Climate Change–Driven Alterations in PM2.5 and PM10 Levels: Source Apportionment, Atmospheric Transformations, and Public Health Implications

Abstract

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) is one of the most significant threats to the environment and human health across the globe with climate change increasingly changing the sources, atmospheric transformations and the public health impacts of PM. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the complex interactions between climate change and particulate matter dynamics including effects of increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, changing wind systems and extreme weather events on PM concentrations and composition. Climate change is causing shifts in both anthropogenic and natural emission sources. Wildfires, dust storms and biogenic emissions are increasing in many regions. Changes in atmospheric conditions (secondary organic aerosol formation, sulphate and nitrate chemistry, photochemical reactions) significantly impact atmospheric transformations of PM in a changing climatic environment. Receptor models, isotopic techniques and applications of artificial intelligence are important tools to characterize climate-modified PM profiles in source apportionment approaches. The public health implications are huge, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disorders, neurological effects, cancer risks and maternal-child health outcomes, with vulnerable populations facing disproportionate exposure risks. Emerging new monitoring technologies include satellite-based systems and AI-driven forecasting models providing new opportunities for exposure assessment and early warning systems. This review identifies critical research gaps and proposes integrated mitigation strategies that combine climate change and air quality management for safeguarding human health in a rapidly changing world.