Association analysis between socioeconomic factors and urban ozone pollution in China

Ozone pollution in China has gradually increased, attracting extensive attention. Existing studies on ozone pollution typically take environmental and chemical perspectives. As air pollution is closely related to social and economic activities, it is also important to study ozone pollution from a socioeconomic perspective. Using the association rule mining technique, we uncovered hidden patterns between ozone variance and socioeconomic factors in macro-, meso-, and micro-scenarios in 297 Chinese cities. We found that the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization has indeed aggravated urban ozone pollution. The supply of water and power resources may be a significant factor influencing urban ozone pollution. Transportation hub cities with more developed economies and industries are more likely to suffer from ozone pollution in summer and autumn. Human behavior is a critical factor influencing the weekly variance in ozone concentration during weekdays and weekends. The influence of plant-derived VOC emissions on the formation of ozone cannot be overlooked. Our results deepen the understanding of ozone pollution in Chinese cities, and we provide corresponding policy recommendations to alleviate ozone pollution and improve air quality.