Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Understand the local and regional contributions on air pollution from the view of human health impacts

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The source-receptor matrix of PM2.5 concentration from local and regional sources in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) and surrounding provinces has been created in previous studies. However, because the spatial distribution of concentration does not necessarily match with that of the population, such concentration-based source-receptor matrix may not fully reflect the importance of pollutant control effectiveness in reducing the PM2.5-related health impacts. To demonstrate that, we study the source-receptor matrix of the PM2.5-related deaths instead, with inclusion of the spatial correlations between the concentrations and the population. The advanced source apportionment numerical model combined with the integrated exposure-response functions is used for BTH and surrounding regions in 2017. We observed that the relative contribution to PM2.5-related deaths of local emissions was 0.75% to 20.77% larger than that of PM2.5 concentrations. Such results address the importance of local emissions control for reducing health impacts of PM2.5 particularly for local residents. Contribution of regional transport to PM2.5-related deaths in rural area was 22% larger than that in urban area due to the spatial pattern of regional transport which was more related to the rural population. This resulted in an environmental inequality in the sense that people staying in rural area with access to less educational resources are subjected to higher impacts from regional transport as compared with their more resourceful and knowledgeable urban compatriots. An unexpected benefit from the multi-regional joint controls is suggested for its effectiveness in reducing the regional transport of PM2.5 pollution thus mitigating the associated environmental inequality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bell M L, Ebisu K (2012). Environmental inequality in exposures to airborne particulate matter components in the United States. Environmental Health Perspectives, 120(12): 1699–1704

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burnett R T, Pope C A 3rd, Ezzati M, Olives C, Lim S S, Mehta S, Shin H H, Singh G, Hubbell B, Brauer M, Anderson H R, Smith K R, Balmes J R, Bruce N G, Kan H, Laden F, Pruss-Ustun A, Turner M C, Gapstur S M, Diver W R, Cohen A (2014). An integrated risk function for estimating the global burden of disease attributable to ambient fine particulate matter exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives, 122(4): 397–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang X, Wang S, Zhao B, Cai S, Hao J (2018). Assessment of inter-city transport of particulate matter in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 18: 4843–4858

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chang X, Wang S X, Zhao B, Xing J, Liu X X, Wei L, Song Y, Wu W J, Cai S Y, Zheng H T, Ding D, Zheng M (2019). Contributions of inter-city and regional transport to PM2.5 concentrations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its implications on regional joint air pollution control. Science of the Total Environment, 660: 1191–1200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen D, Liu X, Lang J, Zhou Y, Wei L, Wang X, Guo X (2017). Estimating the contribution of regional transport to PM2.5 air pollution in a rural area on the North China Plain. Science of the Total Environment, 583: 280–291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Z, Li L, Liu J (2020). The impact offoreign direct investment on urban PM2.5 pollution in China. Journal of Environmental Management, 265: 110532

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ding D, Xing J, Wang S, Liu K, Hao J (2019). Estimated contributions of emissions controls, meteorological factors, population growth, and changes in baseline mortality to reductions in ambient PM2.5 and PM2.5-related mortality in China, 2013–2017. Environmental Health Perspectives, 127(6): 067009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ding D A, Zhu Y, Jang C, Lin C J, Wang S X, Fu J, Gao J, Deng S, Xie J P, Qiu X Z (2016). Evaluation of health benefit using BenMAP-CE with an integrated scheme of model and monitor data during Guangzhou Asian Games. Journal of Environmental Sciences-China, 42: 9–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong Z, Wang S, Xing J, Chang X, Ding D, Zheng H (2020). Regional transport in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its changes during 2014–2017: The impacts of meteorology and emission reduction. Science of the Total Environment, 737: 139792

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Emery C, Tai E, Yarwood G (2001). Enhanced Meteorological Modeling and Performance Evaluation for Two Texas Episodes. Novato, CA: ENVIRON International Corp

    Google Scholar 

  • Fann N, Fulcher C M, Baker K (2013). The recent and future health burden of air pollution apportioned across U.S. sectors. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(8): 3580–3589

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guenther A, Karl T, Harley P, Wiedinmyer C, Palmer P I, Geron C (2006). Estimates of global terrestrial isoprene emissions using MEGAN (Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature). Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 6: 3181–3210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo H, Kota S H, Sahu S K, Zhang H (2019). Contributions of local and regional sources to PM2.5 and its health effects in north India. Atmospheric Environment, 214: 116867

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kwok R H F, Napelenok S L, Baker K R (2013). Implementation and evaluation of PM2.5 source contribution analysis in a photochemical model. Atmospheric Environment, 80: 398–407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang J, Cheng S, Li J, Chen D, Zhou Y, Wei X, Han L, Wang H (2013). A monitoring and modeling study to investigate regional transport and characteristics of PM2.5 pollution. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 13(3): 943–956

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li M, Zhang Q, Kurokawa J I, Woo J H, He K, Lu Z, Ohara T, Song Y, Streets D G, Carmichael G R, Cheng Y, Hong C, Huo H, Jiang X, Kang S, Liu F, Su H, Zheng B (2017). MIX: A mosaic Asian anthropogenic emission inventory under the international collaboration framework of the MICS-Asia and HTAP. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17(2): 935–963

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Zheng B, Wang K, Chen Y, Wallington T J, Han W J, Shen W, Zhang X Y, He K B (2015). Source contributions of urban PM2.5 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: Changes between 2006 and 2013 and relative impacts of emissions and meteorology. Atmospheric Environment, 123: 229–239

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu S, Xing J, Wang S, Ding D, Chen L, Hao J (2020a). Revealing the impacts of transboundary pollution on PM2.5-related deaths in China. Environment International, 134: 105323

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Bai X, Tian H, Wang K, Hua S, Liu H, Liu S, Wu B, Wu Y, Liu W, Luo L, Wang Y, Hao J, Lin S, Zhao S, Zhang K (2020b). Fine particulate matter pollution in North China: Seasonal-spatial variations, source apportionment, sector and regional transport contributions. Environmental Research, 184: 109368

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (2012). Ambient air quality standards. Beijing: China Environment Science Press (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (2018). Bulletin of China Ecological Environment 2017. Beijing: Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sacks J D, Lloyd J M, Zhu Y, Anderton J, Jang C J, Hubbell B, Fann N (2018). The environmental benefits mapping and analysis programcommunity edition (BenMAP-CE): A tool to estimate the health and economic benefits of reducing air pollution. Environmental Modelling & Software, 104: 118–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tai A P K, Mickley L J, Jacob D J, Leibensperger E M, Zhang L, Fisher J A, Pye HOT (2012). Meteorological modes of variability for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air quality in the United States: implications for PM2.5 sensitivity to climate change. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 12(6): 3131–3145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • The State Council of the People’s Republic of China (2013). Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan. Beijing: The State Council of the People’s Republic of China (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2007). Guidance on the Use of Models and Other Analyses for Demonstrating Attainment of Air Quality Goals for Ozone, PM2.5, and Regional Haze. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina: U.S. Environment Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang G Z, Gu S J, Chen J B, Wu X H, Yu J (2016). Assessment of health and economic effects by PM2.5 pollution in Beijing: a combined exposure-response and computable general equilibrium analysis. Environmental Technology, 37(24): 3131–3138

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Xing J, Mathur R, Pleim J E, Wang S, Hogrefe C, Gan C M, Wong D C, Hao J (2017). Historical trends in PM2.5-related premature mortality during 1990–2010 across the northern hemisphere. Environmental Health Perspectives, 125(3): 400–408

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang S, Fang D, Chen B (2019). Human health impact and economic effect for PM2.5 exposure in typical cities. Applied Energy, 249: 316–325

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Cheng S, Yao S, Wang X, Zhang J (2019a). Multiple perspectives for modeling regional PM2.5 transport across cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region during haze episodes. Atmospheric Environment, 212: 22–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Jiang X, Tong D, Davis S J, Zhao H, Geng G, Feng T, Zheng B, Lu Z, Streets D G, Ni R, Brauer M, Van Donkelaar A, Martin R V, Huo H, Liu Z, Pan D, Kan H, Yan Y, Lin J, He K, Guan D (2017a). Transboundary health impacts of transported global air pollution and international trade. Nature, 543(7647): 705–709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Xing J, Sarwar G, Ge Y, He H, Duan F, Zhao Y, He K, Zhu L, Chu B (2019b). Parameterization of heterogeneous reaction of SO2 to sulfate on dust with coexistence of NH3 and NO2 under different humidity conditions. Atmospheric Environment, 208: 133–140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y L, Zhu B, Gao J H, Kang H Q, Yang P, Wang L L, Zhang J K (2017b). The source apportionment of primary PM2.5 in an aerosol pollution event over Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region using WRF-Chem, China. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 17(12): 2966–2980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao B, Wu W, Wang S, Xing J, Chang X, Liou K N, Jiang J H, Gu Y, Jang C, Fu J S, Zhu Y, Wang J, Lin Y, Hao J (2017). A modeling study of the nonlinear response of fine particles to air pollutant emissions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17(19): 12031–12050

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng B, Tong D, Li M, Liu F, Hong C, Geng G, Li H, Li X, Peng L, Qi J, Yan L, Zhang Y, Zhao H, Zheng Y, He K, Zhang Q (2018). Trends in China’s anthropogenic emissions since 2010 as the consequence of clean air actions. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 18(19): 14095–14111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng H, Zhao B, Wang S, Wang T, Ding D, Chang X, Liu K, Xing J, Dong Z, Aunan K, Liu T, Wu X, Zhang S, Wu Y (2019). Transition in source contributions of PM2.5 exposure and associated premature mortality in China during 2005–2015. Environment International, 132: 105111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng S, Pozzer A, Cao C X, Lelieveld J (2015). Long-term (2001–2012) concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and the impact on human health in Beijing, China. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 15(10): 5715–5725

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41907190 & 21625701), Beijing Municipal Commission of Science and Technology (Z191100009119001 & Z191100009119004) and Tsinghua-Toyota Research Center. This work was completed on the “Explorer 100” cluster system of Tsinghua National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Yueqi Jiang, Jia Xing, Shuxiao Wang, Xing Chang, Shuchang Liu, Baoxian Liu & Shovan Kumar Sahu

  2. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Sources and Control of Air Pollution Complex, Beijing, 100084, China

    Yueqi Jiang, Jia Xing, Shuxiao Wang, Xing Chang, Shuchang Liu & Shovan Kumar Sahu

  3. Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environment Protection, Beijing, 100037, China

    Aijun Shi

  4. Beijing Key Laboratory of Airborne Particulate Matter Monitoring Technology, Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center, Beijing, 100048, China

    Baoxian Liu

Authors
  1. Yueqi Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jia Xing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shuxiao Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xing Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shuchang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Aijun Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Baoxian Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Shovan Kumar Sahu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jia Xing.

Additional information

Highlights

• PM2.5-related deaths were estimated to be 227 thousand in BTH & surrounding regions.

• Local emissions contribute more to PM2.5-related deaths than PM2.5 concentration.

• Local controls are underestimated if only considering its impacts on concentrations.

• Rural residents suffer larger impacts of regional transport than urban residents.

• Reducing regional transport benefits in mitigating environmental inequality.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jiang, Y., Xing, J., Wang, S. et al. Understand the local and regional contributions on air pollution from the view of human health impacts. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 15, 88 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1382-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1382-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation