1
|
Yan Z, Zhang Y, Nan N, Ji S, Lan S, Qin G, Sang N. YTHDC2 mediated RNA m 6A modification contributes to PM 2.5-induced hepatic steatosis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135004. [PMID: 38943883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a significant risk factor for hepatic steatosis. The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is implicated in metabolic disturbances triggered by exogenous environmental factors. However, the role of m6A in mediating PM2.5-induced hepatic steatosis remains unclear. Herein, male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to PM2.5 exposure throughout the entire heating season utilizing a real-ambient PM2.5 whole-body inhalation exposure system. Concurrently, HepG2 cell models exposed to PM2.5 were developed to delve the role of m6A methylation modification. Following PM2.5 exposure, significant hepatic lipid accumulation and elevated global m6A level were observed both in vitro and in vivo. The downregulation of YTHDC2, an m6A-binding protein, might contribute to this alteration. In vitro studies revealed that lipid-related genes CEPT1 and YWHAH might be targeted by m6A modification. YTHDC2 could bind to CDS region of them and increase their stability. Exposure to PM2.5 shortened mRNA lifespan and suppressed the expression of CEPT1 and YWHAH, which were reversed to baseline or higher level upon the enforced expression of YTHDC2. Consequently, our findings indicate that PM2.5 induces elevated m6A methylation modification of CEPT1 and YWHAH by downregulating YTHDC2, which in turn mediates the decrease in the mRNA stabilization and expression of these genes, ultimately resulting in hepatic steatosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Yan
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Yaru Zhang
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Nan Nan
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Shaoyang Ji
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Siyi Lan
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Guohua Qin
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, PR China.
| | - Nan Sang
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Connolly R, Marlier ME, Garcia-Gonzales DA, Wilkins J, Su J, Bekker C, Jung J, Bonilla E, Burnett RT, Zhu Y, Jerrett M. Mortality attributable to PM 2.5 from wildland fires in California from 2008 to 2018. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl1252. [PMID: 38848356 PMCID: PMC11160451 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
In California, wildfire risk and severity have grown substantially in the last several decades. Research has characterized extensive adverse health impacts from exposure to wildfire-attributable fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but few studies have quantified long-term outcomes, and none have used a wildfire-specific chronic dose-response mortality coefficient. Here, we quantified the mortality burden for PM2.5 exposure from California fires from 2008 to 2018 using Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system wildland fire PM2.5 estimates. We used a concentration-response function for PM2.5, applying ZIP code-level mortality data and an estimated wildfire-specific dose-response coefficient accounting for the likely toxicity of wildfire smoke. We estimate a total of 52,480 to 55,710 premature deaths are attributable to wildland fire PM2.5 over the 11-year period with respect to two exposure scenarios, equating to an economic impact of $432 to $456 billion. These findings extend evidence on climate-related health impacts, suggesting that wildfires account for a greater mortality and economic burden than indicated by earlier studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Connolly
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Miriam E. Marlier
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Diane A. Garcia-Gonzales
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph Wilkins
- Department of Earth, Environment and Equity, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jason Su
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Claire Bekker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jihoon Jung
- Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Eimy Bonilla
- Department of Earth, Environment and Equity, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Richard T. Burnett
- Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Population Studies Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Yifang Zhu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael Jerrett
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Arceneaux LS, Gregory KL. Climate change and its impact on asthma. Nurse Pract 2024; 49:25-32. [PMID: 38662493 DOI: 10.1097/01.npr.0000000000000174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Earth's climate is changing at an unprecedented pace, primarily due to anthropogenic causes including greenhouse gas emissions. Evidence shows a strong link between climate change and its effects on asthma. Healthcare professionals must be educated to advocate for and lead effective strategies to reduce the health risks of climate change.
Collapse
|
4
|
Li J, Hua C, Ma L, Chen K, Zheng F, Chen Q, Bao X, Sun J, Xie R, Bianchi F, Kerminen VM, Petäjä T, Kulmala M, Liu Y. Key drivers of the oxidative potential of PM 2.5 in Beijing in the context of air quality improvement from 2018 to 2022. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 187:108724. [PMID: 38735076 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
The mass concentration of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has been continuously decreasing in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. However, health endpoints do not exhibit a linear correlation with PM mass concentrations. Thus, it is urgent to clarify the prior toxicological components of PM to further improve air quality. In this study, we analyzed the long-term oxidative potential (OP) of water-soluble PM2.5, which is generally considered more effective in assessing hazardous exposure to PM in Beijing from 2018 to 2022 based on the dithiothreitol assay and identified the crucial drivers of the OP of PM2.5 based on online monitoring of air pollutants, receptor model, and random forest (RF) model. Our results indicate that dust, traffic, and biomass combustion are the main sources of the OP of PM2.5 in Beijing. The complex interactions of dust particles, black carbon, and gaseous pollutants (nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide) are the main factors driving the OP evolution, in particular, leading to the abnormal rise of OP in Beijing in 2022. Our data shows that a higher OP is observed in winter and spring compared to summer and autumn. The diurnal variation of the OP is characterized by a declining trend from 0:00 to 14:00 and an increasing trend from 14:00 to 23:00. The spatial variation in OP of PM2.5 was observed as the OP in Beijing is lower than that in Shijiazhuang, while it is higher than that in Zhenjiang and Haikou, which is primarily influenced by the distribution of black carbon. Our results are of significance in identifying the key drivers influencing the OP of PM2.5 and provide new insights for advancing air quality improvement efforts with a focus on safeguarding human health in Beijing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinwen Li
- Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Chenjie Hua
- Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Li Ma
- Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Kaiyun Chen
- Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Feixue Zheng
- Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Qingcai Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Xiaolei Bao
- Hebei Chemical & Pharmaceutical College, Shijiazhuang 050026, China
| | - Juan Sun
- Jiangsu Nanjing Environmental Monitoring Center, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Rongfu Xie
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Federico Bianchi
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Veli-Matti Kerminen
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Tuukka Petäjä
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Markku Kulmala
- Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Yongchun Liu
- Aerosol and Haze Laboratory, Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Aghaei Y, Badami MM, Tohidi R, Subramanian PSG, Boffi R, Borgini A, De Marco C, Contiero P, Ruprecht AA, Verma V, Chatila T, Sioutas C. The Impact of Russia-Ukraine geopolitical conflict on the air quality and toxicological properties of ambient PM 2.5 in Milan, Italy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5996. [PMID: 38472234 PMCID: PMC10933473 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55292-2] [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] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine has disrupted Europe's natural gas supplies, driving up gas prices and leading to a shift towards biomass for residential heating during colder months. This study assessed the consequent air quality and toxicological impacts in Milan, Italy, focusing on fine particulate matter (PM2.5, dp < 2.5 μm) emissions. PM2.5 samples were analyzed for their chemical composition and assessed for their oxidative potential using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay across three periods reflecting residential heating deployment (RHD): pre-RHD, intra-RHD, and post-RHD periods. During the intra-RHD period, PM2.5 levels were significantly higher than those in other periods, with concentrations reaching 57.94 ± 7.57 μg/m3, indicating a deterioration in air quality. Moreover, levoglucosan was 9.2 times higher during the intra-RHD period compared to the pre-RHD period, correlating with elevated levels of elemental carbon (EC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These findings were compared with previous local studies before the conflict, underscoring a significant rise in biomass-related emissions. DTT assay levels during the intra-RHD were 2.1 times higher than those observed during the same period in 2022, strongly correlating with biomass burning emissions. Our findings highlight the necessity for policies to mitigate the indirect health effects of increased biomass burning emissions due to the energy crisis triggered by the geopolitical conflict.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yashar Aghaei
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 S. Vermont Ave. KAP210, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Badami
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 S. Vermont Ave. KAP210, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Ramin Tohidi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 S. Vermont Ave. KAP210, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - P S Ganesh Subramanian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Roberto Boffi
- Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Paolo Contiero
- Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Ario Alberto Ruprecht
- Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
- International Society of Doctors for Environment (ISDE), Arezzo, Italy
| | - Vishal Verma
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Talal Chatila
- Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Constantinos Sioutas
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Southern California, 3620 S. Vermont Ave. KAP210, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rohra H, Pipal AS, Satsangi PG, Taneja A. Revisiting the atmospheric particles: Connecting lines and changing paradigms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156676. [PMID: 35700785 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156676] [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: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Historically, the atmospheric particles constitute the most primitive and recent class of air pollutants. The science of atmospheric particles erupted more than a century ago covering more than four decades of size, with past few years experiencing major advancements on both theoretic and data-based observational grounds. More recently, the plausible recognition between particulate matter (PM) and the diffusion of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the accretion of interest in particle science. With motivation from diverse particle research interests, this paper is an 'old engineer's survey' beginning with the evolution of atmospheric particles and identifies along the way many of the global instances signaling the 'size concept' of PM. A theme that runs through the narrative is a 'previously known' generational evolution of particle science to the 'newly procured' portfolio of knowledge, with important gains on the application of unmet concepts and future approaches to PM exposure and epidemiological research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Himanshi Rohra
- Department of Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, India
| | - Atar Singh Pipal
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Human Health, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taishan, New Taipei 243089, Taiwan
| | - P G Satsangi
- Department of Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, India
| | - Ajay Taneja
- Department of Chemistry, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Agra 282002, India.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nowell HK, Wirks C, Val Martin M, van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Uejio CK, Holmes CD. Impacts of Sugarcane Fires on Air Quality and Public Health in South Florida. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:87004. [PMID: 35929976 PMCID: PMC9354838 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9957] [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: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preharvest burning of sugarcane is a common agricultural practice in Florida, which produces fine particulate matter [particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm (PM2.5)] that is associated with higher mortality. OBJECTIVES We estimated premature mortality associated with exposure to PM2.5 from sugarcane burning in people age 25 y and above for 20 counties in South Florida. METHODS We combined information from an atmospheric dispersion model, satellites, and surface measurements to quantify PM2.5 concentrations in South Florida and the fraction of PM2.5 from sugarcane fires. From these concentrations, estimated mortalities attributable to PM2.5 from sugarcane fires were calculated by census tract using health impact functions derived from literature for six causes of death linked to PM2.5. Confidence intervals (CI) are provided based on Monte Carlo simulations that propagate uncertainty in the emissions, dispersion model, health impact functions, and demographic data. RESULTS Sugarcane fires emitted an amount of primary PM2.5 similar to that of motor vehicles in Florida. PM2.5 from sugarcane fires is estimated to contribute to mortality rates within the Florida Sugarcane Growing Region (SGR) by 0.4 death per 100,000 people per year (95% CI: 0.3, 1.6 per 100,000). These estimates imply 2.5 deaths per year across South Florida were associated with PM2.5 from sugarcane fires (95% CI: 1.2, 6.1), with 0.16 in the SGR (95% CI: 0.09, 0.6) and 0.72 in Palm Beach County (95% CI: 0.17, 2.2). DISCUSSION PM2.5 from sugarcane fires was estimated to contribute to mortality risk across South Florida, particularly in the SGR. This is consistent with prior studies that documented impacts of sugarcane fire on air quality but did not quantify mortality. Additional health impacts of sugarcane fires, which were not quantified here, include exacerbating nonfatal health conditions such as asthma and cardiovascular problems. Harvesting sugarcane without field burning would likely reduce PM2.5 and health burdens in this region. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9957.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Holly K. Nowell
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Charles Wirks
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Maria Val Martin
- School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Randall V. Martin
- Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Christopher D. Holmes
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Price CL, Preston TC, Davies JF. Hygroscopic Growth, Phase Morphology, and Optical Properties of Model Aqueous Brown Carbon Aerosol. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:3941-3951. [PMID: 35312301 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Brown carbon aerosol in the atmosphere contain light-absorbing chromophores that influence the optical scattering properties of the particles. These chromophores may be hydrophobic, such as PAHs, or water soluble, such as nitroaromatics, imidazoles, and other conjugated oxygen-rich molecules. Water-soluble chromophores are expected to exist in aqueous solution in the presence of sufficient water and will exhibit physical properties (e.g., size, refractive index, and phase morphology) that depend on the environmental relative humidity (RH). In this work, we characterize the RH-dependent properties of 4-nitrocatechol (4-NC) and its mixtures with ammonium sulfate, utilizing a single-particle levitation platform coupled with Mie resonance spectroscopy to probe the size, real part of the complex refractive index (RI), and phase morphology of individual micron-sized particles. We measure the hygroscopic growth properties of pure 4-NC and apply mixing rules to characterize the growth of mixtures with ammonium sulfate. We report the RI at 589 nm for these samples as a function of RH and explore the wavelength dependence of the RI at non-absorbing wavelengths. The real part of the RI at 589 nm was found to vary in the range 1.54-1.59 for pure 4-NC from 92.5 to 75% RH, with an estimated pure component RI of 1.70. The real part of the RI was also measured for mixtures of AS and 4-NC and ranged from 1.39 to 1.51 depending on the component ratio and RH. We went on to characterize phase transitions in mixed particles, identifying the onset RH of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and efflorescence transitions. Mixtures showed LLPS in the range of 85-76% RH depending on the molar ratio, while efflorescence typically fell between 22 and 42% RH. Finally, we characterized the imaginary part of the complex RI using an effective oscillator model to capture the wavelength-dependent absorption properties of the system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea L Price
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Thomas C Preston
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B9, Canada
| | - James F Davies
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kawano A, Kim Y, Meas M, Sokal-Gutierrez K. Association between satellite-detected tropospheric nitrogen dioxide and acute respiratory infections in children under age five in Senegal: spatio-temporal analysis. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:178. [PMID: 35081933 PMCID: PMC8790943 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12577-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence to suggest that exposure to a high concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) can lead to a higher incidence of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) in children; however, such an association remains understudied in Sub-Saharan Africa due to the limited availability of exposure data. This study explored this association by using the satellite-detected tropospheric NO2 concentrations measured by Sentinel-5 Precursor and ARI symptoms in children under age five collected in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Senegal. METHODS We matched the daily tropospheric NO2 exposure with the individual ARI symptoms according to the DHS survey clusters spatially and temporally and conducted a logistic regression analysis to estimate the association of exposure to NO2 with ARI symptoms in two preceding weeks. RESULTS We observed a positive association between exposure to continuous levels of NO2 and ARI symptoms after adjusting for confounders (OR 1.27 per 10 mol/m2, 95% CI: 1.06 - 1.52). When the association was further examined by quartile exposure categories, the 4th quartile category was positively associated with symptoms of ARI after adjusting for confounders (OR 1.71, 95% CI: 1.08-2.69). This suggests that exposure to certain high levels of NO2 is associated with the increased risk of children having symptoms of ARI in Senegal. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the need for increased research on the effects of ambient NO2 exposure in Africa as well as the need for more robust, ground-based air monitoring in the region. For a country like Senegal, where more than 90% of the population lives in areas that do not meet the national air quality standards, it is urgently required to implement air pollution prevention efforts to protect children from the health hazards of air pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Kawano
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Yoonhee Kim
- Department of Global Environmental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Michelle Meas
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Karen Sokal-Gutierrez
- School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Xue T, Geng G, Li J, Han Y, Guo Q, Kelly FJ, Wooster MJ, Wang H, Jiangtulu B, Duan X, Wang B, Zhu T. Associations between exposure to landscape fire smoke and child mortality in low-income and middle-income countries: a matched case-control study. Lancet Planet Health 2021; 5:e588-e598. [PMID: 34508680 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00153-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of landscape fires has increased, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to assess the impact of exposure to landscape fire smoke (LFS) on the health of children. METHODS We conducted a sibling-matched case-control study and selected 552 155 children (aged <18 years) from Demographic and Health Surveys in 55 LMICs from 2000 to 2014. Each deceased child was matched with their sibling(s). The exposure indicators were fire-sourced PM2·5 and dry-matter emissions. We associated these exposure indicators with child mortality using conditional regressions, and derived an exposure-response function using a non-linear model. Based on the association, we quantified the global burden of fire-attributable child deaths in LMICs from 2000 to 2014. FINDINGS Each 1 μg/m3 increment of fire-sourced PM2·5 was associated with a 2·31% (95% CI 1·50-3·13) increased risk of child mortality. The association was robust to different models. The exposure-response function was superlinear and suggested per-unit exposure to larger fires was more toxic. Based on our non-linear exposure-response function, we estimated that between 2000 and 2014, the five countries with the largest number of child deaths associated with fire-sourced PM2·5 were Nigeria (164 000 [126 000 to 209 000] annual deaths), Democratic Republic of the Congo (126 000 [95% CI 114 000 to 139 000] annual deaths), India (65 900 [-22 200 to 147 000] annual deaths), Uganda (30 200 [24 500 to 36 300] annual deaths), and Indonesia (28 900 [19 100 to 38 400]). INTERPRETATION Exposure to landscape fire smoke contributes substantially to the global burden of child mortality. FUNDING National Natural Science Foundation of China, Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Peking University, UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit, Leverhulme Center for Wildfires, Environment and Society, and National Environment Research Council National Capability funding to National Centre for Earth Observation and Energy Foundation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Xue
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health and Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health of the Ministry of Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China.
| | - Guannan Geng
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiajianghui Li
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health and Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health of the Ministry of Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqun Han
- Environmental Research Group, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Qian Guo
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Frank J Kelly
- Environmental Research Group, MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Martin J Wooster
- Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment & Society and NERC National Centre for Earth Observation, Department of Geography, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Huiyu Wang
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health and Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health of the Ministry of Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China
| | - Bahabaike Jiangtulu
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health and Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health of the Ministry of Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoli Duan
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health and Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health of the Ministry of Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Zhu
- BIC-ESAT and SKL-ESPC, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhou X, Josey K, Kamareddine L, Caine MC, Liu T, Mickley LJ, Cooper M, Dominici F. Excess of COVID-19 cases and deaths due to fine particulate matter exposure during the 2020 wildfires in the United States. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/33/eabi8789. [PMID: 34389545 PMCID: PMC8363139 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi8789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The year 2020 brought unimaginable challenges in public health, with the confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires across the western United States. Wildfires produce high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Recent studies reported that short-term exposure to PM2.5 is associated with increased risk of COVID-19 cases and deaths. We acquired and linked publicly available daily data on PM2.5, the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, and other confounders for 92 western U.S. counties that were affected by the 2020 wildfires. We estimated the association between short-term exposure to PM2.5 during the wildfires and the epidemiological dynamics of COVID-19 cases and deaths. We adjusted for several time-varying confounding factors (e.g., weather, seasonality, long-term trends, mobility, and population size). We found strong evidence that wildfires amplified the effect of short-term exposure to PM2.5 on COVID-19 cases and deaths, although with substantial heterogeneity across counties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Zhou
- Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Josey
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leila Kamareddine
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Miah C Caine
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tianjia Liu
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Loretta J Mickley
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Matthew Cooper
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francesca Dominici
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Data Science Initiative, Cambridge, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Pardo M, Li C, Fang Z, Levin-Zaidman S, Dezorella N, Czech H, Martens P, Käfer U, Gröger T, Rüger CP, Friederici L, Zimmermann R, Rudich Y. Toxicity of Water- and Organic-Soluble Wood Tar Fractions from Biomass Burning in Lung Epithelial Cells. Chem Res Toxicol 2021; 34:1588-1603. [PMID: 34033466 PMCID: PMC8277191 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Widespread smoke from wildfires and biomass burning contributes to air pollution and the deterioration of air quality and human health. A common and major emission of biomass burning, often found in collected smoke particles, is spherical wood tar particles, also known as "tar balls". However, the toxicity of wood tar particles and the mechanisms that govern their health impacts and the impact of their complicated chemical matrix are not fully elucidated. To address these questions, we generated wood tar material from wood pyrolysis and isolated two main subfractions: water-soluble and organic-soluble fractions. The chemical characteristics as well as the cytotoxicity, oxidative damage, and DNA damage mechanisms were investigated after exposure of A549 and BEAS-2B lung epithelial cells to wood tar. Our results suggest that both wood tar subfractions reduce cell viability in exposed lung cells; however, these fractions have different modes of action that are related to their physicochemical properties. Exposure to the water-soluble wood tar fraction increased total reactive oxygen species production in the cells, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and induced oxidative damage and cell death, probably through apoptosis. Exposure to the organic-soluble fraction increased superoxide anion production, with a sharp decrease in MMP. DNA damage is a significant process that may explain the course of toxicity of the organic-soluble fraction. For both subfractions, exposure caused cell cycle alterations in the G2/M phase that were induced by upregulation of p21 and p16. Collectively, both subfractions of wood tar are toxic. The water-soluble fraction contains chemicals (such as phenolic compounds) that induce a strong oxidative stress response and penetrate living cells more easily. The organic-soluble fraction contained more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and oxygenated PAHs and induced genotoxic processes, such as DNA damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pardo
- Department
of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann
Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Chunlin Li
- Department
of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann
Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Zheng Fang
- Department
of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann
Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | | | - Nili Dezorella
- Electron
Microscopy Unit, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Hendryk Czech
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Comprehensive Molecular Analytics (CMA), Cooperation Group Helmholtz Zentrum München
- German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Gmunder Str. 37, 81379 München, Germany
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Institute of Chemistry, University of Rostock, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 2, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Patrick Martens
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Institute of Chemistry, University of Rostock, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 2, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Uwe Käfer
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Institute of Chemistry, University of Rostock, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 2, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Thomas Gröger
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Comprehensive Molecular Analytics (CMA), Cooperation Group Helmholtz Zentrum München
- German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Gmunder Str. 37, 81379 München, Germany
| | - Christopher P. Rüger
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Institute of Chemistry, University of Rostock, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 2, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Lukas Friederici
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Institute of Chemistry, University of Rostock, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 2, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Ralf Zimmermann
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Comprehensive Molecular Analytics (CMA), Cooperation Group Helmholtz Zentrum München
- German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Gmunder Str. 37, 81379 München, Germany
- Joint
Mass Spectrometry Centre, Institute of Chemistry, University of Rostock, Dr.-Lorenz-Weg 2, 18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Yinon Rudich
- Department
of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann
Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Urrutia-Pereira M, Rizzo LV, Chong-Neto HJ, Solé D. Impact of exposure to smoke from biomass burning in the Amazon rain forest on human health. J Bras Pneumol 2021; 47:e20210219. [PMID: 34669837 PMCID: PMC9013529 DOI: 10.36416/1806-3756/e20210219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This review study aimed to determine the relationship between exposure to smoke from biomass burning in the Amazon rain forest and its implications on human health in that region in Brazil. A nonsystematic review was carried out by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, SciELO, and EMBASE databases for articles published between 2005 and 2021, either in Portuguese or in English, using the search terms "biomass burning" OR "Amazon" OR "burned" AND "human health." The review showed that the negative health effects of exposure to smoke from biomass burning in the Amazon have been poorly studied in that region. There is an urgent need to identify effective public health interventions that can help improve the behavior of vulnerable populations exposed to smoke from biomass burning, reducing morbidity and mortality related to that exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn Urrutia-Pereira
- . Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana (RS) Brasil
- . Departamento Científico de Toxicologia e Saúde Ambiental, Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria, São Paulo (SP) Brasil
- . Departamento Científico de Polución, Sociedad Latinoamericana de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Luciana Varanda Rizzo
- . Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema (SP) Brasil
| | - Herberto José Chong-Neto
- . Departamento de Pediatria, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba (PR) Brasil
- . Diretoria de Educação à Distância, Associação Brasileira de Alergia e Imunologia, São Paulo (SP) Brasil
- . Departamento Científico de Alergia, Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria, São Paulo (SP) Brasil
- . Departamento Científico de Conjunctivitis, Sociedad Latinoamericana de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Dirceu Solé
- . Departamento Científico de Polución, Sociedad Latinoamericana de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología, Asunción, Paraguay
- . Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo (SP) Brasil
- . Departamentos Científicos, Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria, São Paulo (SP) Brasil
- . Diretoria de Pesquisas. Associação Brasileira de Alergia e Imunologia, São Paulo (SP) Brasil
| |
Collapse
|