| 1. |
- Chen, Gongbo, et al.
(författare)
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Mortality risk attributable to wildfire-related PM2·5 pollution : a global time series study in 749 locations
- 2021
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Ingår i: The Lancet Planetary Health. - : Elsevier. - 2542-5196. ; 5:9, s. e579-e587
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Many regions of the world are now facing more frequent and unprecedentedly large wildfires. However, the association between wildfire-related PM2·5 and mortality has not been well characterised. We aimed to comprehensively assess the association between short-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2·5 and mortality across various regions of the world.METHODS: For this time series study, data on daily counts of deaths for all causes, cardiovascular causes, and respiratory causes were collected from 749 cities in 43 countries and regions during 2000-16. Daily concentrations of wildfire-related PM2·5 were estimated using the three-dimensional chemical transport model GEOS-Chem at a 0·25° × 0·25° resolution. The association between wildfire-related PM2·5 exposure and mortality was examined using a quasi-Poisson time series model in each city considering both the current-day and lag effects, and the effect estimates were then pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. Based on these pooled effect estimates, the population attributable fraction and relative risk (RR) of annual mortality due to acute wildfire-related PM2·5 exposure was calculated.FINDINGS: 65·6 million all-cause deaths, 15·1 million cardiovascular deaths, and 6·8 million respiratory deaths were included in our analyses. The pooled RRs of mortality associated with each 10 μg/m3 increase in the 3-day moving average (lag 0-2 days) of wildfire-related PM2·5 exposure were 1·019 (95% CI 1·016-1·022) for all-cause mortality, 1·017 (1·012-1·021) for cardiovascular mortality, and 1·019 (1·013-1·025) for respiratory mortality. Overall, 0·62% (95% CI 0·48-0·75) of all-cause deaths, 0·55% (0·43-0·67) of cardiovascular deaths, and 0·64% (0·50-0·78) of respiratory deaths were annually attributable to the acute impacts of wildfire-related PM2·5 exposure during the study period.INTERPRETATION: Short-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2·5 was associated with increased risk of mortality. Urgent action is needed to reduce health risks from the increasing wildfires.
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| 2. |
- Domingo, Nina G.G., et al.
(författare)
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Ozone-related acute excess mortality projected to increase in the absence of climate and air quality controls consistent with the Paris Agreement
- 2024
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Ingår i: One Earth. - : Elsevier. - 2590-3330 .- 2590-3322. ; 7:2, s. 325-335
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Short-term exposure to ground-level ozone in cities is associated with increased mortality and is expected to worsen with climate and emission changes. However, no study has yet comprehensively assessed future ozone-related acute mortality across diverse geographic areas, various climate scenarios, and using CMIP6 multi-model ensembles, limiting our knowledge on future changes in global ozone-related acute mortality and our ability to design targeted health policies. Here, we combine CMIP6 simulations and epidemiological data from 406 cities in 20 countries or regions. We find that ozone-related deaths in 406 cities will increase by 45 to 6,200 deaths/year between 2010 and 2014 and between 2050 and 2054, with attributable fractions increasing in all climate scenarios (from 0.17% to 0.22% total deaths), except the single scenario consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement (declines from 0.17% to 0.15% total deaths). These findings stress the need for more stringent air quality regulations, as current standards in many countries are inadequate.
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| 3. |
- Liu, Cong, et al.
(författare)
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Coarse particulate air pollution and daily mortality : a global study in 205 cities
- 2022
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Ingår i: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. - : American Thoracic Society. - 1073-449X .- 1535-4970. ; 206:8, s. 999-1007
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- RATIONALE: The associations between ambient coarse particulate matter (PM2.5-10) and daily mortality is not fully understood at a global scale.OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the short-term associations between PM2.5-10 and total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality across multiple countries/regions worldwide.METHODS: We collected daily mortality (total, cardiovascular, respiratory) and air pollution data from 205 cities in 20 countries/regions. Concentrations of PM2.5-10 were computed as the difference between inhalable and fine particulate matter. A two-stage time-series analytic approach was applied, with over-dispersed generalized linear models and multilevel meta-analysis. We fitted two-pollutant models to test the independent effect of PM2.5-10 from co-pollutants (fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide). Exposure-response relationship curves were pooled and regional analyses were conducted.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5-10 concentration on lag 0-1 day was associated with increments of 0.51% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18%, 0.84%), 0.43% (95%CI: 0.15%, 0.71%) and 0.41% (95%CI: 0.06%, 0.77%) in total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, respectively. The associations varied by country and region. These associations were robust to adjustment by all co-pollutants in two-pollutant models, especially for PM2.5. The exposure-response curves for total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality were positive, with steeper slopes at lower exposure ranges and without discernible thresholds.CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel global evidence on the robust and independent associations between short-term exposure to ambient PM2.5-10 and total, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, suggesting the need to establish a unique guideline or regulatory limit for daily concentrations of PM2.5-10.
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| 4. |
- Masselot, Pierre, et al.
(författare)
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Differential mortality risks associated with PM2.5 components : a multi-country, multi-city study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Epidemiology. - : Wolters Kluwer. - 1044-3983 .- 1531-5487. ; 33:2, s. 167-175
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The association between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and mortality widely differs between as well as within countries. Differences in PM2.5 composition can play a role in modifying the effect estimates, but there is little evidence about which components have higher impacts on mortality.METHODS: We applied a two-stage analysis on data collected from 210 locations in 16 countries. In the first stage, we estimated location-specific relative risks (RR) for mortality associated with daily total PM2.5 through time series regression analysis. We then pooled these estimates in a meta-regression model that included city-specific logratio-transformed proportions of seven PM2.5 components as well as meta-predictors derived from city-specific socio-economic and environmental indicators.RESULTS: We found associations between RR and several PM2.5 components. Increasing the ammonium (NH4+) proportion from 1% to 22%, while keeping a relative average proportion of other components, increased the RR from 1.0063 (95%CI: 1.0030-1.0097) to 1.0102 (95%CI:1.0070-1.0135). Conversely, an increase in nitrate (NO3-) from 1% to 71% resulted in a reduced RR, from 1.0100 (95%CI: 1.0067-1.0133) to 1.0037 (95%CI: 0.9998- 1.0077). Differences in composition explained a substantial part of the heterogeneity in PM2.5 risk.CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to the identification of more hazardous emission sources. Further work is needed to understand the health impacts of PM2.5 components and sources given the overlapping sources and correlations among many components.
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| 5. |
- Meng, Xia, et al.
(författare)
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Short term associations of ambient nitrogen dioxide with daily total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality : multilocation analysis in 398 cities.
- 2021
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Ingår i: The BMJ. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 1756-1833. ; 372
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short term associations between nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality across multiple countries/regions worldwide, using a uniform analytical protocol.DESIGN: Two stage, time series approach, with overdispersed generalised linear models and multilevel meta-analysis.SETTING: 398 cities in 22 low to high income countries/regions.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Daily deaths from total (62.8 million), cardiovascular (19.7 million), and respiratory (5.5 million) causes between 1973 and 2018.RESULTS: On average, a 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 concentration on lag 1 day (previous day) was associated with 0.46% (95% confidence interval 0.36% to 0.57%), 0.37% (0.22% to 0.51%), and 0.47% (0.21% to 0.72%) increases in total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, respectively. These associations remained robust after adjusting for co-pollutants (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm or ≤2.5 μm (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively), ozone, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide). The pooled concentration-response curves for all three causes were almost linear without discernible thresholds. The proportion of deaths attributable to NO2 concentration above the counterfactual zero level was 1.23% (95% confidence interval 0.96% to 1.51%) across the 398 cities.CONCLUSIONS: This multilocation study provides key evidence on the independent and linear associations between short term exposure to NO2 and increased risk of total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, suggesting that health benefits would be achieved by tightening the guidelines and regulatory limits of NO2.
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| 6. |
- Orru, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Health impacts of particulate matter in five major Estonian towns : main sources of exposure and local differences
- 2011
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Ingår i: Air quality, atmosphere and health. - : Springer. - 1873-9318 .- 1873-9326. ; 4:3-4, s. 247-258
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Particulate matter (PM) is the major air pollution problem with health impacts in Estonia. The prevailing sources of particles are traffic and local heating. In this study, we quantified the health effects of PM in neighbourhoods of five main cities with a health impact assessment (HIA) approach that uses information on exposure, baseline mortality/morbidity and exposure–response relationships from previous epidemiological studies. The exposure was defined as modelled PM2.5 annual levels and daily averages of PM10 (monitoring data in Tallinn and Kohtla-Järve and modelled levels in Tartu, Narva and Pärnu). The modelled results were validated with data from monitoring stations and additional measuring programmes. The annual average concentration of PM2.5 in the neighbourhoods studied varied from 7.6 to 23.6 μg m−3. The analysis indicated that the exposure above natural background corresponds to 462 [95% confidence interval (CI) 120–815] premature deaths, resulting in 6,034 (95% CI 1,583–10,309) years of life lost per year. The average decrease in life-expectancy at birth per resident of Tallinn was estimated to be 0.63 (95% CI 0.16–1.08) years. In the polluted city centres, this average decrease may reach >1 year and in Pärnu, it may reach 0.95 year. However, in the least polluted neighbourhood, the decrease of life expectancy was only 0.17 years. In addition, 231 (95% CI 145–306) respiratory and 338 (95% CI 205–454) cardiovascular hospitalisations per year could be expected. The majority of the external costs are related to the long-term effects on mortality and amount to €270 (95% CI 190–350) million annually. In comparison, the costs of hospitalisations contribute just €1.1 (95% CI 0.6–1.6) million. The main differences in health impacts were mostly driven by differences in the pollution sources, the magnitude of such sources and distribution patterns in the atmosphere. The smallest health effects, with the exception of the green residential areas, were observed in the industrial cities Kohtla-Järve and Narva (due to the small share contributed by local residential heating and relatively little car traffic). However, it is questionable whether the mass of fine particles is the best indicator of air pollution risk in such areas.
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| 7. |
- Orru, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Metallic Fumes at Indoor Military Shooting Ranges : Lead, Copper, Nickel, and Zinc in Different Fractions of Airborne Particulate Matter
- 2018
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Ingår i: Propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics. - : Wiley. - 0721-3115 .- 1521-4087. ; 43:3, s. 228-233
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Small firearm shooting emits residues of energetic materials as well as heavy metals of different particle sizes into the air, posing a risk to human health. The current study assessed concentrations of Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn in 14 different size fractions of particulate matter at indoor military shooting ranges. Air samples were collected using ELPI+ over two hour period and filters analysed with ICP-MS and ICP-OES.
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| 8. |
- Orru, Kati, et al.
(författare)
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Well-being and environmental quality : Does pollution affect life satisfaction?
- 2016
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Ingår i: Quality of Life Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0962-9343 .- 1573-2649. ; 25:3, s. 699-705
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: We aimed to explore the effect of ambient air pollution on individual persons' levels of subjective well-being. Our research question was: to what extent is an individual's life satisfaction shaped by exposure to PM10?METHODS: We used regression models to analyse data on subjective well-being indicators from the last two waves of the European social survey (ESS) and detailed information on local levels of the air pollutant PM10.RESULTS: An increase in PM10 annual concentrations by 1 μg/m(3) was associated with a significant reduction in life satisfaction of .017 points on the ESS 10-point life satisfaction scale.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that even in cases of relatively low levels of PM10 air pollution (mean annual concentration of 8.3 ± 3.9 μg/m(3)), in addition to the effects on physical health, exposure negatively affects subjective assessments of well-being.
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| 9. |
- Pindus, Mihkel, et al.
(författare)
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Association Between Health Symptoms and Particulate Matter from Traffic and Residential Heating : Results from RHINE III in Tartu
- 2016
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Ingår i: Open Respiratory Medicine Journal. - : Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.. - 1874-3064. ; 10, s. 58-69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Traffic and residential heating are the main sources of particulate matter (PM) in Northern Europe. Wood is widely used for residential heating and vehicle numbers are increasing. Besides traffic exhaust, studded tires produce road dust that is the main source of traffic-related PM10. Several studies have associated total PM mass with health symptoms; however there has been little research on the effects of PM from specific sources.OBJECTIVE: To study the health effects resulting from traffic and local heating PM.METHODS: Data on respiratory and cardiac diseases were collected within the framework of RHINE III (2011/2012) in Tartu, Estonia. Respondents' geocoded home addresses were mapped in ArcGIS and linked with local heating-related PM2.5, traffic-related PM10 and total PM2.5 concentrations. Association between self-reported health and PM was assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: The annual mean modelled exposure for local heating PM2.5 was 2.3 μg/m(3), for traffic PM10 3.3 μg/m(3) and for all sources PM2.5 5.6 μg/m(3). We found relationship between traffic induced PM10 as well as all sources induced PM2.5 with cardiac disease, OR=1.45 (95% CI 1.06-1.93) and 1.42 (95% CI 1.02-1.95), respectively. However, we did not find any significant association between residential heating induced particles and self-reported health symptoms. People with longer and better confirmed exposure period were also significantly associated with traffic induced PM10, all sources induced PM2.5 and cardiac diseases.CONCLUSION: Traffic-related PM10 and all sources induced PM2.5 associated with cardiac disease; whereas residential heating induced particles did not.
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| 10. |
- Rai, Masna, et al.
(författare)
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Heat-related cardiorespiratory mortality : effect modification by air pollution across 482 cities from 24 countries
- 2023
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 174
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Evidence on the potential interactive effects of heat and ambient air pollution on cause-specific mortality is inconclusive and limited to selected locations. Objectives: We investigated the effects of heat on cardiovascular and respiratory mortality and its modification by air pollution during summer months (six consecutive hottest months) in 482 locations across 24 countries.Methods: Location-specific daily death counts and exposure data (e.g., particulate matter with diameters ≤ 2.5 µm [PM2.5]) were obtained from 2000 to 2018. We used location-specific confounder-adjusted Quasi-Poisson regression with a tensor product between air temperature and the air pollutant. We extracted heat effects at low, medium, and high levels of pollutants, defined as the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile of the location-specific pollutant concentrations. Country-specific and overall estimates were derived using a random-effects multilevel meta-analytical model.Results: Heat was associated with increased cardiorespiratory mortality. Moreover, the heat effects were modified by elevated levels of all air pollutants in most locations, with stronger effects for respiratory than cardiovascular mortality. For example, the percent increase in respiratory mortality per increase in the 2-day average summer temperature from the 75th to the 99th percentile was 7.7% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 7.6–7.7), 11.3% (95%CI 11.2–11.3), and 14.3% (95% CI 14.1–14.5) at low, medium, and high levels of PM2.5, respectively. Similarly, cardiovascular mortality increased by 1.6 (95%CI 1.5–1.6), 5.1 (95%CI 5.1–5.2), and 8.7 (95%CI 8.7–8.8) at low, medium, and high levels of O3, respectively.Discussion: We observed considerable modification of the heat effects on cardiovascular and respiratory mortality by elevated levels of air pollutants. Therefore, mitigation measures following the new WHO Air Quality Guidelines are crucial to enhance better health and promote sustainable development.
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