Cumulative effect of PM2.5 components is larger than the effect of PM2.5 mass on child health in India

Abstract

While studies on ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) exposure effect on child health are available, the differential effects, if any, of exposure to PM_2.5 species are unexplored in lower and middle-income countries. Using multiple logistic regression, we showed that for every 10 μg m⁻³ increase in PM_2.5 exposure, anaemia, acute respiratory infection, and low birth weight prevalence increase by 10% (95% uncertainty interval, UI: 9–11), 11% (8–13), and 5% (4–6), respectively, among children in India. NO₃^-, elemental carbon, and NH₄⁺ were more associated with the three health outcomes than other PM_2.5 species. We found that the total PM_2.5 mass as a surrogate marker for air pollution exposure could substantially underestimate the true composite impact of different components of PM_2.5. Our findings provide key indigenous evidence to prioritize control strategies for reducing exposure to more toxic species for greater child health benefits in India.

Health impact of air pollution is estimated using PM_2.5 mass as exposure metric. Here authors show that the impacts on child health is underestimated in India using this metric relative to the cumulative impact of the various PM_2.5 components.