Advances and perspectives in environmental health research in China

doi:10.1007/s11783-024-1836-z

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

2024, Vol. 18

Issue (6) : 76 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-024-1836-z

Advances and perspectives in environmental health research in China

Tong Zhu^1,²(

), Yingjun Liu^1,², Shunqing Xu³, Guanghui Dong⁴, Cunrui Huang⁵, Nan Sang⁶, Yunhui Zhang⁷, Guanyong Su⁸, Jingwen Chen⁹, Jicheng Gong^1,², Guohua Qin⁶, Xinghua Qiu^1,², Jing Shang^1,², Haobo Wang⁹, Pengpeng Wang¹⁰, Mei Zheng^1,²

¹. SKL-ESPC & SEPKL-AERM, Department of Environmental Health, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
². Center for Environment and Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
³. School of Life and Health Sciences, Huainan University, Haikou 570228, China
⁴. Joint International Research Laboratory of Environment and Health (Ministry of Education), Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
⁵. Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
⁶. Research Center of Environment and Health, College of Environment and Resource, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
⁷. Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
⁸. School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
⁹. Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian Key Laboratory on Chemicals Risk Control and Pollution Prevention Technology, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
¹⁰. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China

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Abstract

● Environmental health research has surged in China over the past decade

● The scope extends beyond health effects of classic pollutants to include those of emerging pollutants and climate change

● Future research priorities and opportunities are proposed

Environmental health research aims to identify environmental conditions suitable for the healthy living and reproduction of human beings. Through the interdisciplinary research bridging environmental sciences and health/medical sciences, the impacts of physical, chemical, and biological environmental factors on human health are investigated. This includes identifying environmental factors detrimental to human health, evaluating human exposure characteristics to environmental factors, clarifying causal relationships between environmental exposure and health effects, analyzing the underlying biochemical mechanisms, linking environmental factors to the onset and progression of diseases, establishing exposure-response relationships, and determining effect thresholds. Ultimately, the results of environmental health research can serve as a scientific basis for formulating environmental management strategies and guiding prevention and intervention measures at both the public and individual levels. This paper summarizes the recent advances and future perspectives of environmental health research in China, as reported by a group of Chinese scientists who recently attended a workshop in Hainan, China. While it is not intended to provide a comprehensive review of this expansive field, it offers a glimpse into the significant progress made in understanding the health impacts of environmental factors over the past decade. Looking ahead, it is imperative not only to sustain efforts in studying the health effects of traditional environmental pollution, but also to prioritize research on the health impacts of emerging pollutants and climate change.

Keywords Environmental pollution Emerging pollutants Climate change Exposure Mechanism

Corresponding Author(s): Tong Zhu

Issue Date: 10 May 2024

Cite this article:

Tong Zhu,Yingjun Liu,Shunqing Xu, et al. Advances and perspectives in environmental health research in China[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2024, 18(6): 76.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-024-1836-z
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2024/V18/I6/76

Fig.1 Proportion of publications within the topic of “environmental health” that feature “climate change” and “pollution” as keywords from 2010 to 2023. Data are obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection database.

Fig.2 Number of publications within the topic of “environmental health” contributed by Chinese authors from 2010 to 2023. Data are obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection database using the following sets of keywords: topic: environmental health; address: China.

Fig.3 Illustration depicting key areas of environmental research as well as technological and methodological advances potentially important for future progress.

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