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PubMed2000

Air pollution and acute respiratory diseases in children: regression analysis of morbidity data.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between acute respiratory diseases and the air quality in the urban area of the Upper Silesian Industrial Zone during autumn and winter with special emphasis on temporal variability in the air concentrations of pollutants. The survey was carried out in 5 primary care units in Chorzów where the morbidity data on the selected respiratory diseases were collected from 1 November 1992 to 31 March 1993. The air pollution data were obtained from the monitoring station, being a part of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station Network. Regression analysis with mean values of concentrations of air pollutants as explanatory variables revealed a positive effect of combined suspended particulate matter and SO2 concentration on the increased prevalence of bronchitis and bronchiolitis. Similar and even stronger effect was observed at the level of temporal variability coefficients of the air pollutants. A hypothesis that temporal variability of the air concentration of pollutants might be a more relevant factor for determining the prevalence of respiratory diseases than simple mean values of the pollutant concentrations is very interesting worthy of further investigations.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

Urban air pollution and health inequities: a workshop report.

Over the past three decades, an array of legislation with attendant regulations has been implemented to enhance the quality of the environment and thereby improve the public's health. Despite the many beneficial changes that have followed, there remains a disproportionately higher prevalence of harmful environmental exposures, particularly air pollution, for certain populations. These populations most often reside in urban settings, have low socioeconomic status, and include a large proportion of ethnic minorities. The disparities between racial/ethnic minority and/or low-income populations in cities and the general population in terms of environmental exposures and related health risks have prompted the "environmental justice" or "environmental equity" movement, which strives to create cleaner environments for the most polluted communities. Achieving cleaner environments will require interventions based on scientific data specific to the populations at risk; however, research in this area has been relatively limited. To assess the current scientific information on urban air pollution and its health impacts and to help set the agenda for immediate intervention and future research, the American Lung Association organized an invited workshop on Urban Air Pollution and Health Inequities held 22-24 October 1999 in Washington, DC. This report builds on literature reviews and summarizes the discussions of working groups charged with addressing key areas relevant to air pollution and health effects in urban environments. An overview was provided of the state of the science for health impacts of air pollution and technologies available for air quality monitoring and exposure assessment. The working groups then prioritized research needs to address the knowledge gaps and developed recommendations for community interventions and public policy to begin to remedy the exposure and health inequities.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed2001

[Short-term relationships between urban atmospheric pollution and respiratory mortality: time series studies].

Time series studies conducted in the field of air pollution aim at testing and quantifying short-term relations which can exist between daily air pollution levels and daily health effects. The method used for this type of survey has sometimes been misunderstood mainly because individual factors and indoor exposure to air pollutants were not taken into account. The adjustment on these individual confounding factors commonly used in classic epidemiologic studies (case-control studies, cohort studies) is not adequate to times series studies which are based on aggregate data. This is different for those factors that change over time according to the levels of air pollution (meteorological conditions, influenza epidemics, trend of health cases) which, when being analysed, must be taken into account either indirectly through time modelling or directly through non-linear modelling processes. During this last decade, numerous studies using the time series method have been published and have found short-term associations between daily levels of air pollution commonly observed and daily respiratory mortality. The consistency of the numerous results published in the international literature are more arguments in favour of non-confounding short-term relations between air pollution and respiratory mortality.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A temporary decrease in the ventilatory function of an urban population during an acute increase in air pollution.

During a short period of increased air pollution in a polluted area in the Netherlands, a majority of the inhabitants showed a lower VC and FEV1 value than during a period of extremely low pollution. This may be due to a temporary decrease in the ventilatory function in response to a temporary increase in air pollution. Persons who showed the greatest "decrease" in the VC and/or FEV1 had a slightly higher prevalence of chronic non-specific lung disease (CNSLD) than did those who had a slight or no decrease in VC and FEV1. The studies will be continued in order to determine whether the groups will show different repiratory disease patterns in the future. In studies on long-term effects of exposure to air pollution, one must consider the possibility that short-term effects may influence the results of the lung function measurements. It is always important, therefore, to include a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms in such studies, since it is unlikely that short periods of air pollution influence the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

[Recent information on air pollution impact in North-Rhine-Westphalia (author's transl)].

Since 1963, air quality in the Rhine-Ruhr-area, one of the largest agglomerations of industry, population, and traffic in Europe, is systematically monitored and the levels are documented in the form of on air pollution cataster. The surveilled area comprises about 5000 km2. Within the first years, measurements were made with the air pollutants sulphur dioxide and dust fall out. Later, the following air pollutants were included into the monitoring program: Hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, suspended particles, as well as the determination of total organic substances. In smaller regions within the surveilled area, measurements of the following air polutants were made, too: Nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, carbon disulphide, benzene, phenol, carbon monixide, oxidants, as well as determinations of lead, cadmium, and zinc content in suspended particles and dust fall out. Besides the demonstration of the tasks within the air quality monitoring program, the projection as well as the execution of air pollution measurements are discussed. Definitions of impact characteristics and the adjusted legal air quality standards are given in more detail. Finally, an evaluation of the results of this monitoring program is given for each pollutant. Furthermore, the trends of air pollution and its causes since the beginning of air quality monitoring in 1963 are evaluated.

Air↗
PubMed2002

[Retrospect and prospect of pollution ecology].

Since 1970s, pollution ecology has gone through several historical stages including the natal, growing and developing and expanding stage with the rise in environmental sciences and the development of applied ecology. The theoretical system and researching methods with special characteristic of the subject has taken shape. So far pollution ecology has become an independent discipline to probe into interactions between biological systems and polluted environment and to control and remedy polluted environment using ecological principles, is an important component part of applied ecology and derives from amalgamation and intersection between ecology is faced with challenges and opportunities. A breakthrough and good progresses will be made in its branches and frontal fields such as ecology of combined pollution, contaminant ecotoxicology, ecological processes of pollutants and ecological remediation of contaminated environment.

China↗
PubMed2002

Identifying and managing adverse environmental health effects: 2. Outdoor air pollution.

Air pollution contributes to preventable illness and death. Subgroups of patients who appear to be more sensitive to the effects of air pollution include young children, the elderly and people with existing chronic cardiac and respiratory disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. It is unclear whether air pollution contributes to the development of asthma, but it does trigger asthma episodes. Physicians are in a position to identify patients at particular risk of health effects from air pollution exposure and to suggest timely and appropriate actions that these patients can take to protect themselves. A simple tool that uses the CH2OPD2 mnemonic (Community, Home, Hobbies, Occupation, Personal habits, Diet and Drugs) can help physicians take patients' environmental exposure histories to assess those who may be at risk. As public health advocates, physicians contribute to the primary prevention of illness and death related to air pollution in the population. In this article we review the origins of air pollutants, the pathophysiology of health effects, the burden of illness and the clinical implications of smog exposure using the illustrative case of an adolescent patient with asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Topical problems of trans-local pollution of areas].

Translocal pollution is that resulted from the travel of effluents, discharges, and waste from one administrative area to another of the same country. Approaches to estimating interregional, intraregional, and intradistrict translocal pollution on the territory of the Russian Federation have not been developed so far. By using the calculation values, actual measurements with the background values borne in mind, the author assess intraregional pollution in the Volgograd Region, substantiated its criteria, and proposed a classification of translocal pollution. The proposed nomenclature, criteria, and classification of translocal pollution may be used to assess the transfer and impact of pollutions at the interregional, intraregional, and intradistrict levels on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2002

[Pollution of the groundwater in the city of Niamey, Niger].

We conducted a study on chemical and bacteriological groundwater pollution in Niamey, a Sahelian city of some 700,000 inhabitants. A total of 22 wells and 24 bore-holes were selected on a geological and socio-economic basis. The superficial aquifers, located on each bank of the River Niger and connected to the wells, presented high levels of oxidizable nitrogen and bacteriological pollution (coliform and faecal Streptococcus) which make the water unfit for human consumption. The deep aquifer, which supplies pumps, was also polluted but to a lesser degree. Faecal pollution increased after the rainy season. The lack of sanitation in Niamey and the seepage of polluted matters from the superficial layers could explain this pollution. Eventually, the use of the groundwater could increase and constitute a major health risk for the majority of the inhabitants of Niamey.

Colony Count, Microbial↗
PubMed2002

Interaction modification among decomposers impairs ecosystem processes in lead-polluted soil.

Environmental pollution by toxicants is generally believed to lead both to direct toxic effects and indirect effects via altered species interactions in a stressed community. We examined how contamination of a coniferous forest soil floor by lead (from an abandoned shooting range area) may alter trophic interactions and decomposition processes. We constructed laboratory microcosms containing microbial-based food webs with various trophic structures: microbes alone; microbes with microbivorous-detritivorous enchytraeid worms (Cognettia sphagnetorum, a potential keystone species of boreal forest soil); and microbes, worms, and predatory mites (Lysigamasus spp.) together. The direct toxic effect of lead and the effectiveness of the predators in preying upon the worms were studied in separate experiments. Polluted humic soil (acid-extractable lead concentration was 2,720 +/- 349 mg/kg of dry soil [mean +/- standard error]) was toxic to enchytraeids, and predators effectively reduced worm populations. Positive density-dependent effects of worms on microbes and a trophic cascade from predatory mites to microbes, observed in the unpolluted humus, were not observed in the polluted humus, indicating pollution-induced interaction modification among organisms. Concomitantly, lead pollution altered the process of nutrient mineralization in the humic soil. However, causality and relative importance of direct toxicity and indirect effects of lead on the dynamics of the decomposer food web could not be pointed out. Examination of our results indicates that traditional food web models are incapable of predicting mechanisms that alter dynamics of pollution-stressed belowground food webs.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Quantified study on human health impact caused by coal-burning air pollution in China].

To develop the mathematics model of exposure to coal-burning pollution; To confirm the exposure level of coal-burning pollutants by source analysis of atmospheric particulates; To establish the quantilification technology and methods of human health impact. Combinating the methods of epidemiology, environmental chemistry and contaminated aerography. We obtained the data of human historical expose to PM10, PM2.5, and Bap etc. that can't be obtained from the general inspect and the contribution rate of coal-burning as well as the status of coal-burning air pollutants. Confirming the degree of human health impact due to coal-burning pollutants, which included: The occurrence risk of respiratory symptoms and COPD of adults in heavily polluted area was 1.7 and 1.5 times of that of relatively clean area respectively; FVC and FEF50 of pupils decreased 194 ml and 172 ml respectively with the increasing of every unit of the Ln(PM10). FVC and FEF50 of pupils decreased 69 ml and 119 ml respectively with the increase of every unit of the Ln(SO2). Both the indices of non-specific and humoral immunity of pupils in heavily and medium polluted areas were worse than those in relatively clean area.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Air pollution: a new respiratory risk for cities in low-income countries.

Since the major accidents that occurred in the 1960s, air pollution has commonly been considered as a respiratory risk factor whose effects are most often studied in industrialised countries. Our aim is to show that it is now the turn of low- and middle-income countries to take this risk factor into account. After a discussion of the characteristics of air pollution, how it is diffused and the main known health effects (short- and long-term effects), we describe the specific differences between the cities in the North and the South. As a result of late industrialisation, cities in the South are now faced with pollution from industrial sources and urban traffic with polluting vehicles. The case of Algeria and Morocco illustrates this situation and its potential health risks. In order to prevent the health risks of air pollution in the cities of the South, systems for measuring pollution levels and epidemiological surveillance need to be put in place rapidly. This strategy can only work if it is supported by a strong partnership from industrialised countries.

Africa↗
PubMed2003

The effects of humic substances on the intake of micro-organic pollutants into the aquatic biota.

Humic substances, naturally occurring highly polymerized organic compounds, exist widely in the water and soil environments. It has been known that the humic substances affect the fate of micro-organic pollutants (e.g. intake, accumulation, movement, degradation, toxicity, etc.). Of these, the effect of humic substances on the intake into biota (i.e. living cell) is one of the most important. In this research, the effects of co-existing humic substances on the intake of micro-organic pollutants into aquatic biota were experimentally evaluated. The humic acid filtrate using a 3,000 Da ultra-filtration membrane was used. Two PAHs (i.e. pyrene and phenanthrene) were used as micro-organic pollutants. Liposome for simulating living cell membrane was synthesized in the laboratory, and used for investigating the intake of micro-organic pollutants into aquatic biota precisely. The batch experiment results (PAHs onto humic acid, humic acid into liposome, and PAHs into liposome (K(lipw))) led to the fact that the sorption of PAHs into liposome is suppressed apparently by binding with humic acid in the aqueous phase. This suggests that the accumulation and/or toxicity of micro-organic pollutants is retarded by humic substances in the actual aqueous environment. Moreover, the experimental results indicated that the sorption into liposome (i.e. liposome/water partition coefficient (K(lipw))) could be a better parameter for estimating the intake of micro-organic pollutants into aquatic biota than n-octanol/water partition coefficient (K(ow)) in the aqueous environment.

Filtration↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interpretation of atmospheric pollution phenomena in relationship with the vertical atmospheric remixing by means of natural radioactivity measurements (radon) of particulate matter.

In this paper the results of seasonal monitoring campaign for primary (benzene and carbon monoxide) and secondary (nitrogen dioxide and ozone) pollutants and for the natural radioactivity of the particulate matter in the urban area of Rome, are reported to investigate acute atmospheric pollution episodes. Comparing the daily concentration trends of primary and secondary pollutants with those of the natural radioactivity, considered as index of the vertical diffusion in the low boundary layer, it has been evidenced that the acute pollution episodes in Rome occur in the winter period for the high atmospheric stability (primary pollution) and in the summer period for the strong diurnal atmospheric remixing (secondary pollution).

Air Movements↗
PubMed1992

[Study of the effects of air pollution on human health in Beijing].

3000 habitants from different polluted areas of Beijing were examined for their states of health in both the summer and the winter in 1989, and 7000 questionnaires were filled. Meanwhile, the data of air pollution surveillance during 1980 and 1988 were collected and analysed. The air pollutants in the areas have been identified. The results of the study showed that the effects of air pollution on human health in urban were more severely than that in suburb and rural area; the complaints of respiratory system were correlative with the level of pollution in the areas; and the index method is useful in the studies of the effects of multi-factor pollution of human health.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Time-series analysis on the relationship between air pollution and daily mortality in Beijing].

To quantitively evaluate the associations between ambient air pollutant and daily mortality of Beijing and to supply the scientific bases for formulating control measures. Air pollutants including CO, SO2, NOx, TSP, PM10. time series analysis Poisson regression was used to evaluate the relationship between cause-specific deaths and air pollutant, considering the potential confounding factors such as seasonal and long-term patterns, meteorological factors (air temperature, air humidity), as well as adjusting the influence of flu epidemics in winter of 1998. The results showed that in single-factor Poisson regression analysis, there is a significant positive correlation between the four pollutants and daily mortality except for the relationship between TSP and coronary heart disease deaths. In multi-factor Poisson regression analysis, when SO2 increase in 100 micrograms/m3, respiratory deaths, cardiovascular and cerebro-vascular deaths, coronary heart disease deaths and chronic obstructive pulmonary deaths increased by 4.21%, 3.97%, 10.68%, 19.22% respectively. Meanwhile, each 100 micrograms/m3 increase in TSP associated with 3.19% increase in the respiratory deaths and 0.62% increase in the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular deaths. It is suggested that air pollution is a risk factor for health and an increase of air pollution level might lead to a raise in daily mortality.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2004

[The effect of air pollution on pulmonary function in young men from different regions of Poland].

UNLABELLED: The aim of study was to evaluate possible influence of air pollution on pulmonary function in the population of 1278 healthy non-smoking young men (18-23 years old) from different parts of Poland. Poland was divided into three regions depending on different concentration of SO2, NO2 and airborne particulate matter (PM10) in the air: region 1 comprised North Poland--agricultural areas with the lowest concentrations of pollution, region 2 comprised Central Poland--big agglomerations with moderate air pollution, region 3 comprised South Poland--big agglomerations and industrial centres with the highest pollution level. Subjects were divided further according to a study place (North Group--subjects from region 1, Central Group--subjects from region 2 and South Group--subjects from region 3). Spirometry and bodypletysmography were performed at rest by using of mobile lab PNEUMOBIL (Jaeger). The results of the study were statistically analysed with the use computer packet Statistica. RESULTS OF THE STUDY: Significant decrease of medium values of pulmonary function test (PFT) was observed in the non-smokers from the region of increased air pollution (South Group) in comparison to the non-smokers from the region of low pollution level (North Group).

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[GIS and scenario analysis aid to water pollution control planning of river basin].

The forward and backward algorithms for watershed water pollution control planning were summarized in this paper as well as their advantages and shortages. The spatial databases of water environmental function region, pollution sources, monitoring sections and sewer outlets were built with ARCGIS8.1 as the platform in the case study of Ganjiang valley, Jiangxi province. Based on the principles of the forward algorithm, four scenarios were designed for the watershed pollution control. Under these scenarios, ten sets of planning schemes were generated to implement cascade pollution source control. The investment costs of sewage treatment for these schemes were estimated by means of a series of cost-effective functions; with pollution source prediction, the water quality was modeled with CSTR model for each planning scheme. The modeled results of different planning schemes were visualized through GIS to aid decision-making. With the results of investment cost and water quality attainment as decision-making accords and based on the analysis of the economic endurable capacity for water pollution control in Ganjiang river basin, two optimized schemes were proposed. The research shows that GIS technology and scenario analysis can provide a good guidance to the synthesis, integrity and sustainability aspects for river basin water quality planning.

Algorithms↗