Respirable Particulate Matter Concentrations Research Articles

Assessment of Health Risk from Exposure to Respirable Particulate Matter (RPM) among Motorcycle Taxi Drivers in Bangkok and Adjacent Provinces, Thailand

Exposure to outdoor air pollutants, particularly respirable particulate matter (RPM), can cause adverse health outcomes. The cross-sectional study aimed to assess motorcycle taxi driver’s health risk from exposure to RPM. A total of 153 motorcycle taxi drivers were recruited in Bangkok and five adjacent provinces during May and June 2022. The standardized questionnaire for data collection contained exposure time (hour/day), frequency of exposure (days/years), duration of exposure (year), body weight (kg), and averaging time (days). The average RPM concentration from six provinces were assessed personal air sampling pumps and ranged from 0.006-0.031 mg/m3. Bangkok showed the highest average RPM concentration (0.031 mg/m3), followed by Pathumthani (0.028 mg/m3), Samut Prakan (0.009 mg/m3), Nakhon Pathom (0.008 mg/m3), Nonthaburi (0.007 mg/m3), and Samut Sakhon (0.006 mg/m3), respectively. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) values for a non-carcinogenic risk to human health caused by RPM exposure in each province indicated a negligible risk (HQ=0.005-0.028). HQ averages (HQ=0.013) from all provinces were also at an acceptable level (≤1). Not all motorcycle taxi drivers are safe from RPM exposure, although their exposure is within acceptable limits depending on their individual susceptibility. Therefore, this is the first report on quantifying exposure to RPM from personal air sampling and health risk assessment among motorcycle taxi drivers. These findings would be useful information for further preventing and controlling ambient air pollution including policies and strategies to mitigate the risks for motorcycle-taxi drivers and the other exposed populations.

Assessment of coarse, fine, and ultrafine particulate matter at different microenvironments of fire stations

The concentrations of respirable particulate matter (PM) and the impact on indoor air quality in occupational settings remains poorly characterized. This study assesses, for the first time, the cumulative and non-cumulative concentrations of 14 fractions of coarse (3.65–9.88 μm), fine (0.156–2.47 μm), and ultrafine (0.015–0.095 μm) PM inside the garage of heavy vehicles, firefighting personal protective equipment’ storage room, bar, and a common area of seven Portuguese fire stations. Sampling campaigns were performed during a regular work week at the fire stations. Levels of daily total cumulative PM ranged from 277.4 to 413.2 μg/m3 (maximum values of 811.4 μg/m3), with the bar (370.1 μg/m3) and the PPE’ storage room (361.3 μg/m3) presenting slightly increased levels (p > 0.05) than the common area (324.8 μg/m3) and the garage (339.4 μg/m3). The location of the sampling site, the proximity to local industries and commercial activities, the layout of the building, the heating system used, and indoor sources influenced the PM concentrations. Fine (193.8–301.0 μg/m3) and ultrafine (41.3–78.2 μg/m3) particles were predominant in the microenvironments of all fire stations and accounted for 71.5% and 17.8% of daily total cumulative levels, respectively; coarse particles (23.3–47.1 μg/m3) represented 10.7% of total PM. The permissible exposure limit (5.0 mg/m3) defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Organization for respirable dust was not overcome in the evaluated fire stations. Results suggest firefighters' regular exposure to fine and ultrafine PM inside fire stations which will contribute to cardiorespiratory health burden. Further studies are needed to characterize firefighters' exposure to fine and ultrafine PM inside fire stations, identify main emission sources, and evaluate the contribution of exposures at fire stations to firefighters’ occupational health risks.

Exposure to Respirable Particulate Matter and Its Association with Respiratory Outcomes in Beauty Salon Personnel.

We aimed to assess exposure to respirable particulate matter (PM) of beauty salon personnel, identify its determinants and ascertain the associated respiratory effects. We collected 122 full-day respirable PM samples from 12 beauty salons (floor area ranging from 24 to 550 m3, staff from 4 to 8) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, taking 10 samples from each place using a portable SidePak AM520 monitor. We also assessed lifestyle (smoking, etc.), respiratory symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the personnel using questionnaires. Out of 11,831 5-min data points, daily median respirable PM concentrations were highly variable and ranged from 0.013 to 0.666 mg/m3 with 8.5-times difference in the median concentrations between the venue with the highest median (0.29 mg/m3) and the least median (0.034 mg/m3). In a multivariate linear regression modelling, ambient PM2.5 concentration was the strongest predictor of daily median respirable PM concentration (beta 2.12; 95% CI 1.89; 2.39), and R2 of the model was 0.63. We also found a positive association of the median respirable PM with respiratory symptoms and seasonal allergy, but not with HRQL. Short-term respirable PM levels in the beauty salons may be very high, but the median concentrations are mainly determined by the ambient air pollution.

Exposure to respirable dust among workers fabricating aluminium trihydroxide-containing synthetic countertops

The aim of this study is to characterize personal exposure of workers to respirable particulate matter (PM) generated in cutting and other fabrication activities when fabricating acryl polymer/aluminium trihydroxide synthetic countertops. We collected 29 personal full-day samples of respirable PM from three workers in a small private workshop. We tested differences between- and within-worker variances of mass concentrations using the Kruskall-Wallis test. We used segmented regression to test the means and medians 15-min interval concentrations changes over time and to identify a breakpoint. Respirable PM concentrations ranged nearly 100-fold, from 0.280 to 25.4 mg/m3 with a median of 2.0 mg/m3 (1-min concentrations from 13,920 data points). There were no statistical difference in daily median or geometric mean concentrations among workers, whereas the concentrations were significantly higher on days with three versus two workers present. The 15-min median concentrations (n = 974 measures) increased until 2.35 h (beta 0.177; p < 0.05), representing a 0.70 mg increase in exposure per hour. This was followed by a plateau in concentrations. The high levels of respirable PM we observed among workers fabricating aluminium trihydroxide-containing synthetic countertops highlight an unmet early prevention need.

Real-time air monitoring of occupational exposures to particulate matter among hairdressers in Maryland: A pilot study.

Hairdressers are exposed to particulate matter (PM), a known air pollutant linked to adverse health effects. Still, studies on occupational PM exposures in hair salons are sparse. We characterized indoor air PM concentrations in three salons primarily serving an African/African American (AA) clientele, and three Dominican salons primarily serving a Latino clientele. We also assessed the performance of low-cost sensors (uRAD, Flow, AirVisual) by comparing them to high-end sensors (DustTrak) to conduct air monitoring in each salon over 3days to quantify work shift concentrations of PM2.5 , respirable PM (RPM), and PM10 . We observed high spatial and temporal variability in 30-min time-weighted average (TWA) RPM concentrations (0.18-5518μg/m3 ). Readings for the uRAD and AirVisual sensors were highly correlated with the DustTrak (R2 =0.90-0.99). RPM 8-hour TWAs ranged from 18 to 383µg/m3 for AA salons, and 9-2115µg/m3 for Dominican salons. Upper 95th percentiles of daily RPM exposures ranged from 439 to 2669µg/m3 . The overall range of 30-min TWA PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations was 0.13-5497 and 0.36-,541μg/m3 , respectively. Findings suggest that hairdressers could be overexposed to RPM during an 8-hour shift. Additional comprehensive monitoring studies are warranted to further characterize temporal and spatial variability of PM exposures in this understudied occupational population.

Occupational Exposure during Asphalt Paving-Comparison of Hot and Warm Mix Asphalt in Field Experiments.

ObjectivesSeveral studies have demonstrated an increased risk of adverse health effects, including reduced lung function and lung cancer among asphalt pavers, which has been related to occupational exposure to contaminants during asphalt paving. Consequently, occupational exposure among asphalt pavers must be reduced. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of hot mix asphalt (HMA) and warm mix asphalt (WMA) paving on occupational exposure levels during road paving in field experiments. Asphalt temperatures when paving with WMA are usually lower than when paving with HMA due to differences in the asphalt’s composition and method of application.MethodsOn 11 different road sections, one lane was paved with WMA and one with HMA during the same work shift under approximately identical weather conditions. The weather conditions and asphalt surface temperature were monitored during paving. Fifty-seven samples of fumes and vapor, organic and elemental carbon, amines, and respirable, thoracic, and inhalable particulate matter (PM) fractions were collected by stationary sampling. In addition, 30 samples of fumes and vapor were collected by personal samplingResultsCompared to paving with HMA, paving with WMA significantly (P < 0.05; paired Student’s t-test) reduced the geometric mean (GM) air concentration of asphalt vapor (0.04 versus 0.08 p.p.m.), organic carbon (OC; 0.09 versus 0.18 mg m−3), and respirable PM (0.12 versus 0.22 mg m−3). Additionally, the air concentration of OC correlated strongly with the respirable fraction of PM (Pearson’s correlation coefficient 0.83).ConclusionsMeasured airborne concentrations of respirable PM, OC, and asphalt vapor were lower when paving with WMA than with HMA. Because exposure to airborne contaminants generated during asphalt paving is believed to be responsible for the adverse health effects observed among asphalt pavers, paving with WMA rather than HMA may have health benefits.

Health Benefits Due to Reduction in Respirable Particulates during COVID-19 Lockdown in India

To control the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government of India imposed various phases of lockdown starting from the third week of March 2020. Improvement in city air quality has emerged as a benefit of this lockdown in India. The objective of this paper is to quantify the health benefits due to this lockdown. PM2.5 concentrations in nonattainment cities (NACs) in Uttar Pradesh and the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) in North India were studied. Data from prelockdown and the various lockdown phases were compared, with 2019 as a benchmark. Compared with those in 2019, the PM2.5 concentrations during lockdown Phase 1 were approximately 44.6% lower for cities in Uttar Pradesh and approximately 58.5% lower for the Delhi-NCR. The health impacts of particle inhalation were quantified using the multiple-path particle dosimetry and AirQ+ models, which revealed that the most considerable improvement was during lockdown Phase 1. Among the prelockdown and lockdown phases, Phase 1 exhibited the minimum PM2.5 concentration and thus the greatest health benefits. For the selected cities, the concentration of particle deposition in the tracheobronchial region of human lungs showed its maximum reduction during lockdown Phase 1(30.14%). Furthermore, the results highlighted a decrease of 29.85 deaths per 100,000 persons during lockdown Phase 1, primarily due to the reduction in PM2.5 concentrations. This quantification of the health benefits due to a decrease in PM2.5 may help policymakers implement suitable control measures, especially for NACs, where the respirable particulate matter concentrations remain very high.

Relationship between environmental air pollution and allergic asthma

The ill-effects of environmental air pollution on respiratory and allergic diseases is increasing. The evidence is accumulating that the rise in the incidence of allergic diseases in the developing countries is largely due to the increase in air pollution as a result of rapid and ill-planned urbanization and industrialization. Major source of energy for today’s world is biomass fuel and burning of biomass fuel produces high concentration of respirable particulate matter, toxic gases like nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide and various other organic compounds. These form an important constituent of environmental pollution, capable of worsening respiratory and allergic diseases. Keywords:Particulate matter, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone

Airborne Particulate Matter Density in Traditional Bakeries of Saveh, Central of Iran, in 2020

Introduction: High concentration of inhalable airborne particles can increase the risk of lung disease in exposed people. This study aimed to determine the respirable particulate matter (PM5) concentration in traditional bakeries of Saveh in 2020.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 25 bakeries where the samples were collected by cyclone and teflon filter equipped by air sampling pump. Later, the respirable particulate matter concentration was measured using gravimetric method. The collected PM5 was scanned using a FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) with regard to flour dust. In addition, size and shape of the collected PM5 were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).&#x0D; Results: Findings showed that the Lavash bakery had the highest PM5 concentration (9.15 mg/m3) in comparison with two other bakeries (Sangak and Barbari). However, an inverse relationship was observed between RH and particle concentration. In addition, the results demonstrated that increasing RH decreased the particle concentration, but the relationship was not significant (P = 0.052, Spearman's rho = -0.393). Furthermore, Lavash bakery had the lowest average size of PM5 (0.63 ± 0.32 μm). However, the FTIR scans confirmed that the flour dust had the predominant amount of PM5.&#x0D; Conclusion: Based on the findings, the density of respirable PM5 has a high level in Saveh bakeries and workers are exposed to high levels of PM.

Burn pit exposure in military personnel: is there an effect on sleep-disordered breathing?

Exposure to elevated concentrations of respirable particulate matter (< 10μm) may influence sleep-disordered breathing. Burn pits as utilized by the US military in the Middle East until 2011 produced elevated particle matter concentrations. We seek to determine if subjective exposure to burn pits during deployment affects prevalence or severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in military personnel. As part of a prospective observational study of previously deployed military personnel with exertional dyspnea (n = 145), all patients underwent pulmonary function testing, screening for burn pit exposure, and if warranted by questionnaires, overnight polysomnography. A total of 100 patients completed all testing. For analysis, patients were classified into a burn pit exposure group (45 patients) and a no exposure group (55 patients). Additional analyses were performed on those endorsing burn pit maintenance during deployment (25 patients) and those with > 12h of daily exposure (17 patients). The prevalence of OSA, defined by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 5/h, was similarly high in both groups (69% vs. 71%, p = 0.83). Surprisingly, the mean AHI was lower in the exposed group (12.8/h vs. 19.7/h, p = 0.04) while nadir of oxygen saturation was similar (87% vs. 86%, p = 0.39). Subgroup analyses revealed similar findings in those who performed burn pit maintenance (prevalence = 80%, p = 0.58; AHI = 14.8, p = 0.16) and those with > 12h of daily exposure (prevalence = 88%, p = 0.33; AHI = 18.0, p = 0.62). Subjective burn pit exposure does not appear to influence OSA development in previously deployed military personnel. Given the high rate of OSA in this cohort, continued investigation of deployment exposures which may influence sleep-disordered breathing is recommended.

Characteristics of Aerosol Optical Depth in the Urban Area of Beibei and Its Correlation with Particle Concentration

To understand the atmospheric quality of the Beibei District of Chongqing, using the simultaneous observation data of aerosol optical depth and particulate matter concentration in 2014, we analyzed the characteristics of aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the urban area of Beibei and its correlation with particle concentration. The results showed that the annual average of AOD500nm in Beibei District is 1.46±0.69, which varies significantly by month. The highest value in November was 2.90±1.85, and the lowest in September was 0.54±0.05. There is particulate matter pollution in Beibei District. The annual average values of PM2.5 and PM10 are (62±40)μg·m-3 and (94±51)μg·m-3, respectively, which exceed the secondary standard of GB 3095-2012 Ambient Air Quality Standard. The limit values, the daily average over-standard rates of PM2.5 and PM10, are 26% and 15%, respectively. There was significant correlation between fine particle PM2.5 and PM10 concentration of respirable particulate matter. The annual coefficient of determination R2 could reach 0.95 (P<0.01). The correlation between AOD and PM2.5 and PM10 was positive throughout the year. The coefficient of determination R2 was 0.48 and 0.46, respectively, and the coefficient of determination and correlation function were different in different seasons, among which the correlation in winter was the best and the correlation in summer was the worst. AOD and air quality index showed positive correlation characteristics throughout the year, and the coefficient of determination R2 was 0.15 (P<0.05). The AOD value was affected by the comprehensive effects of weather elements. The temperature, humidity, water vapor, and other factor data should also be collected synchronously during the observation period.

Has the mortality risk declined after the improvement of air quality in an ex-heavily polluted Chinese city-Lanzhou?

Lanzhou, an ex-heavily polluted city, was awarded "The Award for Today's Transformative Step" in 2015 World Climate Conference at Paris for its great efforts on air quality improvement since 2012. However, the health benefits from this improvement remain unclear. Therefore, we collected time-series data covering deaths, weather variables and air pollutants during the two periods (2004-2009, 2014-2017) and fitted single-pollutant models using the generalized additive models to evaluate the change of mortality risks associated with air pollutants in Lanzhou. Results showed that the annual average concentrations of respirable particulate matter (PM10) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) dropped by 19.28% and 66.29%, while the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) increased by 16.61% in 2014-2017 compared to 2004-2009. During the period 2004-2009, we found a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM10 (lag 2), SO2 (lag 0-5) and NO2 (lag 0-5) were associated with mortality increments of 0.12% (95% CI: 0.01, 0.22), 0.86% (95% CI: 0.42, 1.31) and 1.29% (95% CI: 0.70, 1.90), respectively. During the period 2014-2017, the association between PM10 and daily deaths was not significant, but we observed a 10-μg/m3 increase in SO2 (lag 0-5) and NO2 (lag 4) were related to mortality increments of 4.23% (95% CI: 1.82, 6.70) and 0.85% (95% CI: 0.19, 1.52), respectively. From 2004-2009 to 2014-2017, we observed markedly decline of mortality risk due to PM10, but not SO2 or NO2. In conclusion, the mortality risk of PM10 in Lanzhou has declined obviously after the substantially improved air quality due to the enforcement of air pollution controlling policies.

Impacto de la contaminación por material particulado sobre las atenciones de urgencias por causas respiratorias en Chillán, Concepción y Los Ángeles

Objective: To determine the impact of air pollution on respiratory diseases in the districts of Chillan, Concepcion and Los Angeles, Chile between 2013 and 2017. Material and Methods: Generalized linear models (GLM) were estimated from daily data for emergency room admissions disaggregated by type and age range, concentrations of respirable particulate matter (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), viral index, meteorological and seasonal variables. Results: A positive association is obtained between the analyzed contaminants and the number of emergency room admissions for respiratorycauses, especially acute upper respiratory infection (URI) and acute bronchitis / bronchiolitis in Chillan, acute URI in Concepcion, and also, acute URI, Influenza and obstructive bronchial crisis in Los Angeles. Conclusions: The increase in the total number of emergency room admissions is approximately 18,695 per year for every 1 ?g / m3 increase in PM concentrations.

The association between daily concentrations of air pollution and visits to a psychiatric emergency unit: a case-crossover study

BackgroundAir pollution is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Experimental studies, and a few epidemiological studies, suggest that air pollution may cause acute exacerbation of psychiatric disorders, and even increase the rate of suicide attempts, but epidemiological studies on air pollution in association with psychiatric disorders are still few. Our aim was to investigate associations between daily fluctuations in air pollution concentrations and the daily number of visits to a psychiatric emergency unit.MethodsData from Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, on the daily number of visits to the Psychiatric emergency unit were combined with daily data on monitored concentrations of respirable particulate matter(PM10), ozone(O3), nitrogen dioxides(NO2) and temperature between 1st July 2012 and 31st December 2016. We used a case-crossover design to analyze data with conditional Poisson regression models allowing for over-dispersion. We stratified data on season.ResultsVisits increased with increasing PM10 levels during the warmer season (April to September) in both single-pollutant and two-pollutant models. For example, an increase of 3.6% (95% Confidence Interval, CI, 0.4–7.0%) was observed with a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM10 adjusted for NO2. In the three-pollutant models (adjusting for NO2 and O3 simultaneously) the increase was 3.3% (95% CI, −0.2-6.9). There were no clear associations between the outcome and NO2, O3, or PM10 during the colder season (October to March).ConclusionsAmbient air particle concentrations were associated with the number of visits to the Psychiatric emergency unit in the warm season. The results were only borderline statistically significant in the fully adjusted (three-pollutant) models in this small study. The observation could be interpreted as indicative of air pollution as either exacerbating an underlying psychiatric disorder, or increasing mental distress, even in areas with comparatively low levels of air pollution. In combination with the severe impact of psychiatric disorders and mental distress on society and individuals, our results are a strong warrant for future research in this area.

Assessment of hematological profiles of adult male athletes from two different air pollutant zones of West Bengal, India.

Health effects from air pollution are severe concern of today's world. The study was undertaken to assess the effects of air pollution on hematological profiles of trained and untrained males of West Bengal. The sample consisted of 60 sprinters, 60 footballers, and 120 untrained males, subdivided into two groups from two zones, namely, Tollygunge and Sonarpur. Suspended particulate matter (SPM), respirable particulate matter (RPM), oxides of sulfur (SOx), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) of ambient air were monitored for both zones. Height and weight of all the subjects were measured. Venous blood sample was drawn from the cubital vein, and the red blood cell count (TC), packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were determined by standard methods. Results revealed that SPM, RPM, SOx, and NOx concentrations were significantly higher in the Tollygunge area than Sonarpur. TC, PCV, and Hb concentration of untrained males were significantly higher than footballers in both regions but no significant difference were observed when compared with sprinters, except the Hb concentration in the Tollygunge zone. On the other hand, all hematological parameters of both trained and untrained males were significantly higher in the Sonarpur area than Tollygunge. It was concluded that environmental air pollutants might influence hematological profile adversely both in trained and sedentary males. However, further investigation in this area is needed.

Commentary: Switching to biogas – What effect could it have on indoor air quality and human health?

Indoor combustion of solid biomass fuels such as wood and charcoal is common in large parts of the world and has been demonstrated to lead to high levels of exposure to fine particulate matter and gases such as carbon monoxide. Such exposures have been shown to be linked to increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular illness and may contribute to as many as 2 million early deaths globally per annum. There are a range of interventions currently being trialled including improved cookstoves and changes in fuel type. Small household biogas digesters are now available and are likely to have the capacity to significantly reduce household concentrations of respirable particulate matter and carbon monoxide. Although no direct evidence is available, comparison with households using Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) would suggest that improvements in indoor air quality may be of the order of 66–99%. Such improvements in households taking up this technology could bring respiratory and cardiovascular health benefits of the order of 20–25% reduction in risk of a wide range of diseases. There is a need for well-designed longitudinal studies to examine the impact of introducing biogas digesters to communities on both exposure to indoor air pollution and the health effects this may bring.

Impact of Diwali celebrations on urban air and noise quality in Delhi City, India

A study was conducted in the residential areas of Delhi, India, to assess the variation in ambient air quality and ambient noise levels during pre-Diwali month (DM), Diwali day (DD) and post-Diwali month during the period 2006 to 2008. The use of fireworks during DD showed 1.3 to 4.0 times increase in concentration of respirable particulate matter (PM(10)) and 1.6 to 2.5 times increase in concentration of total suspended particulate matter (TSP) than the concentration during DM. There was a significant increase in sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) concentration but the concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) did not show any considerable variation. Ambient noise level were 1.2 to 1.3 times higher than normal day. The study also showed a strong correlation between PM(10) and TSP (R (2) ≥ 0.9) and SO(2) and NO(2) (R (2) ≥ 0.9) on DD. The correlation between noise level and gaseous pollutant were moderate (R (2) ≥ 0.5). The average concentration of the pollutants during DD was found higher in 2007 which could be due to adverse meteorological conditions. The statistical interpretation of data indicated that the celebration of Diwali festival affects the ambient air and noise quality. The study would provide public awareness about the health risks associated with the celebrations of Diwali festival so as to take proper precautions.

Evaluation of environmental impacts of Integrated Industrial Estate—Pantnagar through application of air and water quality indices

Large-scale industrialization, population inflow, and rapid urbanization coupled with unfavorable meteorological conditions often induce significant degradation of urban environment. In order to assess the extent of environmental impacts due to establishment of the Integrated Industrial Estate-Pantnagar (IIE-Pantnagar), ambient air and groundwater were monitored from June 2007 to May 2008. Collected baseline information was normalized and interpreted with the application of air (AQI) and water quality indices (WQI). Among the pre-identified air pollutants, suspended particulate matter was found to be the principal culprit to deteriorate ambient air quality, with a maximum annual concentration of 418.5μg/m(3). Monthly average concentrations of respirable particulate matter (aerodynamic diameter < 10μm) also persist at a critical level with an annual maximum of 207.3μg/m(3). A segmented linear function with maximum operator concept was used to compute AQI, and the developed index was found well suitable to demonstrate temporal variations of ambient air quality. The computed AQI value for the selected study region varied from moderate (97.0) to very poor pollution level (309.2) in respect to developed air quality standards. Furthermore, an integrated WQI was developed comprising 9 parameters, and among all the 10 pre-identified locations, the average groundwater quality was found acceptable in terms of Indian drinking water standards. The maximum WQI (70.6) was found at the Kichha Railway Station during summer months, revealing moderate pollution load. Industrial discharge from IIE-Pantnagar coupled with other industrial setup may hold responsible for such kind of degradation of water quality. In contrast, WQI computed at Rudrapur City demonstrate minimum (15.0-22.1) pollution load. For 95% of the monitoring period, the computed WQI was found acceptable for all selected locations with few exceptions. The application of WQI to assess temporal variations in groundwater quality was therefore found satisfactory.

Indoor Charcoal Smoke and Acute Respiratory Infections in Young Children in the Dominican Republic

The authors investigated the effect of charcoal smoke exposure on risks of acute upper and lower respiratory infection (AURI and ALRI) among children under age 18 months in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (1991-1992). Children living in households using charcoal for cooking (exposed, n = 201) were age-matched to children living in households using propane gas (nonexposed, n = 214) and were followed for 1 year or until 2 years of age. Fuel use and new episodes of AURI and ALRI were ascertained biweekly through interviews and medical examinations. Household indoor-air concentration of respirable particulate matter (RPM) was measured in a sample of follow-up visits. Incidences of AURI and ALRI were 4.4 and 1.4 episodes/child-year, respectively. After adjustment for other risk factors, exposed children had no significant increase in risk of AURI but were 1.56 times (95% confidence interval: 1.23, 1.97) more likely to develop ALRI. RPM concentrations were higher in charcoal-using households (27.9 microg/m(3) vs. 17.6 microg/m(3)), and ALRI risk increased with RPM exposure (10-microg/m(3) increment: odds ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.34). Exposure to charcoal smoke increases the risk of ALRI in young children, an effect that is probably mediated by RPM. Reducing charcoal smoke exposure may lower the burden of ALRI among children in this population.

Investigation of respirable particulate matter pollutants on air-breathing zone workers in the Beam Rolling Mills Factory (Iran National Steel Industrial Group), Ahvaz, Iran

Workers of iron and steel factories are exposed to a wide range of pollutants depending on the particular process, the materials involved, the effectiveness of monitoring and the control measures. Adverse effects are determined by the physical state and propensities of the pollutant involved, the intensity and duration of the exposure, the extent of pollutant accumulation in the body and the sensitivity of the individual to its effects. The main aim of this study is to assess the levels of the indoor respirable particulate matter (RPM) and to compare the health condition of exposed workers, with nonexposed employees group. Line 630 has only one furnace of 40 tons and line 650 has two furnaces of 20 and 40 tons capacity due to which the mean of the RPM concentrations in the breathing zone was significantly different (P < 0.05) in line 650 but not in line 630 as compared with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene's (3 mg/m3). The average of the RPM concentrations in production line 650 is higher than that of production line 630, with the 95% confidence interval in saw cabin station number 1 of production line 650.