Effects Of Urban Air Pollution Research Articles

Outdoor Ambient Air Pollution and Neurodegenerative Diseases: the Neuroinflammation Hypothesis.

Accumulating research indicates that ambient outdoor air pollution impacts the brain and may affect neurodegenerative diseases, yet the potential underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The neuroinflammation hypothesis holds that elevation of cytokines and reactive oxygen species in the brain mediates the deleterious effects of urban air pollution on the central nervous system (CNS). Studies in human and animal research document that neuroinflammation occurs in response to several inhaled pollutants. Microglia are a prominent source of cytokines and reactive oxygen species in the brain, implicated in the progressive neuron damage in diverse neurodegenerative diseases, and activated by inhaled components of urban air pollution through both direct and indirect pathways. The MAC1-NOX2 pathway has been identified as a mechanism through which microglia respond to different forms of air pollution, suggesting a potential common deleterious pathway. Multiple direct and indirect pathways in response to air pollution exposure likely interact in concert to exert CNS effects.

Urban air pollution and meteorological factors affect emergency department visits of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Taiwan

Both air pollution and meteorological factors in metropolitan areas increased emergency department (ED) visits from people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Few studies investigated the associations between air pollution, meteorological factors, and COPD-related health disorders in Asian countries. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the environmental factors and COPD-associated ED visits of susceptible elderly population in the largest Taiwanese metropolitan area (Taipei area, including Taipei city and New Taipei city) between 2000 and 2013. Data of air pollutant concentrations (PM10, PM2.5, O3, SO2, NO2 and CO), meteorological factors (daily temperature, relative humidity and air pressure), and daily COPD-associated ED visits were collected from Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration air monitoring stations, Central Weather Bureau stations, and the Taiwan National Health Insurance database in Taipei area. We used a case-crossover study design and conditional logistic regression models with odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for evaluating the associations between the environmental factors and COPD-associated ED visits. Analyses showed that PM2.5, O3, and SO2 had significantly greater lag effects (the lag was 4 days for PM2.5, and 5 days for O3 and SO2) on COPD-associated ED visits of the elderly population (65–79 years old). In warmer days, a significantly greater effect on elderly COPD-associated ED visits was estimated for PM2.5 with coexistence of O3. Additionally, either O3 or SO2 combined with other air pollutants increased the risk of elderly COPD-associated ED visits in the days of high relative humidity and air pressure difference, respectively. This study showed that joint effect of urban air pollution and meteorological factors contributed to the COPD-associated ED visits of the susceptible elderly population in the largest metropolitan area in Taiwan. Government authorities should review existing air pollution policies, and strengthen health education propaganda to ensure the health of the susceptible elderly population.

Assessment of Air Pollution in AL-Nahrawan Suburban- Baghdad city by Geographic Information System(GIS)

Urban air pollution is a major environmental problem in all World countries. Air pollution in urban areas may be caused by human activities such as mobility behavior, waste management, industrial development (brick industry, cement industry), production and use of energy (for processing, heating and cooking), and activities which produce dust and suspended particles. The effects of urban air pollution on public health are being felt worldwide. There are a number of factors that influence urban air quality including geographical location, climatological and meteorological factors (temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction), city planning and design, andfinally human activities in suchareas. The aim of this study was to measure certain important pollutants (VOCs, SO2, H2S, NO2), and assessing the effect of fuel burning that use in the brick factories. Geographic Information System (GIS) was utilized to map urban air pollution dispersion in AL-Nahrawan suburban –Baghdad city -Iraq. From GIS distribution maps for SO2 , NO2 , H2S and VOCs pollutants , it was found that the value of these gasses were changed from one location to another according to the quantity and quality of fuel used and wind direction.Generally it can concluded that the concentration of measured all examined gasses in the study area wasexceeding the WHO and national standards.

Acute effects of urban air pollution on respiratory emergency hospital admissions in the Canary Islands

In the cities of Las Palmas (L/P) de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz (S/C) de Tenerife, Canary Islands, particulate matter is highly influenced by mineral dust because their proximity to the Sahara desert (PM10–2.5 levels are higher than PM2.5). In this context, the short-term association between different PM fractions and gaseous pollutants with emergency hospital admissions for all respiratory, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma was analyzed, evaluating the potential independent effect of PM10–2.5. A generalized additive model was fitted controlling for seasonal patterns and time varying confounders. Different lag structures, polynomial distributed lag models, and two-pollutant models were examined. Under Lag01, in S/C de Tenerife, a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10–2.5 was associated with a 5.1 % risk increase (95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.0 to 9.2) in all respiratory and with a 7.7 % increase (95 % CI 0.9 to 14.9) in COPD emergency admissions, respectively. In L/P de Gran Canaria, a positive association between PM10–2.5, PM2.5, and NO2 with the increased risk of asthma hospitalization was found: 11.2 % (95 % CI 0.5 to 22.9), 21.9 % (95 % CI 6.9 to 39.0), and a 17.4 % (95 % CI 6.6 to 29.4), respectively. The overall findings suggest that in these cities, (1) PM2.5, PM10–2.5, and NO2 are associated with the risk of emergency hospital admission for respiratory diseases; (2) there is no evidence of confounding for the associations observed; and (3) PM10–2.5 may have an impact on public health.

Environmental Justice and Health Effects of Urban Air Pollution

Minority communities often bear the burden of "hosting" pollution sources. This report assesses whether there are any health effects from living near such pollution sources and whether health effects of pollution vary by sex, ethnicity, or income. The air pollution emissions from Hartford area, point sources are modeled and exposures are estimated for the residents who participated in a geographically-based health survey. The pollution intensities and other individual and neighborhood characteristics are used to predict an individual's reported respiratory problems. The results indicate that respiratory problems are correlated significantly with pollution levels, especially sulfur dioxide from the local trash-to-energy incinerator-the fifth largest one in the U.S. The effects of a given pollution level tend to be more serious for specific subgroups based upon sex, ethnicity, poverty, and age. Even when controlling for other factors, air pollution levels are significantly correlated with health problems, especially for Hispanics. This air pollution may contribute to health disparities.

Variations in PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 in an Urban Area of the Sichuan Basin and Their Relation to Meteorological Factors

Daily average monitoring data for PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 and meteorological parameters at Chengdu from 2009 to 2011 are analyzed using statistical methods to replicate the effect of urban air pollution in Chengdu metropolitan region of the Sichuan Basin. The temporal distribution of, and correlation between, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 particles are analyzed. Additionally, the relationships between particulate matter (PM) and certain meteorological parameters are studied. The results show that variations in the average mass concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 generally have the same V-shaped distributions (except for April), with peak/trough values for PM average mass concentrations appearing in January/September, respectively. From 2009 to 2011, the inter-annual average mass concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 fall year on year. The correlation coefficients of daily concentrations of PM10 with PM2.5, PM10 with PM1.0, and PM2.5 with PM1.0 were high, reaching 0.91, 0.83 and 0.98, respectively. In addition, the average ratios of PM2.5/PM10, PM1.0/PM10 and PM1.0/PM2.5 were 85%, 78% and 92%, respectively. From this, fine PM is determined to be the principal pollutant in the Chengdu region. Except for averaged air pressure values, negative correlations exist between other meteorological parameters and PM. Temperature and air pressure influenced the transport and accumulation of PM by affecting convection. Winds promoted PM dispersion. Precipitation not only accelerated the deposition of wet PM, but also inhibited surface dust transport. There was an obvious correlation between PM and visibility; the most important cause of visibility degradation was due to the light extinction of aerosol particles.

Ambient Fine Particulate Matter, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Hypertensive Diseases of Pregnancy in New York City

Along with growing evidence of a possible effect of urban air pollution on fetal growth and preterm birth, there is a possible impact on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Some but not all recent studies have yielded evidence suggesting an impact of both fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide. To address limitations in exposure and outcome assessment and study size, we analyzed a unique data resource from New York City. Birth certificate information on 268,601 New York City residents delivering 2008-2010 was linked to hospital discharge data to more accurately identify gestational hypertension and preeclampsia (classified as mild or severe). Exposure to air pollution was assigned based on residential location linked to monitoring data from the New York City Community Air Survey, conducted specifically to characterize air pollution exposure. Adjusting for covariates from the birth records, we analyzed the association between first and second trimester fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in relation to hypertensive disorders using multinomial logistic regression. While partially adjusted analyses yielded adjusted odds ratios in the highest quartile of exposure (compared to the lowest) of 1.3-1.6 for gestational hypertension and 0.8-0.9 for mild preeclampsia, we identified that rates of disorders differed by hospital and were associated with pollution levels of their patients. Adjustment for hospital yielded null results for all outcomes, indicating no association between ambient air pollution and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Outdoor Fine Particles Exposure Can Trigger Restrictive Lung Function?

*Introduction:* Effects of urban air pollutants on pulmonary function usually show an association with obstructive diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of heterogeneous ai...

Acute and Subacute Effects of Urban Air Pollution on Cardiopulmonary Emergencies and Mortality: Time Series Studies in Austrian Cities

Daily pollution data (collected in Graz over 16 years and in the Linz over 18 years) were used for time series studies (GAM and case-crossover) on the relationship with daily mortality (overall and specific causes of death). Diagnoses of patients who had been transported to hospitals in Linz were also available on a daily basis from eight years for time series analyses of cardiopulmonary emergencies. Increases in air pollutant levels over several days were followed by increases in mortality and the observed effects increased with the length of the exposure window considered, up to a maximum of 15 days. These mortality changes in Graz and Linz showed similar patterns like the ones found before in Vienna. A significant association of mortality could be demonstrated with NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 even in summer, when concentrations are lower and mainly related to motor traffic. Cardiorespiratory ambulance transports increased with NO2/PM2.5/PM10 by 2.0/6.1/1.7% per 10 µg/m3 on the same day. Monitoring of NO2 (related to motor traffic) and fine particulates at urban background stations predicts acute effects on cardiopulmonary emergencies and extended effects on cardiopulmonary mortality. Both components of urban air pollution are indicators of acute cardiopulmonary health risks, which need to be monitored and reduced, even below current standards.

Neuropsychological assessment in the BREATHE project: preliminary results

Background: The BREATHE (brain development and air pollution ultrafine particles in school children) project aims to discover the effects of urban air pollution on neuropsychological development. A...

Identifying susceptible populations for public health action. Results from the PHASE project.

Background and aims: Extreme weather events (EWEs) have been increasing as a result of climate change. An objective of the European funded PHASE project, is to define subgroups of the population susceptible to EWEs such as heat waves, cold spells, floods, forest fires and air pollutants. Methods: Case-study analyses among PHASE cities were carried out to estimate the effects of EWEs and identify susceptible subgroups using different methodologies (time series, case cross over analysis and cohort approach). Where primary studies were not yet performed, a literature review was carried out to summarize susceptibility factors to EWEs. Results: Analyses from PHASE show: Heat. In the last decades, the effect of heat in the 65-74 age group is increasing while among the very old (75+ years) the effect is declining and there has also been a reduction in the harvesting effect. An effect of high temperatures among children was also observed, especially for respiratory diseases. Exposure to high temperatures increases the risk of preterm births (+2% for every 1°C increase). Among cohorts of adult patients within chronic diseases (Diabetes, COPD, MI survivors, CHF, Psychiatric disease) an increase in deaths during extreme heat days was observed. Floods. The indirect health effects of floods include respiratory disease, mental health, gastroenteritis; children and persons with chronic-related conditions are most at risk. Specific case studies within PHASE are ongoing. Air pollutionForest Fires. Through the use of satellite data, a EU map of the areas at-risk to fires was defined and an emissions inventory will allow to estimate the health effects of wild fires in selected case studies. The health effects of urban air pollution seem to be exacerbated during extreme temperatures, especially for respiratory and cardiovascular causes. Conclusions: Specific public health measures should be focused on subgroups that will suffer the greatest health burden through life as a consequence of exposure to EWEs. Results from the PHASE project on subgroups susceptible to EWEs need to be integrated in public health guidelines.

Effects of long-term exposure to PM10 and NO2 on asthma and wheeze in a prospective birth cohort

BackgroundEpidemiological studies on the effect of urban air pollution on childhood asthma have shown conflicting results and so far no consistent association has emerged. However, a common limitation in previous...

Effect of urban air pollution on epidermal traits of road side tree species, Pongamia pinnata (L.) Merr.

Effect of urban air pollution on roadside tree species Pongamia pinnata(L.) Merr. has been studied with special reference to epidermal characteristics of leaves. The light microscopic studies of this plant indicated marked alteration in epidermal traits, with increased number of stomata and epidermal cells per unit area in leaf samples collected from polluted sites than those from control site. Results revealed that, as compared to the leaves from control, the length and width of guard and epidermal cells reduced considerably in leaves of polluted sites. These changes in epidermal traits could be as indicator of environmental stress and can be recommended in high traffic density area for the early detection of urban air pollution.

Acute respiratory health effects of urban air pollutants in adults with different patterns of underlying respiratory disease

Whether underlying chronic respiratory diseases are susceptible factors for symptomatic episodes, which lead to primary-level care, in association with air pollutant exposures is unknown. We evaluated and compared association lag structures between daily ambient levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) and total suspended particulates (TSP) and respiratory symptom-related doctor visits in adults with different patterns of underlying chronic respiratory disease. In a time-stratified case-crossover analysis nested within a diary panel study, 459 Swiss adult participants with asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and healthy participants recorded occurrence of respiratory-symptom related doctor visits (n = 1,048) in one to six four-week intervals over two years. For each disease subgroup, odds ratios (ORs) for doctor visit were estimated as a function of NO(2) or TSP concentrations (per 10 micrograms per cubic meter [µg/m(3)]) lagged between 0-13 days in a polynomial distributed lag model. Higher ORs for NO(2) in participants with COPD (OR: 1.17, 95%CI: 1.02-1.35) and asthma (OR: 1.15, 95%CI: 1.02-1.30) occurred at exposure lags of two and five days, respectively. Doctor visits increased by 9.1% (95%CI: 3.2-15.4%) and 4.2% (95%CI: 1.2-7.2%) over the first week following a 10 µg/m(3) increase in NO(2) concentration in the COPD and chronic bronchitis subgroups, respectively. The percent increase in the COPD subgroup was significantly greater (p <0.05) when compared with the healthy subgroup. Observed findings were similar for TSP. Respiratory problems leading to a doctor visit, associated with an increase in exposure to NO(2) and TSP, may have a faster dynamic in individuals with COPD.

From Particles to Patients: Oxidative Stress and the Cardiovascular Effects of Air Pollution

Air pollution, especially airborne particulate matter (PM), is associated with an increase in both morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease, although the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely established. The one consistent observation that links the pulmonary and cardiovascular effects of inhaled PM is oxidative stress. This article examines the evidence for the role of oxidative stress in the cardiovascular effects of air pollution, beginning with observations from epidemiological and controlled exposure studies and then exploring potential mechanistic pathways involving free radical generation from PM itself, to effects of PM on cell cultures, isolated organs, healthy animals and animal models of disease. Particular emphasis is placed on the vascular and atherosclerotic effects of urban air pollution and diesel exhaust emissions as rich sources of environmental ultrafine particles.

Air pollution and hospitalization for respiratory diseases among children in Isfahan, Iran

Adverse effects of urban air pollution on human health notably the paediatric age group is of great importance. Limited data exist from developing countries. This study investigates the hospitalization of children because of respiratory diseases and air pollution levels in Isfahan, the second large city in Iran. Hospital admission data were collected retrospectively from 120 randomly selected respiratory patients in Pediatric wards from the main referral hospital in Isfahan from March 2005-2006, and simultaneous air pollution data were collected from two monitoring stations located in south and north parts of the city. The result of statistical modeling using generalized linear Poisson regression showed that PM(10) and sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) concentrations had statistically significant positive association with number of respiratory admissions of children. This study confirms the findings of previous studies about the association of air pollutants' levels with hospitalization because of respiratory diseases in young children. Air pollution continues to pose a threat to public health notably in the paediatric age group, and underscores the need to re-examine national environmental health policies and standards in developing countries.

Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor is the major toxic mode of action of an organic extract of a reference urban dust particulate matter mixture: The role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Many of the toxic and carcinogenic effects of urban air pollution have been linked to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed to airborne particulate matter (PM). The carcinogenic properties of PAHs in complex organic mixtures derived from PM have been chiefly attributed to their mutagenicity. Nevertheless, PAHs are also potent activators of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which may contribute to their nongenotoxic effects, including tumor promotion. As the genotoxicity of carcinogenic PAHs in complex mixtures derived from urban PM is often inhibited by other mixture constituents, the AhR-mediated activity of urban PM extracts might significantly contribute to the carcinogenic activity of such mixtures. In the present study, we used an organic extract of the urban dust standard reference material, SRM1649a, as a model mixture to study a range of toxic effects related to DNA damage and AhR activation. Both the organic extract and its neutral aromatic fraction formed a low number of DNA adducts per nucleotide in the liver epithelial WB-F344 cells model, without inducing DNA damage response, such as tumor suppressor p53 activation and apoptosis. In contrast, we found that this extract, as well as its neutral and polar fractions, were potent inducers of a range of AhR-mediated responses, including induction of the AhR-mediated transcription, such as cytochrome P450 1A1/1B1 expression, and the AhR-dependent cell proliferation. Importantly, these toxic events occurred at doses one order of magnitude lower than DNA damage. The AhR-mediated activity of the neutral fraction was linked to PAHs and their derivatives, as polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls were only minor contributors to the overall AhR-mediated activity. Taken together, our data suggest that more attention should be paid to the AhR-dependent nongenotoxic events elicited by urban PM constituents, especially PAHs and their derivatives.

Modification by antioxidant supplementation of changes in human lung function associated with air pollutant exposure: A systematic review

BackgroundOutdoor air pollution, given its demonstrated negative effects on the respiratory system, is a growing public health concern worldwide, particularly in urban cities. Human exposure to pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, combustion-related particulate matter and oxides of sulfur is responsible for significant cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality in both adults and children. Several antioxidants have shown an ability to partially attenuate the negative physiological and functional impacts of air pollutants. This study systematically presents current data on the potential benefits of antioxidant supplementation on lung function outcomes associated with air pollutant exposures in intact humans.MethodsElectronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS Previews, Web of Sciences, Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management and TOXNET) were systematically searched for all studies published up to April 2009. Search terms relating to the concepts of respiratory tract diseases, respiratory function tests, air pollution, and antioxidants were used. Data was systematically abstracted from original articles that satisfied selection criteria for inclusion. For inclusion, the studies needed to have evaluated human subjects, given supplemental antioxidants, under conditions of known levels of air pollutants with measured lung function before and after antioxidant administration and/or air pollution exposure. Selected studies were summarized and conclusions presented.ResultsEight studies investigated the role of antioxidant supplementation on measured lung function outcomes after subject exposure to air pollutants under controlled conditions; 5 of these studies concluded that pollutant-induced airway hyper-responsiveness and diminution in lung function measurements were attenuated by antioxidant supplementation. The remaining five studies took place under ambient (uncontrolled) exposures and unanimously concluded that antioxidant supplementations attenuate the negative effects of urban air pollution on lung function.ConclusionsThe data evaluating modification of changes in lung function associated with air pollutant exposure by antioxidant supplementation, in intact humans, is limited. Of 13 studies dedicated to this concern, ten demonstrated an attenuation of pollution-associated decrements. There is growing evidence for the benefit of anti-oxidant supplementation in moderating the effects of air pollution on lung function, but more research on human participants is needed to inform this topic.

Implications of different approaches for characterizing ambient air pollutant concentrations within the urban airshed for time-series studies and health benefits analyses

BackgroundIn time-series studies of the health effects of urban air pollutants, decisions must be made about how to characterize pollutant levels within the airshed.MethodsEmergency department visits for pediatric asthma exacerbations were collected from Atlanta hospitals. Concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), and the PM2.5 components elemental carbon, organic carbon, and sulfate were obtained from networks of ambient air quality monitors. For each pollutant we created three different daily metrics. For one metric we used the measurements from a centrally-located monitor; for the second we averaged measurements across the network of monitors; and for the third we estimated the population-weighted average concentration using an isotropic spatial model. Rate ratios for each of the metrics were estimated from time-series models.ResultsFor pollutants with relatively homogeneous spatial distributions we observed only small differences in the rate ratio across the three metrics. Conversely, for spatially heterogeneous pollutants we observed larger differences in the rate ratios. For a given pollutant, the strength of evidence for an association (i.e., chi-square statistics) tended to be similar across metrics.ConclusionsGiven that the chi-square statistics were similar across the metrics, the differences in the rate ratios for the spatially heterogeneous pollutants may seem like a relatively small issue. However, these differences are important for health benefits analyses, where results from epidemiological studies on the health effects of pollutants (per unit change in concentration) are used to predict the health impacts of a reduction in pollutant concentrations. We discuss the relative merits of the different metrics as they pertain to time-series studies and health benefits analyses.

Effects of urban air pollutants on elemental accumulation and identification of oxidative stress biomarkers in the transplanted lichen Pseudovernia furfuracea

Determining the origins of heavy metals, their accumulation, and their detoxification mechanisms constitutes a major problem in understanding environmental pollution in urban areas. The objective of this study was to detect the relative air quality in Eskisehir city center (Turkey) through the transplanted epiphytic lichen Pseudovernia furfuracea as a biomonitor of the concentrations of some heavy metals accumulated and to describe their toxic effects on lichen physiology during the study period of one year. The influence of heavy metal accumulations on macroelement levels were also examined. In addition to analysis of B, K, Ca, P, S, Al, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn, Pb, and Cu, total soluble proteins and oxidative stress parameters through glutathione (GSH) contents and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were also determined. Results indicate that, although the heavy metal concentrations were found to be gradually increased from the unpolluted control zone to the city center, the concentrations of macroelements S and Ca were higher in the polluted area. However, B, K, Mg, and P elements were found to be higher in the unpolluted area than in the polluted zones. It seems that heavy metals induce oxidative stress in lichens; we found enhancement of GSH concentrations and GST activity. Most probably, the expected destruction in this organism was reduced by the intervention of antioxidant capacity. Therefore, this report confirms the fact that the epiphytic lichen P. furfuracea is a good model for biomonitoring atmospheric quality for a long-term transplantation study, and oxidative stress parameters stand out as a tool for an early environment assessment of other physiological parameters.