Green Lungs Of Poland Research Articles

Exposure to air pollution and its effect on ischemic strokes (EP-PARTICLES study)

It is well known that exceeded levels of particulate matter in the air and other air pollutants harmfully affect the cardiovascular system. Empirical analyses of the effects of these factors on stroke incidence and mortality are still limited. The main objective of our analyses was to determine the association between short-term exposure to air pollutants and stroke incidence in non-industrial areas, more specifically in north-eastern Poland. To achieve this aim, we used data from the National Health Fund on patients hospitalized for stroke between 2011 and 2020 in the largest city of the region described as the Green Lungs of Poland. The pollution levels and atmospheric conditions data were obtained from the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection and the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. Using daily data on hospitalizations, atmospheric conditions, and pollution, as well as ordered logistic regression models the hypotheses on the impact of weather and air pollution conditions on ischemic strokes were tested. The study group included 4838 patients, 45.6% of whom were male; the average patient age was approximately 74 years. The average concentrations of PM2.5 were 19.09 µg/m3, PM10 26.66 µg/m3 and CO 0.35 µg/m3. Analyses showed that an increase in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 10 µg/m3 was associated with an increase in the incidence of stroke on the day of exposure (OR = 1.075, 95% CI 0.999–1.157, P = 0.053; OR = 1.056, 95% CI 1.004–1.110, P = 0.035) and the effect was even several times greater on the occurrence of a stroke event in general (PM2.5: OR = 1.120, 95% CI 1.013–1.237, P = 0.026; PM10: OR = 1.103, 95% CI 1.028–1.182, P = 0.006). Furthermore, a short-term (up to 3 days) effect of CO on stroke incidence was observed in the study area. An increase of 1 μg/m3 CO was associated with a lower incidence of stroke 2 days after the exposure (OR = 0.976, 95% CI 0.953–0.998, P = 0.037) and a higher incidence 3 days after the exposure (OR = 1.026, 95% CI 1.004–1.049, P = 0.022).

Spatial Variability of Metals in Coastal Sediments of Ełckie Lake (Poland)

This study aimed to determine the content and spatial distribution of metals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Na, K, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Co) in sediments in the coastal zone of Ełckie Lake located in the area of "Green Lungs of Poland" in the north-eastern part of the country, depending on the land use (urban area, agricultural and forest area, and beaches). The concentration of metals was determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The average contents of major elements in 28 sediment samples occurred in the following order: Ca > Mg > Fe > Na > K > Mn. The order of these elements in the coastal sediments located within the different parts of the catchment was identical. These elements may originate from natural sources such as the Earth’s crust, soil, and wind-blown dust from unpaved roads. The average contents of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the sediments were as follows: Cr > Zn > Pb > Cu > Co in agricultural and forest areas and beaches (the exception was Cu for beach B, which occurred at the end of the series). A different pattern occurred in urbanized areas: Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Co. The spatial distribution of heavy metals in the sediments indicated the highest contents in the shoreline adjacent to the urbanized part of the catchment. The primary sources of metals in sediment are transportation, coal burning, sanitary sewage from unsewered developments on the lakeshore, and storm runoff from roads. This was confirmed by positive correlations of Zn with Cu (r = 0.58), Pb (r = 0.90), Fe (r = 0.40). No correlations between the studied metals and organic matter were found, which may indicate its insignificant influence on metal content in the sediments. Pearson correlation coefficients also showed no relationship between sediment pH and the presence of metals. Factor analysis (FA) indicated that lithogenic (geogenic) and anthropogenic factors have almost equal shares in the distribution of most of the metals studied. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the average contents of Zn, Cu, Co, and Na in the sediments from urbanized areas are statistically significantly higher than the sediments from other areas (rural/forest, beaches).

Short-Term Effects of “Polish Smog” on Cardiovascular Mortality in the Green Lungs of Poland: A Case-Crossover Study with 4,500,000 Person-Years (PL-PARTICLES Study)

Previous studies conducted in highly polluted areas have reported associations between air pollution and daily mortality. The Green Lungs of Poland are characterized by unique natural features and a moderate pollution level. We aimed to assess the short-term impact of air pollution on cardiovascular (CVD)-, acute coronary syndrome (ACS)-, and cerebrovascular-related (CbVD) mortality. An analysis with 4,500,000 person-years and a time-stratified case-crossover design was performed. The interquartile range increase in the PM2.5 (OR 1.036, 95% CI 1.016–1.056, p < 0.001) and PM10 concentration (OR 1.034, 95% CI 1.015–1.053, p < 0.001) was associated with increased CVD mortality on lag 0, and this effect persisted on the following days. The effects of PMs were expressed more in association with ACS-related mortality (PM2.5-OR = 1.045, 95% CI 1.012–1.080, p = 0.01; PM10-OR = 1.044, 95% CI 1.010–1.078, p = 0.01) and CbVD mortality (PM10-OR = 1.099, 95% CI 1.019–1.343, p = 0.02). We also noted a higher CVD mortality OR in the cold season for PM10 in cities with area-source domination: Białystok (p = 0.001) and Suwałki (p = 0.047). The short-term impact of PMs on cardiovascular mortality is also observed in moderately polluted areas. This adverse health effect was more apparent in CbVD- and ACS-related mortality, and in the cold season. Further research focusing on the adverse health effects of “Polish smog” is sorely needed.

Impact of air pollution on mortality due to cerebrovascular diseases

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background The short-term effect of air pollution on cardiovascular mortality is well-documented but a scarce number of studies focus on cause-specific mortality in low-polluted areas. Purpose We decided to distinguish deaths due to cerebrovascular disease (CbVD) from a region widely known as the Green Lungs of Poland to assess the short-term effect of air pollution on CbVD mortality. Methods The analysis with almost 4,500,000 person-years of follow-up with a time-stratified case-crossover design was performed. Results are reported as odds ratio (OR) associated with an increase in interquartile range (IQR) of air pollution. Results In the overall analysis of the studied region PM2.5 had an impact on increased CbVD mortality at LAG 0 (OR 1.046, 95% CI 1.013 – 1.080, P = 0.006), LAG 0-1 (1.048, 1.002-1.082, P = 0.040), and LAG 0-3 (1.052, 1.015-1.090, P = 0.006). The influence of PM10 was noted at LAG 0 (1.041, 1.002-1.082, P = 0.040). CbVD mortality in Bialystok was increased by exposure to PM10 at LAG 0 (1.05, 1.00-1.09, P = 0.048) and CO at LAG 1 (1.07, 1.00-1.14, P = 0.04). Additionally, an effect of CO was observed in cold season at LAG 1 (1.09, 1.02-1.17, P = 0.02), LAG 0-1 (1.08, 1.00-1.016, P = 0.04), and LAG 0-3 (1.09, 1.01-1.18, P = 0.04). In Suwalki, an impact of PM2.5 was also observed. Conclusions A short-term increase in air pollutants concentrations, especially in PM2.5 and CO, had an influence on CbVD mortality. Mortality rates were significantly increased in cold season. We also found heterogeneity in the influence of major contributors on mortality between analyzed cities.

Gender differences in association between air pollution and daily mortality in Green Lungs of Poland – population-based study with almost 3,000,000 person-years of observation

Abstract Introduction Air pollution is considered to be one of the main risk factors for public health, in particular its impact on the disorders of the pulmonary and cardiovascular system and the related mortality. Purpose This study was carried out to assess the influence of the atmospheric conditions and air pollutants on mortality in the population of the big city in the eastern Poland. Materials and methods Based on the data from the Central Statistical Office, the number and causes of the deaths of the city residents in the period 2008–2017 were analyzed. The study utilized the data recorded by the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection station and the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management during the analysis period. Multivariate Poisson regression was used for statistical analysis. Results A total of 34,005 deaths had been recorded, in which women accounted for 47.5%. The proportion of cardiovascular-related deaths was 48% (N=16,370). The main causes of deaths in the female population were chronic ischemic heart disease (N=1683; 10.42%) and cerebral infarction (N=1617; 10.01%), while in the male population, in addition to chronic ischemic heart disease (N=1530; 8.57%), deaths were caused mainly by malignant neoplasm of the bronchus and lung (N=1555; 8.71%). During the analysis, it was observed that the 1-day norm of sulfur dioxide (SO2) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines was sporadically exceeded (N=18, 0.50% of analyzed days), while the daily norm for the particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) was exceeded on 688 days (23.60% of analyzed days). In the female group, excluding the seasonal impact, an increase of SO2 concentration by 1-μg/m3 (RR 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.10; P=0.009) and a 10°C decrease of temperature (RR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02–1.07; P=0.003) were related to an increase in the number of daily deaths. In the male group, a stronger effect of SO2concentration on mortality was noted; the RR for 1-μg/m3 increase of SO2 was 1.10 (95% CI 1.04–1.18; P=0.002). In the subgroup analysis of cardiovascular deaths, the main pollutant that was found to have an effect on daily mortality was PM2.5; the RR for 10-μg/m3 increase of PM2.5 was 1.07 (95% CI 1.02–1.12; P=0.01). Conclusions Air quality and atmospheric conditions had an impact on the mortality of Białystok residents, and this effect was more pronounced in the male population. The main air pollutants that influenced the rate of mortality were SO2and PM2.5. In the female population, an additional factor that influenced the total mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases was temperature. It is worth emphasizing that the impact of SO2 on mortality was clear within “safe” range recommended by WHO. More research on that topic is necessary, but our results bring questions whether the recommended norms should be stricter, or is there a safe concentration of SO2 in the air at all. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

System solutions for the circular economy on the regional level: the case of Green Lungs of Poland

This study provides a comprehensive review of the literature within the last five years to capture the main concepts, features, perspectives and approaches of the circular economy, which has gained increasing worldwide attention. Systems theory is the theoretical basis of the research, and the antecedents to the circular economy are defined as mandatory elements of successful waste management systems alongside production, consumption, secondary raw materials and horizontal actions (innovation, investment and monitoring). The study looks at the waste management system at the regional level, namely the Podlasie region of Poland, and reveals dysfunctions of the traditional waste management system, such as local monopolies and limited freedom of business activity. Study findings suggest implementing the circular economy in the traditional waste management system in order to approach the latter holistically and encourage interaction between stakeholders rather than isolated actions and individual actors. The study provides implications for both theory and practice.

Copper, Manganese, Selenium and Zinc in Wild-Growing Edible Mushrooms from the Eastern Territory of "Green Lungs of Poland": Nutritional and Toxicological Implications.

The aims of this study were to determine Cu, Mn, Se, and Zn content in wild mushrooms collected from unpolluted areas of the eastern Green Lungs of Poland (GLP) territory, to compare them to some popular species of cultivated mushrooms, evaluate mushroom contribution to the daily intake of the studied bioelements, and to determine their possible toxic effect resulting from potentially excessive mushroom consumption from areas recognized as ecologically uncontaminated. Bioelements were determined in 21 species of edible mushrooms: eighteen species of wild mushrooms and three species of popular cultivated mushrooms. The mean Cu, Mn, Se, and Zn content (in µg/g, dry mass DM) ranged from 10.6–123.1, 12.2–41, 0.13–13.3, and 68.3–184, respectively. A comparison with recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for Cu, Se, and Zn as well as adequate intake (AI) for Mn demonstrated that a 100 g fresh mass (FM) portion of mushroom species with the highest content of a given element can meet the demand for Cu, Mn, Se and Zn at 203%, 14–17%, 211%, and 16–22%, respectively. A comparison of the content of the examined bioelements contained in one portion of mushrooms (100 g FM) against the toxicological intake limits for different chemical elements with the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) and upper intake level (UL) showed no risk of toxicity for the evaluated mushroom species.

Photocatalytic degradation of hazardous Food Yellow 13 in TiO2 and ZnO aqueous and river water suspensions

The photocatalytic degradation of the prevalent colourful food additive, Food Yellow 13 (FY13), was examined in TiO2 and ZnO aqueous suspensions under solar irradiation. Series of physicochemical properties of the applied photocatalysts was determined. As a benchmark of the influence of the natural conditions, photocatalytic studies were performed in the river water. Goldapa river, located in ‘The Green Lungs of Poland’, was chosen for investigations. The influence of the initial dye concentration, photocatalyst loading, pH and a buffer addition was studied. FY13 decolourization during its degradation under solar irradiation was monitored spectrophotometrically, while Raman and TGA techniques were applied to study its adsorption on the surface of TiO2 and ZnO. Photodegradation intermediates were detected and FY13 decomposition pathway was proposed on the basis of LC/ESI–MS/MS measurements. Application of the both photocatalysts led to the complete decomposition of FY13, which was accompanied by a visual decoulorization. The final degradation metabolite was identified as pyridinecarboxaldehyde. Eventually, ZnO was found to be 1.8 and 9.6 times more efficient then TiO2 in the photocatalysis process performed in aqueous and river water suspensions, respectively.

Explaining the high PM10 concentrations observed in Polish urban areas.

The main goal of this paper is to identify the drivers responsible for the high particulate matter concentrations observed in recent years in several urban areas in Poland. The problem was investigated using air quality and meteorological data from routine monitoring network, air mass back trajectories and multivariate statistical modelling. Air pollution in central and southern part of the country was analysed and compared with this in northern-eastern “The Green Lungs of Poland” region. The analysis showed that in all investigated locations, there is a clear annual cycle of observed concentrations, closely following temperature-heating cycles, with the highest concentrations noted in January. However, the main drivers differ along the country, being either connected with regional background pollution (in the central part of the country) or with local emission sources (in the southern part). The occurrence of high PM10 concentrations is most commonly associated with the influence of high-pressure systems that brought extremely cold and stable air masses form East or South of Europe. During analysed episodes, industrial point sources had the biggest (up to 70–80 %) share in PM10 levels on the days with maximum PM pollution, while remote and residential/traffic sources determined the air quality in the early stages of the episodes. Principal component analysis (PCA) shows that secondary inorganic aerosols account for long-range transported pollution, As, Cd, Pb and Zn for industrial point sources, while Cr and Cu for residential and traffic sources of PM10, respectively.

Determination of perfluorinated sulfonate and perfluorinated acids in tissues of free-living European beaver (castor fiber L.) by d-SPE/ micro-UHPLC-MS/MS

Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are the main representatives of an rising class of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), perfluorochemicals (PFCs). In this study, determination of selected PFCs concentration in liver, brain, tail, adipose and peritoneum tissues of free-living European beaver (Castor fiber L.) was addressed. Tissue samples, collected from beavers living in Masurian Lakeland (NE Poland), were analyzed by dispersive Solid Phase Extraction (d-SPE) with micro-UHPLC-MS/MS system. In a group of ten selected pefrluorinated compounds only two perfluorinated acids (PFOA and PFNA) and one perfluorinated sulfonate (PFOS) were quantified. PFOA was detected in all analysed tissue samples in both female and male beavers in a range from 0.55 to 0.98ngg−1 ww whereas PFOS was identified in all analyzed female beaver tissues and only in liver, subcutaneous adipose and peritoneum tissues of male beavers at the concentration level from 0.86 to 5.08ngg−1 ww. PFNA was only identified in female beaver tissues (liver, subcutaneous adipose and peritoneum) in a range from 1.50 to 6.61ngg−1 ww. This study demonstrated the bioaccumulation of PFCs in tissue samples collected from beavers living in area known as green lungs of Poland. The results provided in this study indicate for the increasing risk of PFCs occurrence in the environment and the level of PFCs in tissue of free-living European beavers may serve as bioindicator of environmental pollution by these compounds.

Diet monitoring for assessment of human exposure to environmental pollutants

Daily intake of lead, cadmium, aluminium, radiocaesium, DDT and metabolites, and lindane in the whole-day food rations collected in hospital canteens in Kraków, Łódź, Olsztyn and Poznań in winters of 1993–1994, 1995 and 1996 were determined. The diets contained almost 40 μg of cadmium, corresponding to 70% of PTWI, and compared to the levels recognised as safe (ADI or PTWI) small amounts of the other contaminants. The highest content of Pb, Cd, Al and lindane was determined in the diets collected in Kraków, that of radiocaesium in Łódź, and DDT level was the highest in Poznań. The whole-day food rations from Olsztyn, situated in a region called “green lungs of Poland”, were not statistically less contaminated than the diets from the other towns. The Pb and radiocaesium levels decreased significantly with time.