Toxicity-informed control of global PM_2.5 emissions

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) remains a leading environmental health risk, yet air pollution control policies typically assume equal toxicity across emission sources. Unravelling the unequal toxicities in global PM_2.5 emissions can support more effective air pollution control. Here, we integrate cell-based toxicological profiles with global emission inventories to develop the first global dataset of toxicity-adjusted PM_2.5 emissions. We show that global toxicity-adjusted emissions are dominated by residential solid-fuel combustion, and that hotspots of PM_2.5 mass and toxicity diverge substantially, with the highest toxicities occurring largely in regions reliant on traditional biomass. Low-income countries exhibit disproportionately high toxicity-adjusted emissions relative to their energy use, revealing a strong global environmental inequity. Incorporating unequal toxicities reshapes emission-control priorities, shifting many countries from mass-dominated industrial or power sectors towards residential combustion. We propose a toxicity-informed framework for air pollution control, which is adaptable to diverse socioeconomic contexts and can enhance global health and sustainability.