Dataset Information

Determinants of personal exposure to PM_2.5 and black carbon in Chinese adults: A repeated-measures study in villages using solid fuel energy.

ABSTRACT: Exposure to air pollution is a leading health risk factor. The variance components and contributions of indoor versus outdoor source determinants of personal exposure to air pollution are poorly understood, especially in settings of household solid fuel use. We conducted a panel study with up to 4 days of repeated measures of integrated gravimetric personal exposure to PM_2.5 and black carbon in 787 men and women (ages 40-79) living in peri-urban villages in northern (Beijing and Shanxi) and southern (Guangxi) China. We simultaneously measured outdoor PM_2.5 and collected questionnaire data on sociodemographic characteristics and indoor pollution sources including tobacco smoking and solid fuel stove use. We obtained over 2000 days of personal exposure monitoring which showed higher exposures in the heating season (geometric mean (GM): 108 versus 65 ?g/m³ in the non-heating season for PM_2.5) and among northern participants (GM: 90 versus 59 ?g/m³ in southern China in the non-heating season for PM_2.5). We used mixed-effects models to estimate within- and between-participant variance components and to assess the determinants of exposures. Within-participant variance in exposure dominated the total variability (68-95%). Outdoor PM_2.5 was the dominant variable for explaining within-participant variance in exposure to PM_2.5 (16%). Household fuel use (PM_2.5: 8%; black carbon: 10%) and smoking status (PM_2.5: 27%; black carbon: 5%) explained the most between-participant variance. Indoor sources (solid fuel stoves, tobacco smoking) were associated with 13-30% higher exposures to air pollution and each 10 ?g/m³ increase in outdoor PM_2.5 was associated with 6-8% higher exposure. Our findings indicate that repeated measurements of daily exposure are likely needed to capture longer-term exposures in settings of household solid fuel use, even within a single season, and that reducing air pollution from both outdoor and indoor sources is likely needed to achieve measurable reductions in exposures to air pollution.

SUBMITTER: Lee M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7762838 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Determinants of personal exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> and black carbon in Chinese adults: A repeated-measures study in villages using solid fuel energy.

Lee Martha M Carter Ellison E Yan Li L Chan Queenie Q Elliott Paul P Ezzati Majid M Kelly Frank F Schauer James J JJ Wu Yangfeng Y Yang Xudong X Zhao Liancheng L Baumgartner Jill J

Environment international 20201208

Exposure to air pollution is a leading health risk factor. The variance components and contributions of indoor versus outdoor source determinants of personal exposure to air pollution are poorly understood, especially in settings of household solid fuel use. We conducted a panel study with up to 4 days of repeated measures of integrated gravimetric personal exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> and black carbon in 787 men and women (ages 40-79) living in peri-urban villages in northern (Beijing and Shanx ...[more]

PMID: 33395942

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Project description:Many portable monitors for quantifying mass concentrations of particulate matter air pollution rely on aerosol light scattering as the measurement method; however, the relationship between scattered light (what is measured) and aerosol mass concentration (the metric of interest) is a complex function of the refractive index, size distribution, and shape of the particles. In this study, we compared 33-h personal PM2.5 concentrations measured simultaneously using nephelometry (personal DataRAM pDR-1200) and gravimetric filter sampling for working adults (44 participants, 249 samples). Nephelometer- and filter-derived 33-h average PM2.5 concentrations were correlated (Spearman's ρ = 0.77); however, the nephelometer-derived concentration was within 20% of the filter-derived concentration for only 13% of samples. The nephelometer/filter ratio, which is used to correct light-scattering measurements to a gravimetric sample, had a median value of 0.52 and varied by over a factor of three (10th percentile = 0.35, 90th percentile = 1.1). When 33-h samples with >50% of 10-s average nephelometer readings below the nephelometer limit of detection were removed from the dataset during sensitivity analyses, the fraction of nephelometer-derived concentrations that were within 20% of the filter-derived concentration increased to 25%. We also evaluated how much the accuracy of nephelometer-derived concentrations improved after applying: (1) a median correction factor derived from a subset of 44 gravimetric samples, (2) participant-specific correction factors derived from one same from each subject, and (3) correction factors predicted using linear models based on other variables recorded during the study. Each approach independently increased the fraction of nephelometer-derived concentrations that were within 20% of the filter-derived concentration to approximately 45%. These results illustrate the challenges with using light scattering (without correction to a concurrent gravimetric sample) to estimate personal exposure to PM2.5 mass among mobile adults exposed to low daily average concentrations (median = 8 μg m-3 in this study).

Project description:IntroductionDespite the London Underground (LU) handling on average 2.8 million passenger journeys per day, the characteristics and potential health effects of the elevated concentrations of metal-rich PM2.5 found in this subway system are not well understood.MethodsSpatial monitoring campaigns were carried out to characterise the health-relevant chemical and physical properties of PM2.5 across the LU network, including diurnal and day-to-day variability and spatial distribution (above ground, depth below ground and subway line). Population-weighted station PM2.5 rankings were produced to understand the relative importance of concentrations at different stations and on different lines.ResultsThe PM2.5 mass in the LU (mean 88??g?m-3, median 28??g?m-3) was greater than at ambient background locations (mean 19??g?m-3, median 14??g?m-3) and roadside environments in central London (mean 22??g?m-3, median 14??g?m-3). Concentrations varied between lines and locations, with the deepest and shallowest submerged lines being the District (median 4??g?m-3) and Victoria (median 361??g?m-3 but up to 885??g?m-3). Broadly in agreement with other subway systems around the world, sampled LU PM2.5 comprised 47% iron oxide, 7% elemental carbon, 11% organic carbon, and 14% metallic and mineral oxides. Although a relationship between line depth and air quality inside the tube trains was evident, there were clear influences relating to the distance from cleaner outside air and the exchange with cabin air when the doors open. The passenger population-weighted exposure analysis demonstrated a method to identify stations that should be prioritised for remediation to improve air quality.ConclusionPM2.5 concentrations in the LU are many times higher than in other London transport Environments. Failure to include this environment in epidemiological studies of the relationship between PM2.5 and health in London is therefore likely to lead to a large exposure misclassification error. Given the significant contribution of underground PM2.5 to daily exposure, and the differences in composition compared to urban PM2.5, there is a clear need for well-designed studies to better understand the health effects of underground exposure.

Dataset Information

Determinants of personal exposure to PM2.5 and black carbon in Chinese adults: A repeated-measures study in villages using solid fuel energy.

Publications

Determinants of personal exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> and black carbon in Chinese adults: A repeated-measures study in villages using solid fuel energy.

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Determinants of personal exposure to PM_2.5 and black carbon in Chinese adults: A repeated-measures study in villages using solid fuel energy.