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Trans-provincial health impacts of atmospheric mercury emissions in China

Author

Listed:
  • Long Chen

    (East China Normal University)

  • Sai Liang

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Maodian Liu

    (Peking University)

  • Yujun Yi

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Zhifu Mi

    (University College London)

  • Yanxu Zhang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Yumeng Li

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Jianchuan Qi

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Jing Meng

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Xi Tang

    (East China Normal University)

  • Haoran Zhang

    (Peking University)

  • Yindong Tong

    (Tianjin University)

  • Wei Zhang

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Xuejun Wang

    (Peking University)

  • Jiong Shu

    (East China Normal University)

  • Zhifeng Yang

    (Beijing Normal University
    Guangdong University of Technology)

Abstract

Mercury (Hg) exposure poses substantial risks to human health. Investigating a longer chain from economic activities to human health can reveal the sources and critical processes of Hg-related health risks. Thus, we develop a more comprehensive assessment method which is applied to mainland China—the largest global Hg emitter. We present a map of Hg-related health risks in China and estimate that 0.14 points of per-foetus intelligence quotient (IQ) decrements and 7,360 deaths from fatal heart attacks are related to the intake of methylmercury in 2010. This study, for the first time, reveals the significant impacts of interprovincial trade on Hg-related health risks across the whole country. For instance, interprovincial trade induced by final consumption prevents 0.39 × 10−2 points for per-foetus IQ decrements and 194 deaths from fatal heart attacks. These findings highlight the importance of policy decisions in different stages of economic supply chains to reduce Hg-related health risks.

Suggested Citation

  • Long Chen & Sai Liang & Maodian Liu & Yujun Yi & Zhifu Mi & Yanxu Zhang & Yumeng Li & Jianchuan Qi & Jing Meng & Xi Tang & Haoran Zhang & Yindong Tong & Wei Zhang & Xuejun Wang & Jiong Shu & Zhifeng Y, 2019. "Trans-provincial health impacts of atmospheric mercury emissions in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-09080-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09080-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Wang Chang & Yun Zhu & Che-Jen Lin & Saravanan Arunachalam & Shuxiao Wang & Jia Xing & Tingting Fang & Shicheng Long & Jinying Li & Geng Chen, 2022. "Environmental Justice Assessment of Fine Particles, Ozone, and Mercury over the Pearl River Delta Region, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Kehan He & Zhifu Mi & Long Chen & D'Maris Coffman & Sai Liang, 2021. "Critical transmission sectors in embodied atmospheric mercury emission network in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(6), pages 1644-1656, December.
    3. Xuechun Yang & Sai Liang & Jianchuan Qi & Cuiyang Feng & Shen Qu & Ming Xu, 2021. "Identifying sectoral impacts on global scarce water uses from multiple perspectives," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(6), pages 1503-1517, December.
    4. Hailong Li & Fanyue Meng & Penglin Zhu & Hongxiao Zu & Zequn Yang & Wenqi Qu & Jianping Yang, 2024. "Biomimetic mercury immobilization by selenium functionalized polyphenylene sulfide fabric," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.

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