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Heydon J, Chakraborty R, Patel V, Wood C, Wood M, Bunce C. Reconceiving Domestic Burning Controls: Air Quality Alerts, Behavioural Responsive Regulation, and Designing for Compliance. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024:10.1007/s00267-024-02014-z. [PMID: 39122859 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-02014-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Domestic combustion emissions pose a growing risk to public health, especially in the UK. Existing responses are polarised, with government advocating use of lower emission fuels and stoves while clean air campaigners call for blanket bans on burning. However, each approach is limited in its ability to control these emissions. An alternative can be found in the U.S.A., where 'burn alert' systems require stove and fireplace users to avoid lighting during periods of actual or projected poor air quality. Given the effectiveness of these regimes, the current study designs and evaluates the effectiveness and acceptability of a burn alert system in the UK for the first time, drawing on the theoretical perspective of behavioural responsive regulation. Fifty participants were recruited to use the system over 2 weeks in winter. The findings illustrate that a voluntary burn alert system can dissuade burning among users. Of those in receipt of an alert, 74% reduced burning frequency or burned for a shorter duration. In total, the alert system prevented at least 178 hours of burning for this group. Qualitative findings show that the consistency of the behavioural response is influenced by technical, structural, and environmental factors, providing key insight into how UK-based burn alert systems could be modified to increase the consistency of compliance in future. The overall conclusion is that burn alerts could be introduced in the UK and beyond, as a means of reducing domestic combustion emissions and their associated public health risks.
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Nassikas NJ, McCormack MC, Ewart G, Balmes JR, Bond TC, Brigham E, Cromar K, Goldstein AH, Hicks A, Hopke PK, Meyer B, Nazaroff WW, Paulin LM, Rice MB, Thurston GD, Turpin BJ, Vance ME, Weschler CJ, Zhang J, Kipen HM. Indoor Air Sources of Outdoor Air Pollution: Health Consequences, Policy, and Recommendations: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2024; 21:365-376. [PMID: 38426826 PMCID: PMC10913763 DOI: 10.1513/annalsats.202312-1067st] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Indoor sources of air pollution worsen indoor and outdoor air quality. Thus, identifying and reducing indoor pollutant sources would decrease both indoor and outdoor air pollution, benefit public health, and help address the climate crisis. As outdoor sources come under regulatory control, unregulated indoor sources become a rising percentage of the problem. This American Thoracic Society workshop was convened in 2022 to evaluate this increasing proportion of indoor contributions to outdoor air quality. The workshop was conducted by physicians and scientists, including atmospheric and aerosol scientists, environmental engineers, toxicologists, epidemiologists, regulatory policy experts, and pediatric and adult pulmonologists. Presentations and discussion sessions were centered on 1) the generation and migration of pollutants from indoors to outdoors, 2) the sources and circumstances representing the greatest threat, and 3) effective remedies to reduce the health burden of indoor sources of air pollution. The scope of the workshop was residential and commercial sources of indoor air pollution in the United States. Topics included wood burning, natural gas, cooking, evaporative volatile organic compounds, source apportionment, and regulatory policy. The workshop concluded that indoor sources of air pollution are significant contributors to outdoor air quality and that source control and filtration are the most effective measures to reduce indoor contributions to outdoor air. Interventions should prioritize environmental justice: Households of lower socioeconomic status have higher concentrations of indoor air pollutants from both indoor and outdoor sources. We identify research priorities, potential health benefits, and mitigation actions to consider (e.g., switching from natural gas to electric stoves and transitioning to scent-free consumer products). The workshop committee emphasizes the benefits of combustion-free homes and businesses and recommends economic, legislative, and education strategies aimed at achieving this goal.
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Flanagan E, Malmqvist E, Rittner R, Gustafsson P, Källén K, Oudin A. Exposure to local, source-specific ambient air pollution during pregnancy and autism in children: a cohort study from southern Sweden. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3848. [PMID: 36890287 PMCID: PMC9995328 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30877-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence of air pollution exposure, namely, ambient particulate matter (PM), during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children is growing; however, the unique PM sources that contribute to this association are currently unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate local, source-specific ambient PM exposure during pregnancy and its associations with childhood autism, specifically, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as a group. A cohort of 40,245 singleton births from 2000 to 2009 in Scania, Sweden, was combined with data on locally emitted PM with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5). A flat, two-dimensional dispersion model was used to assess local PM2.5 concentrations (all-source PM2.5, small-scale residential heating- mainly wood burning, tailpipe exhaust, and vehicle wear-and-tear) at the mother's residential address during pregnancy. Associations were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Exposure to local PM2.5 during pregnancy from each of the investigated sources was associated with childhood autism in the fully adjusted models. For ASD, similar, but less pronounced, associations were found. The results add to existing evidence that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of childhood autism. Further, these findings suggest that locally produced emissions from both residential wood burning and road traffic-related sources (tailpipe exhaust and vehicle wear-and-tear) contribute to this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Flanagan
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ebba Malmqvist
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ralf Rittner
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Peik Gustafsson
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Karin Källén
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna Oudin
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Alves S, Vaz J, Fernandes A. Exploring Clinical Trials to Manage Firefighters' Sleep Quality: A PRISMA Compliant Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3862. [PMID: 36900873 PMCID: PMC10001586 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20053862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sleep research has grown over the past decades and investigators are deeply involved in studying sleep and its impact on human health and body regulation. Despite the understanding that insufficient sleep is strongly linked to the development of several disorders, unsatisfactory sleep exposes health and safety to innumerous risks. The present study aims to review and analyze the main results of clinical trials, registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRT databases, and developed construct strategies to improve sleep quality on firefighters and enhance professionals' sleep and health conditions. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42022334719. Trials registered between first registry and 2022 were included. We retrieved 11 registered clinical trials; seven met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. A relation between sleep disorders, shift work, and occupational health problems was found, and retrieved trials showed that sleep education programs can improve sleep quality and sleep hygiene. Science has already recognized sleep's importance for metabolic functioning and survivorship. Nevertheless, it continues to play a major role in discovering methods to diminish the problems faced. Strategies contemplating sleep education, or intervention, should be presented to fire services to tackle this problem and promote healthier and safer environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Alves
- Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Institute of Health Sciences, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
| | - Josiana Vaz
- Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
| | - Adília Fernandes
- Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Unidade de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde: Enfermagem (UICISA: E), Escola Superior de Saúde de Coimbra, 3000-232 Coimbra, Portugal
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Meek PM, Schmiege SJ, Sood A, Petersen H, Vazquez-Guillamet R, Irshad H, McDonald J, Tesfaigzi Y. Testing of a novel questionnaire of Household Exposure to Wood Smoke. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001500. [PMID: 36963064 PMCID: PMC10022189 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Household air pollution from wood smoke (WS), contributes to adverse health effects in both low- and high-income countries. However, measurement of WS exposure has been limited to expensive in-home monitoring and lengthy face-to-face interviews. This paper reports on the development and testing of a novel, self-report nine-item measure of WS exposure, called the Household Exposure to Wood Smoke (HEWS). A sample of 149 individuals using household wood stoves for heating from western states in the U.S., completed the HEWS during the winter months (November to March) of 2013 through 2016 with 30 subjects having in-home particle monitoring. Hard copy or online surveys were completed. Cronbach's alpha (α), intraclass correlations (ICC), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and tests of associations were done to evaluate reliability and validity of the HEWS. Based on initial analysis, only 9 of the 12 items were retained and entered in the EFA. The EFA did not support a unitary scale as the 9 items demonstrated a 3-factor solution (WS exposure duration, proximity, and intensity) with Cronbach's α of 0.79, 0.91, and 0.62, respectively. ICC was 0.86 of the combined items with single items ranging from 0.46 to 0.95. WS intensity was associated with symptoms and levoglucosan levels, while WS duration was associated with stove and flume maintenance. The three-dimensional HEWS demonstrated internal consistency and test-retest reliability, structural validity, and initial criterion and construct validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula M Meek
- College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Sarah J Schmiege
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Akshay Sood
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Hans Petersen
- Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Rodrigo Vazquez-Guillamet
- John T. Milliken Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Hammad Irshad
- Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Jacob McDonald
- Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Yohannes Tesfaigzi
- Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, United States of America
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Rahman M, Petersen H, Irshad H, Liu C, McDonald J, Sood A, Meek PM, Tesfaigzi Y. Cleaning the Flue in Wood-Burning Stoves Is a Key Factor in Reducing Household Air Pollution. TOXICS 2022; 10:615. [PMID: 36287895 PMCID: PMC9609584 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10100615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In experimental settings, replacing old wood stoves with new wood stoves results in reduced personal exposure to household air pollution. We tested this assumption by measuring PM2.5 and levoglucosan concentrations inside homes and correlated them with wood stove age. Methods: Thirty homes in the Albuquerque, NM area were monitored over a seven-day period using in-home particulate monitors placed in a common living area during the winter months. Real-time aerosol monitoring was performed, and filter samples were analyzed gravimetrically to calculate PM2.5 concentrations and chemically to determine concentrations of levoglucosan. A linear regression model with backward stepwise elimination was performed to determine the factors that would predict household air pollution measures. Results: In this sample, 73.3% of the households used wood as their primary source of heating, and 60% burned daily or almost daily. The mean burn time over the test week was 50 ± 38 h, and only one household burned wood 24/day (168 h). The average PM2.5 concentration (standard deviation) for the 30 homes during the seven-day period was 34.6 µg/m3 (41.3 µg/m3), and median (min, max) values were 15.5 µg/m3 (7.3 µg/m3, 193 µg/m3). Average PM2.5 concentrations in 30 homes ranged from 0−15 μg/m3 to >100 μg/m3. Maximum PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 100−200 μg/m3 to >3000 μg/m3. The levoglucosan levels showed a linear correlation with the total PM2.5 collected by the filters (R2 = 0.92). However, neither mean nor peak PM2.5 nor levoglucosan levels were correlated with the age (10.85 ± 8.54 years) of the wood stove (R2 ≤ 0.07, p > 0.23). The final adjusted linear regression model showed that average PM2.5 was associated with reports of cleaning the flue with a beta estimate of 35.56 (3.47−67.65) and R2 = 0.16 (p = 0.04). Discussion: Cleaning the flue and not the wood stove age was associated with household air pollution indices. Education on wood stove maintenance and safe burning practices may be more important in reducing household air pollution than the purchase of new stoves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mizanur Rahman
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hans Petersen
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Program, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA
| | - Hammad Irshad
- Applied Sciences, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA
| | - Congjian Liu
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jacob McDonald
- Applied Sciences, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA
| | - Akshay Sood
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine and Miners Colfax Medical Center, Raton, NM 87740, USA
| | - Paula M. Meek
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine and Miners Colfax Medical Center, Raton, NM 87740, USA
- College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84102, USA
| | - Yohannes Tesfaigzi
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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7
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Dhital S, Rupakheti D, Rupakheti M, Yin X, Liu Y, Mafiana JJ, Alareqi MM, Mohamednour H, Zhang B. A scientometric analysis of indoor air pollution research during 1990-2019. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 320:115736. [PMID: 35932736 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Indoor air pollution (IAP) is one of the leading risk factors for various adverse health outcomes including premature deaths globally. Even though research related to IAP has been carried out, bibliometric studies with particular emphasis on this topic have been lacking. Here, we investigated IAP research from 1990 to 2019 retrieved from the Web of Science database through a comprehensive and systematic scientometric analysis using the CiteSpace 5.7.R2, a powerful tool for visualizing structural, temporal patterns and trends of a scientific field. There was an exponential increase in publications, however, with a stark difference between developed and developing countries. The journals publishing IAP related research had multiple disciplines; 'Indoor Air' journal that focuses solely on IAP issues ranked fifth among top-cited journals. The terms like 'global burden', 'comparative risk assessment,' 'household air pollution (HAP)', 'ventilation', 'respiratory health', 'emission factor', 'impact,' 'energy', 'household', 'India' were the current topical subject where author Kirk R. Smith was identified with a significant contribution. Research related to rural, fossil-fuel toxicity, IAP, and exposure-assessment had the highest citation burst signifying the particular attention of scientific communities to these subjects. Overall, this study examined the evolution of IAP research, identified the gaps and provided future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushma Dhital
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Dipesh Rupakheti
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | | | - Xiufeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yanli Liu
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | | | | | | | - Benzhong Zhang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Rees JR, Weiss JE, Riddle BL, Craver K, Zens MS, Celaya MO, Peacock JL. Pediatric Cancer By Race, Ethnicity and Region in the United States. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022; 31:1896-1906. [PMID: 35861625 PMCID: PMC9578755 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-22-0317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a 2018 descriptive study, cancer incidence in children (age 0-19) in diagnosis years 2003 to 2014 was reported as being highest in New Hampshire and in the Northeast region. METHODS Using the Cancer in North America (CiNA) analytic file, we tested the hypotheses that incidence rates in the Northeast were higher than those in other regions of the United States either overall or by race/ethnicity group, and that rates in New Hampshire were higher than the Northeast region as a whole. RESULTS In 2003 to 2014, pediatric cancer incidence was significantly higher in the Northeast than other regions of the United States overall and among non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks, but not among Hispanics and other racial minorities. However, there was no significant variability in incidence in the states within the Northeast overall or by race/ethnicity subgroup. Overall, statistically significantly higher incidence was seen in the Northeast for lymphomas [RR, 1.15; 99% confidence interval (CI), 1.10-1.19], central nervous system neoplasms (RR, 1.12; 99% CI, 1.07-1.16), and neuroblastoma (RR, 1.13; 99% CI, 1.05-1.21). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric cancer incidence is statistically significantly higher in the Northeast than in the rest of the United States, but within the Northeast, states have comparable incidence. Differences in cancer subtypes by ethnicity merit further investigation. IMPACT Our analyses clarify and extend previous reports by statistically confirming the hypothesis that the Northeast has the highest pediatric cancer rates in the country, by providing similar comparisons stratified by race/ethnicity, and by assessing variability within the Northeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy R. Rees
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
- New Hampshire State Cancer Registry, Hanover, NH, USA
| | | | - Bruce L. Riddle
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
- New Hampshire State Cancer Registry, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Karen Craver
- New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Concord, NH, USA
| | - Michael Scot Zens
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
- New Hampshire State Cancer Registry, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Maria O. Celaya
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
- New Hampshire State Cancer Registry, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Janet L. Peacock
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA
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9
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White JD, Wyss AB, Hoang TT, Lee M, Richards M, Parks CG, Beane-Freeman LE, Hankinson JL, Umbach DM, London SJ. Residential Wood Burning and Pulmonary Function in the Agricultural Lung Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:87008. [PMID: 36006053 PMCID: PMC9406613 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In low- and middle-income countries, burning biomass indoors for cooking or heating has been associated with poorer lung function. In high-income countries, wood, a form of biomass, is commonly used for heating in rural areas with increasing prevalence. However, in these settings the potential impact of chronic indoor woodsmoke exposure on pulmonary function is little studied. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the association of residential wood burning with pulmonary function in case-control study of asthma nested within a U.S. rural cohort. METHODS Using sample weighted multivariable linear regression, we estimated associations between some and frequent wood burning, both relative to no exposure, in relation to forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ), forced vital capacity (FVC), their ratio (FEV 1 / FVC ), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). We examined effect modification by smoking or asthma status. RESULTS Among all participants and within smoking groups, wood burning was not appreciably related to pulmonary function. However, in individuals with asthma (n = 1,083 ), frequent wood burning was significantly associated with lower FEV 1 [β : - 164 mL ; 95% confidence interval (CI): - 261 , - 66 mL ], FVC (β : - 125 mL ; 95% CI: - 230 , - 20 mL ), and FEV 1 / FVC (β : - 2 % ; 95% CI: - 4 , - 0.4 % ), whereas no appreciable association was seen in individuals without asthma (n = 1,732 ). These differences in association by asthma were statistically significant for FEV 1 (p i n t e r a c t i o n = 0.0044 ) and FEV 1 / FVC (p i n t e r a c t i o n = 0.049 ). Frequent wood burning was also associated with higher FeNO levels in all individuals (n = 2,598 ; β : 0.1 ln ( ppb ) ; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.2), but associations did not differ by asthma or smoking status. DISCUSSION Frequent exposure to residential wood burning was associated with a measure of airway inflammation (FeNO) among all individuals and with lower pulmonary function among individuals with asthma. This group may wish to reduce wood burning or consider using air filtration devices. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10734.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie D. White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- GenOmics, Bioinformatics, and Translational Research Center, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Annah B. Wyss
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Thanh T. Hoang
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mikyeong Lee
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Christine G. Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Laura E. Beane-Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - David M. Umbach
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephanie J. London
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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10
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Walker ES, Semmens EO, Belcourt A, Boyer BB, Erdei E, Graham J, Hopkins SE, Lewis JL, Smith PG, Ware D, Weiler E, Ward TJ, Noonan CW. Efficacy of Air Filtration and Education Interventions on Indoor Fine Particulate Matter and Child Lower Respiratory Tract Infections among Rural U.S. Homes Heated with Wood Stoves: Results from the KidsAIR Randomized Trial. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:47002. [PMID: 35394807 PMCID: PMC8992966 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Millions of rural U.S. households are heated with wood stoves. Wood stove use can lead to high indoor concentrations of fine particulate matter [airborne particles ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5)] and is associated with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in children. OBJECTIVES We assessed the impact of low-cost educational and air filtration interventions on childhood LRTI and indoor PM2.5 in rural U.S. homes with wood stoves. METHODS The Kids Air Quality Interventions for Reducing Respiratory Infections (KidsAIR) study was a parallel three-arm (education, portable air filtration unit, control), post-only randomized trial in households from Alaska, Montana, and Navajo Nation (Arizona and New Mexico) with a wood stove and one or more children <5 years of age. We tracked LRTI cases for two consecutive winter seasons and measured indoor PM2.5 over a 6-d period during the first winter. We assessed results using two analytical frameworks: a) intervention efficacy on LRTI and PM2.5 (intent-to-treat), and b) association between PM2.5 and LRTI (exposure-response). RESULTS There were 61 LRTI cases from 14,636 child-weeks of follow-up among 461 children. In the intent-to-treat analysis, children in the education arm [odds ratio (OR)=0.98; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.35, 2.72] and the filtration arm (OR=1.23; 95% CI: 0.46, 3.32) had similar odds of LRTI vs. control. Geometric mean PM2.5 concentrations were similar to control in the education arm (11.77% higher; 95% CI: -16.57, 49.72) and air filtration arm (6.96% lower; 95% CI: -30.50, 24.55). In the exposure-response analysis, odds of LRTI were 1.45 times higher (95% CI: 1.02, 2.05) per interquartile range (25 μg/m3) increase in mean indoor PM2.5. DISCUSSION We did not observe meaningful differences in LRTI or indoor PM2.5 in the air filtration or education arms compared with the control arm. Results from the exposure-response analysis provide further evidence that biomass air pollution adversely impacts childhood LRTI. Our results highlight the need for novel, effective intervention strategies in households heated with wood stoves. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9932.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan S. Walker
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Erin O. Semmens
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Annie Belcourt
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Bert B. Boyer
- Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Esther Erdei
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jon Graham
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Scarlett E. Hopkins
- Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Johnnye L. Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Paul G. Smith
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Desirae Ware
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Emily Weiler
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Tony J. Ward
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Curtis W. Noonan
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
- School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
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11
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Multidimensional Food Security Nexus in Drylands under the Slow Onset Effects of Climate Change. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land10121350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Hyperarid, arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas cover approximately 41% of the global land area. The human population in drylands, currently estimated at 2.7 billion, faces limited access to sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food. We discuss the interlinkages among water security, environmental security, energy security, economic security, health security, and food security governance, and how they affect food security in drylands. Reliable and adequate water supply, and the prevention of water contamination, increase the potential for ample food, fodder, and fiber production. Protecting woodlands and rangelands increases food security by buffering the slow onset effects of climate change, including biodiversity loss, desertification, salinization, and land degradation. The protection of natural lands is expected to decrease environmental contamination, and simultaneously, reduce the transfer of diseases from wildlife to humans. Biofuel production and hydroelectric power plants increase energy security but generate land-use conflicts, deforestation, and ecosystem degradation. Economic security generally positively correlates with food security. However, economic growth often degrades the environment, changes tenure rights over natural resources, and stimulates migration to urban areas, resulting in lower food and health security. Moreover, civil unrest, political instability, and armed conflicts disrupt local economies in drylands. Maintaining food security is crucial for health security; conversely, malnourished populations and unresponsive health systems decrease economic security, and adversely affect environmental, energy, and food security. Climate change is expected to deteriorate health security by spreading vector-borne diseases. Effective governance and timely interventions can substantially shorten periods of food insecurity, lower their intensities, and accelerate recovery from inevitable crises, and are therefore crucial in preventing humanitarian crises. Since global drylands population will nearly double by 2050, and since drylands are among the most susceptible areas to climate change, integrated multi-hazard approaches to food security are needed.
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12
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Air pollution and lung function in children. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021; 148:1-14. [PMID: 34238501 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In this narrative review, we summarize the literature and provide updates on recent studies of air pollution exposures and child lung function and lung function growth. We include exposures to outdoor air pollutants that are monitored and regulated through air quality standards, and air pollutants that are not routinely monitored or directly regulated, including wildfires, indoor biomass and coal burning, gas and wood stove use, and volatile organic compounds. Included is a more systematic review of the recent literature on long-term air pollution and child lung function because this is an indicator of future adult respiratory health and exposure assessment tools have improved dramatically in recent years. We present "summary observations" and "knowledge gaps." We end by discussing what is known about what can be done at the individual/household, local/regional, and national levels to overcome structural impediments, reduce air pollution exposures, and improve child lung function. We found a large literature on adverse air pollution effects on children's lung function level and growth; however, many questions remain. Important areas needing further research include whether early-life effects are fixed or reversible; and what are windows of increased susceptibility, long-term effects of repeated wildfire events, and effects of air quality interventions.
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13
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Walker ES, Noonan CW, Semmens EO, Ware D, Smith P, Boyer BB, Erdei E, Hopkins SE, Lewis J, Belcourt A, Ward TJ. Indoor fine particulate matter and demographic, household, and wood stove characteristics among rural US homes heated with wood fuel. INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:1109-1124. [PMID: 33620109 PMCID: PMC8217112 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Household heating using wood stoves is common practice in many rural areas of the United States (US) and can lead to elevated concentrations of indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5 ). We collected 6-day measures of indoor PM2.5 during the winter and evaluated household and stove-use characteristics in homes at three rural and diverse study sites. The median indoor PM2.5 concentration across all homes was 19 µg/m3 , with higher concentrations in Alaska (median = 30, minimum = 4, maximum = 200, n = 10) and Navajo Nation homes (median = 29, minimum = 3, maximum = 105, n = 23) compared with Montana homes (median = 16, minimum = 2, maximum = 139, n = 59). Households that had not cleaned the chimney within the past year had 65% higher geometric mean PM2.5 compared to those with chimney cleaned within 6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1, 170). Based on a novel wood stove grading method, homes with low-quality and medium-quality stoves had substantially higher PM2.5 compared to homes with higher-quality stoves (186% higher [95% CI: 32, 519] and 161% higher; [95% CI:27, 434], respectively). Our findings highlight the need for, and complex nature of, regionally appropriate interventions to reduce indoor air pollution in rural wood-burning regions. Higher-quality stoves and behavioral practices such as regular chimney cleaning may help improve indoor air quality in such homes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan S. Walker
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Curtis W. Noonan
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Erin O. Semmens
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Desirae Ware
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Paul Smith
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Bert B. Boyer
- Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK, USA
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Esther Erdei
- Community Environmental Health Program, University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Scarlett E. Hopkins
- Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK, USA
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- Community Environmental Health Program, University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Annie Belcourt
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Tony J. Ward
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
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14
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Suarez-Lopez JR, Cairns MR, Sripada K, Quiros-Alcala L, Mielke HW, Eskenazi B, Etzel RA, Kordas K. COVID-19 and children's health in the United States: Consideration of physical and social environments during the pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111160. [PMID: 33852915 PMCID: PMC8542993 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Public health measures necessary to counteract the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have resulted in dramatic changes in the physical and social environments within which children grow and develop. As our understanding of the pathways for viral exposure and associated health outcomes in children evolves, it is critical to consider how changes in the social, cultural, economic, and physical environments resulting from the pandemic could affect the development of children. This review article considers the environments and settings that create the backdrop for children's health in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, including current threats to child development that stem from: A) change in exposures to environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, disinfectants, air pollution and the built environment; B) changes in food environments resulting from adverse economic repercussion of the pandemic and limited reach of existing safety nets; C) limited access to children's educational and developmental resources; D) changes in the social environments at the individual and household levels, and their interplay with family stressors and mental health; E) social injustice and racism. The environmental changes due to COVID-19 are overlaid onto existing environmental and social disparities. This results in disproportionate effects among children in low-income settings and among populations experiencing the effects of structural racism. This article draws attention to many environments that should be considered in current and future policy responses to protect children's health amid pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose R Suarez-Lopez
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Maryann R Cairns
- Department of Anthropology, Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kam Sripada
- Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lesliam Quiros-Alcala
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Howard W Mielke
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Brenda Eskenazi
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ruth A Etzel
- Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
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15
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Guercio V, Pojum IC, Leonardi GS, Shrubsole C, Gowers AM, Dimitroulopoulou S, Exley KS. Exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution from solid fuel combustion and respiratory outcomes in children in developed countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 755:142187. [PMID: 33017761 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have shown a positive association between exposure to outdoor and indoor solid fuel combustion and adverse health effects. We reviewed the epidemiological evidence from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand on the association between outdoor and indoor exposure to solid fuel combustion and respiratory outcomes in children. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effects models. We identified 74 articles. Due to limited evidence on other exposures and outcomes, we performed meta-analyses on the association between indoor wood burning exposure and respiratory outcomes. The RR for the highest vs the lowest category of indoor wood exposure was 0.90 (95% CI 0.77-1.05) considering asthma as an outcome. The corresponding pooled RRs for lower respiratory infection (LRI) and upper respiratory infection (URI) were 1.11 (95% CI 0.88, 1.41) and 1.11 (95% CI 0.85, 1.44) respectively. No association was found between indoor wood burning exposure and risk of wheeze and cough. Inconsistent and limited results were found considering the relationship between indoor wood burning exposure and other respiratory outcomes (rhinitis and hay fever, influenza) as well as indoor coal burning exposure and respiratory outcomes in children. Results from epidemiological studies that evaluated the relationship between the exposure to outdoor emissions derived from indoor combustion of solid fuels are too limited to allow firm conclusions. We found no association between indoor wood burning exposure and risk of asthma. A slight, but not significant, increased risk of LRI and URI was identified, although the available evidence is limited. Epidemiological studies evaluating the relationship between indoor coal burning exposure and respiratory outcomes, as well as, studies considering exposure to outdoor solid fuels, are too limited to draw any firm conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Guercio
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Iulia C Pojum
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni S Leonardi
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Shrubsole
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Alison M Gowers
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Sani Dimitroulopoulou
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Karen S Exley
- Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Chilton, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
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16
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Mechanistic Implications of Biomass-Derived Particulate Matter for Immunity and Immune Disorders. TOXICS 2021; 9:toxics9020018. [PMID: 33498426 PMCID: PMC7909393 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) is a major and the most harmful component of urban air pollution, which may adversely affect human health. PM exposure has been associated with several human diseases, notably respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. In particular, recent evidence suggests that exposure to biomass-derived PM associates with airway inflammation and can aggravate asthma and other allergic diseases. Defective or excess responsiveness in the immune system regulates distinct pathologies, such as infections, hypersensitivity, and malignancies. Therefore, PM-induced modulation of the immune system is crucial for understanding how it causes these diseases and highlighting key molecular mechanisms that can mitigate the underlying pathologies. Emerging evidence has revealed that immune responses to biomass-derived PM exposure are closely associated with the risk of diverse hypersensitivity disorders, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and allergen sensitization. Moreover, immunological alteration by PM accounts for increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Evidence-based understanding of the immunological effects of PM and the molecular machinery would provide novel insights into clinical interventions or prevention against acute and chronic environmental disorders induced by biomass-derived PM.
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17
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Bertazzon S, Couloigner I, Mirzaei M. Spatial regression modelling of particulate pollution in Calgary, Canada. GEOJOURNAL 2021; 87:2141-2157. [PMID: 33424083 PMCID: PMC7784225 DOI: 10.1007/s10708-020-10345-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The study presents a spatial analysis of particulate pollution, which includes not only particulate matter, but also black carbon, a pollutant of growing concern for human health. We developed land use regression (LUR) models for two particulate matter size fractions, PM2.5 and PM10, and for δC, an index calculated from black carbon (BC)-a component of PM2.5-which indicates the portion of organic versus elemental BC. LUR models were estimated over Calgary (Canada) for summer 2015 and winter 2016. As all samples exhibited significant spatial autocorrelation, spatial autoregressive lag (SARlag) and error (SARerr) models were computed. SARlag models were preferred for all pollutants in both seasons, and yielded goodness of fit aligned with or higher than values reported in the literature. LUR models yielded consistent sets of predictors, representing industrial activities, traffic, and elevation. The obtained model coefficients were then combined with local land use variables to compute fine-scale concentration predictions over the entire city. The predicted concentrations were slightly lower and less dispersed than the observed ones. Consistent with observed pollution records, prediction maps exhibited higher concentration over the road network, industrial areas, and the eastern quadrants of the city. Lastly, results of a corresponding study of PM in summer 2010 and winter 2011 were considered. While the small size of the 2010-2011 sample hampered a multi-temporal analysis, we cautiously note comparable seasonal patterns and consistent association with land use variables for both PM fine fractions over the 5-year interval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Bertazzon
- Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Canada, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Isabelle Couloigner
- Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Canada, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Mojgan Mirzaei
- Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Canada, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4 Canada
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18
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Schwartz C, Bølling AK, Carlsten C. Controlled human exposures to wood smoke: a synthesis of the evidence. Part Fibre Toxicol 2020; 17:49. [PMID: 33008417 PMCID: PMC7530963 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-020-00375-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Exposure to particulate matter (PM) from wood combustion represents a global health risk, encompassing diverse exposure sources; indoor exposures due to cooking in developing countries, ambient PM exposures from residential wood combustion in developed countries, and the predicted increasing number of wildfires due to global warming. Although physicochemical properties of the PM, as well as the exposure levels vary considerably between these sources, controlled human exposure studies may provide valuable insight to the harmful effects of wood smoke (WS) exposures in general. However, no previous review has focused specifically on controlled human exposure studies to WS. Results The 22 publications identified, resulting from 12 controlled human studies, applied a range of combustion conditions, exposure levels and durations, and exercise components in their WS exposure. A range of airway, cardiovascular and systemic endpoints were assessed, including lung function and heart rate measures, inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the possibility for drawing general conclusions was precluded by the large variation in study design, resulting in differences in physicochemical properties of WS, effective dose, as well as included endpoints and time-points for analysis. Overall, there was most consistency in reported effects for airways, while oxidative stress, systemic inflammation and cardiovascular physiology did not show any clear patterns. Conclusion Based on the reviewed controlled human exposure studies, conclusions regarding effects of acute WS exposure on human health are premature. Thus, more carefully conducted human studies are needed. Future studies should pay particular attention to the applied WS exposure, to assure that both exposure levels and PM properties reflect the research question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley Schwartz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, P: 604-875-4729, 2775 Laurel Street 10th Floor, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Anette Kocbach Bølling
- Section of Air Pollution and Noise, Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 222 Skøyen, 0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christopher Carlsten
- Department of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, P: 604-875-4729, 2775 Laurel Street 10th Floor, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada.
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19
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Trieu J, Yao J, McLean KE, Stieb DM, Henderson SB. Evaluating an Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) amendment for communities impacted by residential woodsmoke in British Columbia, Canada. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2020; 70:1009-1021. [PMID: 32791025 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2020.1797927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Smoke from burning biomass is an important source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but the health risks may not be fully captured by the Canadian Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). In May 2018, the province of British Columbia launched an evidence-based amendment (AQHI-Plus) to improve AQHI performance for wildfire smoke, but the AQHI-Plus was not developed or tested on data from the residential woodsmoke season. This study assesses how the AQHI and AQHI-Plus are associated with acute health outcomes during the cooler seasons of 2010-2017 in British Columbia, Canada. Monthly and daily patterns of temperature and PM2.5 concentrations were used to identify Local Health Areas (LHAs) that were impacted by residential woodsmoke. The effects of the AQHI and AQHI-Plus on five acute health outcomes (including non-accidental mortality, outpatient physician visits, and medical dispensations for cardiopulmonary conditions) were estimated using generalized linear mixed effect models with Poisson distributions adjusted for long- and short-term temperature trends. Values of the Akaike information criterion (AIC) were compared to evaluate whether the AQHI or AQHI-Plus was better fitted to each health outcome. Eleven LHAs were categorized as woodsmoke-impacted. In these LHAs, the AQHI and AQHI-Plus associations with acute health outcomes were sensitive to temperature adjustments. After temperature adjustments, the most consistent associations were observed for the two asthma-specific outcomes where the AQHI-Plus was better fitted than the AQHI. The improved performance of the AQHI-Plus for susceptible populations with asthma is consistent between communities impacted by residential woodsmoke and wildfire smoke. Implications: Canada's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a three pollutant index used to communicate the short term health impact of degraded air quality. As fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the lowest weighted pollutant in the AQHI, the index is poorly reflective of woodsmoke impacts. The present analysis found that an AQHI amendment developed for improved sensitivity to PM2.5 during wildfire seasons (AQHI-Plus) is also more predictive of acute asthma-related health outcomes in communities impacted by residential woodsmoke. The BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has piloted the AQHI-Plus year-round. Other jurisdictions should consider whether their air quality indices are reflective of the risks posed by woodsmoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Trieu
- Environmental Health Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jiayun Yao
- Environmental Health Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kathleen E McLean
- Environmental Health Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dave M Stieb
- Health Canada, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah B Henderson
- Environmental Health Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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20
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Erlandsson L, Lindgren R, Nääv Å, Krais AM, Strandberg B, Lundh T, Boman C, Isaxon C, Hansson SR, Malmqvist E. Exposure to wood smoke particles leads to inflammation, disrupted proliferation and damage to cellular structures in a human first trimester trophoblast cell line. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 264:114790. [PMID: 32417587 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing transition to renewable fuel sources has led to increased use of wood and other biomass fuels. The physiochemical characteristics of biomass combustion derived aerosols depends on appliances, fuel and operation procedures, and particles generated during incomplete combustion are linked to toxicity. Frequent indoor wood burning is related to severe health problems such as negative effects on airways and inflammation, as well as chronic hypoxia and pathological changes in placentas, adverse pregnancy outcome, preterm delivery and increased risk of preeclampsia. The presence of combustion-derived black carbon particles at both the maternal and fetal side of placentas suggests that particles can reach the fetus. Air pollution particles have also been shown to inhibit trophoblast migration and invasion, which are vital functions for the development of the placenta during the first trimester. In this study we exposed a placental first trimester trophoblast cell line to wood smoke particles emitted under Nominal Burn rate (NB) or High Burn rate (HB). The particles were visible inside exposed cells and localized to the mitochondria, causing ultrastructural changes in mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Exposed cells showed decreased secretion of the pregnancy marker human chorionic gonadotropin, increased secretion of IL-6, disrupted membrane integrity, disrupted proliferation and contained specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the particles. Taken together, these results suggest that wood smoke particles can enter trophoblasts and have detrimental effects early in pregnancy by disrupting critical trophoblast functions needed for normal placenta development and function. This could contribute to the underlying mechanisms leading to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, premature birth, preeclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction. This study support the general recommendation that more efficient combustion technologies and burning practices should be adopted to reduce some of the toxicity generated during wood burning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Erlandsson
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Robert Lindgren
- Thermochemical Energy Conversion Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Åsa Nääv
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Annette M Krais
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Bo Strandberg
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Thomas Lundh
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Christoffer Boman
- Thermochemical Energy Conversion Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Christina Isaxon
- Department of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Stefan R Hansson
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ebba Malmqvist
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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21
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Han MK, Martinez FJ. Host, Gender, and Early-Life Factors as Risks for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Clin Chest Med 2020; 41:329-337. [PMID: 32800188 PMCID: PMC7993923 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccm.2020.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although smoking results in lung pathology in many, still not all smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Roughly a quarter of patients with COPD have never smoked. An understanding of both host and environmental factors beyond smoking that contribute to disease development remain critical to understanding disease prevention and ultimately effectively intervene. In this article, we summarize host factors, including genetics and gender, as well as early-life events that contribute to the development of COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- MeiLan K Han
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 3916 Taubman Center, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Fernando J Martinez
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Internal Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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22
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Navel V, Chiambaretta F, Dutheil F. Reply. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2020; 146:544. [PMID: 32605855 PMCID: PMC7306707 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Navel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Translational Approach to Epithelial Injury and Repair, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Ophthalmology, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Frédéric Chiambaretta
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Translational Approach to Epithelial Injury and Repair, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Ophthalmology, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Frédéric Dutheil
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Preventive and Occupational Medicine, Witty Fit, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Abstract
Over the past several decades, important advances have been made in the United States to ensure that our residents breathe clean air. Still, nearly 12 million homes in this country burn wood for heating. Globally, 3 billion people, or close to half of the world's population, depend on polluting solid fuels such as wood for daily cooking and heating. Unlike in the United States where stoves used for heating are vented, many homes in low-income countries use simple stoves that often lack chimneys, leading to toxic amounts of smoke inside and outside the home. Household air pollution from these fires is the 16th leading risk factor for death and disability worldwide. Childhood pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular disease have all been associated with household air pollution globally, yet many nurses are not aware of this burden when caring for immigrants and refugees residing in the United States. Global organizations are working to provide access to clean cookstoves (those that run on electricity, solar power, or liquid fuel), and nurses can get involved. This is one step toward improving the lives of vulnerable populations in the United States and worldwide. This series is in collaboration with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (https://envirn.org).
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Bhutto AW, Bazmi AA, Karim S, Abro R, Mazari SA, Nizamuddin S. Promoting sustainability of use of biomass as energy resource: Pakistan's perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:29606-29619. [PMID: 31452125 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06179-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Biomass is primary source of energy for household in rural communities. Developing countries are focusing on increasing utilization of indigenous energy resources for energy security and to achieve sustainable development goal. Combustion of solid biomass is the primary approach for utilizing biomass to generate electricity and heat. Sixty-eight percent of population of Pakistan is living in rural areas while 30% population is still without electricity. The traditional household appliances used for cooking and heating are less efficient, more hazardous to users, and more damaging to the environment. Low carbon energy system prerequisites access to modern energy services. This paper presents an assessment of biomass resources potential in Pakistan as renewable energy resources and reviews potentials to adopt efficient use of biomass for cooking, heating, and small decentralized electricity generation. Objective of this study is to increase the sustainability of the use of biomass as source of energy in developing countries like Pakistan by an integrating energy-efficient and modern appliances and technologies that fit into a sustainable development path. Promotion of cleaner technologies and efficient use of biomass energy constitute appropriate strategies to mitigate global climate, health risks, and help in attending the targets set by sustainable development goal (SDG) to confirm worldwide access to reliable, affordable, and modern energy services by 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Waheed Bhutto
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Bazmi
- Process and Energy Systems Engineering Centre-PRESTIGE, Department of Chemical Engineering, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Karim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Rashid Abro
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Shaukat Ali Mazari
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sabzoi Nizamuddin
- Department of Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia.
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25
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Barrett JR. Warm, Cozy Woodstoves . . . and the PM They Produce: Home Interventions Show Mixed Results in Protecting Children with Asthma. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2017; 125:104004. [PMID: 29043979 PMCID: PMC5933347 DOI: 10.1289/ehp2598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
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