Spatio-Temporal Variations of the Distribution of Urban Inhalable Particulate Matter and Its Impact on Respiratory Diseases

Air pollutants, specifically inhalable particulate matter (IPM) in the atmosphere, has received extensive attention, mainly because of their adverse effect on people's health. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatio-temporal variability of the IPM from 2007 to 2008 and the relationship between air pollution and respiratory symptoms in people living in Beijing western area. Size-segregated samples of urban IPM (0.3μm, 0.5μm, 3μm, 5μm) and meteorological data were collected in Beijing urban districts. The spatio-temporal variability of the IPM concentration and its influence factor were analyzed by means of the Kriging technique and spatial analysis. By using correlation analysis, this paper also analyzed the relationship between people's exposure to air pollution as well as investigated the importance of other covariates of respiratory health. The results suggest that the IPM concentration had significant decreasing trend from 2007 to 2008. Generally, the seasonal fluctuation of the IPM concentration is largely associated with the seasonal variation of meteorological factors in the city. This study also provided better estimates of exposure through the application of spatial analysis and GIS methods and therefore revealed a stronger association between people's respiratory health and air pollution.