Effects Of Gaseous Air Pollutants Research Articles

Short-term effects of gaseous air pollutants on outpatient visits for respiratory diseases: a case-crossover study in Baotou, China.

Air pollution is a major public health problem throughout the world. Although there have been several studies in this field, most of them have focused on particulate matter and only covered a few key cities. This study aimed to assess a potential association between exposure to gaseous air pollutants and outpatient visits for respiratory diseases in Baotou, China. Daily outpatient visits for respiratory diseases and daily averages of air pollutants and meteorological parameters from 2015 to 2020 were obtained. Time-stratified case-crossover design and restricted cubic splines were used to perform the analyses. Stratified analyses were performed in different hospital departments and districts. Significant association between the concentrations of air pollutants and outpatient visits for respiratory diseases was observed. The odds ratios of outpatient visits for respiratory diseases associated with per 10 μg/m3 increases in concentrations of NO2 and SO2, and per 10 mg/m3 increases in concentrations of CO were 1.033 (95% CI: 1.018 to 1.049), 0.965 (95% CI: 0.954 to 0.976), and 1.038 (95% CI: 1.006 to 1.071), respectively. Short-term exposure to NO2, SO2, and CO was positively associated with outpatient visits for respiratory diseases, with stronger effects among children. The relationship between O3 and respiratory diseases varied at different concentrations.

Ambient gaseous pollutants and emergency ambulance calls for all-cause and cause-specific diseases in China: a multicity time-series study.

Much attention has been paid to the health effects of ambient particulate matter pollution; the effects of gaseous air pollutants have not been well studied. Emergency ambulance calls (EACs) may provide a better indicator of the acute health effects than the widely used health indicators, such as mortality and hospital admission. We estimated the short-term associations between gaseous air pollutants [nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O3)] and EACs for all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases in seven Chinese cities from 2014 to 2019. We used generalized additive models and random-effects meta-analysis to examine the city-specific and pooled associations. Stratified analyses were conducted by age, sex, and season. A total of 1,626,017 EACs were observed for all-cause EACs, including 230,537 from cardiovascular diseases, and 96,483 from respiratory diseases. Statistically significant associations were observed between NO2 and EACs for all-cause diseases, while the effects of SO2 were positive, but not statistically significant in most models. No significant relationship was found between O3 and EACs. Specifically, each 10 μg/m3 increase in the 2-day moving average concentration of NO2 was associated with a 1.07% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.40%, 1.76%], 0.76% (95% CI: 0.19%, 1.34%) and 0.06% (95% CI: -1.57%, 1.73%) increase in EACs due to all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, respectively. Stratified analysis showed a larger effect of NO2 on all-cause EACs in the cold season [excess relative risk (ERR): 0.33% (95% CI: 0.05%, 0.60%) for warm season, ERR: 0.77% (95% CI: 0.31%, 1.23%) for cold season]. Our study indicates that acute exposures to NO2 might be an important trigger of the emergent occurrence of all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and this effect should be of particular concern in the cold season. Further policy development for controlling gaseous air pollution is warranted to reduce the emergent occurrence of cardiopulmonary diseases.

First trimester exposure to ambient gaseous air pollutants and risk of orofacial clefts: a case\u2013control study in Changsha, China

BackgroundA growing body of studies have investigated the association between air pollution exposure during early pregnancy and the risk of orofacial clefts, but these studies put more emphasis on particulate matter and reported inconsistent results, while research on the independent effects of gaseous air pollutants on orofacial clefts has been quite inadequate, especially in China.MethodsA case–control study was conducted in Changsha, China from 2015 to 2018. A total of 446 cases and 4460 controls were included in the study. Daily concentrations of CO, NO2, SO2, O3, PM2.5 and PM10 during the first trimester of pregnancy were assigned to each subject using the nearest monitoring station method. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the associations of monthly average exposure to gaseous air pollutants with orofacial clefts and its subtypes before and after adjusting for particulate matter. Variance inflation factors (VIFs) were used to determine if the effects of gaseous air pollutants could be independent of particulate matter.ResultsIncrease in CO, NO2 and SO2 significantly increased the risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) in all months during the first trimester of pregnancy, with aORs ranging from 1.39 to 1.48, from 1.35 to 1.61 and from 1.22 to 1.35, respectively. The risk of cleft palate only (CPO) increased with increasing NO2 exposure levels in the first trimester of pregnancy, with aORs ranging from 1.60 to 1.66. These effects sustained and even exacerbated after adjusting for particulate matter. No significant effect of O3 was observed.ConclusionsOur study suggested that maternal exposure to CO, NO2, and SO2 during the first trimester of pregnancy might contribute to the development of orofacial clefts, and the associations were potentially independent of particulate matter.

Gaseous air pollutants and hospitalizations for mental disorders in 17 Chinese cities: Association, morbidity burden and economic costs

The short-term morbidity effects of gaseous air pollutants on mental disorders (MDs), and the corresponding morbidity and economic burdens have not been well studied. We aimed to explore the associations of ambient sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) with MDs hospitalizations in 17 Chinese cities during 2015–2018, and estimate the attributable risk and economic costs of MDs hospitalizations associated with gaseous pollutants. City-specific relationships between gaseous pollutants and MDs hospitalizations were evaluated using over-dispersed generalized additive models, then combined to obtain the pooled effect. Concentration-response (C-R) curves of gaseous pollutants with MDs from each city were pooled to allow regional estimates to be derived. The morbidity and economic burdens of MDs hospitalizations attributable to gaseous pollutants were further assessed. A total of 171,939 MDs hospitalizations were included. We observed insignificant association of O3 with MDs. An interquartile range increase in SO2 at lag0 (9.1 μg/m³), NO2 at lag0 (16.7 μg/m³) and CO at lag2 (0.4 mg/m³) corresponded to a 3.02% (95%CI: 0.72%, 5.38%), 5.03% (95%CI: 1.84%, 8.32%) and 2.18% (95%CI: 0.40%, 4.00%) increase in daily MDs hospitalizations, respectively. These effects were modified by sex, season and cause-specific MDs. The C-R curves of SO2 and NO2 with MDs indicated nonlinearity and the slops were steeper at lower concentrations. Overall, using current standards as reference concentrations, 0.27% (95%CI: 0.07%, 0.48%) and 0.06% (95%CI: 0.02%, 0.10%) of MDs hospitalizations could be attributable to extra SO2 and NO2 exposures, and the corresponding economic costs accounted for 0.34% (95%CI: 0.08%, 0.60%) and 0.07% (95%CI: 0.03%, 0.11%) of hospitalization expenses, respectively. Moreover, using threshold values detected from C-R curves as reference concentrations, the above mentioned morbidity and economic burdens increased a lot. These findings suggest more strict emission control regulations are needed to protect mental health from gaseous pollutants.

Air pollution: The last 35 years.

Perceptions of the effects on health of air pollutants have changed dramatically over the past thirty five years. It is now clear that current, historically low, concentrations of air pollutants have significant effects on health and that these effects bear most heavily on deaths and illness caused by cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiological studies have provided the evidence for these conclusions; toxicological studies have provided explanations, not yet complete, for these effects. Most emphasis has been placed on the effects of airborne particles and the evidence for their effects is convincing. Less attention has been paid to the effects of gaseous air pollutants: it may be that their effects have been, and are, under-estimated. Recent work has allowed the effects on health of air pollutants to be quantified at both a national and global scale. This work has led to the realization that the effects are large and that air pollutants continue to pose an important threat to health.

Ambient air pollution and hypertensive disorder of pregnancy

BackgroundAmbient air pollution has been implicated in the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). However, evidence of the association between air pollution and HDP is still limited, and the...

Estimation of climate change influence on the sensitivity of trees in Europe to air pollution concentrations

This paper describes the results of combining several simple models to assess the changes in plant sensitivity to direct effects of gaseous air pollutants that result from changes in climatic conditions. This research has been carried out within the framework of a project on the integrated assessment of regional air pollution and climate change in Europe (AIR-CLIM). The modulation of plant sensitivity to gaseous pollutants has been studied using a model of stomatal conductance that simulates the flow of water vapor from the atmosphere to the plant interior through the stomata. The model has been applied to Norway spruce ( Picea abies L.) and European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.). The critical atmospheric concentration levels for SO 2 and NO x adopted in international environmental norms have been modified to maintain in different climate scenarios a concentration level inside the plant equivalent to the critical limit in 1990. These simulated critical concentrations are compared with the predicted atmospheric concentrations. Our work indicates that the response can be very different for the two types of forests and in different regions. In general, climate change sensitivity increases in boreal areas and decreases in temperate areas due to temperature and water stress. If the air pollution levels are in the predicted ranges, the problems are less severe now than in 1990, but the cumulative stress will still be significant.

Interactive effects of gaseous air pollutants and acid mist on two major pasture grasses

Plants of Lolium perenne L. (perennial ryegrass) and Agrostis capillaris L. (common bent-grass) were exposed, for 18 and 22 weeks respectively, to combinations of gaseous pollutants and acid mists. The gaseous pollutant treatments were (a) charcoal filtered air, (b) 40 ppb SO 2 + 40 ppb NO 2, (c) 40 ppb O 3 with additional peaks of 2 × 3 h at 80 ppb and 1 × 1 h at 110 ppb O 3 and (d) SO 2 + NO 2 + O 3 (a combination of treatments (b) and (c)) and the mist treatments were 6 mm per week of solutions at pH 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and 5.6. All gaseous pollution treatments resulted in substantial reductions in the dry weights of plants of L. perenne but there were less than additive effects of O 3 and SO 2 + NO 2 in the SO 2 + NO 2 + O 3 treatment. There was a stimulation in the growth of L. perenne exposed to pH 2.5 compared with less acid mists in the charcoal filtered air and O 3, but not in the SO 2 + NO 2 and SO 2 + NO 2 + O 3, gas treatments. Plants of A. capillaris were more resistant to the gas × mist treatments. There were no significant differences ( P ≤ 0.05) in the weights of total shoots for plants grown in the gas exposure treatments compared with those grown in charcoal-filtered air. There was a growth stimulation for plants of A. capillaris exposed to pH 2.5, compared with less acid mists, in all gas treatments. For both species, all gaseous pollution treatments caused a reduction in green shoots and an increase in dead ones. The data are discussed in relation to critical levels and loads of pollutants. It is concluded that these concepts need some refinement for assessing the threat of pollutants to vegetation.

Forest growth in relation to site conditions. Application of the model forgro to the Solling spruce site

A dynamic simulation model of forest growth ( forgro) is combined with a general model of soil acidification ( nucsam) to give an integrated model that can be used to study effects of air pollution and soil acidification on forest growth for the Solling F1 site. Direct effects are quantified through stomatal uptake of air pollutants, and physiological effects of pollutant metabolites within the living tissue. Indirect effects are quantified through soil nutrient availability and conditions for root growth. Indirect effects determine the nutrient status of the trees, which in turn influences the susceptibility to direct effects of gaseous air pollutants. With the combined models, an analysis of combined effects of air pollution and soil acidification becomes feasible. Emphasis in the paper is on quantification of nutrient relations and growth, and the consequences of long-term changes in nutrient availability by soil acidification. In case of the Solling spruce site, the magnitude of the short-term, direct effects of air pollutants was found to be negligible, as was found elsewhere under comparable exposure conditions. Furthermore, it was investigated what effects of drastic changes in root characteristics were simulated. The model results indicate that the system is relatively insensitive to changes in rooting depth, but that uptake of nutrients strongly depends on soil moisture conditions.

Effects of gaseous air pollutants on aphid performance on Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings

Aphids are frequently found on conifers, but mass outbreaks are seldom reported. On trees stressed by air pollutants the natural resistance can be broken and insect attack combined with pollution stress may promote plant damages. To evaluate effects of air pollution on conifer aphids Scots pine and Norway spruce seedlings have been exposed to gaseous pollutants (O3, SO2 and NO2) in growth chambers. The studied aphid species were Cinara pilicornis Hartig on Norway spruce, C. pinea (Mordv.) and Schizolachnus pineti Fabr. on Scots pine in SO2 fumigations and S. pineti in O3 and NO2 fumigations. C. pilicornis nymphs had peaked dose response to SO2 concentration. Both the first and third instar larvae of C. pilicornis showed highest mean relative growth rate (MRGR) at 100 ppb SO2 concentration. MRGR of C. pinea peaked at 50 and 150 ppb SO2 The response of S. pineti was more inconsistent During fumigation the peak MRGR of S. pineti was at 100 ppb and after exposure at 50 ppb SO2. MRGR of S. pineti nymphs was not significantly affected during fumigation or after the end of fumigation experiment by 100 ppb O3 or 100 ppb NO2 or the mixtures. The results suggest that SO2 affects more distinctively on aphid performance on conifers than O3 or NO2. Especially stem-feeding aphids on spruce can exploit physiological disturbance of host plant under pollution stress.

Effects of gaseous air pollutants on secondary chemistry of Scots pine and norway spruce seedlings

Plant secondary compounds have an important role in defense responses against herbivores and pathogens. This study summarises published and some unpublished data from a series of fumigation experiments where Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings were exposed to different concentrations of gaseous air pollutants, ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2) or nitrogen dioxide (NO2), in growth chambers. Concentrations of monoterpenes, resin acids and total phenolics were studied. Overall, needle monoterpenes were not affected by pollutants. Only very high level of O3 (600 ppb) decreased concentration of some individual monoterpenes in pine needles. O3 did not have effect on concentrations of resin acids in pine needles. In contrast, the concentration of some individual resin acids increased in O3-exposed pine shoots and in O3-exposed needles of one spruce clone. The highest dose of SO2 decreased concentrations of resin acids in pine needles, but low exposure levels did not have effects. However, SO2 had no effects on the resin acids concentrations of spruce needles, except some minor individual compounds were affected in clonal spruces. Increased concentrations of resin acids was found in pine shoots exposed to NO2. Total phenolics of needles were not affected by pollutants. These observations suggest that among secondary compounds there is variation in sensitivity to air pollutants and genetically different trees have different responses to air pollutants.

Comparative evaluation of the effects of gaseous pollutants, acidic deposition and mineral deficiencies on gas exchange of trees

The effects of gaseous air pollutants, acidic deposition and mineral deficiency on the gas exchange of trees are reviewed, and published data which illustrate important responses are described in detail. Data are presented which show that mixtures of SO 2 plus NO 2 can decrease photosynthesis in Betula pendula, that ambient pollutant concentrations (especially O 3) tend to increase stomatal conductance of Populus deltoides X Populus nigra in the early part of the day for young growing leaves and throughout the day for mature leaves, and that simulated acid rain (pH 2.8) can cause temporary increases of stomatal conductance. Data for forest sites indicate that ambient concentrations of gaseous air pollution are sufficient to alter the gas exchange of woody plants ( Fagus sylvatica, Populus deltoides X Populus nigra, Picea sitchensis and Picea abies). Both inhibitions and stimulations of stomatal conductance have been observed, often associated with no effect or small depressions of photosynthesis. The link between stomatal response to gaseous pollutants and growth effects remains unclear. Initial exposure to wet deposited sulphates and nitrates often leads to stomatal opening while longterm exposure results in closure. Soil-mediated effects may be cumulative and operate via effects on nutrient supply and thus mesophyll characteristics and phloem loading.

A Field Chamber for Testing Air Pollution Effects on Mature Trees

AbstractA 3.6 m tall by 3 m diam. open‐top chamber system built on 12‐m towers for the dispensing and exclusion of air pollutants in the foliage of mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees was tested. Statistically significant position and height differences in O3 concentration inside the chamber were found for different wind speed categories. Calculation of a relative O3 concentration (ROC) showed remarkably similar relative O3 profiles for charcoal filtered (CF) and 2x ambient (2x) chambers. Large reductions in ROC are found above the 2.4‐m level in both chambers. Ambient air intrusion was reduced in the modified chamber because it was protected by the canopy and contained a tree crown lessening air movement in the chamber. The mean temperature increase in the chamber from 1200 to 1259 h EST was 2.2°C, whereas the maximum temperature increase was 4.8°C. Statistically significant positional temperature differences were found within the chamber. The chamber system design was found useful in testing the effects of gaseous air pollutants on the crown of mature trees and is recommended for designed experiments.

A chamberless field exposure system for determining the effects of gaseous air pollutants on crop growth and yield.

A modification of the chamberless Zonal Air Pollution System (ZAPS) has been developed to permit the exposure of crops to various regimes of exposure to gaseous air pollutants under true field conditions. It provides 12 different levels and patterns of pollutant exposure, simulating a wide range of ambient conditions. The different levels and patterns of exposure are achieved through different rates of discharge of pollutant-enriched gas through manifolds suspended above individual plots. A feature of the layout is that, since the plots are grouped together in blocks of four, wind speed and direction dictate the actual exposure patterns received in any plot. For studies with ozone, O(3), enrichment of the ambient air occurs daily between 0700 and 2059 h (PDT). The overall O(3) concentration supplied to the manifolds is maintained proportional to that in the ambient air, except during the first 3 and the last 3 h of each enrichment period when enrichment is slowly increased and decreased, respectively, to provide smooth transitions from and to the ambient level. Additional control progressively reduces enrichment at low wind speeds. Over a season, the ZAPS results in typical unimodal distributions of concentrations on each plot, with good vertical mixing and reasonable horizontal distributions achieved by the large numbers of discharge orifices in the manifolds. Summary results from two seasons' experiments with processing peas are presented to provide examples of the use of the ZAPS to determine crop yield responses to ozone, based on simple linear regressions of yield against two different exposure indices.

Physiologische und biochemische Aspekte der Wirkung von Immissionen auf Waldbäume1

AbstractPhysiological and biochemical aspects of the impact of air pollutants on forest trees. The article summarizes physiological and biochemical aspects and the usefulness of these parameters as early indicators and possible causes of the current forest decline. After a description of the effects of gaseous air pollutants and acid precipitation on foliar and needle surface structures, the mechanisms underlying the uptake and translocation of these pollutants into the plant interior are evaluated. It is further described how air pollutants and their reaction products, respectively, interact with different metabolic steps of the plant. Special emphasis is layed on free radicals and their reaction product as potent inhibitors of biochemical reactions within the plant cell.

Effects of Gaseous Air Pollution in Agriculture and Horticulture

Effects of Gaseous Air Pollution in Agriculture and Horticulture

Effects of Gaseous Air Pollution in Agriculture and Horticulture.

Effects of Gaseous Air Pollution in Agriculture and Horticulture.

Book Review: Effects of Gaseous Air Pollution in Agriculture and Horticulture.

Book Review: Effects of Gaseous Air Pollution in Agriculture and Horticulture.

University of nottingham thirty-second annual school in agricultural science, 1–4 september 1980 : Effects of gaseous air pollution in agriculture and horticulture

University of nottingham thirty-second annual school in agricultural science, 1–4 september 1980 : Effects of gaseous air pollution in agriculture and horticulture

The effects of gaseous air pollutants on peroxidative metabolism in mouse lungs.

In order to evaluate the change in the activity of the peroxidative metabolic pathway (PMP) in lung tissue as an indicator of the effects of air pollutants, the effects of repeated exposures to gaseous pollutants on the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and on the activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the lungs of mice were studied.The exposure to ambient concentrations of ozone or even higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide resulted in a dose-related increase in PMP activity; however, exposure to concentrations far in excess of those found in ambient nitric oxide, sulfur dioxide, or carbon monoxide made no difference. PMP activity was also increased when metallic cadmium fumes were inhaled or ANTU was administered. Increases related to lung weight, however, were less than those caused by the exposure to ozone or nitrogen dioxide. This indicates that the increase in PMP activity is a sensitive but not specific indicator for the effects of oxidative pollutants.Ozone was found to have an effect 10 to 15 times greater on the PMP than nitrogen dioxide. The effects of ozone were extrapolated to even lower concentrations, while the effects of nitrogen dioxide did not occur until a critical concentration was reached. Differences were also noted for the action of both pollutants on the PMP.Animals which maintained increased PMP activity were resistant to exposures to lethal ozone doses. Therefore, it is concluded that the PMP may play an important role in the development of tolerance to oxidants.An increase in GSH levels generally proportional to the degree of exposure to ozone or nitrogen dioxide was employed as an indicator in studying the combined effects of the two gases. The increase in GSH levels caused by the gases combined was equal to the sum of the two individual pollutants. This suggests that combinations of the pollutants may act additively. The same method was also employed to study the effects of exposure to sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, or carbon monoxide on the response to ozone exposure. Sulfur dioxide enhanced the effects of ozone under certain conditions, indicating that possible synergistic effects of ozone and sulfur dioxide were present. Such information will offer a clue to help to indicate exactly the hazards to health from photochemical air pollution which is a complex mixture of substances including ozone.