Long-term exposure to ultrafine particles and natural and cause-specific mortality

Femke Bouma; Nicole Ah Janssen; Joost Wesseling; Sjoerd van Ratingen; Maciek Strak; Jules Kerckhoffs; Ulrike Gehring; Wouter Hendricx; Kees de Hoogh; Roel Vermeulen; Gerard Hoek

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2023.107960

Long-term exposure to ultrafine particles and natural and cause-specific mortality

Femke Bouma^*
, Nicole Ah Janssen
, Joost Wesseling
, Sjoerd van Ratingen
, Maciek Strak
, Jules Kerckhoffs
, Ulrike Gehring
, Wouter Hendricx
, Kees de Hoogh
, Roel Vermeulen
, Gerard Hoek

^*Corresponding author for this work

Center for Infectious Disease Control,National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM),The Netherlands.
Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Health implications of long-term exposure to ubiquitously present ultrafine particles (UFP) are uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between long-term UFP exposure and natural and cause-specific mortality (including cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, and lung cancer) in the Netherlands.

METHODS: A Dutch national cohort of 10.8 million adults aged ≥ 30 years was followed from 2013 until 2019. Annual average UFP concentrations were estimated at the home address at baseline, using land-use regression models based on a nationwide mobile monitoring campaign performed at the midpoint of the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazard models were applied, adjusting for individual and area-level socio-economic status covariates. Two-pollutant models with the major regulated pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and fine particles (PM 2 . 5 and PM 10), and the health relevant combustion aerosol pollutant (elemental carbon (EC)) were assessed based on dispersion modelling.

RESULTS: A total of 945,615 natural deaths occurred during 71,008,209 person-years of follow-up. The correlation of UFP concentration with other pollutants ranged from moderate (0.59 (PM 2 . 5)) to high (0.81 (NO 2)). We found a significant association between annual average UFP exposure and natural mortality [HR 1.012 (95 % CI 1.010-1.015), per interquartile range (IQR) (2723 particles/cm 3) increment]. Associations were stronger for respiratory disease mortality [HR 1.022 (1.013-1.032)] and lung cancer mortality [HR 1.038 (1.028-1.048)] and weaker for CVD mortality [HR 1.005 (1.000-1.011)]. The associations of UFP with natural and lung cancer mortality attenuated but remained significant in all two-pollutant models, whereas the associations with CVD and respiratory mortality attenuated to the null.

CONCLUSION: Long-term UFP exposure was associated with natural and lung cancer mortality among adults independently from other regulated air pollutants.

Original language	English
Article number	107960
Number of pages	7
Journal	Environment international
Volume	175
Early online date	8 May 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107960
Publication status	Published - May 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Research described in this article was conducted under contract to the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an organization jointly funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Assistance Award No. CR-83590201) and certain motor vehicle and engine manufacturers. The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the views of HEI, or its sponsors, nor do they necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA or motor vehicle and engine manufacturers.

Funding Information:
We thank the Health Effects Institute (project “Comparison of long-term air pollution exposure assessment based on mobile monitoring, low-cost sensors, dispersion modelling and routine monitoring-based models”, HEI Research Agreement Number: 4973-RFA19-1/20-) for funding support. This work additionally was supported by an ASPASIA grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to Dr. Ulrike Gehring (project number 015.010.044), the Environmental Defense Fund, EXPOSOME-NL (NWO grant number 024.004.017), EXPANSE (EU-H2020 Grant number 874627) and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (grant M/240121 and part of E/122521 supported by the Innovation Program for Environmental Monitoring).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Keywords

Ultrafine particles
Mortality
National cohort
Air pollution
Two-pollutant models

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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1-s2.0-S0160412023002337-mainFinal published version, 858 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Long-term exposure to ultrafine particles and natural and cause-specific mortality",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Health implications of long-term exposure to ubiquitously present ultrafine particles (UFP) are uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between long-term UFP exposure and natural and cause-specific mortality (including cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, and lung cancer) in the Netherlands.METHODS: A Dutch national cohort of 10.8 million adults aged ≥ 30 years was followed from 2013 until 2019. Annual average UFP concentrations were estimated at the home address at baseline, using land-use regression models based on a nationwide mobile monitoring campaign performed at the midpoint of the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazard models were applied, adjusting for individual and area-level socio-economic status covariates. Two-pollutant models with the major regulated pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and fine particles (PM 2 . 5 and PM 10), and the health relevant combustion aerosol pollutant (elemental carbon (EC)) were assessed based on dispersion modelling. RESULTS: A total of 945,615 natural deaths occurred during 71,008,209 person-years of follow-up. The correlation of UFP concentration with other pollutants ranged from moderate (0.59 (PM 2 . 5)) to high (0.81 (NO 2)). We found a significant association between annual average UFP exposure and natural mortality [HR 1.012 (95 \% CI 1.010-1.015), per interquartile range (IQR) (2723 particles/cm 3) increment]. Associations were stronger for respiratory disease mortality [HR 1.022 (1.013-1.032)] and lung cancer mortality [HR 1.038 (1.028-1.048)] and weaker for CVD mortality [HR 1.005 (1.000-1.011)]. The associations of UFP with natural and lung cancer mortality attenuated but remained significant in all two-pollutant models, whereas the associations with CVD and respiratory mortality attenuated to the null. CONCLUSION: Long-term UFP exposure was associated with natural and lung cancer mortality among adults independently from other regulated air pollutants.",

keywords = "Ultrafine particles, Mortality, National cohort, Air pollution, Two-pollutant models",

author = "Femke Bouma and Janssen, \{Nicole Ah\} and Joost Wesseling and \{van Ratingen\}, Sjoerd and Maciek Strak and Jules Kerckhoffs and Ulrike Gehring and Wouter Hendricx and \{de Hoogh\}, Kees and Roel Vermeulen and Gerard Hoek",

note = "Funding Information: Research described in this article was conducted under contract to the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an organization jointly funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Assistance Award No. CR-83590201) and certain motor vehicle and engine manufacturers. The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the views of HEI, or its sponsors, nor do they necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA or motor vehicle and engine manufacturers. Funding Information: We thank the Health Effects Institute (project “Comparison of long-term air pollution exposure assessment based on mobile monitoring, low-cost sensors, dispersion modelling and routine monitoring-based models”, HEI Research Agreement Number: 4973-RFA19-1/20-) for funding support. This work additionally was supported by an ASPASIA grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to Dr. Ulrike Gehring (project number 015.010.044), the Environmental Defense Fund, EXPOSOME-NL (NWO grant number 024.004.017), EXPANSE (EU-H2020 Grant number 874627) and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (grant M/240121 and part of E/122521 supported by the Innovation Program for Environmental Monitoring). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors",

year = "2023",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2023.107960",

language = "English",

volume = "175",

journal = "Environment international",

issn = "0160-4120",

publisher = "Elsevier Limited",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term exposure to ultrafine particles and natural and cause-specific mortality

AU - Bouma, Femke

AU - Janssen, Nicole Ah

AU - Wesseling, Joost

AU - van Ratingen, Sjoerd

AU - Strak, Maciek

AU - Kerckhoffs, Jules

AU - Gehring, Ulrike

AU - Hendricx, Wouter

AU - de Hoogh, Kees

AU - Vermeulen, Roel

AU - Hoek, Gerard

N1 - Funding Information: Research described in this article was conducted under contract to the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an organization jointly funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Assistance Award No. CR-83590201) and certain motor vehicle and engine manufacturers. The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the views of HEI, or its sponsors, nor do they necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA or motor vehicle and engine manufacturers. Funding Information: We thank the Health Effects Institute (project “Comparison of long-term air pollution exposure assessment based on mobile monitoring, low-cost sensors, dispersion modelling and routine monitoring-based models”, HEI Research Agreement Number: 4973-RFA19-1/20-) for funding support. This work additionally was supported by an ASPASIA grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to Dr. Ulrike Gehring (project number 015.010.044), the Environmental Defense Fund, EXPOSOME-NL (NWO grant number 024.004.017), EXPANSE (EU-H2020 Grant number 874627) and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (grant M/240121 and part of E/122521 supported by the Innovation Program for Environmental Monitoring). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

PY - 2023/5

Y1 - 2023/5

N2 - BACKGROUND: Health implications of long-term exposure to ubiquitously present ultrafine particles (UFP) are uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between long-term UFP exposure and natural and cause-specific mortality (including cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, and lung cancer) in the Netherlands.METHODS: A Dutch national cohort of 10.8 million adults aged ≥ 30 years was followed from 2013 until 2019. Annual average UFP concentrations were estimated at the home address at baseline, using land-use regression models based on a nationwide mobile monitoring campaign performed at the midpoint of the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazard models were applied, adjusting for individual and area-level socio-economic status covariates. Two-pollutant models with the major regulated pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and fine particles (PM 2 . 5 and PM 10), and the health relevant combustion aerosol pollutant (elemental carbon (EC)) were assessed based on dispersion modelling. RESULTS: A total of 945,615 natural deaths occurred during 71,008,209 person-years of follow-up. The correlation of UFP concentration with other pollutants ranged from moderate (0.59 (PM 2 . 5)) to high (0.81 (NO 2)). We found a significant association between annual average UFP exposure and natural mortality [HR 1.012 (95 % CI 1.010-1.015), per interquartile range (IQR) (2723 particles/cm 3) increment]. Associations were stronger for respiratory disease mortality [HR 1.022 (1.013-1.032)] and lung cancer mortality [HR 1.038 (1.028-1.048)] and weaker for CVD mortality [HR 1.005 (1.000-1.011)]. The associations of UFP with natural and lung cancer mortality attenuated but remained significant in all two-pollutant models, whereas the associations with CVD and respiratory mortality attenuated to the null. CONCLUSION: Long-term UFP exposure was associated with natural and lung cancer mortality among adults independently from other regulated air pollutants.

AB - BACKGROUND: Health implications of long-term exposure to ubiquitously present ultrafine particles (UFP) are uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between long-term UFP exposure and natural and cause-specific mortality (including cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory disease, and lung cancer) in the Netherlands.METHODS: A Dutch national cohort of 10.8 million adults aged ≥ 30 years was followed from 2013 until 2019. Annual average UFP concentrations were estimated at the home address at baseline, using land-use regression models based on a nationwide mobile monitoring campaign performed at the midpoint of the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazard models were applied, adjusting for individual and area-level socio-economic status covariates. Two-pollutant models with the major regulated pollutants nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and fine particles (PM 2 . 5 and PM 10), and the health relevant combustion aerosol pollutant (elemental carbon (EC)) were assessed based on dispersion modelling. RESULTS: A total of 945,615 natural deaths occurred during 71,008,209 person-years of follow-up. The correlation of UFP concentration with other pollutants ranged from moderate (0.59 (PM 2 . 5)) to high (0.81 (NO 2)). We found a significant association between annual average UFP exposure and natural mortality [HR 1.012 (95 % CI 1.010-1.015), per interquartile range (IQR) (2723 particles/cm 3) increment]. Associations were stronger for respiratory disease mortality [HR 1.022 (1.013-1.032)] and lung cancer mortality [HR 1.038 (1.028-1.048)] and weaker for CVD mortality [HR 1.005 (1.000-1.011)]. The associations of UFP with natural and lung cancer mortality attenuated but remained significant in all two-pollutant models, whereas the associations with CVD and respiratory mortality attenuated to the null. CONCLUSION: Long-term UFP exposure was associated with natural and lung cancer mortality among adults independently from other regulated air pollutants.

KW - Ultrafine particles

KW - Mortality

KW - National cohort

KW - Air pollution

KW - Two-pollutant models

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85159093487

U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107960

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107960

M3 - Article

C2 - 37178608

SN - 0160-4120

VL - 175

JO - Environment international

JF - Environment international

M1 - 107960

ER -

Long-term exposure to ultrafine particles and natural and cause-specific mortality

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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