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AIR POLLUTION MAKING DELHI CHILDREN ASTHMATIC: SURVEY

NEW DELHI: With the continuous exposure to air pollution, the number of children suffering from chronic bronchial asthma is on rise in the national capital, reveals a survey.

"We examined children of age group 7-15 years in nine industrial and residential pockets of Delhi. Among total of 3,456 children examined, 7.7 per cent were diagnosed having asthma, which was highest in industrial areas, 11.8 per cent," says Dr Raj Kumar of Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, who was associated with the project.

The survey was conducted in Shahdara, Sahibabad, Nizamuddin, Siri Fort, Ashoka Vihar and Janakpuri. Also two rural pockets -- Dhallupura and Jagatpur -- were surveyed.

"Today indoor air pollution level is becoming a matter of concern in big metros like Delhi, which is triggering asthmatic symptoms among the children residing in those areas," Dr Kumar says.

The 4-year-long study was carried out jointly by the representatives of Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute and the Geology Department of Delhi University.

In the last few years, children's health has also deteriorated due to exposure of air pollutants in indoor environments ie indoor air pollution, the survey points out.

"Generally people express their concern about outdoor air pollution caused by industrial emissions, but nobody thinks that it can affect children's health inside the home as well," he adds.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder, with the symptoms of cough, common cold, sneezing and feeling of heaviness on chest, besides breathing problems, doctors say.

Source : http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/ Feb 3, 2008

EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION INCREASES RISK OF OBESITY

Laboratory rats who breathed Beijing's highly polluted air gained weight and experienced cardio-respiratory and metabolic dysfunctions after three to eight weeks of exposure.

A study appearing in the March issue of the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) placed pregnant rats and their offspring in two chambers, one exposed to outdoor Beijing air and the other containing an air filter that removed most of the air pollution particles.

After only 19 days, the lungs and livers of pregnant rats exposed to the polluted air were heavier and showed increased tissue inflammation. These rats had 50 percent higher LDL cholesterol; 46 percent higher triglycerides; and 97 percent higher total cholesterol. Their insulin resistance level, a precursor of Type 2 diabetes, was higher than their clean air-breathing counterparts.

All of these measures support the study's conclusion that air pollution exposure results in metabolic dysfunction, a precursor to obesity. Indeed, pollution-exposed rats were significantly heavier at the end of their pregnancy even though the rats in both groups were fed the same diet.

Similar results were shown in the rat offspring, which were kept in the same chambers as their mothers.

However, the results showed that the negative effects of air pollution were less pronounced after three weeks than they were at eight weeks, suggesting that long-term exposure may be needed to generate the continuous inflammatory and metabolic changes that ultimately increase body weight. At eight weeks old, female and male rats exposed to the pollution were 10 percent and 18 percent heavier, respectively, than those exposed to clean air.

The results of this study, which was funded by several agencies of the Chinese government, are consistent with other studies that show air pollution induces oxidative stress and inflammation in the organs and circulatory system. The findings also echo previous studies linking air pollution with increased insulin resistance and altered fat tissue.

"Since chronic inflammation is recognized as a factor contributing to obesity and since metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity are closely related, our findings provide clear evidence that chronic exposure to air pollution increases the risk for developing obesity," said Junfeng "Jim" Zhang, a professor of global and environmental health at Duke University and a senior author of the paper.

"If translated and verified in humans, these findings will support the urgent need to reduce air pollution, given the growing burden of obesity in today's highly polluted world," Zhang said.

Source: Duke University Date: February 19, 2016www.sciencedaily.com/ article releases/

URBAN AIR POLLUTION: WHAT ARE THE MAIN SOURCES ACROSS THE WORLD?

Particulate matter (PM) in the air can enter the human body, affecting the cardiovascular system as well as other major organs. Chronic exposure leads to a number of health risks. The European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have identified the main categories of PM in urban air in 51 different cities around the world. On average, traffic is the biggest source of air pollution, responsible for one quarter of particulate matter in the air.

In order to reduce the negative health impact of air pollution, it is important to know its sources and quantity. Measurements of fine particles PM2.5 and PM10 serve as indicators of air quality. The recently published study shows, based on the available information, that traffic (25%), combustion and agriculture (22%), domestic fuel burning (20%), natural dust and salt (18%), and industrial activities (15%) are the main sources of particulate matter contributing to cities' air pollution. However, there are significant differences between various regions of the world.

Atmospheric processes that lead to the formation of particles as a result of gaseous traffic, heating and agriculture emissions appear to be most considerable in North America, Western Europe, Turkey and the Republic of Korea. Domestic fuel burning dominates the contributions to particulate matter in Eastern Europe and in many developing countries in Africa. In the developing countries, this source is likely to be associated with cooking, while in Eastern Europe the use of coal for heating seems to be the most probable reason. Natural dust is the main source of PM10 in the Middle-East and Northern African countries, likely due to their vicinity to arid areas. Sea salt is the most important natural source of PM10 in north-western Europe.

The database resulting from this study is published on the WHO website.

Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) Date: December 1, 2015www.sciencedaily.com/ article releases/

STROKE FROM POOR AIR QUALITY

Air pollution and smog have health consequences for affected populations ranging from respiratory problems to death. Fine particulate matter especially has become the focus in recent years, because it increases the probability of dying from respiratory or cardiovascular disease. In addition, the risk of stroke is increased, as shown by Barbara Hoffmann and her coauthors in a recent study in Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2015; 112: 195-201). In a population of the German Ruhr region, she investigated how often stroke and cardiovascular disease occurred, as well as how much particulate matter and noise inhabitants were exposed to.

More than 4400 residents of Bochum, Essen, and Mülheim an der Ruhr participated in the study. Participants were selected over the time period from 2000 to 2003, and were aged between 45 and 74 years. Information regarding stroke or cardiovascular disease occurrence and/or associated mortality was collected annually. In addition, the authors evaluated exposure to particulate matter and noise according to participants' place of residence. The results indicate that stroke is more likely to occur with increased air pollution. The results for coronary events are less clear, and exposure to noise pollution showed no clear effect. The authors point out, however, that the data indicates a tendency for increased risk of cardiovascular disease through particulate matter exposure.

Source: Deutsches Aerzteblatt International Date: April 13, 2015www.sciencedaily.com/ article releases/

REDUCTION IN AIR POLLUTION FROM WOOD STOVES ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED RISK OF DEATH

Male deaths from all-causes, but particularly cardiovascular and respiratory disease, could be significantly reduced with a decrease in biomass smoke (smoke produced by domestic cooking and heating and woodland fires), a paper published January 8 on the British Medical Journal website suggests.

The researchers say this could have significant impact on further interventions to reduce pollution from this source.

Although a large amount of research has been carried out on the adverse health effects of air pollution, no studies have reported reductions in deaths associated with interventions to reduce biomass smoke pollution.

In 2001, Launceston (in Tasmania, Australia) was the setting for a series of interventions to reduce wood smoke pollution. The interventions dramatically accelerated a general trend towards using electric rather than wood heaters. As such, wood stove prevalence fell from 66% to 30% of all households and average particulate air pollution during winter was reduced by 40% (44 µg/m³ -- 27 µg/m³).

Researchers from Australia and Canada used this data to assess whether there were any significant changes in all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality.

This is the first study to assess changes in mortality associated with a reduction in smoke from domestic wood heaters. The researchers compared the population of Launceston with the population of Hobart (also in Tasmania), which did not have any air quality interventions.

The reductions in mortality (deaths per 1000 people at risk per year, adjusted for age) between 1994-2001 and 2001-2007 were not significant for males and females combined (2.7% for all-cause mortality; 4.9% for cardiovascular mortality; 8.5% respiratory mortality). However, reductions were statistically significant for males alone: differences of 11.4% for all-cause mortality; 17.9% for cardiovascular and 22.8% for respiratory.

Results taken during the winter months (June -- August) showed even higher reductions: cardiovascular 20%; respiratory 28%.

The researchers conclude that a trend was found in reduced all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality during the period of improved air quality which was greatest during winter with stronger associations in males. They say that the findings "highlight the potential for important public health gains from interventions to reduce ambient pollution from biomass smoke."

Source: BMJ-British Medical Journal Date: January 8, 2013www.sciencedaily.com/ article releases/

BAD AIR MEANS BAD NEWS FOR SENIORS' BRAINPOWER

Living in areas of high air pollution can lead to decreased cognitive function in older adults, according to new research presented in San Diego at The Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) 65th Annual Scientific Meeting.

This finding is based on data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Health and Retirement Study. The analysis was conducted by Jennifer Ailshire, PhD, a National Institute on Aging postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Biodemography and Population Health and the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California.

"As a result of age-related declines in health and functioning, older adults are particularly vulnerable to the hazards of exposure to unhealthy air," Ailshire said. "Air pollution has been linked to increased cardiovascular and respiratory problems, and even premature death, in older populations, and there is emerging evidence that exposure to particulate air pollution may have adverse effects on brain health and functioning as well."

This is the first study to show how exposure to air pollution influences cognitive function in a national sample of older men and women. It suggests that fine air particulate matter -- composed of particles that are 2.5 micrometers in diameter and smaller, thought to be sufficiently small that if inhaled they can deposit deep in the lung and possibly the brain -- may be an important environmental risk factor for reduced cognitive function.

The study sample included 14,793 white, black, and Hispanic men and women aged 50 and older who participated in the 2004 Health and Retirement Study (a nationally representative survey of older adults). Individual data were linked with data on 2004 annual average levels of fine air particulate matter from the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System monitors across the country. Cognitive function was measured on a scale of 1 to 35 and consisted of tests assessing word recall, knowledge, language, and orientation.

Ailshire discovered that those living in areas with high levels of fine air particulate matter scored poorer on the cognitive function tests. The association even remained after accounting for several factors, including age, race/ethnicity, education, smoking behavior, and respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

Fine air particulate matter exposures ranged from 4.1 to 20.7 micrograms per cubic meter, and every ten point increase was associated with a 0.36 point drop in cognitive function score. In comparison, this effect was roughly equal to that of aging three years; among all study subjects, a one-year increase in age was associated with a drop 0.13 in cognitive function score.

Source: The Gerontological Society of America Date: November 16, 2012www.sciencedaily.com/ article releases/

AIR POLLUTION LINKED TO SLOWER COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN

Attendance at schools exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollution is linked to slower cognitive development among 7-10-year-old children in Barcelona, according to a study published by Jordi Sunyer and colleagues from the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Spain, published in this week's PLOS Medicine.

The researchers measured three cognitive outcomes (working memory, superior working memory, and attentiveness) every 3 months over a 12-month period in 2715 primary school children attending 39 schools. By comparing the development of these cognitive outcomes in the children attending schools where exposure to air pollution was high to those children attending a school with a similar socio-economic index where exposure to pollution was low, they found that the increase in cognitive development over time among children attending highly polluted schools was less than among children attending paired lowly polluted schools, even after adjusting for additional factors that affect cognitive development.

Thus, for example, there was an 11.5% 12-month increase in working memory at the lowly polluted schools but only a 7.4% 12-month increase in working memory at the highly polluted schools. These results were confirmed using direct measurements of traffic related pollutants at schools.

The findings suggest that the developing brain may be vulnerable to traffic-related air pollution well into middle childhood, a conclusion that has implications for the design of air pollution regulations and for the location of new schools. While the authors controlled for socioeconomic factors, the accuracy of these findings may be limited by residual confounding, that is, the children attending schools where traffic-related pollution is high might have shared other unknown characteristics that affected their cognitive development.

Source: PLOS Medicine Date: March 3, 2015www.sciencedaily.com/ article releases/

EXPOSURE TO TRAFFIC AIR POLLUTION IN INFANCY IMPAIRS LUNG FUNCTION IN CHILDREN

Exposure to ambient air pollution from traffic during infancy is associated with lung function deficits in children up to eight years of age, particularly among children sensitized to common allergens, according to a new study.

"Earlier studies have shown that children are highly susceptible to the adverse effects of air pollution and suggest that exposure early in life may be particularly harmful," said researcher Göran Pershagen, MD, PhD, professor at the Karolinska Institutet Institute of Environmental Medicine in Stockholm, Sweden. "In our prospective birth cohort study in a large population of Swedish children, exposure to traffic-related air pollution during infancy was associated with decreases in lung function at age eight, with stronger effects indicated in boys, children with asthma and particularly in children sensitized to allergens."

The findings were published online ahead of print publication in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The study included more than 1,900 children who were followed from birth through age eight with repeated questionnaires, spirometry and immunoglobulin E measurements. Outdoor concentrations of particulate matter from road traffic were estimated for residential, daycare and school addresses using dispersion modeling, a mathematical simulation of how air pollutants disperse in the atmosphere.

A 5th to 95th percentile difference in time-weighted exposure to outdoor concentrations of particulate matter from road traffic during the first year of life was associated with a reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of -59.3 mL (95% confidence interval (CI): -113.0 to -5.6) at age eight. This negative association was particularly pronounced in children who were sensitized to common inhalant and/or food allergens and also seemed stronger among boys and among children with asthma.

Exposure to traffic-related air pollution after the first year of life appeared to have less impact on subsequent lung function.

The study had a few limitations. Calculations of particulate matter concentrations were only performed for the year 2004 and were extrapolated to the other years of follow-up, and some miscalculation of individual exposure levels was likely.

"Our study shows that early exposure to traffic-related air pollution has long-term adverse effects on respiratory health in children, particularly among atopic children," concluded Dr. Pershagen. "These results add to a large body of evidence demonstrating the detrimental effects of air pollution on human health."

Source: American Thoracic Society (ATS) Date: October 12, 2012www.sciencedaily.com/ article releases/

METROS-AIR-QUALITY-GETTING-WORSE-STUDY

Yes, being stuck in horrible traffic jam on a daily basis can kill you. With the worsening air quality in Metro Manila, commuters who get stuck on the road for hours and endure long lines to catch a ride in public transportation are exposed to various kinds of pollutants, making them highly vulnerable to developing respiratory disease and cardiovascular illnesses, according to health experts.

“Traffic is really bad for our health,” Dr. Anthony Leachon, a cardiologist at Manila Doctors Hospital and the president of the Philippine College of Physicians Foundation, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Sunday. Leachon said air pollution, a major problem particularly in urban centers, could lead to lung diseases such as bronchitis, exacerbation of bronchial asthma and recurrent respiratory tract infections and allergies.

Air pollution also contributes to cardiovascular diseases and deaths, according to Leachon, citing a 2010 report of the American Heart Association, stating that short-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, irregular heart beats or cardiac arrhythmia in predisposed individuals. These vulnerable individuals include the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic obstructive heart disease and hypertension, he said.

He also cited a study conducted by researchers at the Institute of Epidemiology of Helmholtz Center in Munich, Germany, showing that heavy traffic, regardless of what mode of transportation taken, could triple one’s risk of heart attack within an hour due to the air pollution from car fumes. The researchers had also interviewed 1,454 people who survived heart attacks in a previous study and found out that many of them had been stuck in terrible traffic in the hour before their heart attack. The study also suggested that stress brought about by heavy road gridlock could be a contributing factor. “Thus, traffic woes are fatal. And the government should embark on a major strategic plan in the next six years or longer to alleviate this stressful malady afflicting daily commuters and the whole nation as well,” said Leachon.

In a statement, Dr. Leo Olarte, chair of the environmental group Coalition of Clean Air Advocates of the Philippines, said traffic jams in the capital worsened all the deadly effects of unabated motor vehicle emissions on the health and lives of daily commuters.

“If you’re a patient with cardiovascular ailments, the intensive particulate matter or soot exposure that you can be subjected to when caught in monstrous traffic jams for several hours can possibly trigger life-threatening episodes of heart attack, stroke and even sudden death right there and then even when you’re inside your air conditioned cars,” said Olarte.

Latest records from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources showed that Metro Manila’s air quality situation has worsened in terms of total suspended particulates from 106 µg/Ncm from July to December 2014 to 130 µg/Ncm from January to April this year. Both figures are beyond the maximum safe level of 90 µg/Ncm.

Particulate Matter of 10microns in diameter (PM10) in Metro Manila’s air also jumped from 52 µg/Ncm from July to December 2014 to 62 µg/Ncm during the first four months of the year, two points higher than the standard PM10. Eighty-five percent of the capital’s total air emissions come from vehicles, records show.

Source : http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/source/philippine-daily-inquirerJocelyn R. Uy Date: August 23rd, 2015

WHY INDOOR AIR POLLUTION MAY BE WORSE THAN IT IS OUTDOORS

Air pollution, be it the indoor variety or the more visible outdoor type, is bad for your health. The thing many people tend to overlook is that it can also make you look older. There's no doubt that air pollution has a detrimental effect on the skin. It's been scientifically proven to be one of the main sources of skin damage; toxins in the air cause skin to age prematurely, especially on the face, neck and hands. It's important to recognise the problem, identify the danger signs and look at simple ways to either prevent, or at least minimise, damage. Indoor pollutants in dust and air are often generated from sources such as environmental tobacco smoke, building materials, furniture, cleaning and hygiene products, air fresheners, computers, printers, cooking and other indoor activities, and from people themselves.

Air pollutants of current interest among researchers include ozone, nitrogen oxides, and bioaerosols. The mechanisms of pollutant activity depend on the particle size, solubility, site of deposit and specific chemical properties. Recent studies have shown that different pollutants provoke different immunological and non-immunological responses in those exposed. Interaction between air pollutants and allergens can take place outside the exposed person, within the allergen itself, or inside the organism on mucous membranes and skin.

Five simple steps to improve indoor air quality are:

Keep your floors fresh & maintain a healthy level of humidityMake your home a no-smoking zoneTest for radon. Whether you have a new or old home, you could have a problemSmell good naturally. Avoid synthetic fragrancesAs you age your skin naturally begins to lose moisture and elasticity, but there are changes we can make to slow down the skin ageing process.

For example, it's been shown that indoor air pollution from cooking with coal or firewood accelerates skin ageing in northern Chinese women. It was significantly associated with an increased appearance of wrinkles on the forehead, under the eyes and on the backs of arms and hands.

Particulate matter, chemicals such as phthalates and organic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can also have a detrimental effect on skin. Recent studies have identified links between the concentration of phthalates in indoor dust and allergic symptoms in the skin. One of the main sources of phthalate esters indoors are plasticised polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials used in floor and wall covering materials, shower curtains, adhesives, synthetic leather, toys, cosmetics and other consumer products. Phthalates are constantly being emitted into the air and indoor dust because they are not chemically bound to the PVC structure. Because the indoor environment is protected from environmental degradation, PAHs associated with dust persist for long periods. So concentrations in indoor dust are much higher than they are in outdoor dust and soil.

Particulate matter causes strong oxidative stress to skin, leading to premature skin ageing, while research shows that indoor contributions of particulate matters are much higher when open windows are exposed to traffic fumes. Recognition of pollutant sources, environmental control and avoidance remain the most effective countermeasures. Regular cleaning of air conditioners and filters will help. You should avoid pollutants from traffic emissions through open windows and consider using antioxidants, moisturisers and barrier protecting skincare products.

Source: South China Morning Post , Dr Kong Ching-boon Date: June 15, 2015http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/