Associations of co-exposures to air pollution and noise with psychological stress in space and time: A case study in Beijing, China

Yinhua Tao; Lirong Kou; Yanwei Chai; Mei-Po Kwan

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2020.110399

Associations of co-exposures to air pollution and noise with psychological stress in space and time: A case study in Beijing, China

Environ Res. 2021 May:196:110399. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110399. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Authors

Yinhua Tao¹, Lirong Kou², Yanwei Chai³, Mei-Po Kwan⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China; Department of Urbanism, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, 2600, AA, Delft, the Netherlands. Electronic address: yh.tao@hotmail.com.
² School of Tourism Management, Sun Yat-Sen University, 510275, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: koulr3@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
³ College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China. Electronic address: chyw@pku.edu.cn.
⁴ Department of Geography and Resource Management and Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China; Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, 3584, CB, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: mpk654@gmail.com.

PMID: 33157109
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110399

Abstract

Air pollution and noise are both ubiquitous environmental stressors that pose great threats to public health. Emerging evidence has noticed the combined health risks caused by the coexistence of traffic-related air pollutants and noise in the residential context. However, less is known about how mobile individuals are simultaneously exposed to multiple sources of air pollution and noise, and thus respond with more acute psychological responses beyond the residence. This study examines the co-exposures to fine particles (PM_2.5) and noise across spatiotemporal contexts where the concurrent exposures are jointly associated with momentary psychological stress. An innovative research protocol, including GPS-equipped activity-travel diaries, air pollutant and noise sensors, and ecological momentary assessment, was adopted to collect real-time data from a sample of residents in Beijing, China. The results showed a minor correlation between PM_2.5 and noise exposures after accounting for individual mobility and the spatiotemporal dynamics of these two environmental pollutants. Further, exposure to PM_2.5 was more associated with momentary psychological stress given the insignificant independent effect and the weak moderating effect of noise exposure. Three specific spatiotemporal contexts involving the health risks of co-exposures were delineated, including morning rush hours and traveling by public transits with intensified stress risks caused by combined exposures to air pollution and noise, workplaces with counteracting stress effect of both exposures, and evening time at home with stress-induced air pollution and stress-relieving social noise. In conclusion, the mobility-based and context-aware analysis provides a more nuanced understanding of the associations of co-exposures to environmental pollution and synchronous psychological stress in space and time.

Keywords: Air pollution; Ecological momentary assessment; Mental health; Mobility; Noise; Uncertain geographic context problem.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollutants* / toxicity
Air Pollution* / analysis
Air Pollution* / statistics & numerical data
Beijing / epidemiology
China / epidemiology
Environmental Exposure
Humans
Particulate Matter / adverse effects
Particulate Matter / analysis
Stress, Psychological / epidemiology

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter