Shenzhen and other areas in China, both urban and rural, are facing environmental and human health issues due to increased air pollution. Industrialization and the establishment of special economic zones can be to blame because of increased levels of air pollution.
- The establishment of Shenzhen as an SEZ has:
- increased the coal consumption
- increased automobile use in the area
Both of these processes release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere (Harris & Udagawa, 2014, p. 619). Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions mix with the water in the atmosphere and become sulfuric acid and nitric acid (Likens, Butler & Rury, 2012). This process creates acid rain.
Detrimental effects of acid rain via precipitation:
- acidifying of water sources (increased acidity of drinking water and fish)
- soil acidification (increased acidity of crops)
- increased accumulation of methyl mercury in fish (Likens, Butler & Rury, 2012).
- Air pollution is also detrimental to human health just through inhalation. Researchers that have performed case studies in Shenzhen have found that:
- PM2.5* has been measured above the National Ambient Air Quality Class 2 standard in Shenzhen (Zhang et al., 2016)
- PM2.5* is related to increased mortality rates among male and elderly populations (Zhang et al., 2016)
- premature deaths could be prevented if atmospheric concentrations of PM2.5* and PM10* are kept below World Health Organization (WHO) standards (Xie et al. (2011))
- High levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, PM10* and ozone are linked to increased risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, especially during hot weather (Dai et al., 2015, p.56)
These studies can hopefully influence policy makers to implement laws and regulations that will reduce harmful emissions.
*PM or particulate matter is “a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large enough to see with the naked eye” (Particulate Matter (PM) Basics, 2016)
PM10 are inhalable particles with diameters that are less than or equal to 10 micrometers. PM2.5 are inhalable particles with diameters that are less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers.
Citations
Xie, P., Liu, X., Liu, Z., Li, T., Zhong, L., & Xiang, Y. (2010). Human health impact of exposure to airborne particulate matter in Pearl River Delta, China. Water, Air & Soil Pollution, 215(349-363).
Zhang, F., Liu, X., Zhou., Yu, Y., Wang, L., Lu, J., …Kraft, T. (2016). Spatiotemporal patterns of particulate matter (PM) and associations between PM and mortality in Shenzhen, China. BMC Public Health, 16(214).