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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to China’s air quality improvement strategy may already be having a positive effect: evidence based on health risk assessment
ClearOptimization of Cancer Risk Assessment Models for PM2.5-Bound PAHs: Application in Jingzhong, Shanxi, China
Researchers compared six cancer risk assessment models for PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Shanxi, China, and found that the USEPA inhalation risk model (Model I) was the most reliable, with inhalation identified as the dominant exposure pathway and lung cancer as the primary risk.
Progressing Towards Environmental Health Targets in China: A Systematic Review of Achievements in Air and Water Pollution under the “Ecological Civilization and the Beautiful China” Dream
This systematic review summarizes China's progress in reducing air and water pollution under its environmental health initiatives. The findings are relevant to microplastic concerns because China is a major producer and consumer of plastics, and the review highlights how industrial pollution, including plastic waste, creates widespread environmental contamination with direct consequences for public health.
Reply on RC1
This reply addresses a reviewer comment on a study examining the impacts of Chinese government air pollution control measures on atmospheric pollutant concentrations across multiple regions. The response clarifies aspects of the methodology and interpretation of how emission reductions have affected air quality over recent decades.
How Does Public Participation in EnvironmentalProtection Affect Air Pollution in China?A Perspective of Local Government Intervention
Researchers used spatial econometric modeling of Chinese panel data from 2003-2017 to find that local government intervention worsens air quality due to inter-regional competition, and that public environmental participation only effectively reduces sulfur dioxide when supported by central government intervention.
Is the impact of atmospheric microplastics on human health underestimated? Uncertainty in risk assessment: A case study of urban atmosphere in Xi'an, Northwest China
Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic pollution in Xi'an, China, finding an average of 12.5 particles per liter of air in total suspended particles. While standard risk assessment models suggested current levels do not threaten human health, the study argues that existing risk assessment methods may underestimate the true impact because they do not adequately account for microplastic characteristics like size, shape, and oxidative potential.
Study on the Physical and Chemical Characteristics and Sources of Atmospheric Single Particles in Weifang During the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the Winter Paralympic Games
Researchers analyzed atmospheric particulate matter in a Chinese city during the 2022 Winter Olympics to evaluate whether special air quality protection measures were effective. The study found that pollution control measures during the event reduced certain types of particles, demonstrating that targeted policy interventions can temporarily improve urban air quality.
Impact of Microplastics in the Environment on Human Health and Its Policy Analysis: A Case Study on China
Researchers examined the health impacts of microplastics in China from a health economics and public policy perspective, finding that plastic waste is associated with increased demand for respiratory medicines, likely due to airborne MP release. The paper reviews China's microplastic policy landscape and proposes four improvement areas including targeted monitoring and clearer departmental responsibilities.
Exploring Asymmetric Nexus Between CO2 Emissions, Environmental Pollution, and Household Health Expenditure in China
A Chinese provincial dataset analysis found statistically significant asymmetric relationships between CO₂ emissions and environmental pollution with household health expenditure, confirming that greater pollution imposes higher healthcare costs on residents.
Health burden and economic loss attributable to ambient PM2.5 in Iran based on the ground and satellite data
Researchers estimated that long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) caused between 49,000 and 59,000 deaths in Iran in 2018 — representing economic losses of up to $12.8 billion — with satellite-based pollution data revealing greater health impacts than ground monitoring alone captured.
Effects of Air Pollution on the Development of Respiratory Diseases among Residents in New Delhi, India
Researchers examined the effects of air pollution on respiratory disease development among residents of New Delhi, India, using a descriptive research design with questionnaires administered to health practitioners. They found that air pollution positively influenced the incidence of respiratory diseases, worsened lung function in people with pre-existing conditions, and increased risks of lung cancer, heart attack, and stroke.
Association between air pollution, altitudes, and overweight/obesity in China
Researchers studied the combined effects of air pollution and altitude on obesity rates across China. They found that co-exposure to air pollution and living at certain altitudes had a complex influence on body mass index. The study highlights that maintaining a healthy environment is important for preventing and controlling obesity at a population level.
Assessing the impact of governance and health expenditures on carbon emissions in China: Role of environmental regulation
Researchers analysed the relationship between governance quality, health expenditures, environmental regulation, and carbon emissions in China from 1984 to 2018, finding an inverted U-shaped environmental Kuznets curve and that stronger environmental regulation helps decouple economic growth from carbon output.
The paradox of plastic bag legislation: How bans and taxes affect PM2.5 air pollution in 208 countries
Researchers analyzed plastic bag regulations in 208 countries and found that outright bans generally reduce fine particle (PM2.5) air pollution, while plastic bag taxes unexpectedly increase it — likely because alternative bags require more energy-intensive production. The findings reveal that poorly designed plastic policies can create unintended environmental trade-offs.
Nationwide meta-analysis of microplastic distribution and risk assessment in China's aquatic ecosystems, soils, and sediments
A nationwide meta-analysis of 7,766 sampling sites across China found that microplastic distribution is influenced by economic development, population density, and geography, with generally higher concentrations in prosperous areas. The pollution varies significantly across water, soil, and sediment compartments, highlighting the need for AI-based regulatory frameworks to manage standardized risk assessment.
The Role of Land Use Transition on Industrial Pollution Reduction in the Context of Innovation-Driven: The Case of 30 Provinces in China
This study analyzed data from 30 Chinese provinces to examine how land use transitions associated with urbanization affect industrial pollution levels, finding that innovation-driven development strategies can decouple economic growth from pollution under certain land use conditions.
Atmospheric microplastics in PM2.5 from 2010 to 2024 in Beijing: Type-specific trends and driving factors
The first 15-year continuous monitoring study of microplastics in Beijing's breathable PM2.5 air particles found a steady increase from 2010 to 2024, averaging 264 nanograms per cubic meter, with PVC, polystyrene, and polypropylene as the dominant types. Because these particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and carry toxic plastic additives, rising airborne microplastic concentrations in megacities represent a growing public health concern.
Toxicity Risk Assessment Due to Particulate Matter Pollution from Regional Health Data: Case Study from Central Romania
Researchers assessed the health risks associated with particulate matter air pollution in central Romania over a multi-year study period. They found that PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were linked to increased total mortality and cardiovascular-related deaths across the region. The study underscores the broader public health impacts of airborne particulate pollution, a category that increasingly includes microplastic particles found in the atmosphere.
[Distribution, Respiratory Exposure, and Traceability of Atmospheric Microplastics in Yichang City].
Researchers sampled airborne microplastics at 16 locations across Yichang City, China, and found them in every area, with the highest concentrations settling over urban residential neighborhoods. The particles were mostly polyester fibers and came predominantly from nearby sources rather than long-range transport. Daily inhalation estimates were calculated for both adults and children, highlighting indoor and outdoor respiratory exposure as a meaningful human health concern that warrants tighter monitoring.
Watershed-Based Governance for Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution: Empirical Insights from the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Researchers examined how China's 'Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Prevention and Control' affected pollutant emissions across the Yangtze River Economic Belt, using econometric analysis across three governance pathways. They found the policy significantly reduced emissions by curbing mulch film use and consolidating breeding farms, but had no measurable effect on rural domestic pollution due to pre-existing infrastructure investments.
Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Coupled and Coordinated Development of the Low-carbon Economy, Green Finance, and Ecological Environmental Quality: Evidence from China
Despite its title referencing low-carbon economy and ecological quality, this paper studies the coordinated development of green finance, carbon reduction, and environmental quality indicators across Chinese provinces — not microplastic pollution. It examines regional economic and environmental policy dynamics using statistical modelling, and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.
Atmospheric microplastic deposition associated with GDP and population growth: Insights from megacities in northern China
Researchers measured airborne microplastic pollution across 17 large cities in northern China and found that economic activity, especially GDP growth, was the strongest predictor of how much microplastic fell from the sky. The most common plastic types were polypropylene, polyamide, polyurethane, and polyethylene, with most particles smaller than 78 micrometers. This matters for human health because these tiny airborne plastics can be inhaled, and their levels appear to rise as cities grow economically.
Environmental Behaviors, Ecological Risks, and Toxic Mechanisms of Emerging and Legacy Contaminants in China: From Distribution to Management
Researchers reviewed the environmental distribution, ecological risks, and toxic mechanisms of both emerging and legacy contaminants in China's aquatic environments, examining how industrialization and urbanization drive the co-occurrence and combined pollution that threatens ecosystem integrity and human health.
Characteristics of microplastics in the atmosphere of Anyang City
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Anyang City, China, and found that concentrations increased significantly as air quality worsened, reaching an average of 0.42 particles per cubic meter during heavily polluted days. About 80% of the particles were black fiber strips, mainly made of cellophane, PET, and EVA. The study estimates that on high-pollution days, adults breathe in an average of 222 microplastic particles daily, highlighting the respiratory health risk from airborne microplastics in polluted cities.
Long-term exposure to multiple air pollutants and risk of Parkinson’s disease: a population-based multipollutant model study
A nationwide cohort study using multiple-pollutant models found that long-term exposure to combinations of air pollutants was associated with increased risk of Parkinson's disease, emphasizing the importance of multi-pollutant interaction effects over single-pollutant models. The findings stressed the need for comprehensive air pollution reduction strategies to lower neurodegenerative disease risk.