Pope 2000 - "Epidemiology of Fine Particulate Air Pollution and Human Health"

Pope, C. Arden III
Epidemiology of Fine Particulate Air Pollution and Human Health: Biologic Mechanisms and Who's at Risk?
Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements
August 2000. Volume 108, Number S4, pp.713-723
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Chronic exposure to fine PM has been associated with increased mortality from cardiopulmonary disease, increased chronic respiratory diseases (especially bronchitis), and reduced lung function.

Acute exposure to fine PM has been associated with increased mortality from cardiopulmonary diseases; increased hospitalizations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and other respiratory diseases; and increased asthma and lower respiratory symptoms.

For the mortality risk of short-term exposure, the author estimates that a 50 microgram/meter^3 increased in fine PM would result in an average of 1.7 additional deaths per day per one million people, based on the 1996 average death rate of 8.8/1000/year. He notes that this is a rather small number of deaths.