Impact of aircraft CO, NO ₂ , and SO ₂ emissions on public health in Chinese airports

Background: emissions remains limited. We aimed to fill this gap by examining the health impacts of these pollutants on populations surrounding airports in China. Methods: emissions at each airport using the Global Mortality Model and population data near the airports. Results: emissions were associated with a higher attributable mortality burden in men than in women, and a greater burden is observed among older age groups. Among the three pollutants, CO accounts for the largest number of respiratory disease deaths. Lastly, we observed the highest number of attributable deaths in 2019. Conclusions: Our findings give new insights into the relationship between aircraft pollutant emissions and health outcomes in China, and thus provides a valuable reference for future research and policy formulation on how aviation impacts public health.