Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, QC H3A 2K6, Canada.
Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Feb 1;99(2):125-137D. doi: 10.2471/BLT.19.245704. Epub 2020 Dec 15.
To compare ambient air quality standards for the mass concentration of aerosol particles smaller than approximately 2.5 μm (PM) and exposure to these particles in national and regional jurisdictions worldwide.
We did a review of government documents and literature on air quality standards. We extracted and summarized the PM concentration limits effective before July 2020, noting whether standards were enforced, voluntary or target. We compared averaging methods and permitted periods of time that standards may be exceeded. We made a descriptive analysis of PM standards by population, total area and population density of jurisdictions. We also compared data on actual PM air quality against the standards.
We obtained data on standards from 62 jurisdictions worldwide, including 58 countries. Of the world's 136.06 million km land under national jurisdictions, 71.70 million km (52.7%) lack an official PM air quality standard, and 3.17 billion people live in areas without a standard. The existing standards ranged from 8 to 75 µg/m, mostly higher than the World Health Organization guideline annual limit of < 10 µg/m. The weakest PM standards were often exceeded, while the more stringent standards were often met. Several jurisdictions with the highest population density demonstrated compliance with relatively stringent standards.
The metrics used in PM ambient air quality standards should be harmonized worldwide to facilitate accurate assessment of risks associated with PM exposure. Population density alone does not preclude stringent PM standards. Modernization of standards can also include short-term standards to unmask PM fluctuations in high-pollution areas.
比较全球各国和地区环境空气中小于约 2.5μm（PM）的气溶胶颗粒质量浓度的空气质量标准和这些颗粒的暴露情况。
我们对空气质量标准的政府文件和文献进行了综述。我们提取并总结了截至 2020 年 7 月之前有效的 PM 浓度限值，注意标准是否强制执行、自愿执行或作为目标。我们比较了平均方法和允许标准超标时间。我们根据辖区的人口、总面积和人口密度对 PM 标准进行了描述性分析。我们还比较了实际 PM 空气质量数据与标准数据。
我们从全球 62 个辖区获得了标准数据，包括 58 个国家。在全球 1.3606 亿平方公里的国家管辖陆地中，有 7170 万平方公里（52.7%）没有正式的 PM 空气质量标准，有 31.7 亿人生活在没有标准的地区。现有的标准范围从 8 到 75μg/m，大多数高于世界卫生组织<10μg/m 的年度限值。较弱的 PM 标准往往被超过，而较严格的标准往往得到满足。人口密度最高的几个辖区符合相对严格的标准。
全球应协调 PM 环境空气质量标准中使用的指标，以方便准确评估与 PM 暴露相关的风险。人口密度本身并不能排除严格的 PM 标准。标准的现代化也可以包括短期标准，以揭示高污染地区 PM 波动情况。
