Linking the Fasting Blood Glucose Level to Short-Term-Exposed Particulate Constituents and Pollution Sources: Results from a Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in China

Abstract

Ambient PM2.5 (fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤ 2.5 μm) is thought to be associated with the development of diabetes, but few studies traced the effects of PM2.5 components and pollution sources on the change in the fasting blood glucose (FBG). In the present study, we assessed the associations of PM2.5 constituents and their sources with the FBG in a general Chinese population aged over 40 years. Exposure to PM2.5 was positively associated with the FBG level, and each interquartile range (IQR) increase in a lag period of 30 days (18.4 μg/m3) showed the strongest association with an elevated FBG of 0.16 mmol/L (95% confidence interval: 0.04, 0.28). Among various constituents, increases in exposed elemental carbon, organic matter, arsenic, and heavy metals such as silver, cadmium, lead, and zinc were associated with higher FBG, whereas barium and chromium were associated with lower FBG levels. The elevated FBG level was closely associated with the PM2.5 from coal combustion, industrial sources, and vehicle emissions, while the association with secondary sources was statistically insignificant. Improving air quality by tracing back to the pollution sources would help to develop well-directed policies to protect human health.

Acute Effects of Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Its Constituents on Sex Hormone Among Postmenopausal Women — Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei PLADs, China, 2018–2019

“…While some research has reported nonsignificant or negative associations between PM 2.5 exposure and sex hormone levels ( 3 ), these discrepancies may be attributable to varying PM 2.5 concentration levels, different chemical compositions, and unique characteristics of the study populations ( 5 ). It is important to note that the older adults in our study may exhibit increased sensitivity to PM 2.5 -associated health effects due to their generally poorer health status, which could impair their ability to adapt to PM 2.5 exposure ( 7 ). Additionally, there was an observed increase in testosterone levels with higher exposure to As, Sb, and Sn, but the statistical significance of these relationships was lost after applying FDR adjustments.…”

“…The specific inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants are detailed in Supplementary Figure S1 (available at https://weekly.chinacdc.cn/ ). For more comprehensive information about the study design, refer to the published study ( 7 ). Pollutant gases such as nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ), along with PM 2.5 components like organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water-soluble ions, and inorganic elements, were assessed using the closest fixed-site monitoring stations.…”

“…This analysis utilized data from the Sub-Clinical Outcomes of Polluted Air in China. Additionally, we aimed to pinpoint the primary elements within the constituents in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region and adjacent areas (6).…”

Editorial: Biogeochemistry of metals in contaminated environments

“…With the development of industrialization and urbanization, the demand of metal mining increases rapidly, resulting in groundwater, soil and air pollution (Ghani et al;Lv et al;Tian et al, 2022). Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of metals (such as lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, and antimony.)…”

Association of Fine Particulate Matter Constituents with the Predicted 10-Year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Evidence from a Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study

“…PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter with a diameter ≤2.5 µm), a complex mixture, consists mainly of black carbon (BC), soil particles (SOIL), organic matter (OM), sulfate (SO 4 2− ), ammonium (NH 4 + ), and nitrate (NO 3 − ) [6,7]. Previous studies on PM 2.5 and its constituents have shown increasing evidence of adverse health consequences [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”