Global Oxidative Potential Emissions from Industrial Particulate Matter

The oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM), an emerging and important health indicator, is driven by different sources and consequently induces diverse health effects. Identifying the OP characteristics of fine PM from industrial sources and their atmospheric emissions is crucial for assessing population exposure risks. Here, we analyzed the OP_m^DTT (mass-normalized OP) of fine PM from 13 major industrial processes and quantified the OP emissions from global industrial activities. The average OP_m^DTT of iron ore sintering was as high as 0.93 nmol DTT/min/μg. The annual OP emissions from 13 global industrial processes exceed 2.44 × 10⁹ mol DTT/min/yr, with cement kiln co-processing solid waste being the primary source, emitting 2.17 × 10⁹ mol DTT/min/yr. Iron ore sintering, coking plants, blast furnace pig iron, and electric arc furnace steelmaking are also significant emission sources. For both children and adults in China, the integrated population exposure to OP_v^DTT (volume-normalized OP) over the entire year is 2.03 × 10² mol DTT/min/yr and 1.67 × 10³ mol DTT/min/yr, respectively. Our findings highlight the urgency of integrating OP metrics into sustainability policies, particularly for waste management and industries, to reconcile economic development with public health goals.