Continuous exposure to fine dust raises death risk: study

By Bak Se-hwan

Exposure to fine dust for a week could raise the risk of death by over 3 percent, a joint study conducted by South Korean, Chinese and Japanese researchers has found.
The study published in the journal Environment International tracked the association between mortality and extended exposure to microdust by analyzing data between 1993 and 2009 for periods when the concentration of air pollution exceeded the normal range of 75 micrograms per cubic meter for two days or longer.
It found that South Korea’s longest consecutive period of exposure was 6.96 days, during which the risk of nonaccidental death spiked by nearly 3.4 percent.
As for Japan, where the longest period of exposure was 2.4 days, the mortality rate rose by 1.6 percent. The tally stood at 42.26 days for China with a 10.4 percent increase in the rate.
The results were based on a survey conducted by the Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health and researchers from Japan and China during the same periods.
Fine particulates are classified by the World Health Organization as first-degree carcinogens, which can penetrate the respiratory system and trigger fatal illnesses such as cancer.
The study concluded that precautionary measures are needed to prevent continued exposure to air pollution, such as installing air purifiers indoors and refraining from outside activities when the dust level is high.
(sh@heraldcorp.com)