Health effects of acid aerosols on North American children: respiratory symptoms.

Abstract

We examined the respiratory health effects of exposure to acidic air pollution among 13,369 white children 8 to 12 years old from 24 communities in the United States and Canada between 1988 and 1991. Each child's parent or guardian completed a questionnaire. Air quality and meteorology were measured in each community for a 1-year period. We used a two-stage logistic regression model to analyze the data, adjusting for the potential confounding effects of sex, history of allergies, parental asthma, parental education, and current smoking in the home. Children living in the community with the highest levels of particle strong acidity were significantly more likely [odds ratio (OR) = 1.66; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-2.48] to report at least one episode of bronchitis in the past year compared to children living in the least-polluted community. Fine particulate sulfate was also associated with higher reporting of bronchitis (OR = 1.65; 95% CI 1.12-2.42). No other respiratory symptoms were significantly higher in association with any of the air pollutants of interest. No sensitive subgroups were identified. Reported bronchitis, but neither asthma, wheeze, cough, nor phlegm, were associated with levels of particle strong acidity for these children living in a nonurban environment. Images Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3.

Air pollution as a risk factor in health impact assessments of a travel mode shift towards cycling

“…*Published emission factors but not reported in text. **Emission factors reported explicitly in text ᴬ Age groups according to health outcomes; ᴯ Such as ≥18 years or ≥30 years; C Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program using the concentration response function from chronic bronchitis [63], acute bronchitis [64], all-cause mortality [65,104], COPD hospitalization (Moolgavgkar 2000a, 2003) [66], asthma emergency room visits [67], work loss days [68], asthma (symptoms) [69], minor-restricted activity days [70], acute MI [71], respiratory disease [72], lower respiratory symptoms [73], and cough among asthmatic children [74]; D Probable, but not specified explicitly in the text; ᴱ Health And Air Pollution Study in New Zealand to estimate the morbidity and mortality health costs associated with traffic emissions [82]; F CVD admission >64 years: [75]; ᴳ Mortality: <75 and >75 years, respiratory disease (65 years) [76], and lung cancer [104] Morbidity: CVD, respiratory disease [76], and lung cancer [104]; H Method of transport emission estimation is quite vague in determination of emission factors; I External cost of energy to estimate the automotive pollution impact on health in Europe [81]; J Cerebrovascular disease and lower respiratory tract infection [77], preterm weight [78], low term weight [79], and CVD (Mustafic 2012) [80]; K Value of a Life Year: calculation of monetary benefits of mortality reduction using a life tables approach. …”

Air quality co-benefits of subnational carbon policies

“…Incidence values associated with changes to PM 2.5 as a result of two regional GHG policies. Acute bronchitis Dockery et al (1996) 5281 (−193, 10616) (2000) 67239 (32417, 101402) 14318 (6925, 21524) 36197 (17518, 54386) 4657 (2286,6890) Note. Values (shown with 95% confidence intervals associated with crf only) are presented for both the policy-covered NE U.S., and all other areas in the U.S. (no policy constraints) for the year 2030. fossil fuels at the household level and is represented independently from the 17 production sectors previously introduced (an example of consumption is household heating).…”

Long-Range Transport of SO2 from Continental Asia to Northeast Asia and the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Flow Rate Estimation Using OMI Data, Surface in Situ Data, and the HYSPLIT Model

“…Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) in the atmosphere is emitted from anthropogenic and natural sources [1][2][3][4][5]. More than 70% of the global total SO 2 emission is from anthropogenic sources and half of this is from fossil-fuel combustion [6].…”

“…SO 2 and various sulfuric aerosols are also known to affect radiative forcing [15]. Therefore, to establish effective air-quality control strategies at receptor areas, it is necessary to quantify the contribution of long-range transported air pollutants such as SO 2 to the atmospheric environment of that area.…”