This study uses a global chemistry-climate model to simulate volatile organic compound (VOC) distributions and estimate cancer risks from 2000-2019. Findings show a 10.2% rise in global VOC emissions, with increases in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and China, but decreases in the US and Europe. Carcinogenic VOCs impacted 0.60-0.85 million individuals, with 36.4-39.7% of the global population exposed to harmful levels, highest in China (82.8-84.3%) and lowest in Europe (1.7-5.8%). Open agricultural burning exacerbated risks, highlighting health disparities between high-income and low-to-middle-income countries.

Ying Xiong, Ke Du, Yaoxian Huang