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Independent and combined effects of PM2.5 and its constituents on preterm birth: a retrospective study in a seaside city

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Abstract

Mounting studies explored associations between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and preterm birth (PTB); however, individual and combined impacts of PM2.5 constituents on PTB were less known. PM2.5 and its seven constituents were assessed by V4.CH.02 product of the Dalhousie University Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, a dataset containing combined geophysical-statistical estimates of PM2.5 across China. Effects of PM2.5 and its constituents on PTB and gestational age were firstly explored. Furthermore, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was conducted to reveal the impacts of total PM2.5 mass and identify contributing constituents. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 was associated with increased odds ratio (OR) of PTB. PM2.5 constituents were widely associated with PTB and reduced gestational age, with different time window. The total mass of PM2.5 (per IQR increment) in the first and the second trimester was positively associated with PTB by WQS regression (Trimester 1: OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.15, 1.65; Trimester 2: OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.21, 1.79). The most contributing factors were black carbon in the first trimester and sulphate ion in the second trimester, respectively. Especially, sea salt was identified as contributing constituent during the first trimester. The study indicated that prenatal exposure to PM2.5 and its constituents was individually and jointly associated with PTB and reduced gestational age. Sea salt was firstly identified as a risk factor of PTB in the seaside city, which needs further exploration.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to privacy protection consent, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This work was supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFC2702901) and the Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Project (BE2019694).

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Author notes

  1. Chao Dong, Mingzhi Zhang, and Yuhong Zhang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nan**g Medical University, No.101 Longmian Road, Nan**g, 211166, China

    Chao Dong, Mingzhi Zhang, **aochen Zhang, Yin Zhuang & Yankai **a

  2. Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nan**g Medical University, Nan**g, 211166, China

    Chao Dong, Mingzhi Zhang, **aochen Zhang, Yin Zhuang & Yankai **a

  3. Children Asthma Department, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Hospital, Lianyungang, 222006, China

    Yuhong Zhang, Yifen Wang, Qian Qian & Wei Li

  4. Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nan**g Medical University, Suzhou, 215000, China

    Yanyan Yu

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  1. Chao Dong
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Chao Dong, Mingzhi Zhang, and Yuhong Zhang. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Chao Dong. Data curation was performed by **aochen Zhang, Yin Zhuang, Yifen Wang, Qian, and Wei Li. Funding acquisition was conducted by Yanyan Yu and Yankai **a. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yanyan Yu or Yankai **a.

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The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the medical ethics committee of Lianyungang Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital (reference number: LYG-MEP2021014).

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Dong, C., Zhang, M., Zhang, Y. et al. Independent and combined effects of PM2.5 and its constituents on preterm birth: a retrospective study in a seaside city. Air Qual Atmos Health 16, 1661–1672 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-023-01363-8

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