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PubMed1996

A cohort study with children living in an air-polluted region--a model for public health.

Regions with heavy industry are in many ways regions of crisis. The health of the population is primarily affected by the different air pollutants. Dust, with all its organic (dioxins and furans) and inorganic (heavy metals) contents, makes up the greatest part of the air-borne pollutants. The influence on health of environmental pollution was ascertained through the determination of different parameters (functional methods and determination of physiological parameters). This influence could be observed in children over a period of 8 years with regular investigations (e.g. determination of pulmonary function by spirometry and immunological parameters). Besides this exogenous load the persons are exposed to other environmental stresses-shift work, unemployment, alcoholism and divorce-which have a particular influence on the attitude and the upbringing of the children. Sixty per cent of the children in this polluted region ate no breakfast in the morning. Consequently it could be shown that the blood sugar in 70% of the children was below 70 mg/dl. Additionally, a relatively high amount of COHb (2.5% to 3%), and an increased concentration of serum IgE (47% of children with a concentration over 100 IU/ml), could be detected. Through a change in the environmental awareness of the children and their consequent influence, an effort should be made to achieve a positive effect on the health of the whole population. The children were given a chance to participate in various sports for the whole day during a week in the mountains at 1200 m. The teachers exercised with the children for at least 8 h per day. Besides gymnastics the program consisted of downhill and cross-country skiing. In addition, the children were offered a balanced and natural diet and they were instructed accordingly. This week of activity led to a clear reduction of the concentration of COHb, but to a far less clear improvement in the concentration of blood sugar and the pulmonary function.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2006

Alternative indicators of fecal pollution: relations with pathogens and conventional indicators, current methodologies for direct pathogen monitoring and future application perspectives.

The ecological and survival characteristics of bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens vary under environmental conditions, indicating that probably no single indicator organism can predict the presence of all enteric pathogens for all types of waters and different host-associated fecal pollution. If there are true correlations between indicator organisms and pathogens, it is necessary to find out to what extent and under which circumstances these organisms can be used as reliable indicators of fecal pollution. Application of conventional and alternative fecal indicators has greatly enhanced our abilities to predict and reduce health risk associated with the use of surface waters. New molecular-based techniques have shown that combined use of conventional and alternative indicators for fecal pollution increases both the detection sensitivity and specificity of fecal pollution and associated pathogens. In this review, we, therefore, summarize the advantages and limitations of conventional and alternative fecal indicators in terms of predicting pathogen presence as well as current and future methodologies for direct pathogen monitoring in environmental waters. This manuscript is mainly focused on the relationships between microbial fecal indicators and the presence of pathogens, which have not previously been summarized yet and could nicely supplement with recent literature reviews on microbial source tracking.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Ultrastructural changes in fish gills as biomarker to assess small stream pollution.

In order to verify the principal suitability of gill ultrastructure as a biomarker, semi-field studies with two endigoneous fish, trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) and loach (Barbatula barbatula), were performed. The fish were exposed in flow-through systems to one heavily polluted (Körsch) and one lightly polluted small stream (Krähenbach) in South-West Germany. Ultrastructural responses in gills were correlated with limnological and chemical data recorded over a 2 year period in each stream. After 8 weeks of exposure to the heavily polluted stream, fish showed ultrastructural changes in the gills, such as cell proliferation, dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum, hyperplasia, hypersecretion, and epithelial lifting in chloride, epithelial, and mucus cells. The results of the study demonstrate that ultrastructural reactions in the gills of fish kept under semi-field conditions are potentially useful biomarkers indicating small stream pollution.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Endothelial function in relation to low-level chronic residential air pollution in a general population: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Given the recently updated clean-air targets, this population study assessed endothelial function at low exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 µm (PM10) and ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and black carbon (BC). METHODS: In 453 Flemish participants (47.7% women; mean age, 52.8 years), endothelial function was assessed by finger photoplethysmography after 5 min of ischaemia. The outcome measures were the maximal ischaemic-to-control ratio (Rmax) and the maximal difference (Dmax) in pulse amplitude between the test and control fingers. The air pollutants were related to Rmax and Dmax using mixed models accounting for coresidence, to cardiovascular endpoints by proportional hazards regression, and to residential address by high-resolution spatiotemporal interpolation. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2015, PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and BC decreased (p < 0.0001) with 6-year levels averaging 15.9, 12.8, 14.3 and 1.04 µg/m3. Irrespective of adjustment for risk factors, Dmax was inversely correlated with PM2.5, while associations of Rmax with PM2.5 and associations of both Dmax and Rmax with other pollutants were weaker (p values <0.10), but consistently inverse. Association sizes of Rmax and Dmax with PM10 and PM2.5 weakened over 6 years, paralleling the decreasing air pollutants (p ≤ 0.044). In adjusted analyses, the risk of a composite cardiovascular endpoint decreased (p ≤ 0.043) with higher Rmax and Dmax with hazard ratios ranging from 0.31 to 0.49. Finally, in the geographical analysis, endothelial dysfunction followed the spatial gradients in PM2.5. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term low-level air pollution is associated with subclinical endothelial dysfunction, the initial and critical step leading to adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Humans↗

PubMed2000

Inhalation transfer factors for air pollution health risk assessment.

To facilitate routine health risk assessments, we develop the concept of an inhalation transfer factor (ITF). The ITF is defined as the pollutant mass inhaled by an exposed individual per unit pollutant mass emitted from an air pollution source. A cumulative population inhalation transfer factor (PITF) is also defined to describe the total fraction of an emitted pollutant inhaled by all members of the exposed population. In this paper, ITFs and PITFs are calculated for outdoor releases from area, point, and line sources, indoor releases in single zone and multizone indoor environments, and releases within motor vehicles. Typical PITFs for an urban area from emissions outdoors are approximately 10(-6)-10(-3). PITFs associated with emissions in buildings or in moving vehicles are typically much higher, approximately 10(-3)-10(-1).

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1983

Indoor air pollution: a public health perspective.

Although official efforts to control air pollution have traditionally focused on outdoor air, it is now apparent that elevated contaminant concentrations are common inside some private and public buildings. Concerns about potential public health problems due to indoor air pollution are based on evidence that urban residents typically spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, concentrations of some contaminants are higher indoors than outdoors, and for some pollutants personal exposures are not characterized adequately by outdoor measurements. Among the more important indoor contaminants associated with health or irritation effects are passive tobacco smoke, radon decay products, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, asbestos fibers, microorganisms, and aeroallergens. Efforts to assess health risks associated with indoor air pollution are limited by insufficient information about the number of people exposed, the pattern and severity of exposures, and the health consequences of exposures. An overall strategy should be developed to investigate indoor exposures, health effects, control options, and public policy alternatives.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Health effects and sources of indoor air pollution. Part I.

Since the early 1970s, the health effects of indoor air pollution have been investigated with increasing intensity. Consequently, a large body of literature is now available on diverse aspects of indoor air pollution: sources, concentrations, health effects, engineering, and policy. This review begins with a review of the principal pollutants found in indoor environments and their sources. Subsequently, exposure to indoor air pollutants and health effects are considered, with an emphasis on those indoor air quality problems of greatest concern at present: passive exposure to tobacco smoke, nitrogen dioxide from gas-fueled cooking stoves, formaldehyde exposure, radon daughter exposure, and the diverse health problems encountered by workers in newer sealed office buildings. The review concludes by briefly addressing assessment of indoor air quality, control technology, research needs, and clinical implications.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2002

Airway wall remodeling induced by occupational mineral dusts and air pollutant particles.

OBJECTIVES: COPD has been reported in workers exposed to particulates, and there is increasing evidence that high levels of ambient particulate pollutants may also be associated with COPD. The studies here investigate the hypothesis that particulates, including air pollution particles, can induce airway wall fibrosis, a process that can lead to COPD. DESIGN: Rat tracheal explants were exposed to various occupationally encountered dusts, air pollution particles, and model air pollution particles. In some experiments, iron was loaded onto the particle surface. Gene expression and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activation were measured after 7 days of air culture. Adhesion to and uptake of dusts by the tracheal epithelium were also evaluated. RESULTS: Known fibrogenic dusts such as amosite asbestos produced increased gene expression of procollagen, transforming growth factor-beta, and platelet-derived growth factor, and increased hydroxyproline in the explants, and the addition of iron increased these effects. The addition of iron also converted nonfibrogenic TiO2 into a fibrogenic dust. Dusts with surface complexed iron activated NF-kappaB via an oxidant mechanism. However, an ultrafine TiO2 with very low iron was also fibrogenic. In separate experiments, exogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha increased dust adhesion to, and exogenous ozone increased dust uptake by, tracheal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Mineral dusts can directly induce fibrosis in the airway wall. Exogenous inflammatory cells and exogenous agents are not required, but they probably exaggerate the fibrogenic effects. An iron-mediated oxidant mechanism underlies the fibrogenic effects of some, but not all, of these dusts. Particle-induced airway wall fibrosis may lead to COPD.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1985

Indoor air pollution.

Although official efforts to control air pollution have traditionally focused on outdoor air, it is now apparent that elevated contaminant concentrations are common inside some private and public buildings. Concerns about potential public health problems due to indoor air pollution are based on evidence that urban residents typically spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, concentrations of some contaminants are higher indoors than outdoors, and for some pollutants personal exposures are not characterized adequately by outdoor measurements. Among the more important indoor contaminants associated with health or irritation effects are passive tobacco smoke, radon decay products, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, asbestos fibers, microorganisms and aeroallergens. Efforts to assess health risks associated with indoor air pollution are limited by insufficient information about the number of people exposed, the pattern and severity of exposures, and the health consequences of exposures. An overall strategy should be developed to investigate indoor exposures, health effects, control options, and public policy alternatives.

Air Conditioning↗

PubMed2003

[Main indoor air pollutants and their health impacts].

The quality of indoor air is a very important factor that may directly affect human health. There are many sources as well as a variety of indoor air pollutants. Therefore, the health impact is complicated, affecting different organs and systems of human being such as respiratory and immune system. The main indoor air pollutants are the combustion products from smoking, cooking and heating, the chemical pollutants from renovation materials and the biological contaminants. The kinds, sources and health impacts of these pollutants that affect the indoor air quality are reviewed in this paper.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1955

Air pollution and its effect on health.

An experimental study of the effect of air pollutants on health can be undertaken only subsequent to the creation of synthetically polluted atmosphere in exposure chambers as a readily available and easily controllable laboratory tool. The many and varied pollutants must be studied singly and in combination so as to reproduce any synergistic or antagonistic effects that may exist. A study of pollutant substances at their source is wholly inadequate in view of the pronounced photo-chemical activity in the atmosphere. The products of this activity may well be the significant ones insofar as morbid effects are concerned. In the acute and subacute biological studies, both in vitro and in vivo systems are being used with the experimental progression being from the simple to the complex.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2004

[Accumulation of pollutants in sediments and their eco-toxicity in the wastewater irrigation channel of western Shenyang].

Sediment samples were collected from several sites in the upper, mid and lower reaches of the petroleum wastewater irrigation channel in western Shenyang of China, and the concentrations of their heavy metal Cd and mineral oil were determined. The results showed that pollutants were accumulated in all test sediments, with 400-12,500 mg x kg(-1) mineral oil and 1.6-27.2 mg x kg(-1) Cd. The sediments had significant inhibition effects on plant and earthworm. The inhibition rate of root elongation based on germination test was 10%-60%. During 14 d and 28 d exposure, the mortality rate of earthworm was 0%-70% and 0%-85%, and the inhibition rate of its body weight growth was -21.9%-17.7% and -18.6%-37.0%, respectively. It indicated that a long-term irrigation with wastewater resulted in the accumulation of pollutants in channel sediments and enhanced eco-toxicity. As an important source of pollution, the migration and release of pollutants in sediments possessed potential risks to underground water and soil.

China↗

PubMed1995

Air pollution.

Despite progress in improving ambient air quality and reducing personal exposures to air pollutants in indoor settings, population exposures to air pollutants remain widespread and are an important public health concern. Many air pollutants are associated with adverse health effects; the most serious include development and exacerbation of asthma, loss of lung function, impaired neurobehavioral development, and death. These outcomes are the focus of current health effects research on environmental tobacco smoke and radon in indoor settings, and lead, ozone, and particulate matter outdoors. Advances in methods to measure exposures to specific pollutants and the identification of markers of individual susceptibility are providing improved data on the relation of exposure and disease, and, in turn, will improve efforts to protect public health.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1977

[Air pollution and cancer (author's transl)].

Several data justify the suspension that air pollution may contribute to cancer risk. These observations are: high risk of lung cancer in coal gas workers; higher incidence of lung cancer in urbanized regions as compared with rural ones and higher incidence in highly industrialized countries as compared with less industrialized; observations in migrant populations; data of comparative pathology. Specific studies of the association between lung cancer and air pollution taking into consideration confounding variables failed to give conclusive evidence of a causal relationship. Obviously the role of air pollution for cancerogenesis in the lung is far less important than inhalation of tobacco smoke. Furthermore there are some findings suggesting a causal association of particulate air pollution and malignant neoplasms of the stomach and prostate.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Clearing the air: the links between occupational and environmental air pollution control.

We reviewed the relationship between occupational respiratory medicine and the environmental health aspects of air pollution control. Although these fields share epidemiologic and toxicologic concerns, they collaborate infrequently. From an historical perspective, both occupational health and air pollution control efforts increased in response to the Industrial Revolution but only occasionally overlapped. Moreover, they were undermined by the belief in "bad air" as the cause of epidemic disease. In the twentieth century, occupational medicine and industrial hygiene professionals together addressed mass air pollution exposure incidents, but this period of interdisciplinary activity was brief. Later regulatory approaches, together with economic pressures, have tended to divide rather than integrate occupational and environmental health. Despite their differences, these disciplines are linked by common scientific challenges. Recent governmental and non-governmental efforts suggests that future efforts in occupational health and air pollution control may become better coordinated.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1998

RESEARCH: Physicochemical Characteristics and Pollution Indicators in the Intertidal Zone of Kuwait: Implications for Benthic Ecology

/ The coastal environment of Kuwait has been under considerable stress since the onset of the oil era in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Oil, sewage, and industrial pollution were believed to be the main environmental problems in the coastal zone. The huge oil spill and destruction caused by the Gulf War further complicated those problems. In this article, the temperature, pH, salinity, and total dissolved sulfide (TDS) of the interstitial water in the intertidal zone and the water content and total organic carbon (TOC) of the intertidal sediment were investigated. The purpose of the study was to understand the effect of the physicochemical characteristics on the intertidal benthic ecology and to identify the level and sources of organic pollution in the intertidal zone. The study results indicated that the prevailing harsh environmental conditions, especially high temperature and salinity, restricted benthic fauna diversity and led to the development of a fragile intertidal ecosystem. The fauna inhabiting the intertidal zone was dominated by a few species probably living at their limit of tolerance. Organic pollution was evident mainly in Sulaibikhat Bay and to a lesser extent in Kuwait City waterfront and Shuaiba coast in the south. The pollution was attributed mainly to land-based sources such as the occasional discharge of raw sewage through stormwater outlets, the direct oil spillage, and industrial effluents from refineries, oil terminals, and petrochemical plants. Quantitative analysis was inconclusive in establishing a significant correlation between the chemistry and composition of the benthic fauna. However, close examination of sites with high TOC and TDS concentrations indicated that the benthic fauna in those sites was showing evidence of degradation. A number of strategies were recommended to ensure protection and sustainable management of the coastal environment.KEY WORDS: Intertidal environment; Pollution; Total organic carbon; Dissolved sulfide; Interstitial water; Benthic fauna

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Traffic air pollution and hospital admission for asthma: a case-control approach in a Turin (Italy) population.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the relationship between traffic air pollution and asthma, using a case-control design applied to routinely collected data. METHODS: Subjects resident in Turin during the period 1997-1999 and admitted for asthma were defined as cases; patients admitted for causes other than respiratory diseases or heart diseases were defined as controls. Nitrogen dioxide and total suspended particulate were considered as indicators of traffic air pollution. Statistical analysis were performed, separately for young (0-14 years), adult (15-64 years) and elderly (>64 years) patients, with a logistic regression model; results are expressed as percentage of risk modification for a 10 g/m(3) increase in exposure to pollutants. RESULTS: The risk of emergency admissions for asthma rose significantly with increased exposure to nitrogen dioxide [2.4%, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.5%; 4.3%], and total suspended particulate [2.3%, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.1%-3.6%]. The significant association was evident, in particular, among young and elderly patients for both pollutants. CONCLUSION: Using a case-control design both easy to use and manage, the study confirms the significant association between hospital emergency admissions for asthma and exposure to nitrogen dioxide and total suspended particulate pollutants.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Effects of ambient levels of air pollution on grass swards subjected to different defoliation regimes.

The urgent need to evaluate effects of air quality on plant growth in the field is discussed in relation to the difficulties which field-based studies pose in the interpretation of data. An initial study is described which aimed to overcome some of these difficulties and the data are discussed within the remaining limitations. The productivity of pure swards of Lolium perenne L. and Dactylis glomerata L., subjected to defoliation at different times of the year, was studied at field sites with different levels of sulphur dioxide pollution, for a period of three years. The field sites and propagation methods were chosen so as to minimise differences in environmental conditions other than the degree of air pollution. At the most polluted site, both species showed signs of visible injury during the first winter and subsequently produced much lower yields than grasses at the other sites. The effects of cutting regimes on the growth of D. glomerata and L. perenne differed for the three years of the study. However, there was a tendency for lower yields with frequent defoliation (every 6.5 weeks), as opposed to the less regular defoliation regimes. It was concluded that air pollution was at least partially responsible for the yield reductions recorded. However, it was considered that sulphur dioxide was not the only pollutant responsible.

Journal Article↗