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Rowan C, R D’Souza R, Zheng X, Crooks J, Hohsfield K, Tong D, Chang HH, Ebelt S. Dust storms and cardiorespiratory emergency department visits in three Southwestern United States: application of a monitoring-based exposure metric. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, HEALTH : ERH 2024; 2:031003. [PMID: 39015250 PMCID: PMC11247357 DOI: 10.1088/2752-5309/ad5751] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is projected to increase the risk of dust storms, particularly in subtropical dryland, including the southwestern US. Research on dust storm's health impacts in the US is limited and hindered by challenges in dust storm identification. This study assesses the potential link between dust storms and cardiorespiratory emergency department (ED) visits in the southwestern US. We acquired data for 2005-2016 from eight IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of PROtected Visual Environments) sites in Arizona, California, and Utah. We applied a validated algorithm to identify dust storm days at each site. We acquired patient-level ED visit data from state agencies and ascertained visits for respiratory, cardiovascular, and cause-specific subgroups among patients residing in ZIP codes within 50 km of an IMPROVE site. Using a case-crossover design, we estimated short-term associations of ED visits and dust storms, controlling for temporally varying covariates. During 2005-2016, 40 dust storm days occurred at the eight IMPROVE sites. Mean PM10 and PM2.5 levels were three to six times greater on dust storm days compared to non-dust storm days. Over the study period, there were 2 524 259 respiratory and 2 805 925 cardiovascular ED visits. At lags of 1, 2, and 3 days after a dust storm, we observed 3.7% (95% CI: 1.0%, 7.6%), 4.9% (95% CI: 1.1%, 8.9%), and 5.0% (95% CI: 1.3%, 8.9%) elevated odds of respiratory ED visits compared to non-dust storm days. Estimated associations of dust storm days and cardiovascular disease ED visits were largely consistent with the null. Using a monitoring-based exposure metric, we observed associations among dust storms and respiratory ED visits. The results add to growing evidence of the health threat posed by dust storms. The dust storm metric was limited by lack of daily data; future research should consider information from satellite and numerical models to enhance dust storm characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Rowan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Rohan R D’Souza
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Xiaping Zheng
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - James Crooks
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Kirk Hohsfield
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Daniel Tong
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic & Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States of America
| | - Howard H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Stefanie Ebelt
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
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Achilleos S, Henderson C, Kouis P, Achilleos A, Argyrou A, Caballero A, Prokopiou E, Kokkinofta R, Savvides C, Vasiliadou E, Tzortzis M, Sisou A, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK, Quattrocchi A. Airborne particle radioactivity during desert dust days in Cyprus. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2024; 278:107467. [PMID: 38852499 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2024.107467] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Mediterranean countries are often affected by desert dust storms, which have significant effects on the environment and public health. We compared airborne particle radioactivity levels during desert dust and non-dust days in Cyprus. Gross α- and β-radioactivity from Total Suspended Particle (TSP) samples, collected at two urban routine monitoring stations in Limassol and Nicosia, were available for the period 2017-2020 and 2008-2020, respectively. Radionuclides 137Cs and 40K, from TSP samples, were also available from a semi-industrial monitoring station in Nicosia during 2008-2020. Information on desert dust presence, dust origin, particulate matter (PM) levels, and solar activity (KP index and solar sunspot numbers - SSN) were also obtained. We used linear regression models adjusting for seasonality and long-term trends, and solar activity to assess the effect of dust storms on TSP gross α- and β-, and 137Cs and 40K radioactivity levels. Gross α- and β-radioactivity, and 137Cs and 40K radioactivity levels were significantly higher on days with desert dust compared to days characterized with no influence of desert dust. Levels of gross α- and β-radioactivity during dust days were higher when dust originated from the Middle East deserts than from the Sahara Desert. The same trend was observed for the ratios 137Cs to 40K and 137Cs to PM10. Conversely, ratios of TSP gross α- and β-radioactivity to PM10 were significantly lower during desert dust days in comparison to days without dust influence. This study suggests that desert dust increase both TSP gross α- and β-radioactivity, as well as 137Cs and 40K radioactivity levels. Further studies should clarify the contribution of anthropogenic and other natural sources to the emission or transportation of particles radioactivity, to better mitigate future exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souzana Achilleos
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, 2414, Engomi, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Connor Henderson
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Panayiotis Kouis
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, 215/6 Nicosia - Limassol Old Road, 2115, Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Antigoni Achilleos
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Argyris Argyrou
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Anastasia Caballero
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Eleni Prokopiou
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Rebecca Kokkinofta
- Radioactivity Lab of Food and Environmental Samples, State General Laboratory, Ministry of Health, 44 Kimonos Street, Acropolis, 1451, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Chrysanthos Savvides
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Emily Vasiliadou
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Michael Tzortzis
- Radiation Inspection and Control Service, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Anastasia Sisou
- Radiation Inspection and Control Service, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, P.O. Box 24855, 1304, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Panayiotis K Yiallouros
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, 215/6 Nicosia - Limassol Old Road, 2115, Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Annalisa Quattrocchi
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, 2414, Engomi, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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de Souza Fernandes Duarte E, Salgueiro V, Costa MJ, Lucio PS, Potes M, Bortoli D, Salgado R. Fire-Pollutant-Atmosphere Components and Its Impact on Mortality in Portugal During Wildfire Seasons. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2023GH000802. [PMID: 37811341 PMCID: PMC10558046 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000802] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
This study analyzed fire-pollutant-meteorological variables and their impact on cardio-respiratory mortality in Portugal during wildfire season. Data of burned area, particulate matter with a diameter of 10 or 2.5 μm (μm) or less (PM10, PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, aerosol optical depth and mortality rates of Circulatory System Disease (CSD), Respiratory System Disease (RSD), Pneumonia (PNEU), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Asthma (ASMA), were used. Only the months of 2011-2020 wildfire season (June-July-August-September-October) with a burned area greater than 1,000 ha were considered. Principal component analysis was used on fire-pollutant-meteorological variables to create two indices called Pollutant-Burning Interaction (PBI) and Atmospheric-Pollutant Interaction (API). PBI was strongly correlated with the air pollutants and burned area while API was strongly correlated with temperature and relative humidity, and O3. Cluster analysis applied to PBI-API divided the data into two Clusters. Cluster 1 included colder and wetter months and higher NO2 concentration. Cluster 2 included warmer and dried months, and higher PM10, PM2.5, CO, and O3 concentrations. The clusters were subjected to Principal Component Linear Regression to better understand the relationship between mortality and PBI-API indices. Cluster 1 showed statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) correlation (r) between RSDxPBI (r RSD = 0.58) and PNEUxPBI (r PNEU = 0.67). Cluster 2 showed statistically significant correlations between RSDxPBI (r RSD = 0.48), PNEUxPBI (r PNEU = 0.47), COPDxPBI (r COPD = 0.45), CSDxAPI (r CSD = 0.70), RSDxAPI (r CSD = 0.71), PNEUxAPI (r PNEU = 0.49), and COPDxAPI (r PNEU = 0.62). Cluster 2 analysis indicates that the warmest, driest, and most polluted months of the wildfire season were associated with cardio-respiratory mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ediclê de Souza Fernandes Duarte
- Instituto de Ciências da Terra—ICT (Pólo de Évora)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Earth Remote Sensing Laboratory (EaRSLab)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Departamento de FísicaEscola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
| | - Vanda Salgueiro
- Instituto de Ciências da Terra—ICT (Pólo de Évora)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Earth Remote Sensing Laboratory (EaRSLab)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Departamento de FísicaEscola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
| | - Maria João Costa
- Instituto de Ciências da Terra—ICT (Pólo de Évora)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Earth Remote Sensing Laboratory (EaRSLab)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Departamento de FísicaEscola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
| | - Paulo Sérgio Lucio
- Departamento de Ciências Atmosféricas e ClimáticasUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil
| | - Miguel Potes
- Instituto de Ciências da Terra—ICT (Pólo de Évora)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Earth Remote Sensing Laboratory (EaRSLab)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Departamento de FísicaEscola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
| | - Daniele Bortoli
- Instituto de Ciências da Terra—ICT (Pólo de Évora)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Earth Remote Sensing Laboratory (EaRSLab)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Departamento de FísicaEscola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
| | - Rui Salgado
- Instituto de Ciências da Terra—ICT (Pólo de Évora)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Earth Remote Sensing Laboratory (EaRSLab)Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
- Departamento de FísicaEscola de Ciências e Tecnologia (ECT)Universidade de ÉvoraÉvoraPortugal
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Alahmad B, Khraishah H, Althalji K, Borchert W, Al-Mulla F, Koutrakis P. Connections Between Air Pollution, Climate Change, and Cardiovascular Health. Can J Cardiol 2023; 39:1182-1190. [PMID: 37030516 PMCID: PMC11097327 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2023.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally, more people die from cardiovascular disease than any other cause. Climate change, through amplified environmental exposures, will promote and contribute to many noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Air pollution, too, is responsible for millions of deaths from cardiovascular disease each year. Although they may appear to be independent, interchangeable relationships and bidirectional cause-and-effect arrows between climate change and air pollution can eventually lead to poor cardiovascular health. In this topical review, we show that climate change and air pollution worsen each other, leading to several ecosystem-mediated effects. We highlight how increases in hot climates as a result of climate change have increased the risk of major air pollution events such as severe wildfires and dust storms. In addition, we show how altered atmospheric chemistry and changing patterns of weather conditions can promote the formation and accumulation of air pollutants: a phenomenon known as the climate penalty. We demonstrate these amplified environmental exposures and their associations to adverse cardiovascular health outcomes. The community of health professionals-and cardiologists, in particular-cannot afford to overlook the risks that climate change and air pollution bring to the public's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barrak Alahmad
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Department, College of Public Health, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait; Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI), Kuwait City, Kuwait.
| | - Haitham Khraishah
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Khalid Althalji
- Jaber Alahmad Hospital, Ministry of Health, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - William Borchert
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Fahd Al-Mulla
- Dasman Diabetes Institute (DDI), Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Le Quilliec E, Fundere A, Al-U’datt DGF, Hiram R. Pollutants, including Organophosphorus and Organochloride Pesticides, May Increase the Risk of Cardiac Remodeling and Atrial Fibrillation: A Narrative Review. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2427. [PMID: 37760868 PMCID: PMC10525278 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of cardiac rhythm disorder. Recent clinical and experimental studies reveal that environmental pollutants, including organophosphorus-organochloride pesticides and air pollution, may contribute to the development of cardiac arrhythmias including AF. Here, we discussed the unifying cascade of events that may explain the role of pollutant exposure in the development of AF. Following ingestion and inhalation of pollution-promoting toxic compounds, damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) stimuli activate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress that may negatively affect the respiratory, cognitive, digestive, and cardiac systems. Although the detailed mechanisms underlying the association between pollutant exposure and the incidence of AF are not completely elucidated, some clinical reports and fundamental research data support the idea that pollutant poisoning can provoke perturbed ion channel function, myocardial electrical abnormalities, decreased action potential duration, slowed conduction, contractile dysfunction, cardiac fibrosis, and arrhythmias including AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewen Le Quilliec
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada;
- Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC H1T 1C8, Canada;
| | - Alexia Fundere
- Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC H1T 1C8, Canada;
| | - Doa’a G. F. Al-U’datt
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan;
| | - Roddy Hiram
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada;
- Research Center, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC H1T 1C8, Canada;
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Cao X, You X, Wang D, Qiu W, Guo Y, Zhou M, Chen W, Zhang X. Short-term effects of ambient ozone exposure on daily hospitalizations for circulatory diseases in Ganzhou, China: A time-series study. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 327:138513. [PMID: 36990357 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Adverse health effects of ambient ozone are getting widespread attention, but the evidence on the relationship between ozone levels and circulatory system diseases are limited and inconsistent. Daily data for ambient ozone levels and hospitalizations for total circulatory diseases and five subtypes in Ganzhou, China from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020 were collected. We constructed a generalized additive model with quasi-Poisson regression accounting for lag effects to estimate the associations between ambient ozone levels and the number of hospitalized cases of total circulatory diseases and five subtypes. The differences among gender, age, and season subgroups were furtherly assessed through stratified analysis. A total of 201,799 hospitalized cases of total circulatory diseases were included in the present study, including 94,844 hypertension (HBP), 28,597 coronary heart disease (CHD), 42,120 cerebrovascular disease (CEVD), 21,636 heart failure (HF), and 14,602 arrhythmia. Significantly positive associations were observed between ambient ozone levels and daily hospitalizations for total circulatory diseases and all subtypes except arrhythmia. Each 10 μg/m3 increase in ozone concentration, the risk of hospitalizations for total circulatory diseases, HBP, CHD, CEVD, and HF increased by 0.718% (95% confidence interval, 0.156%-1.284%), 0.956% (0.346%-1.570%), 0.499% (0.057%-0.943%), 0.386% (0.025%-0.748%), and 0.907% (0.118%-1.702%), respectively. The above associations remained significant after adjusting for other air pollutants. The risk of hospitalization for circulatory diseases was higher in warm season (May to October) and varied in gender and age subgroups. This study suggested that short-term exposure to ambient ozone may increase the risk of hospitalizations for circulatory diseases. Our findings reinforce the importance of reducing ambient ozone pollution levels for protecting public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyu Cao
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Xiaojie You
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Dongming Wang
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Weihong Qiu
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - You Guo
- First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China; School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Weihong Chen
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
| | - Xiaokang Zhang
- First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China; School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
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Anagnostopoulou P, Kouis P, Papatheodorou SI, Middleton N, Papasavvas I, Avraamides P, Simantirakis E, Anastasiou I, Novack V, Stamatelatos G, Revvas E, Kaniklides C, Tymvios F, Savvides C, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. MEDEA randomised intervention study protocol in Cyprus, Greece and Israel for mitigation of desert dust health effects in adults with atrial fibrillation. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e069809. [PMID: 36963790 PMCID: PMC10040014 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mediterranean countries experience frequent desert dust storm (DDS) events originating from neighbouring Sahara and Arabian deserts, which are associated with significant increase in mortality and hospital admissions, mostly from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Short-term exposure to ambient air pollution is considered as a trigger for symptomatic exacerbations of pre-existing paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and other types of heart arrhythmia. The Mitigating the Health Effects of Desert Dust Storms Using Exposure-Reduction Approaches clinical randomised intervention study in adults with AF is funded by EU LIFE+programme to evaluate the efficacy of recommendations aiming to reduce exposure to desert dust and related heart arrhythmia effects. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The study is performed in three heavily exposed to desert dust regions of the Eastern Mediterranean: Cyprus, Israel and Crete-Greece. Adults with paroxysmal AF and implanted pacemaker are recruited and randomised to three parallel groups: (a) no intervention, (b) interventions to reduce outdoor exposure to desert dust, (c) interventions to reduce both outdoor and indoor exposure to particulate matter during desert dust episodes. Eligible participants are enrolled on a web-based platform which communicates, alerts and makes exposure reduction recommendations during DDS events. Exposure changes are assessed by novel tools (smartwatches with Global Positioning System and physical activity sensors, air pollution samplers assessing air quality inside and outside participant's homes, etc). Clinical outcomes include the AF burden expressed as the percentage of time with paroxysmal AF over the total study period, the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia episodes as recorded by the participants' pacemakers or cardioverters/defibrillators and the disease-specific Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life questionnaire. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Local bioethics' authorities approved the study at all sites, according to national legislations (Cyprus: National Bioethics Committee, Data Protection Commissioner and Ministry of Health; Greece, Scientific Committee and Governing Board of the University General Hospital of Heraklion; Israel: Institutional Review Board ('Helsinki committee') of the Soroka University Medical Center). The findings will be publicised in peer-reviewed scientific journals, in international conferences and in professional websites and newsletters. A summary of the results and participants' interviews will be included in a documentary in English, Greek and Hebrew. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier; NCT03503812.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nicos Middleton
- Department of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Ilias Papasavvas
- Department of Cardiology, Nicosia General Hospital, Leukosia, Cyprus
| | | | - Emmanuel Simantirakis
- Cardiology Department, Heraklion, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ioannis Anastasiou
- Cardiology Department, Heraklion, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Victor Novack
- Soroka University Medical Center, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | | | | | - Filippos Tymvios
- Department of Meteorology, Rural Development and Environment, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Chrysanthos Savvides
- Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Achilleos S, Michanikou A, Kouis P, Papatheodorou SI, Panayiotou AG, Kinni P, Mihalopoulos N, Kalivitis N, Kouvarakis G, Galanakis E, Michailidi E, Tymvios F, Chrysanthou A, Neophytou M, Mouzourides P, Savvides C, Vasiliadou E, Papasavvas I, Christophides T, Nicolaou R, Avraamides P, Kang CM, Middleton N, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. Improved indoor air quality during desert dust storms: The impact of the MEDEA exposure-reduction strategies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:160973. [PMID: 36539092 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Desert dust storms (DDS) are natural events that impact not only populations close to the emission sources but also populations many kilometers away. Countries located across the main dust sources, including countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, are highly affected by DDS. In addition, climate change is expanding arid areas exacerbating DDS events. Currently, there are no intervention measures with proven, quantified exposure reduction to desert dust particles. As part of the wider "MEDEA" project, co-funded by LIFE 2016 Programme, we examined the effectiveness of an indoor exposure-reduction intervention (i.e., decrease home ventilation during DDS events and continuous use of air purifier during DDS and non-DDS days) across homes and/or classrooms of schoolchildren with asthma and adults with atrial fibrillation in Cyprus and Crete-Greece. Participants were randomized to a control or intervention groups, including an indoor intervention group with exposure reduction measures and the use of air purifiers. Particle sampling, PM10 and PM2.5, was conducted in participants' homes and/or classrooms, between 2019 and 2022, during DDS-free weeks and during DDS days for as long as the event lasted. In indoor and outdoor PM10 and PM2.5 samples, mass and content in main and trace elements was determined. Indoor PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations, adjusting for premise type and dust conditions, were significantly lower in the indoor intervention group compared to the control group (PM2.5-intervention/PM2.5-control = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.70; PM10-intervention/PM10-control = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.71). In addition, the PM2.5 and PM10 particles of outdoor origin were significantly lower in the intervention vs. the control group (PM2.5 infiltration intervention-to-control ratio: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.58; PM10 infiltration intervention-to-control ratio: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.89). Our findings suggest that the use of air purifiers alongside decreased ventilation measures is an effective protective measure that reduces significantly indoor exposure to particles during DDS and non-DDS in high-risk population groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souzana Achilleos
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus; Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
| | - Antonis Michanikou
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Panayiotis Kouis
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Stefania I Papatheodorou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrie G Panayiotou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Paraskevi Kinni
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus; Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus; Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Nikos Mihalopoulos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikos Kalivitis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Emmanouil Galanakis
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Eleni Michailidi
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | | | - Marina Neophytou
- Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Petros Mouzourides
- Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Chrysanthos Savvides
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Emily Vasiliadou
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Ilias Papasavvas
- Department of Cardiology, Nicosia General Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | - Rozalia Nicolaou
- Department of Cardiology, Nicosia General Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | - Choong-Min Kang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicos Middleton
- Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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9
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Kouis P, Michanikou A, Galanakis E, Michaelidou E, Dimitriou H, Perez J, Kinni P, Achilleos S, Revvas E, Stamatelatos G, Zacharatos H, Savvides C, Vasiliadou E, Kalivitis N, Chrysanthou A, Tymvios F, Papatheodorou SI, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. Responses of schoolchildren with asthma to recommendations to reduce desert dust exposure: Results from the LIFE-MEDEA intervention project using wearable technology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160518. [PMID: 36573449 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Current public health recommendations for desert dust storms (DDS) events focus on vulnerable population groups, such as children with asthma, and include advice to stay indoors and limit outdoor physical activity. To date, no scientific evidence exists on the efficacy of these recommendations in reducing DDS exposure. We aimed to objectively assess the behavioral responses of children with asthma to recommendations for reduction of DDS exposure. In two heavily affected by DDS Mediterranean regions (Cyprus & Crete, Greece), schoolchildren with asthma (6-11 years) were recruited from primary schools and were randomized to control (business as usual scenario) and intervention groups. All children were equipped with pedometer and GPS sensors embedded in smartwatches for objective real-time data collection from inside and outside their classroom and household settings. Interventions included the timely communication of personal DDS alerts accompanied by exposure reduction recommendations to both the parents and school-teachers of children in the intervention group. A mixed effect model was used to assess changes in daily levels of time spent, and steps performed outside classrooms and households, between non-DDS and DDS days across the study groups. The change in the time spent outside classrooms and homes, between non-DDS and DDS days, was 37.2 min (pvalue = 0.098) in the control group and -62.4 min (pvalue < 0.001) in the intervention group. The difference in the effects between the two groups was statistically significant (interaction pvalue < 0.001). The change in daily steps performed outside classrooms and homes, was -495.1 steps (pvalue = 0.350) in the control group and -1039.5 (pvalue = 0.003) in the intervention group (interaction pvalue = 0.575). The effects on both the time and steps performed outside were more profound during after-school hours. To summarize, among children with asthma, we demonstrated that timely personal DDS alerts and detailed recommendations lead to significant behavioral changes in contrast to the usual public health recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis Kouis
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Antonis Michanikou
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | | | - Helen Dimitriou
- Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Julietta Perez
- Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Kinni
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Souzana Achilleos
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus; Cyprus International Institute for Environmental & Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | | | | | | | - Chrysanthos Savvides
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Emily Vasiliadou
- Air Quality and Strategic Planning Section, Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Nikos Kalivitis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | | | - Stefania I Papatheodorou
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA
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10
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Arregocés HA, Rojano R, Restrepo G. Health risk assessment for particulate matter: application of AirQ+ model in the northern Caribbean region of Colombia. AIR QUALITY, ATMOSPHERE, & HEALTH 2023; 16:897-912. [PMID: 36819789 PMCID: PMC9930048 DOI: 10.1007/s11869-023-01304-5] [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: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution is considered the world's most important environmental and public health risk. The annual exposure for particulate matter (PM) in the northern Caribbean region of Colombia between 2011 and 2019 was determined using PM records from 25 monitoring stations located within the area. The impact of exposure to particulate matter was assessed through the updated Global Burden of Disease health risk functions using the AirQ+ model for mortality attributable to acute lower respiratory disease (in children ≤ 4 years); mortality in adults aged > 18 years old attributable to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke; and all-cause post-neonatal infant mortality. The proportions of the prevalence of bronchitis in children and the incidence of chronic bronchitis in adults attributable to PM exposure were also estimated for the population at risk. Weather Research and Forecasting-California PUFF (WRF-CALPUFF) modeling systems were used to estimate the spatiotemporal trends and calculate mortality relative risk due to prolonged PM2.5 exposure. Proportions of mortality attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5 were estimated to be around 11.6% of ALRI deaths in children ≤ 4 years of age, 16.1% for COPD, and 26.6% for IHD in adults. For LC and stroke, annual proportions attributable to PM exposure were estimated to be 9.1% and 18.9%, respectively. An estimated 738 deaths per year are directly attributed to particulate matter pollution. The highest number of deaths per year is recorded in the adult population over 18 years old with a mean of 401 events. The mean risk in terms of the prevalence of bronchitis attributable to air pollution in children was determined to be 109 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. The maximum RR values for mortality (up 1.95%) from long-term PM2.5 exposure were predicted to correspond to regions downwind to the industrial zone. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11869-023-01304-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli A. Arregocés
- Grupo de Investigación GISA, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de La Guajira, Riohacha, Colombia
- Grupo Procesos Fisicoquímicos Aplicados, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia SIU/UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52–21, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Roberto Rojano
- Grupo de Investigación GISA, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de La Guajira, Riohacha, Colombia
| | - Gloria Restrepo
- Grupo Procesos Fisicoquímicos Aplicados, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia SIU/UdeA, Calle 70 No. 52–21, Medellín, Colombia
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11
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Karimi SM, Mostafavi-Dehzooei M, Asadi G, Jacobs C, Majbouri M. Early-life exposure to Saharan dust storms and adolescence functional disability: Evidence from Cameroon. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160007. [PMID: 36368388 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160007] [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: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The direct link between early-life dust storm exposure and later-in-life outcomes is not fully understood. This study examines the association of functional disability in a large sample of adolescent Cameroonians (N = 112,855) with in-utero and early childhood exposure to Saharan dust storms. Adjusting all estimations for temperature, precipitation, time and location fixed-effects, and person and family sociodemographic characteristics, we documented adverse effects on functional disability in female adolescents due to exposure to dense dust storms during the third gestation trimester and the second postnatal trimester. We also found suggestive evidence that an effect exists for the first as well as the third through fifth postnatal trimesters. In the third trimester of gestation and the second postnatal trimester, exposure to an average length dust storm with PM10 levels beyond 190 μg/m3 increased the likelihood of disability among female adolescents by approximately 229 (95 % CI: 10-464) in 100,000. The size of the adverse effects for the other periods followed similar patterns. These results show the value of creating infrastructures to mitigate or adapt to the effects of dust storms. These endeavors should focus on communities and populations in and around the Sahara where international organizations can play a role. In addition, establishing health data infrastructures not only improves public health but also advances our understanding of the long-term effects of dust storms. This study demonstrates the importance of research on the long-term effects of early-life exposure to dust storms and the need for additional work on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed M Karimi
- Department of Health Management and System Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
| | | | | | - Claire Jacobs
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mahdi Majbouri
- Department of Economics, Babson College, Wellesley, MA, USA.
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12
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Neira M, Erguler K, Ahmady-Birgani H, Al-Hmoud ND, Fears R, Gogos C, Hobbhahn N, Koliou M, Kostrikis LG, Lelieveld J, Majeed A, Paz S, Rudich Y, Saad-Hussein A, Shaheen M, Tobias A, Christophides G. Climate change and human health in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East: Literature review, research priorities and policy suggestions. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114537. [PMID: 36273599 PMCID: PMC9729515 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Human health is linked to climatic factors in complex ways, and climate change can have profound direct and indirect impacts on the health status of any given region. Susceptibility to climate change is modulated by biological, ecological and socio-political factors such as age, gender, geographic location, socio-economic status, occupation, health status and housing conditions, among other. In the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME), climatic factors known to affect human health include extreme heat, water shortages and air pollution. Furthermore, the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) and the health consequences of population displacement are also influenced by climate change in this region. To inform future policies for adaptation and mitigation measures, and based on an extensive review of the available knowledge, we recommend several research priorities for the region. These include the generation of more empirical evidence on exposure-response functions involving climate change and specific health outcomes, the development of appropriate methodologies to evaluate the physical and psychological effects of climate change on vulnerable populations, determining how climate change alters the ecological determinants of human health, improving our understanding of the effects of long-term exposure to heat stress and air pollution, and evaluating the interactions between adaptation and mitigation strategies. Because national boundaries do not limit most climate-related factors expected to impact human health, we propose that adaptation/mitigation policies must have a regional scope, and therefore require collaborative efforts among EMME nations. Policy suggestions include a decisive region-wide decarbonisation, the integration of environmentally driven morbidity and mortality data throughout the region, advancing the development and widespread use of affordable technologies for the production and management of drinking water by non-traditional means, the development of comprehensive strategies to improve the health status of displaced populations, and fostering regional networks for monitoring and controlling the spread of infectious diseases and disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Neira
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Kamil Erguler
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | | | - Robin Fears
- European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC), Halle (Saale), Germany
| | | | - Nina Hobbhahn
- European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC), Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Maria Koliou
- University of Cyprus Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Leondios G Kostrikis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus; Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Jos Lelieveld
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus; Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
| | - Azeem Majeed
- Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shlomit Paz
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yinon Rudich
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The Weismann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Amal Saad-Hussein
- Environment and Climate Change Research Institute, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohammed Shaheen
- Damour for Community Development - Research Department, Palestine
| | - Aurelio Tobias
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - George Christophides
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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13
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Shabani Isenaj Z, Berisha M, Ukëhaxhaj A, Moshammer H. Particulate Air Pollution and Primary Care Visits in Kosovo: A Time-Series Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16591. [PMID: 36554471 PMCID: PMC9779424 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of particulate air pollution (PM2.5) on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in Pristina, Kosovo, in a time-series analysis using daily primary healthcare visits to primary care institutions from 2019 to 2022. For the observation period, 6440 cardiovascular and 15,141 respiratory visits were reported, whereas the daily mean concentrations of PM2.5 ranged between 2.41 and 120.3 µg/m3. Single-lag models indicated a bi-phasic lag structure with increasing effect estimates some days after the air pollution event. In the distributed lag model with seven lags, the effect estimates for the cardiovascular cases indicated the adverse effect of air pollution. The cumulative effect estimate (summed over lag 0 to 6) for an increase of 10 µg/m3 of PM2.5 was a relative risk of 1.010 (95% confidence interval: 1.001-1.019). For respiratory cases, a different lag model (lag 4 through 10) was additionally examined. In this model, significant increases in visits were observed on lags 7 and 8. Overall, no relevant increase in visits occurred during the seven days considered. Visits to general practitioners will often not occur immediately at disease onset because patients will wait, hoping that their health status improves spontaneously. Therefore, we expected some latency in the effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zana Shabani Isenaj
- Medical Faculty, University of Hasan Prishtina, Rr. George Bush Nr. 31, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
- National Institute of Public Health, St. Mother Teresa pn, Rrethi i Spitalit, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
| | - Merita Berisha
- Medical Faculty, University of Hasan Prishtina, Rr. George Bush Nr. 31, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
- National Institute of Public Health, St. Mother Teresa pn, Rrethi i Spitalit, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
| | - Antigona Ukëhaxhaj
- National Institute of Public Health, St. Mother Teresa pn, Rrethi i Spitalit, 10000 Pristina, Kosovo
- Master Programme, Medical Faculty, University Fehmi Agani, Rr. Ismail Qemali n.n., 50000 Gjakova, Kosovo
| | - Hanns Moshammer
- Department of Environmental Health, ZPH, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Hygiene, Medical University of Karakalpakstan, Nukus 230100, Uzbekistan
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14
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Monteiro A, Basart S, Kazadzis S, Votsis A, Gkikas A, Vandenbussche S, Tobias A, Gama C, García-Pando CP, Terradellas E, Notas G, Middleton N, Kushta J, Amiridis V, Lagouvardos K, Kosmopoulos P, Kotroni V, Kanakidou M, Mihalopoulos N, Kalivitis N, Dagsson-Waldhauserová P, El-Askary H, Sievers K, Giannaros T, Mona L, Hirtl M, Skomorowski P, Virtanen TH, Christoudias T, Di Mauro B, Trippetta S, Kutuzov S, Meinander O, Nickovic S. Multi-sectoral impact assessment of an extreme African dust episode in the Eastern Mediterranean in March 2018. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:156861. [PMID: 35750162 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In late March 2018, a large part of the Eastern Mediterranean experienced an extraordinary episode of African dust, one of the most intense in recent years, here referred to as the "Minoan Red" event. The episode mainly affected the Greek island of Crete, where the highest aerosol concentrations over the past 15 yeas were recorded, although impacts were also felt well beyond this core area. Our study fills a gap in dust research by assessing the multi-sectoral impacts of sand and dust storms and their socioeconomic implications. Specifically, we provide a multi-sectoral impact assessment of Crete during the occurrence of this exceptional African dust event. During the day of the occurrence of the maximum dust concentration in Crete, i.e. March 22nd, 2018, we identified impacts on meteorological conditions, agriculture, transport, energy, society (including closing of schools and cancellation of social events), and emergency response systems. As a result, the event led to a 3-fold increase in daily emergency responses compare to previous days associated with urban emergencies and wildfires, a 3.5-fold increase in hospital visits and admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbations and dyspnoea, a reduction of visibility causing aircraft traffic disruptions (eleven cancellations and seven delays), and a reduction of solar energy production. We estimate the cost of direct and indirect effects of the dust episode, considering the most affected socio-economic sectors (e.g. civil protection, aviation, health and solar energy production), to be between 3.4 and 3.8 million EUR for Crete. Since such desert dust transport episodes are natural, meteorology-driven and thus to a large extent unavoidable, we argue that the efficiency of actions to mitigate dust impacts depends on the accuracy of operational dust forecasting and the implementation of relevant early warning systems for social awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Monteiro
- CESAM & Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Sara Basart
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stelios Kazadzis
- Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos, World Radiation Center, Switzerland
| | - Athanasios Votsis
- Dept. of Governance and Technology for Sustainability, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands; Climate Change and Society, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Antonis Gkikas
- IAASARS, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Aurelio Tobias
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain; School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Carla Gama
- CESAM & Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Carlos Pérez García-Pando
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - George Notas
- School of Medicine and University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nick Middleton
- St Anne's College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6HS, United Kingdom
| | - Jonilda Kushta
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia 2121, Cyprus
| | | | - Kostas Lagouvardos
- Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens (IERSD/NOA), Greece
| | - Panagiotis Kosmopoulos
- Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens (IERSD/NOA), Greece
| | - Vasiliki Kotroni
- Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens (IERSD/NOA), Greece
| | - Maria Kanakidou
- Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Chemistry Department, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nikos Mihalopoulos
- Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens (IERSD/NOA), Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Chemistry Department, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nikos Kalivitis
- IAASARS, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece; Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, Chemistry Department, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Pavla Dagsson-Waldhauserová
- Agricultural University of Iceland, Keldnaholt, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland; Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague 165 21, Czech Republic
| | - Hesham El-Askary
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, 92866, USA; Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21522, Egypt
| | - Klaus Sievers
- ZAMG - Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien, Austria
| | - T Giannaros
- Institute of Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens (IERSD/NOA), Greece
| | - Lucia Mona
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Metodologie per l'Analisi Ambientale (CNR-IMAA), Tito Scalo (PZ), Italy
| | - Marcus Hirtl
- ZAMG - Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien, Austria
| | - Paul Skomorowski
- ZAMG - Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Wien, Austria
| | - Timo H Virtanen
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Climate Research, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Theodoros Christoudias
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia 2121, Cyprus
| | - Biagio Di Mauro
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy, Milano, Italy
| | - Serena Trippetta
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Metodologie per l'Analisi Ambientale (CNR-IMAA), Tito Scalo (PZ), Italy
| | - Stanislav Kutuzov
- Dept. of Glaciology, Institute of Geography Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia; Faculty of Geography and Geoinformation Technologies, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russia
| | - Outi Meinander
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Climate Research, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
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15
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Tohidi R, Farahani VJ, Sioutas C. Real-time measurements of mineral dust concentration in coarse particulate matter (PM 10-2.5) by employing a novel optical-based technique in Los Angeles. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156215. [PMID: 35623535 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156215] [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] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As a primary component of coarse particulate matter (PM), ambient mineral dust has been linked to adverse health effects. Los Angeles, the largest metropolitan urban area of the United States, is impacted by both windblown and localized sources of mineral dust, often internally mixed with black carbon. The estimation of mineral dust concentrations with a high time resolution becomes critical in improving our understanding of its sources and temporal trends. Using Aethalometers combined with a high-volume virtual impactor (VI) to enrich coarse (2.5 <dp < 10 μm) particles, the light absorption and mass concentration of mineral dust were estimated in real-time during summer, fall, and winter over 2020-2021. The concentration-enriched coarse PM was collected on Teflon filters, and its chemical composition in terms of trace elements and metals was chemically quantified. The high time-resolution measurements enabled us to calculate the absorption coefficient of enriched dust particles by subtracting the light absorption of the post-VI coarse PM from that of the PM2.5 aerosol fraction to reduce the impact of stronger light absorbers in ambient PM. Mineral dust was more prevalent during the fall and winter campaigns (i.e., 19.3 and 11.4 μg/m3, respectively), lower concentrations were observed during the summer campaign (i.e., 8.50 μg/m3). The calculated absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) was 2.18, highlighting the presence of dust particles during the sampling period. The dust mass absorption coefficient was estimated to be 2.7 ± 1.6 Mm-1 at 370 nm and 0.41 ± 0.16 Mm-1 at 880 nm wavelengths, respectively. The validation of the proposed approach was investigated by comparing the evaluated mineral dust mass concentrations in this study with the reported coarse PM concentrations by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The results reported by the optical-based approach with high temporal resolution can provide crucial information on identifying sources of mineral dust in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Tohidi
- University of Southern California, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vahid Jalali Farahani
- University of Southern California, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Constantinos Sioutas
- University of Southern California, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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16
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Demetriou E, Hadjistassou C. Lowering mortality risks in urban areas by containing atmospheric pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 211:113096. [PMID: 35276194 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113096] [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] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although studies collectively examining the traffic and residential heat pollutant emissions are abundant, research investigations dedicated to Cyprus are scarce. This investigation has simulated the levels of air pollutants, namely, CO, NOx, PM2.5, and PM10 and reconciled them with actual air quality measurements in Nicosia, Cyprus, during a 9-month period at an hourly resolution. To this end, several scenarios and cases were formulated to tackle emissions and minimise human mortality risks in the city. METHODS The GRAL dispersion model was used to project pollution levels. Nine different traffic scenarios were devised to estimate variations in concentration of PM2.5 and NOx under various policies, such as banning diesel passenger vehicles (PV), light duty vehicles (LDV), non-Euro 6 standards vehicles, stringent speed limits and a ubiquitous roll-out of electric passenger vehicles. Moreover, 4 distinct cases were analysed to year 2030 considering a fluctuation in traffic of ±20% whereas all vehicles conform to Euro 6 standards. Three additional policies examined the prohibition of diesel PV and LDV, 80% electric PV and outlawing fireplaces. Drawing on the findings of these scenarios and cases, the total cardiovascular and respiratory mortality rates at the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia, were deduced. RESULTS The most promising scenario in terms of curbing emissions was to ban non-Euro 6 vehicles and diesel PV and LDV which could contain average NOx concentration, in Nicosia, from 52.9 μg/m3 to 15.0 μg/m3. If this policy were to be implemented, it could have saved 70% of the premature deaths tied to NOx emissions. For particulate matter, banning fireplaces and abandoning non-Euro 6 vehicles could lower average concentrations from 18.3 μg/m3 to 13.1 μg/m3, saving at least 30% of the people poised to lose their lives from particulate matter risks. CONCLUSION Traffic and residential heat policies are not easy to implement. However, our study has demonstrated that the most effective policies for curbing NOx emissions would be to ensure that all vehicles abide with the Euro 6 standards and, concurrently, ban diesel passenger and light duty vehicles. Lastly, phasing out domestic fireplaces appears to be the most promising solution for containing particulate matter, in 2030.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Demetriou
- University of Nicosia, Marine and Carbon Lab, Department of Engineering, 46 Makedonitissas Ave., Engomi, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - C Hadjistassou
- University of Nicosia, Marine and Carbon Lab, Department of Engineering, 46 Makedonitissas Ave., Engomi, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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Vergadi E, Rouva G, Angeli M, Galanakis E. Infectious Diseases Associated with Desert Dust Outbreaks: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116907. [PMID: 35682493 PMCID: PMC9180817 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Background: Desert dust outbreaks and dust storms are the major source of particulate matter globally and pose a major threat to human health. We investigated the microorganisms transported with desert dust particles and evaluated their potential impact on human health. Methods: A systematic review of all reports on the association between non-anthropogenic desert dust pollution, dust microorganisms and human health is conducted. Results: In total, 51 articles were included in this review. The affected regions studied were Asia (32/51, 62.7%) followed by Europe (9/51, 17.6%), America (6/51, 11.8%), Africa (4/51, 7.8%) and Australia (1/51, 2.0%). The Sahara Desert was the most frequent source of dust, followed by Asian and American deserts. In 39/51 studies the dust-related microbiome was analyzed, while, in 12/51 reports, the association of desert dust with infectious disease outbreaks was examined. Pathogenic and opportunistic agents were isolated from dust in 24/39 (61.5%) and 29/39 (74.4%) of the studies, respectively. A significant association of dust events with infectious disease outbreaks was found in 10/12 (83.3%) reports. The infectious diseases that were mostly investigated with dust outbreaks were pneumonia, respiratory tract infections, COVID-19, pulmonary tuberculosis and coccidioidomycosis. Conclusions: Desert dust outbreaks are vehicles of a significant number of pathogenic or opportunistic microorganisms and limited data indicate an association between dust events and infectious disease outbreaks. Further research is required to strengthen the correlation between dust events and infectious diseases and subsequently guide preventive public health measures.
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Thermal Conditions and Hospital Admissions: Analysis of Longitudinal Data from Cyprus (2009-2018). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182413361. [PMID: 34948967 PMCID: PMC8702178 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The state of the thermal environment can affect human health and well-being. Heat stress is associated with a wide range of health outcomes increasing morbidity and mortality and is recognized as an important health risk posed by climate change. This study aims at examining the effect of thermal conditions on the daily number of hospital admissions in Cyprus. Data from eight public hospitals located in five districts of Cyprus were analyzed from 2009 to 2018. Meteorological hourly gridded data were extracted by the ERA-5 Land reanalysis database with a spatial horizontal resolution of 0.1° × 0.1°. The Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) were calculated as measures of the integrated effect of meteorological variables. Negative binomial regression was fitted to examine associations between the daily number of hospital admissions and meteorological variables, PET, and UTCI. The results showed that the mean daily temperature (Tair) was positively associated with hospital admissions from any cause. Hospital admissions increased by 0.6% (p < 0.001) for each 1 °C increase of Tair and by 0.4% (p < 0.001) for each 1 °C increase of PET and UTCI. Ozone and nitrogen oxides act as confounding factors. An effect of particulate matter (less than 10 μm in diameter) was observed when the analysis focused on April to August. Thresholds above which hospital admissions are likely to increase include daily mean Tair = 26.1 °C, PET = 29 °C, and UTCI = 26 °C. Studies on heat-related health effects are necessary to monitor health patterns, raise awareness, and design adaptation and mitigation measures.
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Evaluation of Nine Operational Models in Forecasting Different Types of Synoptic Dust Events in the Middle East. GEOSCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences11110458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates four types of synoptic dust events in the Middle East region, including cyclonic, pre-frontal, post-frontal and Shamal dust storms. For each of these types, three intense and pervasive dust events are analyzed from a synoptic meteorological and numerical simulation perspective. The performance of 9 operational dust models in forecasting these dust events in the Middle East is qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated against Terra-MODIS observations and AERONET measurements during the dust events. The comparison of model AOD outputs with Terra-MODIS retrievals reveals that despite the significant discrepancies, all models have a relatively acceptable performance in forecasting the AOD patterns in the Middle East. The models enable to represent the high AODs along the dust plumes, although they underestimate them, especially for cyclonic dust storms. In general, the outputs of the NASA-GEOS and DREAM8-MACC models present greater similarity with the satellite and AERONET observations in most of the cases, also exhibiting the highest correlation coefficient, although it is difficult to introduce a single model as the best for all cases. Model AOD predictions over the AERONET stations showed that DREAM8-MACC exhibited the highest R2 of 0.78, followed by NASA_GEOS model (R2 = 0.74), which both initially use MODIS data assimilation. Although the outputs of all models correspond to valid time more than 24 h after the initial time, the effect of data assimilation on increasing the accuracy is important. The different dust emission schemes, soil and vegetation mapping, initial and boundary meteorological conditions and spatial resolution between the models, are the main factors influencing the differences in forecasting the dust AODs in the Middle East.
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Saers J, Andersson L, Janson C, Sundh J. Respiratory symptoms, lung function, and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide before and after assignment in a desert environment-a cohort study. Respir Med 2021; 189:106643. [PMID: 34653874 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2021.106643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inhalation of small particulate matter (PM 2.5) may be associated with development of respiratory disease. Increased respiratory symptoms have been reported among military staff after service in countries with recurrent desert storms. OBJECTIVE The aim was to investigate whether an assignment in a desert environment and exposure to desert storms are associated with negative effects on respiratory health. METHODS In two cohorts of Swedish soldiers serving in Mali as part of the United Nations stabilization forces, examination with spirometry, determination of fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and a questionnaire including participant characteristics, symptoms, and exposure was performed before and after service. Ambient air sampling was conducted on-site. Paired t-test was used to compare pre- and post-variables on lung function data, FeNO and symptom level. RESULTS Most indoor and outdoor air measurements of dust and silica were within the Swedish occupational exposure limit for PM2.5 and silica (<0.10-2.7 mg/m3 and <0.002-0.40 mg/m3, respectively) as well as for respirable dust and silica (0.056-0.078 mg/m3and 0.0033-0.025 mg/m3, respectively). In the subgroup of participants with reported exposure to desert storms during the stay in Mali, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was significantly lower after exposure than before the mission (mean litres (SD) 4.21 ± 0.66 vs 4.33 ± 0.72, p = 0.021). CONCLUSION Exposure to a desert storm was associated with a decrease in FEV1. Exposure to small particulate matter may contribute to the development of respiratory disease and thus spirometry should be performed after occupational exposure to desert storms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Saers
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Lena Andersson
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Christer Janson
- Department of Medical Sciences, Respiratory, Allergy & Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Josefin Sundh
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
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21
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Silva T, Fragoso M, Almendra R, Vasconcelos J, Lopes A, Faleh A. North African dust intrusions and increased risk of respiratory diseases in Southern Portugal. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:1767-1780. [PMID: 33890123 PMCID: PMC8437926 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02132-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The study of dust intrusions in Portugal is still a subject on which little investigation has been made, especially in terms of their effects. Thus, this work aims to achieve two goals: firstly, to characterize the dust intrusions in the study area; and secondly, to evaluate the possible statistical association between the dust intrusion days and hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases. Dust intrusions in Portugal are prevalent during the summer season. During this season, the dust plumes tend to cover broader areas than in the other seasons and they have origin in the North African countries. In the study area for the period between 2005 and 2015, the relative risk of urgent hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases was 12.6% higher during dust intrusion days. In order to obtain this statistical association, a Distributed Lag Nonlinear Model was developed. With this work, we expect to help the development of further studies regarding North African dust intrusions in Portugal, more precisely their effects on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Silva
- University of Lisbon, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT), Centre of Geographical Studies (CEG), Lisbon, Portugal.
- Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) , Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - M Fragoso
- University of Lisbon, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT), Centre of Geographical Studies (CEG), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - R Almendra
- Department of Geography and Tourism, University of Coimbra, Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - J Vasconcelos
- University of Lisbon, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT), Centre of Geographical Studies (CEG), Lisbon, Portugal
- Polytechnic of Leiria , Leiria, Portugal
| | - A Lopes
- University of Lisbon, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT), Centre of Geographical Studies (CEG), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - A Faleh
- Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University-Fès , Fès, Morocco
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22
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Xu D, Zhang Y, Sun Q, Wang X, Li T. Long-term PM 2.5 exposure and survival among cardiovascular disease patients in Beijing, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:47367-47374. [PMID: 33890220 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14043-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have proved that particulate air pollution was related to adverse cardiovascular effects. However, most studies focused on the acute effects of short-term fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and the general population. Evidence from long-term cohort studies based on the cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients was scarce. Our study aimed to explore the impact of long-term exposure to PM2.5 on the mortality among post-CVD patients. This is a cohort study that involved 5143 post-CVD patients in Beijing, China. We collected records of CVD patients from hospitals in Beijing, China from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012 and followed up these patients from hospital admission until December 31, 2016. The vital status of the patients was determined using the National Death Surveillance Point System (DSPs). The PM2.5 concentrations were obtained from the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group. The Cox regression models were used for data analyses. Our findings suggested that increased mortality of CVD patients with an HR of 1.43 (95% CI: 1.24, 1.63) was related to long-term exposure to PM2.5. The association was stronger for cardiovascular-related mortality, especially for mortality from myocardial infarction (MI). The HR for any CVD mortality was 1.57 (95% CI: 1.27, 1.94), HR for MI mortality was 1.82 (95% CI: 1.16, 2.83). Long-term PM2.5 exposure may significantly affect the survival of CVD patients. Compared with the general population, patients with CVD are more susceptible to PM2.5 exposure. Increased attention to the management of CVD patients is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Xu
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 3399 Binsheng Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310051, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.7 Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Qinghua Sun
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.7 Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 3399 Binsheng Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310051, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Tiantian Li
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.7 Panjiayuannanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100021, China.
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23
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AlBalawi SM, Namdeo A, Hodgson S, Pless-Mulloli T, McNally RJQ. Short-term effects of air pollution on daily asthma-related emergency department visits in an industrial city. J Public Health (Oxf) 2021; 43:e45-e53. [PMID: 32193561 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies from Europe and North America have provided evidence that exposure to air pollution can aggravate symptoms in asthmatic patients. METHODS Daily number of AEDv, air pollution levels (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and CO) and meteorological variables was obtained from Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia, for the period of 2007-11. Data were analyzed using a time-series approach. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated using Poisson regression. RESULTS The associations between AEDv and PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 remained positive and statistically significant after mutual adjustment in the multi-pollutant model.The RR of AEDv increased by 5.4, 4.4, 3.4 and 2.2% per an inter-quartile range increase in SO2 (2.0 ppb), PM2.5 (36 μg/m3), NO2 (7.6 ppb) and PM10 (140 μg/m3), respectively. No significant associations between AEDv and CO were found. CONCLUSIONS Current levels of ambient air pollution are associated with AEDv in this industrial setting in the Middle East. Greater awareness of environmental health protection and the implementation of effective measures to improve the quality of air in such settings would be beneficial to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salem M AlBalawi
- Institute for Health and Society, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE2 4AA, UK
| | - Anil Namdeo
- Environmental Engineering Group, School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Susan Hodgson
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Tanja Pless-Mulloli
- Institute for Health and Society, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE2 4AA, UK
| | - Richard J Q McNally
- Institute for Health and Society, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE2 4AA, UK
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Aghababaeian H, Ostadtaghizadeh A, Ardalan A, Asgary A, Akbary M, Yekaninejad MS, Stephens C. Global Health Impacts of Dust Storms: A Systematic Review. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2021; 15:11786302211018390. [PMID: 34103932 PMCID: PMC8150667 DOI: 10.1177/11786302211018390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dust storms and their impacts on health are becoming a major public health issue. The current study examines the health impacts of dust storms around the world to provide an overview of this issue. METHOD In this systematic review, 140 relevant and authoritative English articles on the impacts of dust storms on health (up to September 2019) were identified and extracted from 28 968 articles using valid keywords from various databases (PubMed, WOS, EMBASE, and Scopus) and multiple screening steps. Selected papers were then qualitatively examined and evaluated. Evaluation results were summarized using an Extraction Table. RESULTS The results of the study are divided into two parts: short and long-term impacts of dust storms. Short-term impacts include mortality, visitation, emergency medical dispatch, hospitalization, increased symptoms, and decreased pulmonary function. Long-term impacts include pregnancy, cognitive difficulties, and birth problems. Additionally, this study shows that dust storms have devastating impacts on health, affecting cardiovascular and respiratory health in particular. CONCLUSION The findings of this study show that dust storms have significant public health impacts. More attention should be paid to these natural hazards to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate these hazardous events to reduce their negative health impacts.Registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42018093325.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Aghababaeian
- Department of Health in Emergencies and Disasters, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Nursing and Emergency, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
| | - Abbas Ostadtaghizadeh
- Department of Health in Emergencies and Disasters, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Ardalan
- Department of Health in Emergencies and Disasters, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Asgary
- Disaster and Emergency Management, School of Administrative Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mehry Akbary
- Department of Climatology, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mir Saeed Yekaninejad
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Carolyn Stephens
- UCL Bartlett Development Planning Unit, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Short-Term Associations of Ambient Fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) with All-Cause Hospital Admissions and Total Charges in 12 Japanese Cities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18084116. [PMID: 33924698 PMCID: PMC8070111 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The short-term association between ambient particulate matter ≤2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) and hospital admissions is not fully understood. Studies of this association with hospital admission costs are also scarce, especially in entire hospitalized populations. We examined the association between ambient PM2.5 and all-cause hospital admissions, the corresponding total charges, and the total charges per patient by analyzing the hospital admission data of 2 years from 628 hospitals in 12 cities in Japan. We used generalized additive models with quasi-Poisson regression for hospital admissions and generalized additive models with log-linear regression for total charges and total charges per patient. We first estimated city-specific results and the combined results by random-effect models. A total of 2,017,750 hospital admissions were identified. A 10 µg/m3 increase in the 2 day moving average was associated with a 0.56% (95% CI: 0.14–0.99%) increase in all-cause hospital admissions and a 1.17% (95% CI: 0.44–1.90%) increase in total charges, and a 10 µg/m3 increase in the prior 2 days was associated with a 0.75% (95% CI: 0.34–1.16%) increase in total charges per patient. Short-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 was associated with increased all-cause hospital admissions, total charges, and total charges per patient.
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Shahriyari HA, Nikmanesh Y, Jalali S, Tahery N, Zhiani Fard A, Hatamzadeh N, Zarea K, Cheraghi M, Mohammadi MJ. Air pollution and human health risks: mechanisms and clinical manifestations of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. TOXIN REV 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15569543.2021.1887261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yousef Nikmanesh
- Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Saeid Jalali
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Noorollah Tahery
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Abadan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - Akram Zhiani Fard
- Instructor Medical Education, Department of Public Health, Esfarayen Faculty of Medical Sciences, Esfarayen, Iran
| | - Nasser Hatamzadeh
- Department of Health Promotion and Education, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Kourosh Zarea
- Department of Nursing, Nursing Care Research Center in Chronic Diseases, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Maria Cheraghi
- Cancer Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javad Mohammadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Environmental Technologies Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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Nirel R, Levy I, Adar SD, Vakulenko-Lagun B, Peretz A, Golovner M, Dayan U. Concentration-response relationships between hourly particulate matter and ischemic events: A case-crossover analysis of effect modification by season and air-mass origin. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 760:143407. [PMID: 33199016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Most studies linking cardiovascular disease with particulate matter (PM) exposures have focused on total mass concentrations, regardless of their origin. However, the origin of an air mass is inherently linked to particle composition and possible toxicity. We examine how the concentration-response relation between hourly PM exposure and ischemic events is modified by air-mass origin and season. Using telemedicine data, we conducted a case-crossover study of 1855 confirmed ischemic cardiac events in Israel (2005-2013). Based on measurements at three fixed-sites in Tel Aviv and Haifa, ambient PM with diameter < 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and 2.5-10 μm (PM10-2.5) concentrations during the hours before event onset were compared with matched control periods using conditional logistic regression that allowed for non-linearity. We also examined effect modification of these associations based on the geographical origin of each air mass by season. Independent of the geographical origin of the air mass, we observed concentration-response curves that were supralinear. For example, the overall odds ratios (ORs) of ischemic events for an increase of 10-μg/m3 in the 2-h average of PM10-2.5 were 1.08 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.14) and 1.00 (0.99-1.01) at the median (17.8 μg/m3) and 95th percentile (82.3 μg/m3) values, respectively. Associations were strongest at low levels of PM10-2.5 when air comes from central Europe in the summer (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.52). Our study demonstrates that hourly associations between PM2.5 and PM10-2.5 and ischemic cardiac events are supralinear during diverse pollution conditions in a single population that experiences a wide range of exposure levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronit Nirel
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Ilan Levy
- Air quality and Climate Change Division, Israel Ministry for Environment Protection, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Sara D Adar
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
| | - Bella Vakulenko-Lagun
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Alon Peretz
- Occupational Medicine Clinic, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqua, Israel.
| | | | - Uri Dayan
- Department of Geography, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Radiative Effect and Mixing Processes of a Long-Lasting Dust Event over Athens, Greece, during the COVID-19 Period. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12030318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
We report on a long-lasting (10 days) Saharan dust event affecting large sections of South-Eastern Europe by using a synergy of lidar, satellite, in-situ observations and model simulations over Athens, Greece. The dust measurements (11–20 May 2020), performed during the confinement period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed interesting features of the aerosol dust properties in the absence of important air pollution sources over the European continent. During the event, moderate aerosol optical depth (AOD) values (0.3–0.4) were observed inside the dust layer by the ground-based lidar measurements (at 532 nm). Vertical profiles of the lidar ratio and the particle linear depolarization ratio (at 355 nm) showed mean layer values of the order of 47 ± 9 sr and 28 ± 5%, respectively, revealing the coarse non-spherical mode of the probed plume. The values reported here are very close to pure dust measurements performed during dedicated campaigns in the African continent. By utilizing Libradtran simulations for two scenarios (one for typical midlatitude atmospheric conditions and one having reduced atmospheric pollutants due to COVID-19 restrictions, both affected by a free tropospheric dust layer), we revealed negligible differences in terms of radiative effect, of the order of +2.6% (SWBOA, cooling behavior) and +1.9% (LWBOA, heating behavior). Moreover, the net heating rate (HR) at the bottom of the atmosphere (BOA) was equal to +0.156 K/d and equal to +2.543 K/d within 1–6 km due to the presence of the dust layer at that height. On the contrary, the reduction in atmospheric pollutants could lead to a negative HR (−0.036 K/d) at the bottom of the atmosphere (BOA) if dust aerosols were absent, while typical atmospheric conditions are estimated to have an almost zero net HR value (+0.006 K/d). The NMMB-BSC forecast model provided the dust mass concentration over Athens, while the air mass advection from the African to the European continent was simulated by the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model.
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Mancheno T, Zalakeviciute R, González-Rodríguez M, Alexandrino K. Assessment of metals in PM 10 filters and Araucaria heterophylla needles in two areas of Quito, Ecuador. Heliyon 2021; 7:e05966. [PMID: 33553731 PMCID: PMC7855334 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e05966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The reliability of Araucaria heterophylla needles as a biomonitor was evaluated by analyzing the concentration of metals in PM10 filters and in Araucaria heterophylla needles. The sampling campaign was carried out at two sites in the city of Quito, Ecuador, in 2017–2019. Concentrations of Cr, Cu, K, Mn, Pb, Zn, Ca, Fe, Al and Mg were determined in PM10 filters and in Araucaria heterophylla needles using an Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The annual mean concentrations of PM10 ranged between 24.9 and 26.3 μg m−3, exceeding the limit established by the World Health Organization (20 μg m−3). Statistical analyses, performed for the PM10 filters, showed that dust resuspension and anthropogenic activities were important sources for PM10 emissions in the city. Metals related to natural emissions (Ca, Mg, K, Al and Fe) dominated in both types of samples, while the minor metals were those related to anthropogenic emissions (Zn, Cu, Cr and Pb). The former were positively associated with the needle samples, while the latter were associated with PM10 filters. This work not only improved scientific knowledge on the concentrations of PM10 and metals in the Andean city of Quito, but also greatly contributed to the progress of research on the use of Araucaria heterophylla needles as a biomonitor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rasa Zalakeviciute
- Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, EC 170125, Ecuador.,Grupo de Biodiversidad Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de Las Américas, calle José Queri y Av. De los Granados/Bloque 7, Quito, EC 170125, Ecuador.,SI2Lab, FICA, Universidad de Las Américas, Ecuador
| | - Mario González-Rodríguez
- Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, EC 170125, Ecuador.,SI2Lab, FICA, Universidad de Las Américas, Ecuador
| | - Katiuska Alexandrino
- Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, EC 170125, Ecuador.,Grupo de Biodiversidad Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Universidad de Las Américas, calle José Queri y Av. De los Granados/Bloque 7, Quito, EC 170125, Ecuador
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30
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Kouis P, Papatheodorou SI, Kakkoura MG, Middleton N, Galanakis E, Michaelidi E, Achilleos S, Mihalopoulos N, Neophytou M, Stamatelatos G, Kaniklides C, Revvas E, Tymvios F, Savvides C, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. The MEDEA childhood asthma study design for mitigation of desert dust health effects: implementation of novel methods for assessment of air pollution exposure and lessons learned. BMC Pediatr 2021; 21:13. [PMID: 33407248 PMCID: PMC7786906 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-020-02472-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Desert dust events in Mediterranean countries, originating mostly from the Sahara and Arabian deserts, have been linked to climate change and are associated with significant increase in mortality and hospital admissions from respiratory causes. The MEDEA clinical intervention study in children with asthma is funded by EU LIFE+ program to evaluate the efficacy of recommendations aiming to reduce exposure to desert dust and related health effects. METHODS This paper describes the design, methods, and challenges of the MEDEA childhood asthma study, which is performed in two highly exposed regions of the Eastern Mediterranean: Cyprus and Greece-Crete. Eligible children are recruited using screening surveys performed at primary schools and are randomized to three parallel intervention groups: a) no intervention for desert dust events, b) interventions for outdoor exposure reduction, and c) interventions for both outdoor and indoor exposure reduction. At baseline visits, participants are enrolled on MEDena® Health-Hub, which communicates, alerts and provides exposure reduction recommendations in anticipation of desert dust events. MEDEA employs novel environmental epidemiology and telemedicine methods including wearable GPS, actigraphy, health parameters sensors as well as indoor and outdoor air pollution samplers to assess study participants' compliance to recommendations, air pollutant exposures in homes and schools, and disease related clinical outcomes. DISCUSSION The MEDEA study evaluates, for the first time, interventions aiming to reduce desert dust exposure and implement novel telemedicine methods in assessing clinical outcomes and personal compliance to recommendations. In Cyprus and Crete, during the first study period (February-May 2019), a total of 91 children participated in the trial while for the second study period (February-May 2020), another 120 children completed data collection. Recruitment for the third study period (February-May 2021) is underway. In this paper, we also present the unique challenges faced during the implementation of novel methodologies to reduce air pollution exposure in children. Engagement of families of asthmatic children, schools and local communities, is critical. Successful study completion will provide the knowledge for informed decision-making both at national and international level for mitigating the health effects of desert dust events in South-Eastern Europe. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03503812 , April 20, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis Kouis
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus. .,Shiakolas Educational Center of Clinical Medicine, Palaios Dromos Lefkosias-Lemesou 215/6, 2029, Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Stefania I Papatheodorou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental & Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maria G Kakkoura
- Respiratory Physiology Laboratory, Medical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.,Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit CTSU, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicos Middleton
- Department of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | | | | | - Souzana Achilleos
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental & Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | | | - Marina Neophytou
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | | | - Efstathios Revvas
- Department of Meteorology, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Filippos Tymvios
- Department of Meteorology, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Chrysanthos Savvides
- Department of Labor Inspection, Ministry of Labor, Welfare and Social Insurance, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Paoin K, Ueda K, Ingviya T, Buya S, Phosri A, Seposo XT, Seubsman SA, Kelly M, Sleigh A, Honda A, Takano H. Long-term air pollution exposure and self-reported morbidity: A longitudinal analysis from the Thai cohort study (TCS). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 192:110330. [PMID: 33068582 PMCID: PMC7768181 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110330] [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: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies have shown the health effects of air pollutants, especially in China, North American and Western European countries. But longitudinal cohort studies focused on health effects of long-term air pollution exposure are still limited in Southeast Asian countries where sources of air pollution, weather conditions, and demographic characteristics are different. The present study examined the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and self-reported morbidities in participants of the Thai cohort study (TCS) in Bangkok metropolitan region (BMR), Thailand. METHODS This longitudinal cohort study was conducted for 9 years from 2005 to 2013. Self-reported morbidities in this study included high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes. Air pollution data were obtained from the Thai government Pollution Control Department (PCD). Particles with diameters ≤10 μm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO) exposures were estimated with ordinary kriging method using 22 background and 7 traffic monitoring stations in BMR during 2005-2013. Long-term exposure periods to air pollution for each subject was averaged as the same period of person-time. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between long-term air pollution exposure with self-reported high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes. Results of self-reported morbidity were presented as hazard ratios (HRs) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO. RESULTS After controlling for potential confounders, we found that an IQR increase in PM10 was significantly associated with self-reported high blood pressure (HR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.23) and high blood cholesterol (HR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.12), but not with diabetes (HR = 1.05, 95%CI: 0.91, 1.21). SO2 was also positively associated with self-reported high blood pressure (HR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.08, 1.38), high blood cholesterol (HR = 1.20, 95%CI: 1.11, 1.30), and diabetes (HR = 1.21, 95%CI: 0.92, 1.60). Moreover, we observed a positive association between CO and self-reported high blood pressure (HR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.00, 1.15), but not for other diseases. However, self-reported morbidities were not associated with O3 and NO2. CONCLUSIONS Long-term exposure to air pollution, especially for PM10 and SO2 was associated with self-reported high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes in subjects of TCS. Our study supports that exposure to air pollution increases cardiovascular disease risk factors for younger population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanawat Paoin
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kayo Ueda
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Graduate School of Global Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Thammasin Ingviya
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Suhaimee Buya
- Medical Data Center for Research and Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Arthit Phosri
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Xerxes Tesoro Seposo
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Sam-Ang Seubsman
- School of Human Ecology, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | - Matthew Kelly
- Department of Global Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Adrian Sleigh
- Department of Global Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Akiko Honda
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Graduate School of Global Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Takano
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Graduate School of Global Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Rublee CS, Sorensen CJ, Lemery J, Wade TJ, Sams EA, Hilborn ED, Crooks JL. Associations Between Dust Storms and Intensive Care Unit Admissions in the United States, 2000-2015. GEOHEALTH 2020; 4:e2020GH000260. [PMID: 32783014 PMCID: PMC7411550 DOI: 10.1029/2020gh000260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is influencing the incidence of dust storms and associated human exposure to coarse particulate matter (PM2.5-10) in the United States. Studies have found adverse health consequences related to dust exposure. These consequences include respiratory disease exacerbations and premature mortality, resulting in increased health care utilization. However, the impact of dust storms on critical care demand has not been studied in the United States. We seek to quantify the relationship between dust storms and surges in critical care demand by investigating the association between dust storms and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions at nearby hospitals from 2000 to 2015. ICU data were acquired from Premier, Inc. and encompass 15-20% of all ICU admissions in the United States. Dust storm, meteorology, and air pollutant data were downloaded from the U.S. National Weather Service, the U.S. National Climatic Data Center, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency websites, respectively. Associations between ICU admission and dust storms, controlling for temperature, dew point temperature, ambient PM2.5 and ozone, as well as seasonally varying confounders, were estimated using a distributed lag conditional Poisson model with overdispersion. We found a 4.8% (95% CI: 0.4, 9.4; p = 0.033) increase in total ICU admissions on the day of the dust storm (Lag 0) and a 9.2% (95% CI: 1.8, 17.0; p = 0.013) and 7.5% (95% CI: 0.3, 15.2; p = 0.040) increase in respiratory admissions at Lags 0 and 5. North American dust storms are associated with increases in same day and lagged demand for critical care services at nearby hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. S. Rublee
- Department of Emergency MedicineUniversity of Colorado School of MedicineAuroraCOUSA
| | - C. J. Sorensen
- Department of Emergency MedicineUniversity of Colorado School of MedicineAuroraCOUSA
| | - J. Lemery
- Department of Emergency MedicineUniversity of Colorado School of MedicineAuroraCOUSA
| | - T. J. Wade
- United States Environmental Protection AgencyChapel HillNCUSA
| | - E. A. Sams
- United States Environmental Protection AgencyChapel HillNCUSA
| | - E. D. Hilborn
- United States Environmental Protection AgencyChapel HillNCUSA
| | - J. L. Crooks
- Division of Biostatistics and BioinformaticsNational Jewish HealthDenverCOUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyColorado School of Public HealthAuroraCOUSA
- Now at National Jewish Health Main CampusDenverCOUSA
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Kelly FJ, Fussell JC. Global nature of airborne particle toxicity and health effects: a focus on megacities, wildfires, dust storms and residential biomass burning. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2020; 9:331-345. [PMID: 32905302 PMCID: PMC7467248 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfaa044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Since air pollutants are difficult and expensive to control, a strong scientific underpinning to policies is needed to guide mitigation aimed at reducing the current burden on public health. Much of the evidence concerning hazard identification and risk quantification related to air pollution comes from epidemiological studies. This must be reinforced with mechanistic confirmation to infer causality. In this review we focus on data generated from four contrasting sources of particulate air pollution that result in high population exposures and thus where there remains an unmet need to protect health: urban air pollution in developing megacities, household biomass combustion, wildfires and desert dust storms. Taking each in turn, appropriate measures to protect populations will involve advocating smart cities and addressing economic and behavioural barriers to sustained adoption of clean stoves and fuels. Like all natural hazards, wildfires and dust storms are a feature of the landscape that cannot be removed. However, many efforts from emission containment (land/fire management practices), exposure avoidance and identifying susceptible populations can be taken to prepare for air pollution episodes and ensure people are out of harm's way when conditions are life-threatening. Communities residing in areas affected by unhealthy concentrations of any airborne particles will benefit from optimum communication via public awareness campaigns, designed to empower people to modify behaviour in a way that improves their health as well as the quality of the air they breathe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank J Kelly
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health, School of Public Health, Sir Michael Uren Building, Imperial College London, White City Campus, 80-92 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Julia C Fussell
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures and Health, School of Public Health, Sir Michael Uren Building, Imperial College London, White City Campus, 80-92 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
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Hashizume M, Kim Y, Ng CFS, Chung Y, Madaniyazi L, Bell ML, Guo YL, Kan H, Honda Y, Yi SM, Kim H, Nishiwaki Y. Health Effects of Asian Dust: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:66001. [PMID: 32589456 PMCID: PMC7319773 DOI: 10.1289/ehp5312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Potential adverse health effects of Asian dust exposure have been reported, but systematic reviews and quantitative syntheses are lacking. OBJECTIVE We reviewed epidemiologic studies that assessed the risk of mortality, hospital admissions, and symptoms/dysfunction associated with exposure to Asian dust. METHODS We performed a systematic search of PubMed and Web of Science to identify studies that reported the association between Asian dust exposure and human health outcomes. We conducted separate meta-analyses using a random-effects model for mortality and hospital admissions for a specific health outcome and assessed pooled estimates for each lag when at least three studies were available for a specific lag. RESULTS We identified 89 studies that met our inclusion criteria for the systematic review, and 21 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimates (percentage changes) of mortality from circulatory and respiratory causes for Asian dust days vs. non-Asian dust days were 2.33% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76, 3.93] increase at lag 0 and 3.99% (95% CI: 0.08, 8.06) increase at lag 3, respectively. The increased risk for hospital admissions for respiratory disease, asthma, and pneumonia peaked at lag 3 by 8.85% (95% CI: 0.80, 17.55), 14.55% (95% CI: 6.74, 22.94), and 8.51% (95% CI: 2.89, 14.44), respectively. Seven of 12 studies reported reduced peak expiratory flow, and 16 of 21 studies reported increased respiratory symptoms associated with Asian dust exposure. There were substantial variations between the studies in definitions of Asian dust, study designs, model specifications, and confounder controls. DISCUSSION We found evidence of increased mortality and hospital admissions for circulatory and respiratory events. However, the number of studies included in the meta-analysis was not large and further evidences are merited to strengthen our conclusions. Standardized protocols for epidemiological studies would facilitate interstudy comparisons. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5312.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Hashizume
- Department of Global Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yoonhee Kim
- Department of Global Environmental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chris Fook Sheng Ng
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yeonseung Chung
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Lina Madaniyazi
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Michelle L Bell
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yue Leon Guo
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University (NTU) and NTU Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Haidong Kan
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yasushi Honda
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Seung-Muk Yi
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho Kim
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuji Nishiwaki
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan
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Itazawa T, Kanatani KT, Hamazaki K, Inadera H, Tsuchida A, Tanaka T, Nakayama T, Go T, Onishi K, Kurozawa Y, Adachi Y, Konishi I, Heike T, Konishi Y, Sato K, Egawa M, Takahashi Y, Watanabe M, Yasumi R, Hirabayashi K, Morita M, Konishi K, Hirooka Y, Fukumoto S, Teshima R, Inoue T, Harada T, Kanzaki S, Maegaki Y, Ohno K, Koeda T, Amano H, Masumoto T. The impact of exposure to desert dust on infants' symptoms and countermeasures to reduce the effects. Allergy 2020; 75:1435-1445. [PMID: 31886894 DOI: 10.1111/all.14166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between particulate matter (PM), including desert dust, and allergic symptoms has not been well studied. We examined whether PM exacerbated nose/eye/respiratory symptoms in infants, with a focus on the desert dust element, and assessed possible countermeasures. METHODS We conducted a panel study of 1492 infants from October 2014 to July 2016 in 3 regions in Japan as an adjunct study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Infants' daily symptom scores and behaviors were acquired by web-based questionnaires sent to mothers, who answered within a day using mobile phones. Odds ratios (OR) for symptom development per increased fine PM or desert dust exposure were estimated. Regular use of medications and behaviors on the day of exposure were investigated as possible effect modifiers. RESULTS Infants developed nose/eye/respiratory symptoms significantly more often in accordance with fine particulate levels (adjusted OR per 10 µg/m3 increase: 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.07). A model including both fine particulates and desert dust showed reduced OR for fine particulates and robust OR for desert dust (adjusted OR per 0.1/km increase: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09-1.23). An increased OR was observed both in infants who had previously wheezed and in those who had never wheezed. Receiving information on the particulate forecast, reducing time outdoors, closing windows, and regular use of leukotriene receptor antagonists were significant effect modifiers. CONCLUSIONS Transborder desert dust arrival increased the risk of nose/eye/respiratory symptoms development in infants. Regular use of leukotriene receptor antagonists and other countermeasures reduced the risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiko Itazawa
- Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine University of Toyama Toyama Japan
| | - Kumiko T. Kanatani
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Kyoto Regional Center Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto Japan
| | - Kei Hamazaki
- Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine University of Toyama Toyama Japan
| | - Hidekuni Inadera
- Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine University of Toyama Toyama Japan
| | - Akiko Tsuchida
- Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine University of Toyama Toyama Japan
| | - Tomomi Tanaka
- Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine University of Toyama Toyama Japan
| | - Takeo Nakayama
- Department of Health Informatics Kyoto University School of Public Health Kyoto Japan
| | - Tohshin Go
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Kyoto Regional Center Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto Japan
| | - Kazunari Onishi
- Division of Environmental Health Graduate School of Public Health St.Luke's International University Tokyo Japan
- Division of Health Administration and Promotion Faculty of Medicine Tottori University Tottori Japan
| | - Yoichi Kurozawa
- Division of Health Administration and Promotion Faculty of Medicine Tottori University Tottori Japan
| | - Yuichi Adachi
- Department of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine University of Toyama Toyama Japan
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Ghio AJ, Soukup JM, Dailey LA, Madden MC. Air pollutants disrupt iron homeostasis to impact oxidant generation, biological effects, and tissue injury. Free Radic Biol Med 2020; 151:38-55. [PMID: 32092410 PMCID: PMC8274387 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Air pollutants cause changes in iron homeostasis through: 1) a capacity of the pollutant, or a metabolite(s), to complex/chelate iron from pivotal sites in the cell or 2) an ability of the pollutant to displace iron from pivotal sites in the cell. Through either pathway of disruption in iron homeostasis, metal previously employed in essential cell processes is sequestered after air pollutant exposure. An absolute or functional cell iron deficiency results. If enough iron is lost or is otherwise not available within the cell, cell death ensues. However, prior to death, exposed cells will attempt to reverse the loss of requisite metal. This response of the cell includes increased expression of metal importers (e.g. divalent metal transporter 1). Oxidant generation after exposure to air pollutants includes superoxide production which functions in ferrireduction necessary for cell iron import. Activation of kinases and phosphatases and transcription factors and increased release of pro-inflammatory mediators also result from a cell iron deficiency, absolute or functional, after exposure to air pollutants. Finally, air pollutant exposure culminates in the development of inflammation and fibrosis which is a tissue response to the iron deficiency challenging cell survival. Following the response of increased expression of importers and ferrireduction, activation of kinases and phosphatases and transcription factors, release of pro-inflammatory mediators, and inflammation and fibrosis, cell iron is altered, and a new metal homeostasis is established. This new metal homeostasis includes increased total iron concentrations in cells with metal now at levels sufficient to meet requirements for continued function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Ghio
- From the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Joleen M Soukup
- From the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lisa A Dailey
- From the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael C Madden
- From the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Achilleos S, Mouzourides P, Kalivitis N, Katra I, Kloog I, Kouis P, Middleton N, Mihalopoulos N, Neophytou M, Panayiotou A, Papatheodorou S, Savvides C, Tymvios F, Vasiliadou E, Yiallouros P, Koutrakis P. Spatio-temporal variability of desert dust storms in Eastern Mediterranean (Crete, Cyprus, Israel) between 2006 and 2017 using a uniform methodology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:136693. [PMID: 31978777 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The characteristics of desert dust storms (DDS) have been shown to change in response to climate change and land use. There is limited information on the frequency and intensity of DDS over the last decade at a regional scale in the Eastern Mediterranean. An algorithm based on daily ground measurements (PM10, particulate matter ≤10 μm), satellite products (dust aerosol optical depth) and meteorological parameters, was used to identify dust intrusions for three Eastern Mediterranean locations (Crete-Greece, Cyprus, and Israel) between 2006 and 2017. Days with 24-hr average PM10 concentration above ~30 μg/m3 were found to be a significant indicator of DDS for the background sites of Cyprus and Crete. Higher thresholds were found for Israel depending on the season (fall and spring: PM10 > 70 μg/m3, winter and summer: PM10 > 90 μg/m3). We observed a high variability in the frequency and intensity of DDS during the last decade, characterized by a steady trend with sporadic peaks. The years with the highest DDS frequency were not necessarily the years with the most intense episodes. Specifically, the highest dust frequency was observed in 2010 at all three locations, but the highest annual median dust-PM10 level was observed in 2012 in Crete (55.8 μg/m3) and Israel (137.4 μg/m3), and in 2010 in Cyprus (45.3 μg/m3). Crete and Cyprus experienced the same most intense event in 2006, with 24 h-PM10 average of 705.7 μg/m3 and 1254.6 μg/m3, respectively, which originated from Sahara desert. The highest 24 h-PM10 average concentration for Israel was observed in 2010 (3210.9 μg/m3) during a three-day Saharan dust episode. However, a sub-analysis for Cyprus (years 2000-2017) suggests a change in DDS seasonality pattern, intensity, and desert of origin. For more robust conclusions on DDS trends in relation to climate change, future work needs to study data over several decades from different locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souzana Achilleos
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus.
| | - Petros Mouzourides
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
| | - Nikos Kalivitis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Greece; National Observatory of Athens, Greece
| | - Itzhak Katra
- Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
| | - Itai Kloog
- Department of Geography and Environmental Development, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
| | | | - Nicos Middleton
- Department of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus
| | - Nikos Mihalopoulos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Greece; National Observatory of Athens, Greece
| | - Marina Neophytou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
| | - Andrie Panayiotou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus
| | - Stefania Papatheodorou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, USA
| | - Chrysanthos Savvides
- Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance, Cyprus
| | - Filippos Tymvios
- Cyprus Department of Meteorology, Cyprus; The Cyprus Institute, Cyprus
| | - Emily Vasiliadou
- Department of Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance, Cyprus
| | | | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, USA
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Linares C, Díaz J, Negev M, Martínez GS, Debono R, Paz S. Impacts of climate change on the public health of the Mediterranean Basin population - Current situation, projections, preparedness and adaptation. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 182:109107. [PMID: 32069750 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean Basin is undergoing a warming trend with longer and warmer summers, an increase in the frequency and the severity of heat waves, changes in precipitation patterns and a reduction in rainfall amounts. In this unique populated region, which is characterized by significant gaps in the socio-economic levels particularly between the North (Europe) and South (Africa), parallel with population growth and migration, increased water demand and forest fires risk - the vulnerability of the Mediterranean population to human health risks increases significantly. Indeed, climatic changes impact the health of the Mediterranean population directly through extreme heat, drought or storms, or indirectly by changes in water availability, food provision and quality, air pollution and other stressors. The main health effects are related to extreme weather events (including extreme temperatures and floods), changes in the distribution of climate-sensitive diseases and changes in environmental and social conditions. The poorer countries, particularly in North Africa and the Levant, are at highest risk. Climate change affects the vulnerable sectors of the region, including an increasingly older population, with a larger percentage of those with chronic diseases, as well as poor people, which are therefore more susceptible to the effects of extreme temperatures. For those populations, a better surveillance and control systems are especially needed. In view of the climatic projections and the vulnerability of Mediterranean countries, climate change mitigation and adaptation become ever more imperative. It is important that prevention Health Action Plans will be implemented, particularly in those countries that currently have no prevention plans. Most adaptation measures are "win-win situation" from a health perspective, including reducing air pollution or providing shading solutions. Additionally, Mediterranean countries need to enhance cross-border collaboration, as adaptation to many of the health risks requires collaboration across borders and also across the different parts of the basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Linares
- National School of Public Health. Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio Díaz
- National School of Public Health. Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maya Negev
- School of Public Health, University of Haifa, Israel
| | | | | | - Shlomit Paz
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Israel.
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Ardon-Dryer K, Mock C, Reyes J, Lahav G. The effect of dust storm particles on single human lung cancer cells. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 181:108891. [PMID: 31740036 PMCID: PMC6982605 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to dust particles during dust storms can lead to respiratory problems, diseases, and even death. The effect of dust particles at the cellular level is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impact that dust storm particles (Montmorillonite) have on human lung epithelial cells (A549) at the single cell level. Using live-cell imaging, we continuously followed individual cells after exposure to a wide range of concentrations of dust particles. We monitored the growth trajectory of each cell including number and timing of divisions, interaction with the dust particles, as well as time and mechanism of cell death. We found that individual cells show different cellular fates (survival or death) even in response to the same dust concentration. Cells that died interacted with dust particles for longer times, and engulfed more dust particles, compared with surviving cells. While higher dust concentrations reduced viability in a dose-dependent manner, the effect on cell death was non-monotonic, with intermediate dust concentration leading to a larger fraction of dying cells compared to lower and higher concentrations. This non-monotonic relationship was explained by our findings that high dust concentrations inhibit cell proliferation. Using cellular morphological features, supported by immunoblots and proinflammatory cytokines, we determined that apoptosis is the dominant death mechanism at low dust concentrations, while higher dust concentrations activate necrosis. Similar single cell approaches can serve as a baseline for evaluating other aerosol types that will improve our understanding of the health-related consequences of exposure to dust storms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Ardon-Dryer
- Department of System Biology Harvard Medical School Harvard University, 200 Longwood Avenue Warren Alpert Building, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Geosciences, Atmospheric Science Group, Texas Tech University, 3003 15th Street Department of Geosciences, Atmospheric Science Group, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
| | - Caroline Mock
- Department of System Biology Harvard Medical School Harvard University, 200 Longwood Avenue Warren Alpert Building, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jose Reyes
- Department of System Biology Harvard Medical School Harvard University, 200 Longwood Avenue Warren Alpert Building, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Galit Lahav
- Department of System Biology Harvard Medical School Harvard University, 200 Longwood Avenue Warren Alpert Building, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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40
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The Alerting Effect from Rising Public Awareness of Air Quality on the Outdoor Activities of Megacity Residents. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12030820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated how the public awareness of air quality affects people’s decisions to participate in outdoor activities. Given that the keyword search volume of particulate matter (PM) in Seoul, South Korea started to grow dramatically only after November 2013, we defined two periods (low and high public awareness of PM) and conducted a series of comparative analyses to investigate the impact of public awareness of air quality on the relationship between PM level and people’s outdoor activities. In the low public awareness period, people’s outdoor activities measured by the number of daily subway passengers did not significantly vary over PM levels, even in the ’unhealthy’ range (80 < PM10 < = 150 µg/m3). On the contrary, during the high awareness period, people’s activities were significantly affected by the PM level, even in the ’moderate’ range. Specifically, the perceived safety threshold of PM10 level that people use to decide for engaging outdoor activities has decreased from 120 to 70 µg/m3. These results suggest that public awareness of air quality and its harmful ramifications on health is a key determinant of outdoor activities rather than PM10 concentration itself. Thus, this study alludes to a need for more timely and effective dissemination of air quality information to the public as much as for curbing anthropogenic emissions.
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41
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Dehghan A, Khanjani N, Bahrampour A, Goudarzi G, Yunesian M. Short-term effects of ambient (outdoor) air pollution on cardiovascular death in Tehran, Iran – a time series study. TOXIN REV 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/15569543.2018.1488263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Azizallah Dehghan
- Neurology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Narges Khanjani
- Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Monash Centre for Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Abbas Bahrampour
- Physiology Research Center & Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Masoud Yunesian
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Center for Air Pollution Research & Department of Research Methodology and Data Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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ATR-FTIR Spectral Analysis and Soluble Components of PM 10 And PM 2.5 Particulate Matter over the Urban Area of Palermo (Italy) during Normal Days and Saharan Events. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16142507. [PMID: 31337072 PMCID: PMC6679192 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16142507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Several epidemiological studies have shown a close relationship between the mass of particulate matter (PM) and its effects on human health. This study reports the identification of inorganic and organic components by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis in PM10 and PM2.5 filters collected from three air quality monitoring stations in the city of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) during non-Saharan dust events and Saharan events. It also provides information on the abundance and types of water-soluble species. ATR-FTIR analysis identified sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, and carbonate matter characterized by vibrational frequencies at 603, 615, 670, and 1100 cm–1 (SO42–); at 1414 cm–1 (NH4+); at 825 and 1356 cm–1 (NO3–); and at 713, 730, and 877 cm–1 (CO32–) in PM10 and PM2.5 filters. Moreover, aliphatic hydrocarbons were identified in the collected spectra. Stretching frequencies at 2950 cm–1 were assigned to CH3 aliphatic carbon stretching absorptions, while frequencies at 2924 and 2850 cm–1 indicated CH2 bonds. In filters collected during Saharan dust events, the analysis also showed the presence of absorbance peaks typical of clay minerals. The measurement of soluble components confirmed the presence of a geogenic component (marine spray and local rocks) and secondary particles ((NH4)2SO4, NH4NO3) in the PM filters. ATR-FTIR characterization of solid surfaces is a powerful analytical technique for identifying inorganic and organic compounds in samples of particulate matter.
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43
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Mokoena KK, Ethan CJ, Yu Y, Shale K, Liu F. Ambient air pollution and respiratory mortality in Xi'an, China: a time-series analysis. Respir Res 2019; 20:139. [PMID: 31277656 PMCID: PMC6612149 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-019-1117-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although air pollution is a known fundamental problem in China, few studies have investigated the associations between ambient air pollution and respiratory mortality in non-metropolitan cities of China. The study aimed to investigate a potential relationship between short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and respiratory mortality in Xi’an, China. Methods Daily averages of PM2.5, SO2, O3, temperature, relative humidity and daily counts of respiratory mortality were obtained (2014–2016). Using a single and multi-pollutant approach in time-series analysis, the generalized additive model with natural splines was used for analysis. Subgroup analysis stratified by gender and age group (≤ 64 years and ≥ 65 years) was conducted. Results Seven thousand nine hundred sixty-five cases of respiratory mortality were assessed, with 62.9, 28.5, and 8.6% of mortality attributed to chronic lower respiratory diseases, influenza and pneumonia, as well as other forms of respiratory diseases, respectively. Observed pollutants were significantly associated with respiratory mortality. In the single pollutant model, 10 μg/m3 increase in a two-day moving average of PM2.5, and SO2 concentrations were significantly associated with relative risk 1.313(1.032, 1.708) and 1.4020(0.827, 2.854) of respiratory mortality, respectively. The effects of both air pollutants remained statistically significant after adjusting for collinearity in the multi-pollutant model. Ozone was only statistically associated with respiratory mortality in females at lag 0 [RR: 0.964(0.938, 0.991)]. Conclusion This study provided evidence that respiratory mortality in Xi’an was significantly associated with exposure to ambient air pollutants from 2014 to 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kingsley Katleho Mokoena
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.,Department of Life Sciences, Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State, 9300, South Africa
| | - Crystal Jane Ethan
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yan Yu
- School of Public Health, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Karabo Shale
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Studies, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa
| | - Feng Liu
- Shaanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.
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Achilleos S, Al-Ozairi E, Alahmad B, Garshick E, Neophytou AM, Bouhamra W, Yassin MF, Koutrakis P. Acute effects of air pollution on mortality: A 17-year analysis in Kuwait. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 126:476-483. [PMID: 30844583 PMCID: PMC6511973 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.01.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The health burden from exposure to air pollution has been studied in many parts of the world. However, there is limited research on the health effects of air quality in arid areas where sand dust is the primary particulate pollution source. OBJECTIVE Study the risk of mortality from exposure to poor air quality days in Kuwait. METHODS We conducted a time-series analysis using daily visibility as a measure of particulate pollution and non-accidental total mortality from January 2000 through December 2016. A generalized additive Poisson model was used adjusting for time trends, day of week, and temperature. Low visibility (yes/no), defined as visibility lower than the 25th percentile, was used as an indicator of poor air quality days. Dust storm events were also examined. Finally, we examined these associations after stratifying by gender, age group, and nationality (Kuwaitis/non-Kuwaitis). RESULTS There were 73,748 deaths from natural causes in Kuwait during the study period. The rate ratio comparing the mortality rate on low visibility days to high visibility days was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.99-1.03). Similar estimates were observed for dust storms (1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.04). Higher and statistically significant estimates were observed among non-Kuwaiti men and non-Kuwaiti adolescents and adults. CONCLUSION We observed a higher risk of mortality during days with poor air quality in Kuwait from 2000 through 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souzana Achilleos
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ebaa Al-Ozairi
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait; Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Barrak Alahmad
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric Garshick
- Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep, and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andreas M Neophytou
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Walid Bouhamra
- Chemical Engineering Department, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Mohamed F Yassin
- Environment and Life Sciences Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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45
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Economic Impact and Risk Assessment of Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) on the Oil and Gas Industry in Kuwait. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11010200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
There is a lack of published research on the economic effect and the risk associated with sand and dust storms (SDS) worldwide. The objectives of this study are to estimate the economic impact of SDS on the oil and gas industry in Kuwait, to estimate a risk index for each loss, and to recommend a sustainable system for the mitigation of the damaging effects and economic losses of infrastructures. Hot spots of wind erosion, wind corridors, and dust frequency and severity formed the basis to locate the most susceptible oil and gas fields and operations. Ten sectors with potential loss vulnerabilities were evaluated: exploration, drilling, production, gas, marine, soil remediation, project management, water handling, maintenance, and research and development. Sand encroachment, although not a sector per se, was also considered. The results indicate that sand, and to lesser extent dust, are damaging and costly to the oil and gas infrastructure of Kuwait, with an economic cost estimation of US$9.36 million, a total of 5159 nonproductive lost hours, and 347,310 m3 of annual sand removal. A risk assessment identified three sectors with the highest risk indices (RI): drilling (RI = 25), project management (RI = 20), and maintenance (RI = 16). Sand encroachment also constituted a high risk (RI = 25). Mitigation of sand storms using a hybrid biological–mechanical system was shown to be cost-effective with an equivalent saving of 4.6 years of sand encroachment. The hazard implications of sand storm events continue to be a major concern for policy-makers given their detrimental economic impacts, and require that government officials wisely allocate investment budgets to effectively control and mitigate their damaging effects.
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Li W, Pei L, Li A, Luo K, Cao Y, Li R, Xu Q. Spatial variation in the effects of air pollution on cardiovascular mortality in Beijing, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:2501-2511. [PMID: 30471063 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3725-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Due to lack of data from multiple air quality monitoring stations, studies about spatial association between concentrations of ambient pollutants and mortality in China are rare. To investigate the spatial variation of association between concentrations of particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and cardiovascular mortality in Beijing, China, we collected data including daily deaths, concentrations of PM10 and NO2, and meteorological factors from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2010, in all 16 districts of Beijing. Generalized additive model (GAM) and generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) were used to examine the citywide and district-specific effects of PM10 and NO2 on cardiovascular mortality. The citywide effect derived from GAMM was lower than that derived from GAM and the strongest effects were identified for 2-day moving average lag 0-1. For every 10 μg/m3 increases in concentrations of PM10 and NO2, the corresponding daily cardiovascular mortality increases in 0.31% (95%CI 0.15%, 0.46%) and 1.63% (95%CI 1.11%, 2.13%), respectively. The death risk associated with air pollutants varied across different geographic districts in Beijing. We found spatially varied adverse effects of air pollution on cardiovascular deaths in Beijing. But there was insufficient evidence to show the significant spatial heterogeneity in mortality effects of PM10 and NO2 in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
- Center of Environmental and Health Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Lu Pei
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
- Center of Environmental and Health Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Ang Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
- Center of Environmental and Health Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Kai Luo
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
- Center of Environmental and Health Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 701 85, Örebro, Sweden
- Unit of Biostatistics, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 17 177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Runkui Li
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qun Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China.
- Center of Environmental and Health Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China.
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Costello S, Attfield MD, Lubin JH, Neophytou AM, Blair A, Brown DM, Stewart PA, Vermeulen R, Eisen EA, Silverman DT. Ischemic Heart Disease Mortality and Diesel Exhaust and Respirable Dust Exposure in the Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study. Am J Epidemiol 2018; 187:2623-2632. [PMID: 30137203 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwy182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diesel exhaust is a suggested risk factor for ischemic heart disease (IHD), but evidence from cohorts using quantitative exposure metrics is limited. We examined the impact of respirable elemental carbon (REC), a key surrogate for diesel exhaust, and respirable dust (RD) on IHD mortality, using data from the Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study in the United States. Using data from a cohort of male workers followed from 1948-1968 until 1997, we fitted Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios for IHD mortality for cumulative and average intensity of exposure to REC and RD. Segmented linear regression models allowed for nonmonotonicity. Hazard ratios for cumulative and average REC exposure declined relative to the lowest exposure category before increasing to 0.79 and 1.25, respectively, in the highest category. Relative to the category containing the segmented regression change points, hazard ratios for the highest category were 1.69 and 1.54 for cumulative and average REC exposure, respectively. Hazard ratios for RD exposure increased across the full exposure range to 1.33 and 2.69 for cumulative and average RD exposure, respectively. Tests for trend were statistically significant for cumulative REC exposure (above the change point) and for average RD exposure. Our findings suggest excess risk of IHD mortality in relation to increased exposure to REC and RD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadie Costello
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Michael D Attfield
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Jay H Lubin
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Andreas M Neophytou
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Aaron Blair
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Daniel M Brown
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | | | - Roel Vermeulen
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen A Eisen
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
| | - Debra T Silverman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland
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48
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Hu K, Guo Y, Hu D, Du R, Yang X, Zhong J, Fei F, Chen F, Chen G, Zhao Q, Yang J, Zhang Y, Chen Q, Ye T, Li S, Qi J. Mortality burden attributable to PM 1 in Zhejiang province, China. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 121:515-522. [PMID: 30292144 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited evidence is available on the health effects of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <1 μm (PM1), mainly due to the lack of its ground measurement worldwide. OBJECTIVES To identify and examine the mortality risks and mortality burdens associated with PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 in Zhejiang province, China. METHODS We collected daily data regarding all-cause (stratified by age and gender), cardiovascular, stroke, respiratory, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality, and PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, from 11 cities in Zhejiang province, China during 2013 and 2017. We used a quasi-Poisson regression model to estimate city-specific associations between mortality and PM concentrations. Then we used a random-effect meta-analysis to pool the provincial estimates. To show the mortality burdens of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, we calculated the mortality fractions and deaths attributable to these PMs. RESULTS Daily concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 ranged between 0-199 μg/m3, 0-218 μg/m3, and 0-254 μg/m3, respectively; Mortality effects were significant in lag 0-2 days. The relative risks for all-cause mortality were 1.0064 (95% CI: 1.0034, 1.0094), 1.0061 (95% CI: 1.0034, 1.0089), and 1.0060 (95% CI: 1.0038, 1.0083) associated with a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, respectively. Age- and gender-stratified analysis shows that elderly people (aged 65+) and females are more sensitive to PMs. The mortality fractions of all-cause mortality were estimated to be 2.39% (95% CI: 1.28, 3.48) attributable to PM1, 2.53% (95% CI: 1.42, 3.63) attributable to PM2.5, and 3.08% (95% CI: 1.95, 4.19) attributable to PM10. The ratios of attributable cause-specific deaths for PM1/PM2.5, PM1/PM10, and PM2.5/PM10 were higher than the ratios of their respective concentrations. CONCLUSIONS PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 are risk factors of all-cause, cardiovascular, stroke, respiratory, and COPD mortality. PM1 accounts for the vast majority of short-term PM2.5- and PM10-induced mortality. Our analyses support the notion that smaller size fractions of PM have a more toxic mortality impacts, which suggests to develop strategies to prevent and control PM1 in China, such as to foster strict regulations for automobile and industrial emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejia Hu
- Institute of Island and Coastal Ecosystems, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Deyun Hu
- Hangzhou Meteorological Service, Hangzhou 310051, China
| | - Rongguang Du
- Hangzhou Meteorological Service, Hangzhou 310051, China
| | - Xuchao Yang
- Institute of Island and Coastal Ecosystems, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China; Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823, USA.
| | - Jieming Zhong
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China.
| | - Fangrong Fei
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Zhejiang Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Hangzhou 310008, China
| | - Gongbo Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Jun Yang
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Yunquan Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Institute of Island and Coastal Ecosystems, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Tingting Ye
- Institute of Island and Coastal Ecosystems, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Jiaguo Qi
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48823, USA
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49
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Zheng PW, Shen P, Ye ZH, Zhang ZY, Chai PF, Li D, Jin MJ, Tang ML, Lu HC, Lin HB, Wang JB, Chen K. Acute effect of fine and coarse particular matter on cardiovascular visits in Ningbo, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 25:33548-33555. [PMID: 30269277 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3286-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Although a growing number of epidemiological studies have been conducted on size-specific health effects of particulate matter in China, results remain inconsistent. In this study, we investigated acute effect of fine and coarse particular matter on cardiovascular hospital visits in Ningbo, China. We used generalized additive models to examine short-term effects of PM2.5 and PM10-2.5 on cardiovascular hospital visits by adjustment for temporal, seasonal, and meteorological effects. Subgroup analyses were conducted by age, sex, and season. We also examined the stability of their effects in multi-pollutant models. We found that PM2.5 were associated with cardiovascular hospital visits (RR = 1.006; 95% CI 1.000, 1.011) and results remained similar after adjustment for PM10-2.5 (RR = 1.005; 95% CI 0.998, 1.013). There was a borderline association between PM10-2.5 and cardiovascular hospital visits (RR = 1.007; 95% CI 0.997, 1.016), which disappeared after controlling for PM2.5 (RR = 1.000; 95% CI 0.988, 1.013). The associations appeared to be stronger in the cold season and among the elderly (≥ 75 years). The findings of this study suggested significant adverse effects of PM2.5, but no independent effects of PM10-2.5 on cardiovascular hospital visits. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Wen Zheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, C217 Academic Building, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Peng Shen
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315100, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, C217 Academic Building, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Zhang
- John Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Peng-Fei Chai
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315100, China
| | - Die Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, C217 Academic Building, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ming-Juan Jin
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, C217 Academic Building, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Meng-Ling Tang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, C217 Academic Building, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huai-Chu Lu
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315100, China
| | - Hong-Bo Lin
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315100, China
| | - Jian-Bing Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, C217 Academic Building, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
- Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, 310058, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Kun Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Zhejiang University School of Public Health, C217 Academic Building, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China.
- Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, 310058, Hangzhou, China.
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50
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Guo G, Song B, Xia D, Yang Z, Wang F. Metals and metalloids in PM 10 in Nandan County, Guangxi, China, and the health risks posed. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2018; 40:2071-2086. [PMID: 29549472 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-018-0083-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Intense mining, smelting, and tailing activities of polymetallic ore deposits have affected the environment in Nandan County, Guangxi, China. Samples of particulates with aerodynamic diameters low or equal 10 μm (PM10) were collected in Nandan County to investigate the concentrations of and health risks posed by 17 metals and metalloids in the PM10. The metal and metalloid concentrations were lower than those found in other industrial cities. The mean Cr concentration was 7.48 ng/m3. Significant higher metal and metalloid concentrations were found in PM10 from mining areas (Dachang and Chehe) than from the control area (Liuzhai) (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis indicated that the main sources of Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mo, Na, and Sr were resuspension of the soil produced through mineral erosion, the main sources of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Zn were smelting and mining activities, and the main source of Ni was fossil fuel combustion. Higher non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were posed in Dachang and Chehe than in Liuzhai. The non-carcinogenic risks posed to adults and children by individual metals and metalloids in PM10 at all the sites were low, but the non-carcinogenic risks posed to children by all the metals and metalloids together exceeded the safe level (i.e., risk value > 1). The carcinogenic risks posed by Cd, Ni, and Pb were negligible at all sites, while As, Co, and Cr posed potential carcinogenic risks to the residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghui Guo
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Bo Song
- Colleges of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China.
| | - Deshang Xia
- Colleges of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Zijie Yang
- Colleges of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
| | - Fopeng Wang
- Colleges of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China
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