Smog in Europe and North America could be more than 25 times more lethal than the average air pollution found in Chinese cities, a new study suggests.
一项最新研究发现，欧洲和北美的雾霾致命性可能比中国城市平均空气污染水平高出25倍以上。
In the largest ever study of its kind in the developing world, researchers tested the effects of air pollution on the health of people in 272 cities in China.
They found average annual exposure to fine particles, known as PM2.5, in those cities was more than five times higher than the level recommended by the World Health
Organisation (WHO), according to a paper in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
However they also discovered that it was much less likely to increase the death rate than PM2.5 in Europe and North America.
The researchers, led by Dr Maigeng Zhou, of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, suggested this was because China is
affected by large amounts of natural dust blown by the wind from
arid areas, while most pollution in the West comes from industry.
They found that for every increase of 10 micrograms of air pollution in a cubic metre of air, the mortality rate increased by 0.22 percent, discounting deaths from accidents.
Professor Frank Kelly, an expert in environmental health at King's College London, who was not involved in the study but has studied air pollution in China, told The Independent: "Those relative risks are
considerably less than those seen in Europe and the US.
"For
premature mortality [in Europe] we are working on a six percent increase per 10 micrograms."
That suggests air pollution in Europe is
about 27 times more
toxic than average air pollution in China.
相关单词：lethal
lethal解释：adj.致死的；毁灭性的
lethal例句：
A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。
相关单词：organisation
organisation解释：n.组织，安排，团体，有机休
organisation例句：
The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。
相关单词：affected
affected解释：adj.不自然的，假装的
affected例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
相关单词：arid
arid解释：adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的
arid例句：
These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。
相关单词：considerably
considerably解释：adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上
considerably例句：
The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。
相关单词：premature
premature解释：adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的
premature例句：
It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。
相关单词：toxic
toxic解释：adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的
toxic例句：
The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。
