• Yan-shen Zhang, Guo-xia Ma, Fang Yu, and Dong Cao.
• Center for Environmental Risk & Damage Assessment, Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Beijing 100012, China. Email: zhangys@caep.org.cn.
• Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2013 Sep 10;93(34):2707-10.

ObjectiveTo assess the human health damage due to particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) exposure during the haze pollution events in 12 cities of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in January 2013.MethodsThe data were collected for urban population, ambient air quality, baseline mortality rate and emergency visits in Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Chengde, Handan, Langfang, Hengshui, Qinhuangdao, Tangshan, Xingtai and Zhangjiakou. Then the exposure-response relationship was constructed between short-term PM2.5 exposure and mortality and emergency room visits with meta-analysis. Thus the excess deaths and emergency room visits due to PM2.5 exposure were estimated during the haze pollution events using city-specific exposure population, PM2.5 daily concentration and exposure-response coefficients.ResultsThree serious PM2.5 pollution events occurred on January 12, January 19 and January 27 in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region respectively. From January 10 to January 31, the 24 h mean concentrations of PM2.5 in Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Qinhuangdao, Handan, Xingtai, Baoding, Zhangjiakou, Chengde, Langfang, Hengshui were 705, 411, 675, 506, 255, 598, 698, 667, 231, 178, 718 and 405 µg/m(3). Xingtai, Shijiazhuang, Handan, Baoding, Langfang and Beijing were the more polluted areas. And there were 17 days (77.3%), 13 days (59.1%), 12 days (54.5%), 11 days (50.0%), 10 days (45.5%) and 8 days (36.4%) of Air Quality Index reaching the serious level respectively. The short-term PM2.5 exposure caused 2725 excess death including 846 excess deaths duo to respiratory disease and 1878 excess deaths due to circulatory disease in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from January 10 to January 31.ConclusionsThe haze pollution events led to serious public health damage. And it is imperative to take actions of controlling PM2.5 pollution.

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