大陸から飛来する黄砂の濃度が高い日は、病気による救急搬送の数が増えるとの研究結果がまとめられた。国立環境研究所の上田佳代主任研究員らによると、黄砂とともに飛んでくる微小粒子状物質「PM2.5」などの大気汚染物質が影響している可能性があるという。MSN産経ニュースが報じている。
（上田さんらは）救急搬送の充実したデータが残る長崎市を調査。けがや妊婦を除き平成１５～１９年の３～５月の成人の搬送約９千件を分析。黄砂濃度が高い日は黄砂がない日に比べ搬送数は１２％多く、心臓病と脳卒中の循環器疾患に限ると２１％も増えた。
黄砂を含む大気の飛来ルートを解析した結果、大陸沿岸の工業地帯を２キロ未満の高度で通ってきた日の方が、上空を通ってきた日より搬送数が多い傾向があった。福岡県内の病院に入院した脳梗塞の患者を対象とした調査では、特定のタイプの脳梗塞は発症が約３０％増えたとの結果も出た。
（MSN産経ニュース「ＰＭ２・５の影響濃厚 黄砂の日は救急搬送増加 脳梗塞３割増の結果も」より 2014/03/12 12:41）
高度が低い日のほうが搬送データが多いことについて、上田さんは「低高度を通る際に、工業地帯から出る大気汚染物質や微生物などが混ざるのではないか」と指摘している。
一方、PM2.5は大陸から飛来するばかりではなく、国内でも発生している。3月12日に開催されたPM2.5の対策を話し合う中央環境審議会専門委員会の初回会合では、ディーゼル車などから直接排出されるPM2.5は減っているが、工場や火力発電所から出た汚染物質が大気中で化学反応を起こしてできるPM2.5への対策は進んでいないという実態が、報告されている。
なお、環境省などは2018年度に新たに打ち上げる人工衛星で、PM2.5の観測を宇宙から行うことにも取り組むとしている。
関連記事
中国 大気汚染 画像集
(01 of17)
A little tourist wearing the PM2.5 mask walk on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(02 of17)
Traffic moves along a street as pedestrians walk on an overpass shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(03 of17)
Traffic moves along a street as pedestrians walk on an overpass shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(04 of17)
Haze surrounds the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in the West Kowloon district of Hong Kong, China, on Monday, April 15, 2013. Hong Kong\'s air pollution index reached the \"severe\" level for the third time this year, triggering a government warning, as the lack of air flow trapped pollutants in the city. (credit:Jerome Favre / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(05 of17)
Diesel fumes come out of a tug boat chimney as skyscrapers stand in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong, China, on Monday, April 15, 2013. Hong Kong\'s air pollution index reached the \"severe\" level for the third time this year, triggering a government warning, as the lack of air flow trapped pollutants in the city. (credit:Jerome Favre / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(06 of17)
A man wears a mask as he walks down a street in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(07 of17)
Traffic moves along a street shrouded in haze in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(08 of17)
A woman wears a mask as she walks on a street in Beijing, China, on Friday, March 15, 2013. China\'s new premier promised to crack down on corruption and clean up pollution, acknowledging the need to tackle two issues that have stoked public anger toward the country\'s leaders. (credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
(09 of17)
This picture taken on January 29, 2013 shows a general view of buildings in the heavy smog in Jilin, northeast China\'s Jilin province. Beijing urged residents to stay indoors on January 30 as emergency measures were rolled out aimed at countering a heavy cloud of smog blanketing the Chinese capital and swathes of the country. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(10 of17)
Chinese tourists look at the view from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(11 of17)
Two Chinese policemen guard in front of two LED screens on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(12 of17)
A general view shows the Guotai Chambers building from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(13 of17)
A Chinese tourist takes photos from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(14 of17)
Chinese tourists looks at the view from the historic Jingshan Park as smog continues to shroud Beijing on January 31, 2013. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(15 of17)
Tourists visit the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(16 of17)
A little tourist wearing a panda mask walk on the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(17 of17)
The little tourists play on the ground with frozen ice at the Tiananmen Square during severe pollution on January 31, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)