Health risks caused by atmospheric particulate matter and their relationship with the sustainable development goals

Particulate Matter (PM) is one of the main air pollutants, and its most relevant fractions are PM 2.5 and PM 10 , with aerodynamic diameters of up to 2.5 µm and 10 µm, respectively. PM exposure is associated with several diseases. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate PM concentration in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, relating it to goal 11.6.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and analyzing the risk of human exposure to PM 10 and PM 2.5 . The study used data from 17 monitoring stations, collected between 2015 and 2022, and applied the geostatistical kriging method to interpolate PM concentration data. In addition, concentration projections indicating that São Paulo will not reach the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended standards until 2045 for PM 2.5 and until 2050 for PM 10 . As for indicator 11.6.2, the city is expected to reach the ideal scenario only in 2033. These projections reflect a continuation of historical trends and are subject to uncertainties and limitations, which must be taken into account when interpreting the results. Air pollution’s impact on population health was quantified with AirQ + , providing the estimated number of premature deaths attributable to PM exposure. Thus, this study shows the direct relation between air quality and adverse health effects, underscoring the need for continuous measures geared toward reducing pollution exposure and achieving sustainability and public health goals.