Hazardous Air Pollutants: Case Studies from Asia examines the variety of public health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, increased mortality, and impaired mental health, that are severely affecting multiple Asian countries as a result of exposure to high concentrations of air pollution in the wake of rapid industrialization. The contributors to this book have direct research experience in health problems caused by air pollution in the countries under discussion. The countries analyzed include China, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Korea.
The book is divided in two sections. Each chapter of the first section focuses on one country and summarizes multiple key aspects that contextualize public health issues within it, including
- Geography
- Meteorology
- Economics
- Demographics
- Sources of air pollution
- Epidemiological findings
- Biological mechanisms
The first section also assesses the exposure and risk within each country. The second section introduces new fields of air pollution research, the impact of vehicle emission regulations, the effects of coal energy generation, and climate change.
Presented in a concise and methodical manner, this book provides an up-to-date overview of the air pollution levels, health findings, and air quality policies of Asian countries. It expands understanding about the effects of air pollution on public health in Asia and lays a groundwork for future approaches to research and policy.
About the Author: Dong-Chun Shin, MD, PhD, is a professor of the Department of Preventive Medicine and the director of the Institute for Environmental Research at Yonsei University College of Medicine. He is an active member of numerous organizations on environmental science, serving or having served as president or chair of several. He has published 158 peer-reviewed articles, including 36 SCI-listed works. He has been awarded the Presidential Citation for Environmental Achievement and the Order of National Service Merit, both by Korea. His research specializes in risk assessment and management and in health and environmental sustainability.
