Hong YC, Leem JH, Lee KH, Park DH, Jang JY, Kim ST, Ha EH. Exposure to air pollution and pulmonary function in university students.
Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2005;
78:132-8. [PMID:
15750819 DOI:
10.1007/s00420-004-0554-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2003] [Accepted: 06/25/2004] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Exposure to air pollution has been reported to be associated with increase in pulmonary disease. The aims of the present study were to examine the use of personal nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) samplers as a means of measuring exposure to air pollution and to investigate the relationship between personal exposure to air pollution and pulmonary function.
METHODS
We measured individual exposures to NO(2) using passive personal NO(2) samplers for 298 healthy university students. Questionnaire interview was conducted for traffic-related factors, and spirometry was performed when the samplers were returned after 1 day.
RESULTS
Personal NO(2) concentrations varied, depending on the distance between residence and a main road (P=0.029). Students who used transportation for more than 1 h were exposed to higher levels of NO(2) than those using transportation for less than 1 h (P=0.032). In terms of transportation, riding in a bus or subway caused significantly higher exposure than not using them (P=0.046). NO(2) exposure was not significantly associated with forced vital capacity (FVC) or forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) but was associated with the ratio of FEV(1)/FVC and mid-expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of the forced vital capacity (FEF(25-75)) (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that concentrations of personal exposure to NO(2) are significantly influenced by traffic-related air pollution and are associated with decreased pulmonary function.
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