Abstract
The overall objective of this research was to study children’s respiratory illness levels in Targoviste (Romania) in relationship to the outdoor concentrations of airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter below 2.5 µm (PM2.5). We monitored and analysed the PM2.5 concentrations according to a complex experimental protocol. The health trial was conducted over three months (October–December 2015) and required the active cooperation of the children’s parents to monitor carefully the respiratory symptoms of the child, i.e., coughing, rhinorrhoea, wheezing, and fever, as well as their outdoor program. We selected the most sensitive children (n = 25; age: 2–10 years) with perturbed respiratory health, i.e., wheezing, asthma, and associated symptoms. The estimated average PM2.5 doses were 0.8–14.5 µg·day−1 for weekdays, and 0.4–6.6 µg·day−1 for the weekend. The frequency and duration of the symptoms decreased with increasing age. The 4- to 5-year old children recorded the longest duration of symptoms, except for rhinorrhoea, which suggested that this age interval is the most vulnerable to exogenous trigger agents (p < 0.01) compared to the other age groups. PM2.5 air pollution was found to have a direct positive correlation with the number of wheezing episodes (r = 0.87; p < 0.01) in November 2015. Monitoring of wheezing occurrences in the absence of fever can provide a reliable assessment of the air pollution effect on the exacerbation of asthma and respiratory disorders in sensitive children.
Highlights
Recent studies on urban air pollution showed that long-term exposure to high levels of contaminants is a direct cause of major adverse health effects in air-polluted areas [1,2]
There was a significant difference between the estimated doses for the weekdays and the weekend (p < 0.05)
The 4- to 5-year old children recorded the longest duration of symptoms, except for rhinorrhoea, which suggests that this age interval is the most vulnerable to the exogenous trigger agents (p < 0.01) compared to the other groups
Summary
Recent studies on urban air pollution showed that long-term exposure to high levels of contaminants is a direct cause of major adverse health effects in air-polluted areas [1,2]. World Bank estimates, approximately 800,000 people die prematurely every year from lung cancer or cardiovascular and respiratory diseases caused by outdoor air pollution. The safe levels of exposure to the combined presence of air contaminants below which no adverse health effects occur are difficult to establish [3]. Recent studies showed that the lung function of children resulted in acute but reversible decrease after pollution episodes of ozone and particulate matter (PM) [5,6]. Children’s vulnerability to air pollution is high because their respiratory system is not completely developed, consisting of sensitive
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
