Detrimental Effects Of Air Pollution Research Articles

Acute change of lung function to short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants with and without physical activity: A real-world crossover study

Physical activity (PA) would increase the inhalation rate and thereby inhaled dose of air pollutants. However, it's still uncertain whether the effects of air pollutants on lung function are attenuated by PA, especially in the high-polluted areas. We aimed to disentangle the interaction between air pollution and PA on lung function among healthy adults. In this study, a real-world crossover study was conducted among 74 healthy adults. Each participant underwent both rest and 15-min intermittent moderate PA exposure scenarios (consisting of 15min stationary bike riding alternating with 15min of rest), which lasted for 2 h. On the same day, the participants among active and inactive group were exposed to the same air pollution. We have monitored the fine particulate matter (PM2.5), particulate matter less than 10 μm (PM10), particulate matter less than 1 μm (PM1), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) continuously during 2-h exposure. Lung function were measured at five times points for each visit (before, immediately, 3 h, 5 h, and 24 h after the 2-h exposure scenario). Mixed-effects models were applied to explore the effects of air pollution, PA, and their interaction on lung function. The participants had a mean (standard deviation (SD)) age of 19.9 (0.9) years. The average concentration [mean ± SD] of PM2.5, PM10, PM1, BC, NO2, and O3 were 59.4 ± 45.1 μg/m3, 122.8 ± 109.0 μg/m3, 38.8 ± 29.2 μg/m3, 1.94 ± 1.17 μg/m3, 59.5 ± 26.6 μg/m3, and 74.0 ± 30.3 μg/m3, respectively. Overall, greater increasement in lung function were observed among active group compared with inactive group at all timepoints. In fully adjusted models, we observed the benefits of PA and detrimental effects of air pollutants on lung function. Our results suggested that PA, compared to rest, alleviated the detrimental effects of air pollutants on lung function. We also stressed the importance of timing of measurements for capturing association. In conclusion, our observations suggested that PA might alleviate the associations between various pollutant exposures and lung function, which would drive further research towards potential pathway.

Co-Exposure of Ambient Particulate Matter and Airborne Transmission Pathogens: The Impairment of the Upper Respiratory Systems.

Recent evidence has pinpointed the positive relevance between air particulate matter (PM) pollution and epidemic spread. However, there are still significant knowledge gaps in understanding the transmission and infection of pathogens loaded on PMs, for example, the interactions between pathogens and pre-existing atmospheric PM and the health effects of co-exposure on the inhalation systems. Here, we unraveled the interactions between fine particulate matter (FPM) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and evaluated the infection and detrimental effects of co-exposure on the upper respiratory systems in both in vitro and in vivo models. We uncovered the higher accessibility and invasive ability of pathogens to epithelial cells after loading on FPMs, compared with the single exposure. Furthermore, we designed a novel laboratory exposure model to simulate a real co-exposure scenario. Intriguingly, the co-exposure induced more serious functional damage and longer inflammatory reactions to the upper respiratory tract, including the nasal cavity and trachea. Collectively, our results provide a new point of view on the transmission and infection of pathogens loaded on FPMs and uncover the in vivo systematic impairments of the inhalation tract under co-exposure through a novel laboratory exposure model. Hence, this study sheds light on further investigations of the detrimental effects of air pollution and epidemic spread.

The Gut Microbiome is Significantly Altered in APP/PS1 Mice Following Air Particulate Matter Exposure

The detrimental effects of air pollution extend beyond its pathological cardiovascular and pulmonary consequences. Recent research has implicated exposure of air pollution, specifically air particulate matter (PM2.5, <2.5 μm diameter), in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) development, though the pathogenesis remains unknown. Gut dysbiosis (i.e., alterations of gut microbiota resident bacterial populations) can result from dietary changes, stress, medications, particulate matter exposure, and alcohol or chemical consumption. Unbalanced bacterial populations may resolve themselves, though persistent stressors can induce chronic dysbiosis, which is implicated in the development of inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and AD. Thus, we hypothesized that PM2.5 contributes to gut dysbiosis and detrimental microbial byproducts that may ultimately accelerate AD progression in a transgenic AD mouse model. We tested our hypothesis by subjecting 3‐month‐old AD transgenic (APP/PS1) and non‐carrier wildtype (WT) male mice to filtered air (FA) or PM2.5 exposure for 5 days/week, 6 hours/day for 3 months (n=9‐12). The average daily PM exposure is 90.0 μg/m3, which is a 5‐fold concentration above the ambient mean daily PM2.5 concentration (18.8 ±11.4 μg/m3) at the study site in Columbus, OH. The composition has been previously examined and was found to contain high levels of zinc and iron. Following the 3‐month exposure, fecal samples were collected, and DNA was isolated before 16S Illumina sequencing was performed. Sequencing was implemented to determine gut microbial changes associated with genotype and exposure conditions. This data revealed significant alterations in beta diversity based on genotype and exposure, representing altered bacterial communities associated with experimental conditions (Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA), p<0.001)). Additionally, PM2.5 exposure increased gut microbial alpha diversity for both APP/PS1 and WT mice (Shannon‐Weiner diversity, p<0.05). Taken together, these findings indicate that airborne particulate matter exposure induces gut microbiota changes and contributes to microbial dysfunction in a transgenic mouse model of AD.

Urban Ventilation in the Compact City: A Critical Review and a Multidisciplinary Methodology for Improving Sustainability and Resilience in Urban Areas

In the last decades, a tendency towards urban tissue densification has been observed to counteract the urban sprawl. Densification may be achieved through more compact built areas, preferring the vertical to the horizontal development of buildings but avoiding bulky high-rise building blocks. This strategy significantly affects several aspects of the microclimate and produces direct and indirect effects on human health and well-being. In this regard, air pollution and heat stress constitute two increasing threats to human health and well-being that need to be faced immediately. The involved phenomena are various, intertwined, and may lead to conflicting results. Hence, regenerating existing, well-structured, and stratified urban areas by densification is not an easy challenge. Urban ventilation may favor the mitigation of detrimental effects of air pollution and heat stress on human life. Therefore, a multidisciplinary methodology is presented for embedding urban ventilation performance evaluation into urban management and planning processes. The scope is to propose a framework for urban renewal plans that is citizens-centered and aims at improving their health and well-being in existing urban areas. The methodology builds upon the performance-based approach and is supported by the conceptual framework and the literature reviews provided through the paper.

Non-linear association between residential greenness and general health among old adults in China

While a plethora of evidence has suggested the existence of salutogenic effects of exposure to residential greenness, including mitigating residents’ exposure to environmental stressors (the mitigation effect), relevant evidence of these effects in a Chinese context remains limited and inconsistent. This study explored the association between residential greenness and older adults’ self-rated general health (SGH) in China, particularly focusing on the potential non-linear association, using the microdata sample from the Chinese one-percent national population sample survey. We further examined whether the association varied significantly according to neighbourhood urbanicity and individual socio-demographic characteristics, and investigated whether residential greenness can mitigate against the detrimental effects of air pollution, higher temperature, and outdoor light pollution at night on older adults’ health. We found that higher residential greenness was positively associated with the odds of reporting good health, and a greenness-SGH inverted U-shaped relationship was observed, with a turning point at an NDVI value of 0.40. The greenness-SGH association was stronger for older adults who resided in urban areas, were female, older (>= 80 years), were single or divorced or widowed, had elementary or secondary school education, and lived in households with a car valued over ¥ 200,000. We also found that greenness can help mitigate the adverse effects of air pollution and outdoor light pollution at night on older adults’ SGH. Our findings suggest that providing green infrastructure in a residential environment can promote older people’s health through mitigating the hazards of environmental contaminants in a rapidly urbanizing and developing country.

Increases in ambient air pollutants during pregnancy are linked to increases in methylation of IL4, IL10, and IFN\u03b3

BackgroundAmbient air pollutant (AAP) exposure is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, preterm labor, and low birth weight. Previous studies have shown methylation of immune genes associate with exposure to air pollutants in pregnant women, but the cell-mediated response in the context of typical pregnancy cell alterations has not been investigated. Pregnancy causes attenuation in cell-mediated immunity with alterations in the Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg environment, contributing to maternal susceptibility. We recruited women (n = 186) who were 20 weeks pregnant from Fresno, CA, an area with chronically elevated AAP levels. Associations of average pollution concentration estimates for 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months prior to blood draw were associated with Th cell subset (Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg) percentages and methylation of CpG sites (IL4, IL10, IFNγ, and FoxP3). Linear regression models were adjusted for weight, age, season, race, and asthma, using a Q value as the false-discovery-rate-adjusted p-value across all genes.ResultsShort-term and mid-term AAP exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) carbon monoxide (CO), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH456) were associated with percentages of immune cells. A decrease in Th1 cell percentage was negatively associated with PM2.5 (1 mo/3 mo: Q < 0.05), NO2 (1 mo/3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.05), and PAH456 (1 week/1 mo/3 mo: Q < 0.05). Th2 cell percentages were negatively associated with PM2.5 (1 week/1 mo/3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.06), and NO2 (1 week/1 mo/3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.06). Th17 cell percentage was negatively associated with NO2 (3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.01), CO (1 week/1 mo: Q < 0.1), PM2.5 (3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.05), and PAH456 (1 mo/3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.08). Methylation of the IL10 gene was positively associated with CO (1 week/1 mo/3 mo: Q < 0.01), NO2 (1 mo/3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.08), PAH456 (1 week/1 mo/3 mo: Q < 0.01), and PM2.5 (3 mo: Q = 0.06) while IL4 gene methylation was positively associated with concentrations of CO (1 week/1 mo/3 mo/6 mo: Q < 0.09). Also, IFNγ gene methylation was positively associated with CO (1 week/1 mo/3 mo: Q < 0.05) and PAH456 (1 week/1 mo/3 mo: Q < 0.06).ConclusionExposure to several AAPs was negatively associated with T-helper subsets involved in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses during pregnancy. Methylation of IL4, IL10, and IFNγ genes with pollution exposure confirms previous research. These results offer insights into the detrimental effects of air pollution during pregnancy, the demand for more epigenetic studies, and mitigation strategies to decrease pollution exposure during pregnancy.

Air pollutant mixtures and autoimmune skin disease prevalence: findings from the Personalized Environment and Genes Study

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Autoimmune (AI) diseases are thought to be a product of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers. Disruptions of the skin barrier cause exacerbations of psoriasis where oxidative stress represents a mechanistic pathway for the pathogenesis of the disease. Oxidative stress is also thought to be the primary mechanism for the detrimental effects of air pollution. METHODS: We evaluated the association between the prevalence of autoimmune skin diseases (psoriasis or eczema,) and mixtures of air pollutants including six criteria air pollutants and constituents of PM2.5 in the Personalized Environment and Genes Study (PEGS) cohort consisting of 9414 subjects centered in NC, USA. We utilized land-use regression (LUR) predictions from the Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions (CACES) and the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG). For increased spatial resolution, we included cumulative exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC) based on the sum of exponentially decaying contributions from the EPA Toxic Release Inventory and the density of major roads within a 5km radius of a participant’s address. We will use logistic regression with quantile g-computation, adjusting for age, gender, income, and smoking history to evaluate the relationship between self-reported diagnosis of an AI skin condition and mean air pollution mixtures from 2000-2016. RESULTS:The PEGS cohort reported a high prevalence of autoimmune diseases with 3177 (33.7%) reporting 1+ AI disease. In our specific outcomes of interest, 1173 (12.5%) reported psoriasis (398) and/or eczema (873). Preliminary results for PM2.5 composition show that the mixture components of sulfate, black carbon, and nitrate contribute to a positive overall conditional odds ratio for risk of AI skin disease. CONCLUSIONS:Using publicly available LUR air pollution data joined with the PEGS cohort, we elucidate the potential important components of particulate exposure on AI skin disease. KEYWORDS: mixtures, air pollution, autoimmune disease, LUR,

Changes in air particulate matter concentration in Kraków in years 2009-2019 in relation to air pollution prevention and control action

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Last decades brought more interest to air pollution harmful effect; evidence has emerged that air pollution can affect every major organ system. Kraków, the second largest city in Poland, from years belongs to the most polluted cities in Europe. Prospective cohort study conducted in Krakow confirmed detrimental effects of air pollution. Increased awareness of health consequences forced local government to undertake some mitigation measures. The aim of the current study was to asses relationship between preventing actions undertaken in Kraków and changes of particular matter levels during heating seasons in years 2009 – 2019. METHODS: Information about daily particulate matter concentration (PM10 and PM2.5) levels were obtained from Provincial Environmental Protection Inspectorate in Krakow. As the increased air pollution in Poland shows seasonal variability, we assessed the changes in mean concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 in heating season only. RESULTS:During the years 2009-2019 local government implemented a series of regulations and took some control actions to improve air quality, for example Inspections of waste incineration in heating stoves, inventory of sources of emission, Local Shield program for the poorest - co-financing program to help residents replace coal stoves to one from pro-ecological system, prohibiting the heating of houses / flats with low-quality coal, developing proposals for changes in Polish law that would enable an effective fight against pollution at the local level; and ultimately, from September 1, 2019, a total ban on burning solid fuels in the area of the municipality of Kraków. During analyzed time period the level of particulate matter in air pollution dropped gradually, decreasing by approximately 18.1 ug/m3 for PM10 and 21.6 ug/m3 for PM2.5. Also, number of days with exceeded the permissible level of pollution decreased. CONCLUSIONS:Implemented regulations and control actions resulted in lowering level of particulate matter air pollution. KEYWORDS: Air pollution, Particulate matter, Policy and practice

The influence of fine particulate matter on the association between residential greenness and ovarian reserve

BackgroundNatural vegetation, or greenness, is thought to improve health through its ability to buffer and reduce harmful environmental exposures as well as relieve stress, promote physical activity, restore attention, and increase social cohesion. In concert, these effects could help mitigate the detrimental effects of air pollution on reproductive aging in women. MethodsOur analysis included 565 women attending the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center (2004–2014) who had a measured antral follicle count (AFC), a marker of ovarian reserve. We calculated peak residential greenness in the year prior to AFC using 250 m2 normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from the Terra and Aqua satellites operated by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Validated spatiotemporal models estimated daily residential exposure to particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) for the 3 months prior to AFC. Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were used to estimate the association between peak greenness, average PM2.5 exposure, and AFC adjusted for age, BMI, smoking status, education, year, and season. ResultsWomen in our study had a mean age of 35.2 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 4.3 years (min: 20 years, max: 45 years). The peak residential NDVI ranged from 0.07 to 0.92 with a SD of 0.18. There was no statistically significant association between peak residential greenness and AFC; however, higher exposure to PM2.5 was associated with lower AFC (−6.2% per 2 μg/m3 [1 SD increase] 95% CI -11.8, −0.3). There was a significant interaction between exposure to PM2.5 and peak greenness on AFC (P-interaction: 0.03). Among women with an average PM2.5 exposure of 7 μg/m3, a SD increase in residential peak greenness was associated with a 5.6% (95% CI -0.4, 12.0) higher AFC. Conversely, among women with a PM2.5 exposure of 12 μg/m3, a SD increase in residential peak greenness was associated with a 5.8% (95% CI -13.1, 2.1) lower AFC. ConclusionsResiding in an area with high levels of greenness may slow reproductive aging in women only when exposure to PM2.5 is low.

Impact of Environmental Injustice on Children's Health-Interaction between Air Pollution and Socioeconomic Status.

Air pollution disproportionately affects marginalized populations of lower socioeconomic status. There is little literature on how socioeconomic status affects the risk of exposure to air pollution and associated health outcomes, particularly for children’s health. The objective of this article was to review the existing literature on air pollution and children’s health and discern how socioeconomic status affects this association. The concept of environmental injustice recognizes how underserved communities often suffer from higher air pollution concentrations in addition to other underlying risk factors for impaired health. This exposure then exerts larger effects on their health than it does in the average population, affecting the whole body, including the lungs and the brain. Children, whose organs and mind are still developing and who do not have the means of protecting themselves or creating change, are the most vulnerable to the detrimental effects of air pollution and environmental injustice. The adverse health effects of air pollution and environmental injustice can harm children well into adulthood and may even have transgenerational effects. There is an urgent need for action in order to ensure the health and safety of future generations, as social disparities are continuously increasing, due to social discrimination and climate change.

Environmental determinants of cardiovascular disease: lessons learned from air pollution.

Air pollution is well recognized as a major risk factor for chronic non-communicable diseases and has been estimated to contribute more to global morbidity and mortality than all other known environmental risk factors combined. Although air pollution contains a heterogeneous mixture of gases, the most robust evidence for detrimental effects on health is for fine particulate matter (particles ≤2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5)) and ozone gas and, therefore, these species have been the main focus of environmental health research and regulatory standards. The evidence to date supports a strong link between the risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with PM2.5 across a range of exposure levels, including to levels below current regulatory standards, with no 'safe' lower exposure levels at the population level. In this comprehensive Review, the empirical evidence supporting the effects of air pollution on cardiovascular health are examined, potential mechanisms that lead to increased cardiovascular risk are described, and measures to reduce this risk and identify key gaps in our knowledge that could help address the increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with air pollution are discussed.

Boys With Allergic Rhinitis Who Were Sensitized to Blomia tropicalis Are the Most Vulnerable to Air Pollutants.

Background Studies have confirmed the detrimental effects of air pollutants on allergic disease patients. However, individuals who are most vulnerable have not been completely identified. Methods Clinical study: During 2007 to 2011, 225 children aged 6 to 15 years with allergic rhinitis (AR) were recruited from a hospital in Taichung City, Taiwan. They were classified based on sensitivity to house dust mites, such as Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Blomia tropicalis (Bt), or Dermatophagoides microceras. Correlations between Pediatric Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (PRQLQ) scores, allergen-specific immunoglobulin E levels, and air pollution levels were evaluated. Epidemiological study: Records of 9868 children with AR who were matched for study years, age, and city of the clinical study were obtained from a national database. Correlations between clinic visits for AR, topical AR drug prescriptions, and air pollution levels were evaluated. The air pollutants included sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), particles &lt;10 μm in diameter (PM10), particles &lt;2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC), and methane (CH4). Results Epidemiological study: CO, NO, NO2, and CH4 levels were significantly correlated with topical AR drug prescriptions in boys. However, in girls, only CH4 level was significantly correlated. Clinical study: Positive correlations between the PRQLQ score and air pollutants were noted in boys but not in girls. After adjusting for confounders, correlations between CO, PM2.5, and NO2 levels were noted in boys sensitized to Bt but not in those sensitized to other mites. Conclusion Boys with AR were more vulnerable to air pollutants than girls. Bt-sensitized boys with AR were more vulnerable to air pollutants than girls and those sensitized to other mites.

Detrimental effects of air pollution on adult lung function

Air pollution exposure may lead to lower lung function and higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adultshttp://bit.ly/2IpGx9j

Skin protective effects of an antipollution, antioxidant serum containing Deschampsia antartica extract, ferulic acid and vitamin C: a controlled single-blind, prospective trial in women living in urbanized, high air pollution area.

Introduction: Air pollution causes skin damage and favors skin aging processes such as dark spots and wrinkles, through oxidative stress. Pollutant substances accelerate skin aging through a specific activation of intracellular receptors called AhR (aryl-hydrocarbon receptors). Deschampsia antartica aqueous extract (DAE) has shown to counteract the pollutant-induced AhR activation. Ferulic acid (FA) and vitamin C (VC) are potent antioxidant substances. A serum containing DAE/FA/VC has been recently developed. So far, no clinical data are available regarding the protective actions of this serum against the detrimental effects of air pollution on the skin.Objective: We conducted a prospective, single-blind, 28-day study to assess efficacy and protective effects against air pollution skin damage of a new serum containing Deschampsia antartica extract.Materials and methods: Twenty, photo type I–III, women (mean age 42 years) with at least three dark spots on the face, living in a homogenous urbanized, high pollution area (Rome) were evaluated. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of treatment on skin barrier function, assessed by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurement (Tewameter), the effect on dark spots, evaluated by means of colorimetry (Colorimeter CL 400), and the effect on squalene peroxide (SQOOH)/squalene (SQ) skin ratio assessed with face swabs.Results: The trial was conducted between November 20 and December 19, 2018. In comparison with baseline, the product induced a significant improvement of skin hydration (−19% of TEWL), a significant improvement of dark spots (+7%) and a significant improvement of SQOOH/SQ ratio (−16%). The product was evaluated very well by >90% of the treated subjects regarding cosmetic acceptability.Discussion: A serum containing DAE/FA/VC has shown to improve skin barrier function, to reduce dark spots and to counteract the skin oxidative stress in women living in high pollution urban area.

Toxic volatile organic compounds in 20 homes in Shanghai: Concentrations, inhalation health risks, and the impacts of household air cleaning

Exposure to VOCs causes a variety of adverse health effects, with much of the exposure occurring at home during sleep. The use of an air cleaner maybe an effective and convenient way to reduce associated exposures and health risks. Studies about the impacts of air cleaner on VOCs are limited. The main objective of this paper was to assess the inhalation health risks that toxic VOCs present during nighttime sleep and to estimate the removal effectiveness of an indoor air cleaner on these VOCs. Asthmatic children, who are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of air pollutants, were recruited and the VOC concentrations in their bedrooms were measured during two periods - once with a true air cleaner and once with a sham air cleaner. Among the toxic VOCs quantified, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and toluene had the highest concentrations (median: 18.0, 14.0 and 12.1 μg/m³, respectively) in the bedrooms. Health risk assessments were conducted to identify compounds of greatest concern. During nighttime sleep, 7 VOCs presented inhalation cancer risk above the acceptable risk (1 × 10−6), 4 VOCs exceeded the non-cancer risk threshold (1) in most of the homes tested. The results indicate that the use of an air cleaner in residences may lead to significant reductions in VOC concentrations indoors, but even with this reduction, the associated health risks are still of concern. This study highlights the need for reductions in toxic VOCs at home, points to the imminent need for improvements in control of VOC sources.

Advanced methods for uncertainty assessment and global sensitivity analysis of an Eulerian atmospheric chemistry transport model

Abstract. Atmospheric chemistry transport models (ACTMs) are extensively used to provide scientific support for the development of policies to mitigate the detrimental effects of air pollution on human health and ecosystems. Therefore, it is essential to quantitatively assess the level of model uncertainty and to identify the model input parameters that contribute the most to the uncertainty. For complex process-based models, such as ACTMs, uncertainty and global sensitivity analyses are still challenging and are often limited by computational constraints due to the requirement of a large number of model runs. In this work, we demonstrate an emulator-based approach to uncertainty quantification and variance-based sensitivity analysis for the EMEP4UK model (regional application of the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Meteorological Synthesizing Centre-West). A separate Gaussian process emulator was used to estimate model predictions at unsampled points in the space of the uncertain model inputs for every modelled grid cell. The training points for the emulator were chosen using an optimised Latin hypercube sampling design. The uncertainties in surface concentrations of O3, NO2, and PM2.5 were propagated from the uncertainties in the anthropogenic emissions of NOx, SO2, NH3, VOC, and primary PM2.5 reported by the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. The results of the EMEP4UK uncertainty analysis for the annually averaged model predictions indicate that modelled surface concentrations of O3, NO2, and PM2.5 have the highest level of uncertainty in the grid cells comprising urban areas (up to ±7 %, ±9 %, and ±9 %, respectively). The uncertainty in the surface concentrations of O3 and NO2 were dominated by uncertainties in NOx emissions combined from non-dominant sectors (i.e. all sectors excluding energy production and road transport) and shipping emissions. Additionally, uncertainty in O3 was driven by uncertainty in VOC emissions combined from sectors excluding solvent use. Uncertainties in the modelled PM2.5 concentrations were mainly driven by uncertainties in primary PM2.5 emissions and NH3 emissions from the agricultural sector. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were also performed for five selected grid cells for monthly averaged model predictions to illustrate the seasonal change in the magnitude of uncertainty and change in the contribution of different model inputs to the overall uncertainty. Our study demonstrates the viability of a Gaussian process emulator-based approach for uncertainty and global sensitivity analyses, which can be applied to other ACTMs. Conducting these analyses helps to increase the confidence in model predictions. Additionally, the emulators created for these analyses can be used to predict the ACTM response for any other combination of perturbed input emissions within the ranges set for the original Latin hypercube sampling design without the need to rerun the ACTM, thus allowing for fast exploratory assessments at significantly reduced computational costs.

Air Pollution Exposure with Fine Dust. Responses in the Pulmonary Vasculature and the Right Heart

Detrimental effects of air pollution with fine dust (particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter, or PM2.5) on the systemic circulation and the left heart have been studied intensely during ...

Traffic Air Pollution and Respiratory Health: A Cross-Sectional Study among Bus Drivers in Dakar (Senegal)

Introduction: Road traffic exposes bus drivers to the detrimental effects of air pollutants on respiratory health. This study determined the frequency of chronic respiratory illnesses and its related factors among bus drivers in Dakar, Senegal. Methods: This study had a cross-sectional design conducted in a total of 178 bus drivers in Dakar, Senegal. A questionnaire was used to inquire about socio-economic characteristics, occupational factors and respiratory symptoms of bus drivers. Lung function tests were used to determine the presence of asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The relationship between our variables of interest and respiratory diseases was determined by logistic regression analysis. Results: The results of the study show that 57.9% of bus drivers had a chronic cough, and 65.7% had recurrent cold. Lung function tests showed that 38.8% of bus drivers had asthma and 30.3% COPD. Multivariate analysis found that recurrent cold increased the risk of asthma (OR = 6.3, 95% CI: 1.12 - 35.79) and COPD (OR = 7.7, 95% CI: 1.14 - 52.8). The respiratory health status of bus drivers depended on the work area (OR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.13 - 9.31). Conclusion: The respiratory symptoms and illnesses observed among bus drivers are associated with their exposure to air pollutants from road traffic.

Residential Air Pollution, Road Traffic, Greenness and Maternal Hypertension: Results from GINIplus and LISAplus.

Background: The public health burden of hypertension is high, but its relationship with long-term residential air pollution, road traffic, and greenness remains unclear.Objective: To investigate associations between residential air pollution, traffic, greenness, and hypertension among mothers. Methods: Information on doctor-diagnosed maternal hypertension was collected at the 15-year follow-up of two large population-based multicenter German birth cohorts—GINIplus and LISAplus (n=3063). Residential air pollution was modelled by land use regression models within the ESCAPE and universal kriging within the APMoSPHERE projects. Road traffic was defined as traffic load on major roads within a 100-m buffer around residences. Vegetation level (ie, greenness) was defined as the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index in a 500-m buffer around residences and was assessed from Landsat 5 TM satellite images. All the exposure variables were averaged over three residential addresses during the last 10 years and categorized into tertiles or dichotomized. The individual associations between each of the exposure variables and hypertension were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Results: No significant and consistent associations across different levels of adjustment were observed between the exposures of interest and hypertension. The only significant estimate was found with coarse particulate matter concentrations (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.74; 3rd vs 1st tertile) among mothers residing in the Wesel area. No significant associations were observed with traffic load or greenness. Conclusion: This study does not provide evidence on detrimental effects of air pollution and road traffic or beneficial effects of greenness on hypertension among German adults.

Urgency to Assess the Health Impact of Ambient Air Pollution in China.

As the world's second-largest economy, China is going on suffering from environmental pollution, especially for ambient air pollution, which has become a major threat to public health; public awareness of the detrimental effects of air pollution on health is increasing-particularly in relation to haze days. Considering the nonlinear relationship of ambient air pollution exposure and health impacts, and the differences in specific sources of air pollution with those in North America and Europe, conducting health impact assessments of ambient air pollution in China has thus become an urgent task for public health practitioners. Systematic review of the health effects of exposure to ambient air pollution from quantitative studies conducted in Chinese could provide vital information for epidemiology-based health impact assessments and the implementation of a national environmental protection policy.