Air Pollution and Human Health: Investigating the Moderating Effect of the Built Environment

Air pollution seriously threatens human health and even causes mortality. It is necessary to explore effective prevention methods to mitigate the adverse effect of air pollution. Shaping a reasonable built environment has the potential to benefit human health. In this context, this study quantified the built environment, air pollution, and mortality at 1 km x 1 km grid cells. The moderating effect model was used to explore how built environment factors affect the impact of air pollution on cause-specific mortality and the heterogeneity in different areas classified by building density and height. Consequently, we found that greenness played an important role in mitigating the effect of ozone (O-3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on mortality. Water area and diversity of land cover can reduce the effect of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and NO2 on mortality. Additionally, gas stations, edge density (ED), perimeter-area fractal dimension (PAFRAC), and patch density (PD) can reduce the effect of NO2 on mortality. There is heterogeneity in the moderating effect of the built environment for different cause-specific mortality and areas classified by building density and height. This study can provide support for urban planners to mitigate the adverse effect of air pollution from the perspective of the built environment.

Automated summary

This study quantified the relationship between the built environment, air pollution, and mortality, and found that greenness plays an important role in mitigating the effect of ozone and nitrogen dioxide on mortality. Water area and diversity of land cover can also reduce the effect of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide on mortality. Additionally, certain built environment factors such as gas stations, edge density, perimeter-area fractal dimension, and patch density can reduce the effect of nitrogen dioxide on mortality. The moderating effect of the built environment varies for different cause-specific mortality and areas classified by building density and height.