Particulate air pollution and daily mortality in Detroit

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Environmental Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(05)80009-X· OSTI ID:5701692

Schwartz, J ^[1]

---

1. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States)

Particulate air pollution has been associated with increased mortality during episodes of high pollution concentrations. The relationship at lower concentrations has been more controversial, as has the relative role of particles and sulfur dioxide. Replication has been difficult because suspended particle concentrations are usually measured only every sixth day in the U.S. This study used concurrent measurements of total suspended particulates (TSP) and airport visibility from every sixth day sampling for 10 years to fit a predictive model for TSP. Predicted daily TSP concentrations were then correlated with daily mortality counts in Poisson regression models controlling for season, weather, time trends, overdispersion, and serial correlation. A significant correlation (P less than 0.0001) was found between predicted TSP and daily mortality. This correlation was independent of sulfur dioxide, but not vice versa. The magnitude of the effect was very similar to results recently reported from Steubenville, Ohio (using actual TSP measurements), with each 100 micrograms/m3 increase in TSP resulting in a 6% increase in mortality. Graphical analysis indicated a dose-response relationship with no evidence of a threshold down to concentrations below half of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter.

• OSTI ID: 5701692
• Journal Information: Environmental Research; (United States), Vol. 56:2; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MICHIGAN
AIR POLLUTION
PARTICULATES
TOXICITY
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
HUMIDITY
MAN
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MORTALITY
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
URBAN AREAS
WEATHER
ANIMALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FEDERAL REGION V
MAMMALS
MATHEMATICS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
PARTICLES
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
STATISTICS
USA
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology