Spatiotemporal patterns of surface ozone exposure inequality in China

Abstract

The escalating concentration of surface ozone (O 3 ) across China is increasingly highlighting potential threats to public health, ecological balance, and economic sustainability. Using a 1km x 1km dataset of O 3 concentrations, this research employs subpopulation demographic data combined with a populationweighted quality model. Its aim is to evaluate quantitatively the differences in O 3 exposure among various subpopulations within China, both at a provincial and urban cluster level. Additionally, an exposure disparity indicator was devised to establish unambiguous exposure risks among signi cant urban agglomerations at varying O 3 concentration levels. The ndings reveal that as of 2018, the population-weighted average concentration of O 3 for all subgroups has experienced a signi cant uptick, surpassing the average O 3 concentration (118µg/m 3 ). Notably, the middle-aged demographic exhibited the highest O 3 exposure level at 135.7µg/m 3 , which is signi cantly elevated compared to other age brackets. Concurrently, there exists a prominent positive correlation between educational attainment and O 3 exposure levels, with the medium-income bracket showing the greatest susceptibility to O 3 exposure risks. From an industrial vantage point, the secondary sector demographic is the most adversely impacted by O 3 exposure. Geographically, urban populations experience slightly more elevated O 3 levels than their rural counterparts, and the subpopulations in the North China, East China, and Central China regions manifest signi cantly higher O 3 exposure levels compared to other areas. These ndings not only underscore the intricate interplay between public health and environmental justice but further accentuate the indispensability of granular subgroup strategies in environmental health risk assessments. Moreover, this research furnishes invaluable scienti c groundwork for crafting targeted public health interventions and sustainable air quality management policies.