Association of fine particulate matter air pollution and its constituents with lung function: The China Pulmonary Health study.

The associations of long-term exposure to various constituents of fine particulate matter (≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter, PM _2.5 ) air pollution with lung function were not clearly elucidated in developing countries. The aim was to evaluate the associations of long-term exposure to main constituents of PM _2.5 with lung function in China. This is a nationwide, cross-sectional analysis among 50,991 study participants from the China Pulmonary Health study. Multivariable linear regression models were used to obtain differences of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV ₁ ), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV ₁ /FVC, peak expiratory flow (PEF), and forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of exhaled FVC (FEF _25-75% ) associated with an interquartile range (IQR) change of PM _2.5 or its constituents. Residential annual PM _2.5 levels varied from 26 μg/m ³ to 92 μg/m ³ (average: 53 μg/m ³ ). An IQR increase of PM _2.5 concentrations was associated with lower FEV ₁ (19.82 mL, 95% CI: 11.30-28.33), FVC (17.45 mL, 95% CI: 7.16-27.74), PEF (86.64 mL/s, 95% CI: 59.77-113.52), and FEF _25-75% (31.93 mL/s, 95% CI: 16.64-47.22). Black carbon, organic matter, ammonium, sulfate, and nitrate were negatively associated with most lung function indicators, with organic matter and nitrate showing consistently larger magnitude of associations than PM _2.5 mass. This large-scale study provides first-hand epidemiological evidence that long-term exposure to ambient PM _2.5 and some constituents, especially organic matter and nitrate, were associated with lower large- and small- airway function.
(Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)