Relationship Between Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), and the Incidence Rates of Type 1 Diabetes in 2017–2018 Compared to 2020–2021 During the Period of Restrictions Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Sośnicka, Anna; Jaskulak, Marta; Tomczyk, Żaklina; Krawczyk, Sylwia; Piekarski, Robert; Beń-Skowronek, Iwona; Zorena, Katarzyna

doi:10.3390/atmos17030262

Open AccessArticle

Relationship Between Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and the Incidence Rates of Type 1 Diabetes in 2017–2018 Compared to 2020–2021 During the Period of Restrictions Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

by

Anna Sośnicka

^1,†,

Marta Jaskulak

^1,†

,

Żaklina Tomczyk

²,

Sylwia Krawczyk

²,

Robert Piekarski

²,

Iwona Beń-Skowronek

² and

Katarzyna Zorena

^1,*

¹

Department of Immunobiology and Environment Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland

²

Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, University Children’s Hospital, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Atmosphere 2026, 17(3), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17030262

Submission received: 15 January 2026 / Revised: 15 February 2026 / Accepted: 27 February 2026 / Published: 28 February 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Research and Data Science for Advancing Air Quality and Environmental Health)

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Abstract

In recent years, more and more studies have been published on the impact of air pollution on the increase in the incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children and adolescents. To confirm this, we attempted to show whether there are differences between the impact of air pollution in 2017–2018 compared to the impact of air pollution during the lockdown period, i.e., 2020–2021, and its potential relationship with the incidence rates of new cases of T1DM. Methods: We obtained the number of new cases of T1DM in 2017–2018 and 2020–2021 in the Lublin Voivodeship. Data on the annual average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), nitric oxides (NO_x), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) were obtained from Annual Air Quality Assessment reports from 2017–2018 and 2020–2021, made available by the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (WIOS) in Lublin. Results: In 2017–2018, air pollution in the entire Lublin Voivodeship was higher than during the lockdown period, i.e., 2020–2021. Moreover, in 2017 and 2018 in the Lublin Voivodeship, strong statistically significant positive correlations were found between NO₂ and PM_2.5 concentrations and the occurrence of T1DM in children. Conclusions: The research results indicate that air pollution is one of the factors that may suggest a potential association with the development of T1DM. Therefore, every effort should be made to minimize air pollution, which will reduce the risk of developing T1DM and other diseases.

Keywords: children and adolescents; type 1 diabetes mellitus; air pollution; particulate matter; nitrogen dioxide; nitric oxides; sulphur dioxide; oxidative stress; lockdown

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MDPI and ACS Style

Sośnicka, A.; Jaskulak, M.; Tomczyk, Ż.; Krawczyk, S.; Piekarski, R.; Beń-Skowronek, I.; Zorena, K. Relationship Between Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and the Incidence Rates of Type 1 Diabetes in 2017–2018 Compared to 2020–2021 During the Period of Restrictions Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Atmosphere 2026, 17, 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17030262

AMA Style

Sośnicka A, Jaskulak M, Tomczyk Ż, Krawczyk S, Piekarski R, Beń-Skowronek I, Zorena K. Relationship Between Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and the Incidence Rates of Type 1 Diabetes in 2017–2018 Compared to 2020–2021 During the Period of Restrictions Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Atmosphere. 2026; 17(3):262. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17030262

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sośnicka, Anna, Marta Jaskulak, Żaklina Tomczyk, Sylwia Krawczyk, Robert Piekarski, Iwona Beń-Skowronek, and Katarzyna Zorena. 2026. "Relationship Between Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and the Incidence Rates of Type 1 Diabetes in 2017–2018 Compared to 2020–2021 During the Period of Restrictions Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic" Atmosphere 17, no. 3: 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17030262

APA Style

Sośnicka, A., Jaskulak, M., Tomczyk, Ż., Krawczyk, S., Piekarski, R., Beń-Skowronek, I., & Zorena, K. (2026). Relationship Between Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and the Incidence Rates of Type 1 Diabetes in 2017–2018 Compared to 2020–2021 During the Period of Restrictions Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. Atmosphere, 17(3), 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17030262

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Relationship Between Particulate Matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and the Incidence Rates of Type 1 Diabetes in 2017–2018 Compared to 2020–2021 During the Period of Restrictions Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

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