Estimating the Excess Mortality Risk during Two Red Alert Periods in Beijing, China

Abstract

The magnitude of excess mortality risk due to exposures to heavy air pollution during the red alert periods in Beijing remains unknown. A health impact assessment tool combined with the PM2.5-mortality relationship was applied to estimate the number of excess deaths due to high air pollution exposure during two red alert periods in Beijing, China in December 2015. Daily PM2.5 concentration increased from 80.2 µg/m3 to 159.8 µg/m3 during the first red alert period and from 61.9 µg/m3 to 226 µg/m3 during the second period in 2015 when compared to daily PM2.5 concentrations during the same calendar date of 2013 and 2014. It was estimated that 26 to 42 excessive deaths (including 14 to 34 cardiovascular deaths, and four to 16 respiratory deaths) occurred during the first period, and 40 to 65 excessive deaths (22 to 53 cardiovascular deaths, and six to 13 respiratory deaths) occurred during the second period. The results show that heavy smog may have substantially increased the mortality risk in Beijing, suggesting more stringent air pollution controlling measures should be implemented to protect the public health.

Evaluating the “2+26” regional strategy for air quality improvement during two air pollution alerts in Beijing: variations in PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations, source apportionment, and the relative contribution of local emission and regional transport

“…This result is consistent with findings from some recent studies (Fromme et al, 2008;Tan et al, 2016;Shang et al, 2018). As revealed by previous studies (Zhang et al, 2013;Liu et al, 2018;Shang et al, 2018) and the source apportionment from this research, the use of coal fuels has been the dominant source for the formation and mass concentration of PM 2.5 in Beijing since 2013. However, the remarkable decrease in coal com- bustion since the winter of 2017 has greatly reduced the contribution of coal combustion to local PM 2.5 concentrations, which directly improved the wintertime air quality and led to the cleanest winter in Beijing since 2013.…”

Nanoparticle composite TPNT1 is effective against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses

“…The amounts of Au (< 0.01 ppm), Ag (< 0.05 ppm) and ZnO (< 0.6 ppm) in the 50% effective dose of TPNT1 tests are considered within the range of concentration to be used as food additives. The content of ClO 2 (< 0.425 ppm) is also within the safety concentration in drinking water 54 , 55 .…”

Evaluating the Recent 2+26 Regional Strategy for Air Quality Improvement During Two Orange Air Pollution Alerts in Beijing: variations of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; concentrations, source apportionment, and the relative contribution of local emission and regional transport

“…There are very few compulsory emission-reduction measures for blue and yellow alerts and most emission-reduction measures are suggestive. The characteristics and effects of these emission-reduction measures during alert periods have been massively studied (Zhong, J. et al, 2017;Zhang, Z. et al,2017;Wang, X. et al, 2017;Zeng, W. et al, 2018;Shang, X. et al, 2018). However, previous emission-reduction measures during orange and red alerts were solely conducted in a specific city (e.g., Beijing) while regional emission-reduction measures implemented simultaneously in many adjacent cities have rarely been implemented and evaluated.…”