Wyer Katie E, Kelleghan David B, Blanes-Vidal Victoria, Schauberger Günther, Curran Thomas P
UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Teagasc, Environment, Soils and Land-Use Department, Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford, Y35 TC97, Ireland.
J Environ Manage. 2022 Dec 1;323:116285. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116285. Epub 2022 Sep 21.
Atmospheric ammonia (NH) released from agriculture is contributing significantly to acidification and atmospheric NH may have on human health is much less readily available. The potential direct impact of NH on the health of the general public is under-represented in scientific literature, though there have been several studies which indicate that NH has a direct effect on the respiratory health of those who handle livestock. These health impacts can include a reduced lung function, irritation to the throat and eyes, and increased coughing and phlegm expulsion. More recent studies have indicated that agricultural NH may directly influence the early on-set of asthma in young children. In addition to the potential direct impact of ammonia, it is also a substantial contributor to the fine particulate matter (PM) fraction (namely the US and Europe); where it accounts for the formation of 30% and 50% of all PM respectively. PM has the ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and cause long term illnesses such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Hence, PM causes economic losses which equate to billions of dollars (US) to the global economy annually. Both premature deaths associated with the health impacts from PM and economic losses could be mitigated with a reduction in NH emissions resulting from agriculture. As agriculture contributes to more than 81% of all global NH emissions, it is imperative that food production does not come at a cost to the world's ability to breathe; where reductions in NH emissions can be easier to achieve than other associated pollutants.
农业排放的大气氨（NH₃）对酸化有重大影响，而大气氨对人类健康的潜在影响却鲜为人知。尽管有几项研究表明氨对从事畜牧业者的呼吸健康有直接影响，但科学文献中对氨对普通公众健康的潜在直接影响描述不足。这些健康影响可能包括肺功能下降、喉咙和眼睛受到刺激，以及咳嗽和咳痰增多。最近的研究表明，农业排放的氨可能直接影响幼儿哮喘的早期发作。除了氨的潜在直接影响外，它还是细颗粒物（PM）的重要贡献者（在美国和欧洲尤其如此），分别占所有细颗粒物形成的30%和50%。细颗粒物能够深入肺部，导致慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）和肺癌等长期疾病。因此，细颗粒物每年给全球经济造成数十亿美元的经济损失。减少农业排放的氨可以减轻与细颗粒物对健康影响相关的过早死亡和经济损失。由于农业排放的氨占全球氨排放总量的81%以上，因此必须确保粮食生产不能以牺牲全球呼吸能力为代价；减少氨排放比减少其他相关污染物更容易实现。
