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Exploring the Spatial Distribution of Air Pollution and Its Association with Socioeconomic Status Indicators in Mexico City

Author

Listed:
  • Jimena García-Burgos

    (Laboratorio de Ecología, Unidad de Biología de la Conservación, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Yucatán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mérida 97302, Mexico)

  • Yosune Miquelajauregui

    (Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico)

  • Elizabeth Vega

    (Instituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico)

  • Anil Namdeo

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7XA, UK)

  • Alejandro Ruíz-Olivares

    (Department of Soil Sciences, Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo 56231, Mexico)

  • Juan Manuel Mejía-Arangure

    (Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
    Genómica del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Mexico City 14610, Mexico)

  • Cinthia Gabriela Resendiz-Martinez

    (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de la Ciudad de México, Mexico City 06068, Mexico)

  • Louise Hayes

    (Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK)

  • Lindsay Bramwell

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7XA, UK)

  • Monica Jaimes-Palomera

    (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de la Ciudad de México, Mexico City 06068, Mexico)

  • Jane Entwistle

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7XA, UK)

  • Juan Carlos Núñez-Enríquez

    (Unidad de Investigación Médica en Epidemiología Clínica, UMAE Hospital de Pediatría Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Mexico City 06720, Mexico)

  • Antonio Portas

    (Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7XA, UK)

  • Richard McNally

    (Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK)

Abstract

Air pollution is one of the most challenging global sustainability problems in the world. Roughly 90% of global citizens live in areas that exceed the acceptable air pollution levels according to the World Health Organization air quality guidelines. However, socially disadvantaged groups are disproportionately located in areas exposed to higher levels of air pollution. Understanding the association between risk exposure to air pollutants and the underlying socio-economic factors determining risk is central for sustainable urban planning. The purpose of this study was to explore environmental inequalities in Mexico City, specifically the spatial association between air pollutants and socioeconomic status (SES) indicators. We propose that SES indicators will be expected to spatially cluster vulnerable individuals and groups into heavily polluted areas. To test this hypothesis, we used 2017–2019 data from governmental records to perform spatial interpolations to explore the spatial distribution of criteria pollutants. We carried out spatial autocorrelations of air pollutants and SES indicators using the bivariate Moran’s I index. Our findings provide strong evidence of spatial heterogeneity in air pollution exposure in Mexico City. We found that socially deprived areas located in the southern periphery of Mexico City were exposed to higher ozone concentrations. On the contrary, wealthiest areas concentrated in the city center were exposed to greater concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Our findings highlight the need for policy-driven approaches that take into consideration not only the geographic variability and meteorological dynamics associated with air pollution exposure, but also the management of socioeconomic risk factors aimed at reducing disparate exposure to air pollution and potential health impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Jimena García-Burgos & Yosune Miquelajauregui & Elizabeth Vega & Anil Namdeo & Alejandro Ruíz-Olivares & Juan Manuel Mejía-Arangure & Cinthia Gabriela Resendiz-Martinez & Louise Hayes & Lindsay Bramwe, 2022. "Exploring the Spatial Distribution of Air Pollution and Its Association with Socioeconomic Status Indicators in Mexico City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:22:p:15320-:d:976543
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    References listed on IDEAS

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