Reversal of trends in global fine particulate matter air pollution.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37660164.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-41086-z and PMC identifier 10475088.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Ambient fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) is the world's leading environmental health risk factor. Quantification is needed of regional contributions to changes in global PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure. Here we interpret satellite-derived PM<sub>2.5</sub> estimates over 1998-2019 and find a reversal of previous growth in global PM<sub>2.5</sub> air pollution, which is quantitatively attributed to contributions from 13 regions. Global population-weighted (PW) PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure, related to both pollution levels and population size, increased from 1998 (28.3 μg/m<sup>3</sup>) to a peak in 2011 (38.9 μg/m<sup>3</sup>) and decreased steadily afterwards (34.7 μg/m<sup>3</sup> in 2019). Post-2011 change was related to exposure reduction in China and slowed exposure growth in other regions (especially South Asia, the Middle East and Africa). The post-2011 exposure reduction contributes to stagnation of growth in global PM<sub>2.5</sub>-attributable mortality and increasing health benefits per µg/m<sup>3</sup> marginal reduction in exposure, implying increasing urgency and benefits of PM<sub>2.5</sub> mitigation with aging population and cleaner air.
Medical subject headings
- Air Pollution