Source apportionment of fine atmospheric particles in Bloemfontein, South Africa, using positive matrix factorization.

Air pollution is of major health and environmental concern globally and in South Africa. Studies on the sources of PM air pollution in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa are limited. This study aimed to identify local and distant sources of PM pollution in Bloemfontein.

Case-crossover study for the association between increased hospital admissions for respiratory diseases and the increase in atmospheric PM and PM-bound trace elements in Pretoria, South Africa.

Outdoor PM was sampled in Pretoria, 18 April 2017 to 28 February 2020. A case-crossover epidemiology study was associated for increased PM and trace elements with increased hospital admissions for respiratory disorders (J00-J99). The results included a significant increase in hospital admissions, with total PM of 2.

Health risk assessment of PM and PM-bound trace elements in Pretoria, South Africa.

Exposure to outdoor air pollutants poses a risk for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic respiratory disease outcomes. A standardized health risk assessment (US EPA) utilizes air quality data, body mass and breathing rates to determine potential risk. This health risk assessment study assesses the hazard quotient (HQ) for total PM and trace elemental constituents (Br, Cl, K, Ni, S, Si, Ti and U) exposure in Pretoria, South Africa.