Elsevier

Atmospheric Environment

Volume 117, September 2015, Pages 32-40
Atmospheric Environment

Mortality associated with particulate concentration and Asian dust storms in Metropolitan Taipei

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.06.055Get rights and content

Highlights

  • All-cause mortality for all-ages population associated with PM10 concentration.

  • Circulatory diseases mortality for elders associated with PM2.5 concentration.

  • Winter ADS and smaller-scale ADS pose greater mortality risk.

  • Mortality risks were higher in ADS frequently inflicted period.

Abstract

This study evaluates mortality risks from all causes, circulatory diseases, and respiratory diseases associated with particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations and Asian dust storms (ADS) from 2000 to 2008 in Metropolitan Taipei. This study uses a distributed lag non-linear model with Poisson distribution to estimate the cumulative 5-day (lags 0–4) relative risks (RRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) of cause-specific mortality associated with daily PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, as well as ADS, for total (all ages) and elderly (≥65 years) populations based on study periods (ADS frequently inflicted period: 2000–2004; and less inflicted period: 2005–2008). Risks associated with ADS characteristics, including inflicted season (winter and spring), strength (the ratio of stations with Pollutant Standard Index >100 is <0.5 or ≥0.5), and duration (ADS persisted for 1–3 or ≥4 days), were also evaluated. Nonlinear models showed that an increase in PM10 from 10 μg/m3 to 50 μg/m3 was associated with increased all-cause mortality risk with cumulative 5-day RR of 1.10 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.17) for the total population and 1.10 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.18) for elders. Mortality from circulatory diseases for the elderly was related to increased PM2.5 from 5 μg/m3 to 30 μg/m3, with cumulative 5-day RR of 1.21 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.44) from 2005 to 2008. Compared with normal days, the mortality from all causes and circulatory diseases for the elderly population was associated with winter ADS with RRs of 1.05 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.08) and 1.08 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.15), respectively. Moreover, all-cause mortality was associated with shorter and less area-affected ADS with an RR of 1.04 for total and elderly populations from 2000 to 2004. Population health risk differed not only with PM concentration but also with ADS characteristics.

Introduction

Particulate matter (PM) concentrations are generally higher in Southeast Asia than in Western countries (van Donkelaar et al., 2015). Elevated PM mass concentrations have been associated with human health risks in Asia (Chan et al., 2008, Chan and Ng, 2011, Chien et al., 2012, Lee et al., 2014, Watanabe et al., 2011, WHO, 2012, Yang et al., 2005a).

In addition to regional stationary and mobile sources for ambient PM, PM from natural causes (e.g., dust storms in Northeast Asia and North Africa) also pose threats to air quality and human health (de Longueville et al., 2013). Asian dust storms (ADS) transport millions of tons of dust from deserts in Mongolia and Western China to downwind areas, such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

Chan et al. reported that only strong ADS with concentrations of PM10 (PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 μm) higher than 90 μg/m3 were associated with elevated death in Taipei (Chan et al., 2008). Several ADS characteristics, such as path, timing, period, strength, and composition, could alter PM concentration and related human health impact. The mechanism by which these factors influence human health has seldom been evaluated (Perrone et al., 2013).

In this study, the acute effects (single lag days of 0–4) of PM10 and PM with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) on the mortality from all causes, circulatory diseases, and respiratory diseases in Metropolitan Taipei, Taiwan, from 2000 to 2008 were evaluated. Risks associated with ADS based on different study periods (ADS frequently inflicted period: 2000–2004; and less inflicted period: 2005–2008), inflicted seasons (winter and spring), and ADS strengths [ratio of stations with Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) > 100 that was <0.5 or ≥0.5], and ADS duration (1–3 days or ≥4 days) were evaluated.

Section snippets

Data sources

This study obtained vital statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, hourly meteorological records from the Central Weather Bureau, and hourly air pollution monitoring records from the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) for Metropolitan Taipei from 2000 to 2008. Metropolitan Taipei, located in Northern Taiwan, has approximately 6.2 million residents or 27.9% of the national population in 2000 (Fig. 1).

Death causes were coded according to the diagnoses of the 9th revision of

Characteristics of ambient environment and ADS

Table 1 lists the ambient environment characteristics by study periods from 2000 to 2008. The patterns of ambient environment during 2000–2004 and 2005–2008 were similar.

Table 2 lists the ADS summary information from 2000 to 2008. Approximately 77.8% (35/45) of ADS events occurred in 2000–2004, whereas 57.8% (26/45) occurred during spring. Additionally, 71.1% (32/45) of ADS events were sustained for 1–3 days, and the ratio of stations with PSI>100 is <0.5. Only 11 ADS events (8 ADS events in

Discussion

All-cause mortality was associated with PM10 concentration, and mortality from circulatory diseases for the elderly population was associated with PM2.5 concentration. Additionally, winter ADS events significantly elevated the mortality from all causes and circulatory diseases in Taipei, Taiwan.

The number of spring ADS events was nearly 1.5 times larger than that of winter ADS events from 2000 to 2008 (Table 2). However, only winter ADS was significantly associated with mortality elevations

Conclusions

This study determined that all-cause mortality was associated with the PM10 concentration, and mortality from circulatory diseases for the elderly population was associated with PM2.5 concentration. Additionally, winter ADS events significantly elevated the mortality from all causes and circulatory diseases in Taipei, Taiwan. The population health risk varied not only with the PM concentration but also with ADS-related characteristics.

Authors' contribution

All authors were involved in designing the study. WYC analyzed the data, drafted and finalized the manuscript. WYC and LYK have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan EPA, and Taiwan Central Weather Bureau for providing research data. The interpretation and conclusions contained herein do not necessarily represent the views of these agencies. This study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 103-2621-M-033-001, MOST 103-2633-M-033-002, NSC102-2621-M-033-001, and NSC 102-EPA-F-005-001) of Taiwan.

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