RESUMO
The character of exposure-response relationship between particulate matter and population mortality has been one of the critical and difficult problems in air pollution epidemiological study. The character of exposure-response relationship included the shape of the exposure-response relationship and the existence of the threshold concentration. In this paper, the recent relevant researches on the character of exposure-response relationship between particulate matter and population mortality were reviewed. The threshold concentration of particulate matter for mortality was not found and the shape of the exposure-response curve need to be further studied. Now, in China, we are facing a good opportunity for researching the exposure-response relationship between particulate matter and population mortality.