AUTHOR=Song Xiaowei , Hao Yongpei TITLE=An assessment of O3-related health risks and economic losses in typical regions of China JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1194340 DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1194340 ISSN=2296-2565 ABSTRACT=Introduction

As one of the key areas for air pollution prevention and control in China, the Fenwei Plain is experiencing serious near-surface O3 pollution, which is a key issue that needs to be solved urgently.

Methods

Based on pollutant concentration monitoring data and meteorological and health data over the same period, this study analyzed the temporal and spatial characteristics, the relationships with meteorological factors of O3 pollution, and the health effects and economic losses caused by exposure to O3 pollution using environmental health risk and environmental value assessment methods in 11 cities on the Fenwei Plain in China from 2014 to 2020.

Results

The results showed that O3 pollution has become increasingly serious on the Fenwei Plain in recent years. The annual average concentration of O3_8h_max showed an overall upwards trend, with an increase of 32.39% in 2020 compared to 2014. The mean concentrations observed in summer were the highest, followed by spring and autumn, and the lowest was in winter. The O3 concentration had a significant positive correlation with air temperature and sunshine hours. The evaluation results of the impact of air pollution on population health showed that the number of premature deaths caused by O3 pollution fluctuated and increased during 2014–2020. In 2020, the numbers of total, cardiovascular and respiratory deaths attributable to O3 pollution on the Fenwei Plain were 6,867 (95% CI: 3,739–9,965), 3,652 (95% CI: 1,363–5,905), and 1,257 (95% CI: 747–2,365), respectively, and the total number of premature deaths related to O3 exposure increased by 48.05% compared with 2014. The health and economic losses attributed to O3 pollution on the Fenwei Plain during the study period were 44.22 (95% CI: 22.17–69.18), 47.16 (95% CI: 23.64–73.77), 68.28 (95% CI: 34.27–106.31), 114.44 (95% CI: 57.42–177.76), 110.85 (95% CI: 55.45–172.52), 116.41 (95% CI: 58.24–180.74), and 116.81 (95% CI: 58.00–180.88) billion yuan, respectively. In Linfen City, the increasing rate of the number of premature deaths reached 283.39% because the O3 concentration increased greatly.

Discussion

Due to high O3 concentrations and obvious population growth in Xi’an, the problems of premature death and health and economic losses attributed to O3 concentrations exceeding the standard value are prominent.