Effects Of Dust Storms On Human Heath And In Vitro Responses Of Rat Alveolar Macrophages To Dust Storm PM_2.5

The objective of the dissertation is to investigate acute effects of dust storms on population health and analyze toxicity mechanism of dust storm fine particulate matter (PM2.5; particles ≤ 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter) on alveolar macrophages (AM). From March 1 to May 31, 2004, the daily counts and diseases of outpatients and inpatients from 7 normal hospitals in Wuwei city of Gansu Province were recorded; the daily meteorological and air pollution data were collected from the local weather bureau and environment monitoring station in Wuiwei city and Baotou city of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. According to the data, normal (clean and clear days) and dust event (dust haze, blowing dust and dust storm) days were distinguished. Questionnaires of 1040 pupils from third to fifth grades in 2 primary schools and 2394 of their elderships (especially parents) about effects of dust storms on their health status were conducted. Meanwhile, mass concentrations of daily ambient PM2.5 in the two cities were determined and airborne PM2.5 were daily collected using PM2.5 high volume air samplers (Thermon Anderson). The ambient PM2.5 collected on normal days were called normal samples, and those collected on dust storm days were called dust storm samples.Through time-series study based on generalized additive model (GAM) and antitheses analysis on the responses of adults and children to dust storms, it was found that: (1) The 24h mean wind speed and mass concentration of ambient total suspended particulate (TSP), PM₁₀ (particles ≤ 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter) and PM2.5 during dust event (especially dust storm) periods were significantly enhanced in comparison with those on normal days. (2) Under the conditions that calendar time, day of the week, meteorological variables (such as air temperature, air pressure, relative...