Source sector and fuel contributions to ambient PM_2.5 and attributable mortality across multiple spatial scales

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) represents a significant global environmental health risk.
• Targeted strategies are crucial for mitigating PM2.5-related disease burden by addressing dominant emission sources across various scales.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive evaluation of sector- and fuel-specific contributions to PM2.5 disease burden globally and regionally.
• To identify avoidable deaths attributable to PM2.5 exposure from different sources.

Main Methods:

• Integration of 24 global atmospheric chemistry-transport model sensitivity simulations.
• Utilization of high-resolution satellite-derived PM2.5 exposure estimates.
• Application of disease-specific concentration-response relationships.

Main Results:

• Globally, 1.05 million deaths in 2017 were avoidable by eliminating fossil-fuel combustion, accounting for 27.3% of the PM2.5 burden, with coal being a major contributor.
• Other significant sources included residential (19.2%), industrial (11.7%), and energy (10.2%) sectors.
• Regions with high anthropogenic PM2.5 contributions generally experienced the highest attributable mortality.

Conclusions:

• Substantial health benefits can be achieved by transitioning away from traditional energy sources and reducing fossil-fuel combustion.
• Policy interventions targeting dominant PM2.5 sources, particularly fossil fuels, are essential for public health improvement.
• Further research into regional source apportionment and health impacts is warranted.