As part of a large health effect-related human exposure study conducted in the city of Zagreb, Republic of Croatia (Sega and Fugas, 1987), NO2, NH3, HCHO, and settled dust concentrations were measured during winter and summer periods in the kitchens and living rooms of 90 homes throughout the city. Characteristics of households and household members were recorded and correlated with the pollutant concentration levels. The results indicate that household characteristics may be useful for predicting human exposure to air pollutants.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of urban air pollution on school-age children.

From November 1977 to March 1978, forced expiratory volumes (FEVs) of 78 second graders living in a high sulfur dioxide and smoke pollution area were compared with FEVs of 70 second graders living in a clean air area. The incidence of acute respiratory diseases in these children and their families was also comparatively studied during the same period. Indoor and outdoor measurements of sulfur dioxide and smoke, as well as additional measurements of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sulfate were conducted. The results of the study suggest that at the actual average annual exposure to sulfur dioxide, smoke, and SPM of 70-80 microgram/m3, 60-80 microgram/m3, and 130-200 microgram/m3, respectively, with frequent exposures to three to five times higher daily sulfur dioxide and smoke concentrations and two times higher daily concentrations of SPM during the heating season, certain effects on the ventilatory functions and occurrence of acute respiratory diseases can be expected.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of human inhalation exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The aim of the investigation was to find a suitable approach for assessing inhalation exposure of urban inhabitants to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air. Personal exposure to PAHs of fifteen subjects, Zagreb inhabitants, was measured over a week in summer and again in winter. All subjects kept a diary of motion and activities and filled in a questionnaire on the characteristics of their fiat and household members. PAHs concentrations inside and outside subject's homes were simultaneously measured as were those in the working environment and in transport. Using an exposure model which takes into account the time spent by the subjects in each microenvironment and the respective concentrations measured, the inhalation exposure of each subject was calculated and compared with the directly measured personal exposure for the winter season only the summer concentrations being negligible. For a few subjects the calculated inhalation exposure deviated considerably from the one measured directly. This could be attributed to the fact that the subject spent some time in a microenvironment with significantly different PAH levels which were not included in the calculation. However, if the average results for the whole group are considered, there was no statistically significant difference between the directly measured and calculated PAH inhalation exposures. Therefore the described approach could be used for calculating average inhalation exposure to PAHs of population groups with common characteristics.

Air Pollution↗