Shi Xiaoming, Duan Guangcai
China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Population Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
China CDC Wkly. 2022 Apr 22;4(16):329-341. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2022.078.
The task force has comprehensively reviewed efforts for air pollution prevention and control, the acute health effects of fine particles (PM), and the health benefits of air pollution prevention and control in China. It has been found that the overall prevention and control of ambient PM pollution in China has made remarkable progress in recent years. However, it still remains at a relatively high level. Short-term exposure to ambient PM significantly increases the mortality and morbidity risk of Chinese residents, resulting in changes to levels of relevant biological markers. Prolonged PM heavily polluted weather greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Among chemical composition of PM, carbon-containing components, some inorganic salts, and heavy metals are linked with the health impacts. The health risks of PM pollution are higher for children, the elderly, and patients with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases than for the general population because the former groups are vulnerable subpopulations. The implementation of air pollution prevention and control policies has significantly improved human health. The implementation of personal protective equipment can significantly reduce the health damage caused by short-term exposure to ambient PM pollution. Based on scientific evidence of PM pollution and acute health risks in China, the following three recommendations are proposed. 1) The policy recommendations for the prevention and control of ambient PM pollution include the following: to continuously strengthen the widespread use and efficient development of clean energy; to further promote industrial upgrading; to focus on the control of transportation pollution; to keep improving the modernization system of air pollution control; to formulate and refine relevant standards for air quality gradually; and to estimate the effects and health benefits after the implementation of clean air actions, and relevant policies. 2) Prevention of ambient PM pollution and protection of public health recommendations include the following: to strengthen the release of air pollution monitoring and relevant information; to strengthen awareness of air pollution hazards; to clarify the guidance and recommendations for protecting population health from air pollution; and to strengthen the health protection of population vulnerable to ambient air pollution. 3) Recommendations for research on health risks of air pollution include the following: to strengthen research on air pollutant monitoring technology and monitoring system based on the promotion of accurate exposure assessment; to systematically carry out full-spectrum identification and correlation studies of air pollutants and health effects; to conduct studies on key toxic components and early biomarker inventory of air pollution health effects; to discover the toxicity mechanisms of the key toxic components of air pollutants; to carry out research on population health risk assessment and early warning of combined exposure to air pollutants; and to execute comprehensive studies on the health and economic benefits of pollution and carbon reduction under the national strategies of carbon neutrality and beautiful China.
该特别工作组全面回顾了中国空气污染防治工作、细颗粒物（PM）的急性健康影响以及空气污染防治的健康效益。研究发现，近年来中国环境PM污染的总体防治工作取得了显著进展。然而，其污染水平仍处于较高状态。短期暴露于环境PM中会显著增加中国居民的死亡和发病风险，导致相关生物标志物水平发生变化。长时间的PM重污染天气会大幅增加心血管疾病发病和死亡的风险。在PM的化学成分中，含碳成分、一些无机盐和重金属与健康影响相关。由于儿童、老年人以及心血管或呼吸系统疾病患者属于脆弱亚人群，因此他们面临的PM污染健康风险高于普通人群。空气污染防治政策的实施显著改善了人类健康状况。佩戴个人防护装备能够显著降低短期暴露于环境PM污染所造成的健康损害。基于中国PM污染及急性健康风险的科学证据，提出以下三条建议。1）环境PM污染防治的政策建议如下：持续加强清洁能源的广泛应用和高效开发；进一步推动产业升级；重点控制交通污染；不断完善空气污染控制现代化体系；逐步制定和完善空气质量相关标准；评估清洁空气行动及相关政策实施后的效果和健康效益。2）环境PM污染防治与公众健康保护建议如下：加强空气污染监测及相关信息的发布；强化空气污染危害意识；明确保护人群健康免受空气污染影响的指导意见和建议；加强对易受环境空气污染影响人群的健康保护。3）空气污染健康风险研究建议如下：在推动准确暴露评估的基础上，加强对空气污染物监测技术和监测系统的研究；系统开展空气污染物与健康影响的全谱识别及相关性研究；开展空气污染健康影响的关键毒性成分及早期生物标志物清单研究；探索空气污染物关键毒性成分的毒性机制；开展空气污染物联合暴露的人群健康风险评估及预警研究；在碳达峰碳中和与美丽中国国家战略下，开展污染与减碳的健康和经济效益综合研究。
