An Epidemiological Study to Investigate Links between Atmospheric Pollution from Farming and SARS-CoV-2 Mortality

Paolo Contiero, Alessandro Borgini, Martina Bertoldi, Anna Abita, Giuseppe Cuffari, Paola Tomao, Maria Concetta D’Ovidio, Stefano Reale, Silvia Scibetta, Giovanna Tagliabue, Roberto Boffi, Vittorio Krogh, Fabio Tramuto, Carmelo Massimo Maida, Walter Mazzucco and on behalf of the “SARS-CoV-2 and Environment Working Group”
Additional contact information
Paolo Contiero: Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
Alessandro Borgini: Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
Martina Bertoldi: Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
Anna Abita: UOC Qualità dell’Aria, ARPA Sicilia, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Giuseppe Cuffari: Reporting Ambientale, Salute e Ambiente, ARPA Sicilia, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Paola Tomao: Inail-Dipartimento di Medicina, Epidemiologia, Igiene del Lavoro ed Ambientale, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Maria Concetta D’Ovidio: Inail-Dipartimento di Medicina, Epidemiologia, Igiene del Lavoro ed Ambientale, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Stefano Reale: Laboratorio Tecnologie Diagnostiche Innovative Area Biologia Molecolare, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Rocco Dicillo 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy
Silvia Scibetta: Laboratorio Tecnologie Diagnostiche Innovative Area Biologia Molecolare, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Rocco Dicillo 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy
Giovanna Tagliabue: Cancer Registry Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
Roberto Boffi: Respiratory Disease Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
Vittorio Krogh: Epidemiology and Prevention Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy
Fabio Tramuto: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE) “G. D’Alessandro”—University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Carmelo Massimo Maida: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE) “G. D’Alessandro”—University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Walter Mazzucco: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE) “G. D’Alessandro”—University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
on behalf of the “SARS-CoV-2 and Environment Working Group”: SARS-CoV-2 and Environment Working Group are listed in acknowledgments.

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: Exposure to atmospheric particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has been linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection and death. We hypothesized that long-term exposure to farming-related air pollutants might predispose to an increased risk of COVID-19-related death. To test this hypothesis, we performed an ecological study of five Italian Regions (Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily), linking all-cause mortality by province (administrative entities within regions) to data on atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) and ammonia (NH 3 ), which are mainly produced by agricultural activities. The study outcome was change in all-cause mortality during March–April 2020 compared with March–April 2015–2019 (period). We estimated all-cause mortality rate ratios (MRRs) by multivariate negative binomial regression models adjusting for air temperature, humidity, international import-export, gross domestic product and population density. We documented a 6.9% excess in MRR (proxy for COVID-19 mortality) for each tonne/km 2 increase in NH 3 emissions, explained by the interaction of the period variable with NH 3 exposure, considering all pollutants together. Despite the limitations of the ecological design of the study, following the precautionary principle, we recommend the implementation of public health measures to limit environmental NH 3 exposure, particularly while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Future studies are needed to investigate any causal link between COVID-19 and farming-related pollution.

Keywords: particulate matter; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; mortality; pollution; ammonia; farming; livestock; import and export; gross domestic product (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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