Health impacts of an extreme dust event: a case and risk assessment study on airborne bacteria in Beijing, China

Dust events are concerning due to their potential to cause environmental pollution and health issues by carrying numerous particles from various regions. However, the risks of airborne bacteria from dust have not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to reveal the particle size distribution, antibiotic resistance, microbial community structure, and diversity of airborne bacteria by using culture methods, and assess the potential health risks by calculating the dose expectation (d ) , daily short-term intake (STI), and Hazard Index (HI) during an extreme dust event in urban Beijing (China). Airborne bacteria were sampled before, during, and the day after a severe dust event in March 2021 in Beijing using the six-stage impactor. The major findings were as follows: (1) airborne bacterial concentration increased during the dust event, and inhalable bacteria account for 67.93