Reduction in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in Beijing following China's clean air actions.

Sci Bull (Beijing)

Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles 90095, USA. Electronic address:

Published: October 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • The study investigates the effectiveness of China's clean air initiatives, APPCAP (2013-2017) and BSDW (2018-2020), in reducing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure in Beijing, which are among the highest in the world.
  • Results show a significant decrease in PM-bound benzo[a]pyrene equivalents (BaPeq) by 96.6% from 2014 to 2021, primarily due to reduced emissions from traffic, coal, and biomass.
  • Additionally, PAH metabolite concentrations in urine samples from travelers showed a 52.3% decrease in Beijing, indicating improved air quality and reduced human exposure linked to these initiatives.

Article Abstract

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Chinese population was among the highest globally and associated with various adverse effects. This study examines the impact of China's two-phase clean air initiatives, namely the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (APPCAP) in 2013-2017 and the Blue-Sky Defense War (BSDW) in 2018-2020, on PAH levels and human exposures in Beijing. To evaluate the effects of APPCAP, we measured 16 PAHs in 287 PM samples collected in Beijing and 9 PAH metabolites in 358 urine samples obtained from 54 individuals who traveled from Los Angeles to Beijing between 2014 and 2018. The concentration of PM-bound benzo[a]pyrene equivalents (BaPeq) decreased by 88.5% in 2014-2018 due to reduced traffic, coal, and biomass emissions. PAH metabolite concentrations in travelers' urine decreased by 52.3% in Beijing, correlated with changes in PM and NO levels. In contrast, no significant changes were observed in Los Angeles. To evaluate BSDW's effects, we collected 123 additional PM samples for PAH measurements in 2019-2021. We observed sustained reductions in BaPeq concentrations attributable to reductions in coal and biomass emissions during the BSDW phase, but those from traffic sources remained unchanged. After accounting for meteorological factors, China's two-phase clean air initiatives jointly reduced Beijing's PM-bound BaPeq concentrations by 96.6% from 2014 to 2021. These findings provide compelling evidence for the effectiveness of China's clean air actions in mitigating population exposure to PAHs in Beijing.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scib.2024.08.015DOI Listing

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