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PM2.5 Chemical Constituents and Mortality in 49 U.S. Communities from 2001 to 2005
Citation:
NEAS, L. M., H. Chang, M. Fuentes, L. Baxter, AND L. BURGOON. PM2.5 Chemical Constituents and Mortality in 49 U.S. Communities from 2001 to 2005. Presented at International Society for Environmental Epidemiology(ISEE) 2011 Meeting, Barcelona, SPAIN, September 13 - 16, 2011.
Impact/Purpose:
We conducted a national multi-site time series analysis to examine the association between daily non-accidental mortality (≥65 years of age) and ambient levels of seven major PM2.5 chemical constituents: sulfate, elemental carbon (EC), nitrate, organic carbon (DC), silicon, sodium ion, and ammonium ion.
Description:
Background: Short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter less than 2.5 urn in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) is consistently associated with adverse health outcomes in population studies. The PM2.5 mass represents a chemically diverse mixture of pollutants and there is limited evidenceonthe healtheffects of PM2.5 constituents. Methods: We conducted a national multi-site time series analysis to examine the association between daily non-accidental mortality (≥65 years of age) and ambient levels of seven major PM2.5 chemical constituents: sulfate, elemental carbon (EC), nitrate, organic carbon (DC), silicon, sodium ion, and ammonium ion. Average lag-specific relative rates of death associated with each constituent were estimated using a two-stage Bayesian hierarchical model to combine evidence across 49 U.S. communities from 2001-2005. Results: In a single pollutant model controlling for weather and seasonality, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in 2-day lagged EC levels (0.46 ug/m3) was associated with a 0.41% [95% posterior interval (PI), 0.06-0.76%] increase in the relative rate of death. An IQR increase in 1-day lagged DC levels (2.47 ug/m3) was associated with a 0.64% (95% PI, 0.14-1.15%) increase in the relative rate ofdeath. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ambient levels of EC and DC were positively associated with all-cause mortality for the elderly population. However, further investigations are needed to elucidate the joint effects of the PM2.5 constituents and their sources. This abstract does not necessarily reflect the policies of the u.s. Environmental ProtectionAgency