Urban ambient air quality investigation and health risk assessment during haze and non–haze periods in Shanghai, China

Haze pollution has attracted much interest during the past decade for its significant effects on visibility, public health, and even global climate. The main objective of this study is to investigate ambient air quality during haze and non– haze periods and related health hazard for the local residents in Shanghai, China. Different levels, seasonal patterns, and health–risks of air pollutants (PM10, NO2, and SO2) in haze and non–haze periods were observed. The results showed that the average PM10, NO2, and SO2 concentrations were 110.9 μg/m3, 67.7 μg/m3, and 48.8 μg/m3 in haze periods and 63.6 μg/m3, 45.3 μg/m3, and 27.5 μg/m3 in non–haze periods, respectively. Due to a combination of increased emissions from heating sources coupled with meteorological conditions, PM10, NO2, and SO2 levels were highest in winter and lowest in autumn. For the potential health risk analysis, the residents have been divided into four age categories namely, infants, children (1 year), children (8–10 years) and adults. The analysis took into account age–specific breathing rates, body weights for different age categories. Health risks for all age groups in haze periods were higher than those in non–haze periods, and the local residents suffered from the highest health risks due to NO2 in haze periods.