Search
What are you looking for?
Start main content

Press Releases

Press Releases

https://www.med.cuhk.edu.hk/press-releases/cuhk-green-pioneer-series-cuhk-recommends-hong-kongs-new-air-quality-objectives-should-not-ignore-coarse-particulate-pollutants
https://www.med.cuhk.edu.hk/press-releases/cuhk-green-pioneer-series-cuhk-recommends-hong-kongs-new-air-quality-objectives-should-not-ignore-coarse-particulate-pollutants

CUHK Green Pioneer Series CUHK Recommends Hong Kong's New Air Quality Objectives Should Not Ignore Coarse Particulate Pollutants

In Hong Kong, air quality has been deteriorating for over 20 years and presents a serious threat to the health of its citizens. It is commonly accepted that the associations between the respirable suspended particles and adverse respiratory health effects are mainly attributable to the fine particles (particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm, PM2.5) because of their higher number (count) concentration, larger surface area and deeper lung deposition. Recently, an epidemiological research led by Prof. Yu Tak Sun Ignatius, Head, and Ms. Hong Qiu (PhD candidate) of the Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) examined emergency hospital admissions in Hong Kong between 2000 and 2005 and reported that the effects of coarse particles (particles with an aerodynamic diameter between 2.5 and 10 μm) should not be ignored.

CUHK's research discovered that a 10 μg/m3 increase of coarse particles was associated with about 1% increase of emergency hospital admissions for total respiratory diseases and 1.6% increase for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). In other words, a 10 μg/m3 increase of coarse particles led to 830 additional emergency hospital admissions for respiratory diseases per year, of which 482 admissions were due to COPD during the study period.

 

(From left) Prof. Tian Linwei, Assistant Professor; Prof. Yu Tak Sun Ignatius, Head; and Ms. Qiu Hong, PhD Candidate, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at CUHK present their recent research on 'Effects of Coarse Particulate Matter on Emergency Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Diseases' and recommend Hong Kong's New Air Quality Objectives should not ignore coarse particulate pollutants

(From left) Prof. Tian Linwei, Assistant Professor; Prof. Yu Tak Sun Ignatius, Head; and Ms. Qiu Hong, PhD Candidate, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at CUHK present their recent research on 'Effects of Coarse Particulate Matter on Emergency Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Diseases' and recommend Hong Kong's New Air Quality Objectives should not ignore coarse particulate pollutants.

This study is the largest single-city study to date on the effects of coarse particles on emergency hospital admissions for respiratory diseases, involving over half a million admissions over the 6-year period. The report was recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives, the top international journal in environmental health.

Hong Kong's current Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) have been adopted since 1987 and the standard set for particulate matter pollution is only confined to respirable suspended particles PM10. To better protect public health, the Environmental Protection Department of the HKSAR Government launched a public consultation to review Hong Kong's AQOs in mid-2007, making reference to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2005 air quality guidelines. In 2009, a recommendation was made to include fine particles PM2.5 in AQOs. Professor Yu's research has established the adverse effects of coarse particles on respiratory health, independent of fine particles and gaseous pollutants. In view of this discovery, CUHK suggests the Environmental Protection Department to take into consideration the adverse effects of coarse particles when reviewing AQOs in future.

 

CUHK Green Pioneer Series

CUHK is privileged to have a green campus that is among the most beautiful in Asia.  In 2008 and 2009, the University was recognized at the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence by reaping the silver award and gold award respectively under the category of Public Organizations and Utilities, setting a model of sustainability in the academic sector. 

CUHK will build on its outstanding achievements in carbon reduction, water saving, paper saving, ecosystem conservation, and environmental education.  It will launch more innovative projects and share its latest green works through the Green Pioneer Series, bringing its experiences off-campus and share them with the public to promote green living.

More Press Releases

CUHK Green Pioneer Series Findings on Increasing Trend of Primary NO2 Exhaust Emission Fraction in Hong Kong

CUHK Green Pioneer Series Findings on Increasing Trend of Primary NO2 Exhaust Emission Fraction in Hong Kong

Research
CUHK Study Shows Regular Exercise Is a Safe Diabetes Prevention Strategy For People Living in Polluted Regions

CUHK Study Shows Regular Exercise Is a Safe Diabetes Prevention Strategy For People Living in Polluted Regions

Research
Hong Kong’s waters benefit health and wellbeing

Hong Kong’s waters benefit health and wellbeing

Research
CUHK Thomas Jing Centre for Mindfulness Research and Training Established

CUHK Thomas Jing Centre for Mindfulness Research and Training Established

Research
CUHK Study Shows Behavioural Activation with Mindfulness Lower Major Depression Risk

CUHK Study Shows Behavioural Activation with Mindfulness Lower Major Depression Risk

Research
Opening Ceremony of International Conference on Global Health and Public Health Education and Launching of the CUHK Jockey Club Community Primary Care Programme

Opening Ceremony of International Conference on Global Health and Public Health Education and Launching of the CUHK Jockey Club Community Primary Care Programme

Symposium
CU Medicine launches The Jockey Club S.A.T.H. Project for Healthy Families  to enhance health management capacity of ethnic minorities

CU Medicine launches The Jockey Club S.A.T.H. Project for Healthy Families to enhance health management capacity of ethnic minorities

Donation
CUHK study advises residential care homes for the elderly to maintain current infection control practices

CUHK study advises residential care homes for the elderly to maintain current infection control practices

Research
CUHK-HKU collaborative study finds about 80% lower risk of death among COVID-19 inpatients prescribed oral medication and the risk of hospital admission in outpatients is significantly reduced by nearly 90%

CUHK-HKU collaborative study finds about 80% lower risk of death among COVID-19 inpatients prescribed oral medication and the risk of hospital admission in outpatients is significantly reduced by nearly 90%

Research
CUHK develops a real-time bioinformatics platform to predict COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants with 95% accuracy

CUHK develops a real-time bioinformatics platform to predict COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 variants with 95% accuracy

Research
CUHK finds the largest rise in incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma in Asia Rising trend of male incidence means Hong Kong tops the world

CUHK finds the largest rise in incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma in Asia Rising trend of male incidence means Hong Kong tops the world

Research
HKUMed-CU Medicine joint study shows that vaccinated individuals develop more robust and broadly reactive antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants than the unvaccinated after an Omicron infection

HKUMed-CU Medicine joint study shows that vaccinated individuals develop more robust and broadly reactive antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants than the unvaccinated after an Omicron infection

Research
CU Medicine finds Eastern Asia’s lung cancer incidence and mortality highest in the world

CU Medicine finds Eastern Asia’s lung cancer incidence and mortality highest in the world

Research
CU Medicine Survey Shows Only 25% of Unvaccinated People Intend to Get Inoculated in the Coming Six Months “Multiple Incentives” are Urgently Needed

CU Medicine Survey Shows Only 25% of Unvaccinated People Intend to Get Inoculated in the Coming Six Months “Multiple Incentives” are Urgently Needed

Research
CU Medicine Estimates 20,000 COVID-19 Hidden Infections in Hong Kong  All Vaccinated Persons in HK Developed Neutralising Antibody After Two Doses  Urgent Call for the Largely Unprotected Population to Get Vaccinated

CU Medicine Estimates 20,000 COVID-19 Hidden Infections in Hong Kong All Vaccinated Persons in HK Developed Neutralising Antibody After Two Doses Urgent Call for the Largely Unprotected Population to Get Vaccinated

Research
CUHK Develops a Computational Platform to Predict Vaccine Effectiveness by Virus Genome

CUHK Develops a Computational Platform to Predict Vaccine Effectiveness by Virus Genome

Research
CU Medicine Survey Shows Government Recommendation as the Strongest Driver for COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance

CU Medicine Survey Shows Government Recommendation as the Strongest Driver for COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance

Research
CUHK Develops Automatic Retinal Image Analysis Technology for Identifying Autism Making Objective Screening and Early Intervention Possible

CUHK Develops Automatic Retinal Image Analysis Technology for Identifying Autism Making Objective Screening and Early Intervention Possible

Research
CUHK Study Shows Exposure Settings Impact COVID-19 Transmission With Entertainment Setting Showing Propensity for Widespread Dispersion

CUHK Study Shows Exposure Settings Impact COVID-19 Transmission With Entertainment Setting Showing Propensity for Widespread Dispersion

Research
CU Medicine Studies Highlight Smoking as a Contributing Factor for Bladder Cancer and  Develop an International Collaborative Consensus on En Bloc Resection to Treat the Disease

CU Medicine Studies Highlight Smoking as a Contributing Factor for Bladder Cancer and Develop an International Collaborative Consensus on En Bloc Resection to Treat the Disease

Research
CU Medicine Finds An Increasing Global Trend on Pancreatic Cancer among Female and Younger Individuals

CU Medicine Finds An Increasing Global Trend on Pancreatic Cancer among Female and Younger Individuals

Research
CUHK Established the Institute of Health Equity Investigates Housing Affordability Effects on Physical and Mental Health

CUHK Established the Institute of Health Equity Investigates Housing Affordability Effects on Physical and Mental Health

Research
CU Medicine Recruits 3,000 Persons to Investigate Hidden Infection and Break the Obstacles in Containing COVID-19 in Hong Kong

CU Medicine Recruits 3,000 Persons to Investigate Hidden Infection and Break the Obstacles in Containing COVID-19 in Hong Kong

Research
CU Medicine Announces the Community Response Study Results During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Hong Kong

CU Medicine Announces the Community Response Study Results During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Hong Kong

Research
CUHK-Jockey Club Pain Relief Project for the Seniors Preliminary Data Shows 90% of Interviewed Elderly Have at Least Two Pain Sites

CUHK-Jockey Club Pain Relief Project for the Seniors Preliminary Data Shows 90% of Interviewed Elderly Have at Least Two Pain Sites

Health Campaign
CUHK Promotes The “May Measurement Month” in Response to World Hypertension Day, Calling for Public Awareness on Blood Pressure

CUHK Promotes The “May Measurement Month” in Response to World Hypertension Day, Calling for Public Awareness on Blood Pressure

Health Campaign
CUHK Reveals the Key to a Successful HPV Vaccination Programme

CUHK Reveals the Key to a Successful HPV Vaccination Programme

Research
Professor YEOH Eng Kiong Delivers a Talk on End-of-life Care in CUHK Medicine’s Mok Hing Yiu Lecture

Professor YEOH Eng Kiong Delivers a Talk on End-of-life Care in CUHK Medicine’s Mok Hing Yiu Lecture

Symposium
CUHK Asia’s First Comprehensive Epidemiological Study on Health Impact of Household Cleaning Products on Children Reveals Frequent Use of Household Cleaning Products Increase Risk of Triggering Rhinitis in Children

CUHK Asia’s First Comprehensive Epidemiological Study on Health Impact of Household Cleaning Products on Children Reveals Frequent Use of Household Cleaning Products Increase Risk of Triggering Rhinitis in Children

Research
CUHK Research Shows 1 in 5 Throat Cancer Patients in HK is HPV infected

CUHK Research Shows 1 in 5 Throat Cancer Patients in HK is HPV infected

Research
CUHK CGH Distinguished Lecture Series: Vision and Experience Sharing from Public Health England

CUHK CGH Distinguished Lecture Series: Vision and Experience Sharing from Public Health England

Symposium
CUHK CGH Distinguished Lecture Series: South Africa Minister of Health Spoke on Impact of Ebola Epidemic in South Africa and African Continent

CUHK CGH Distinguished Lecture Series: South Africa Minister of Health Spoke on Impact of Ebola Epidemic in South Africa and African Continent

Surgical advancement
CUHK and Harvard Establish Collaboration in Research, Education and Training to Promote Human Health and Well-being

CUHK and Harvard Establish Collaboration in Research, Education and Training to Promote Human Health and Well-being

International collaboration
CUHK Develops an Automatic Retinal Image Analysis System to Help Diabetes Patients and Elderly Prevent Stroke

CUHK Develops an Automatic Retinal Image Analysis System to Help Diabetes Patients and Elderly Prevent Stroke

Research
CUHK Urges Widespread Helmet Use and Protective Measures Against Cycling-related Traumatic Brain Injury

CUHK Urges Widespread Helmet Use and Protective Measures Against Cycling-related Traumatic Brain Injury

Research
The Official Launch of E-community Surveillance System for Influenza-like illness (EcSS) by CUHK

The Official Launch of E-community Surveillance System for Influenza-like illness (EcSS) by CUHK

Health Campaign
Inauguration Ceremony of CCOU Centre for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) Held Today

Inauguration Ceremony of CCOU Centre for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC) Held Today

Education

Our Expert List

Many experts under the Faculty of Medicine are available for media interview.
Please click here for the expert list or contact us.