Long-term exposure to outdoor VOCs and lung function in urban adults: a cross-sectional study in Tabriz an industrialized city in the northwest of Iran

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of outdoor benzene, toluene, xylenes, and styrene (BTXS) on respiratory system performance in adults living in an industrialized city. The concentration of BTXS was measured in the three selected areas (low traffic, high traffic and industrial). Pulmonary function of totally 219 participants who have lived in the selected areas for at least five years, were evaluated through the spiromertry. Based on the results, significant differences were observed between the mean concentrations of BTXS (industrial area > high traffic area > low traffic area). Considerable decline of 0.46 L, 0.41 L, 2.99%, 0.9 L/min, and 0.59 L/s for Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and Forced Expiratory Flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity (FEF25–75%), respectively, were detected in industrial area residents compared to the low traffic region. In addition, some spirometric parameters were different between the other sampling sites. In conclusion, the results showed that the long term exposure to higher concentrations of BTXS increases respiratory dysfunction risks in industrial and high traffic areas respectively, as compared with living in the low traffic region.