2014 Volume 29 Issue S1 Pages s38-s46
To evaluate aerosol impacts on human health and plants, introduce control technology to the emission sources, and formulate a reduction strategy, three subjects must be comprehensively studied: (i) characteristics of the emission sources, and physical and chemical behavior of the aerosols in the atmosphere; (ii) biological and medical influences; and (iii) integrated quantification of the source receptor relationship based on the achievements of the foregoing two studies. Additionally, measuring the characteristics of the source–receptor relationship (SRR) should not be limited to individual regions or countries but considered on an international scale to solve the problems of pollution at regional levels, as well as at transboundary levels, through a socio-economic lens. This is done because the anthropogenic sources are associated with global economic activities and globalization induces the economy–environment linkage, which creates a hidden emission structure. In the first part, we show a general mathematical framework of SRR and review the SRR studies of acid depositions, surface ozone and aerosol concentrations. A further research review is made of the intercontinental SRR of adverse health impacts, such as premature mortalities caused by aerosol or gaseous air pollutant exposure. We also introduce a SRR study of PM2.5 by sectors in source regions of east and south-east Asia. In the second part, we present socio-economic evaluation methods of anthropogenic sources of air pollutants, such as consumption-based accounting of their emissions and emissions embodied in bilateral trade.Applications of multiregional input-output (MRIO) analysis to analyze environmental implications of consumption in terms of CO2, aerosol and other air pollutants are shown in particular. Finally, a consumption-based impact analysis utilizing the combined models of SRR and MRIO is presented.
