biogeosystem Technique (BGT*) heuristic transcendental (nonstandard and not direct imitation of nature) methodology has been developed. A BGT* main focus is an enrichment of Earth's biogeochemical cycles through land use and air cleaning. An intra-soil processing, which provides the soil multilevel architecture, is one of the BGT* ingredients. A next BGT* implementation is intra-soil pulse continuously discrete watering for optimal soil water regime and freshwater saving up to 10-20 times. The BGT* comprises intra-soil dispersed environmentally safe recycling of the PM sediments, heavy metals (HMs) and other pollutants, controlling biofilm-mediated microbial community interactions in the soil. This provides abundant biogeochemical cycle formation and better functioning of the humic substances, biological preparation, and microbial biofilms as a soil-biological starter, ensuring priority plants and trees nutrition, growth and resistance to phytopathogens. A higher underground and aboveground soil biological product increases a reversible C biological sequestration from the atmosphere. An additional light O2 ions photosynthetic production ensures a PM2.5 and PM0.1 coalescence and strengthens an intra-soil transformation of PM sediments into nutrients and improves atmosphere quality. The BGT* provides PM and HMs intra-soil passivation, increases soil biological productivity, stabilizes a climate system of the earth and promotes a green circular economy.

Homogeneous and heterogeneous atmospheric ozonolysis of chlorobenzene:Mechanism, kinetics and ecotoxicity assessment

The reactions between chlorobenzene(CB) and ozone have been studied comprehensively in this paper. Chlorobenzene is a commonly found chlorinated aromatic volatile organic compound(VOC), and its emission into the atmosphere can cause harm to the ecosystem and human health. The frequent occurrence of mineral particles from sandstorms exerts a significant influence on the atmospheric chemistry of the troposphere. Mineral particles are abundant in SiO2 and Al2O3 content. Therefore, we investigated the homogeneous and heterogeneous reaction processes of CB and ozone in the atmosphere by using density functional theory (DFT) method at the M06-2X/6-311++g(3df,2p)//M06-2X/6-31+g(d,p) level. The atmospheric fate, reaction rate and toxicity evaluation of CB ozonation were studied in the gas-phase section. Toxicity evaluation results showed that ozonation of CB could effectively reduce its toxicity. For the heterogeneous process, we simulated three types of SiO2 clusters and nine types of (Al2O3)n clusters, and studied the configurations of CB adsorbed on the cluster surfaces. We found that adsorption of CB on the SiO2 clusters was achieved through hydrogen bonding, while adsorption of CB on the Al2O3 clusters was achieved through both hydrogen bonding and metal bonding. The energy for CB adsorption on the (Al2O3)n cluster surface was higher than that for the SixOy(OH)z cluster surface, and both types of clusters exhibited efficient adsorption of CB. As the SixOy(OH)z clusters grew larger, the rates for the reactions between O3 and CB increased. CB travelled long distances along the Al2O3 clusters, leading to an extended influence range.

Mortality risks from a spectrum of causes associated with sand and dust storms in China

Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) pose considerable health risks worldwide. Previous studies only indicated risk of SDS on overall mortality. This nationwide multicenter time-series study aimed to examine SDS-associated mortality risks extensively. We analyzed 1,495,724 deaths and 2024 SDS events from 1 February to 31 May (2013-2018) in 214 Chinese counties. The excess mortality risks associated with SDS were 7.49% (95% CI: 3.12-12.05%), 5.40% (1.25-9.73%), 4.05% (0.41-7.83%), 3.45% (0.34-6.66%), 3.37% (0.28-6.55%), 3.33% (0.07-6.70%), 8.90% (4.96-12.98%), 12.51% (6.31-19.08%), and 11.55% (5.55-17.89%) for ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke, hypertensive heart disease, myocardial infarction, acute myocardial infarction, acute ischemic heart disease, respiratory disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respectively. SDS had significantly added effects on ischemic stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease, and COPD mortality. Our results suggest the need to implement public health policy against SDS.

Environmental impacts of three Asian dust events in the northern China and the northwestern Pacific in spring 2021

In March 2021, China experienced three dust events (Dust-1, 2, 3), especially the first of which was reported as the strongest one in recent ten years. Their environmental impacts have received great attention, demanding comprehensive study to assess such impacts quantitatively. Multiple advanced measurement methods, including satellite, ground-based lidar, online aerosol speciation instrument, and biogeochemical Argo float, were applied to examine and compare the transport paths, optical and chemical properties, and impacts of these three dust events on urban air quality and marine ecosystem. The results showed that Dust-1 exhibited the largest impacts on urban area, increasing PM₁₀ concentration in Beijing, Shuozhou, and Shijiazhuang up to 7525, 3819, and 2992 μg m^-3, respectively. However, due to fast movement of the Mongolian low-pressure cyclone, the duration of northwest wind over the land was quite short (e.g., only 10 h in Beijing), which prevented the transport of dust plume to the northwestern Pacific, resulting in limited impact on the ocean. Dust-2 and Dust-3, though weaker in intensity, were transported directly to the sea, and led to a substantial increase in chlorophyll-a concentration (up to near 3 times) in the northwestern Pacific, comparing to climatological value. This indicates that the impacts of dust events on ocean was not necessarily and positively correlated to their impacts on land. Based on the analyses of land-ocean-space integrated observational data and synoptic systems, this study examined how marine ecosystem responded to three significant Asian dust events in spring 2021 and quantitatively assessed the overall impacts of mega dust storms both on land and ocean, which could also provide an interdisciplinary research methodology for future research on strong aerosol emission events such as wildfire and volcanic eruption.

Dynamic landscape of multi-elements in PM2.5 revealed by real-time analysis

Metal components in fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) are closely associated with many adverse health outcomes. Dynamic changes of metals in PM_2.5 are critical for risk assessment due to their temporal variations. Herein, an online method for real-time determination of multi-elements (As, Cd, Cs, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb, Rb, Sn, Tl, and V) in PM_2.5 was established by directly introducing air samples into inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Meanwhile, a quantified method using metal standard aerosols (Cr, Mo, and W) and high time resolution for 3.3 min online measurement was developed and validated. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.001-6.30 ng/m³ for different metals. Subsequently, the real-time contents of multi-elements in PM_2.5 for 12 h over 33 days were measured at different air qualities. Temporal variations of crustal elements like Fe, Mg are similar to PM_2.5, whereas toxic elements (Pb, As and Cd) have upward trends at dusk. This denoted the association with various emission sources and different exposure concentrations of metals. In addition to the acquisition of real-time information, online analysis of multi-elements in PM_2.5 is beneficial for atmospheric monitoring and provides critical insights into the different exposure risks of metals in PM_2.5 at varying times.

Internal Exposure and Distribution of Airborne Fine Particles in the Human Body: Methodology, Current Understandings, and Research Needs

Exposure to airborne fine particles (PM_2.5, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) severely threatens global human health. Understanding the distribution and processes of inhaled PM_2.5 in the human body is crucial to clarify the causal links between PM_2.5 pollution and diseases. In contrast to extensive research on the emission and formation of PM_2.5 in the ambient environment, reports about the occurrence and fate of PM_2.5 in humans are still limited, although many studies have focused on the exposure and adverse effects of PM_2.5 with animal models. It has been shown that PM_2.5, especially ultrafine particles (UFPs), have the potential to go across different biological barriers and translocate into different human organs (i.e., blood circulation, brain, heart, pleural cavity, and placenta). In this Perspective, we summarize the factors affecting the internal exposure of PM_2.5 and the relevant analytical methodology and review current knowledge about the exposure pathways and distribution of PM_2.5 in humans. We also discuss the research challenges and call for more studies on the identification and characterization of key toxic species of PM_2.5, quantification of internal exposure doses in the general population, and further clarification of translocation, metabolism, and clearance pathways of PM_2.5 in the human body. In this way, it is possible to develop toxicity-based air quality standards instead of the currently used mass-based standards.