Air Pollution

Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Samet ◽  
Aaron J. Cohen

A wide variety of manmade and naturally occurring air pollutants are known to cause cancer. Diverse exposures such as tobacco smoke, radionuclides (radon), chemicals (benzene, mustard gas, and volatile organic compounds), fibers (asbestos), and metals and metalloids (chromium, nickel, and arsenic) have long been classified as carcinogenic to humans. Historically, these classifications were based predominantly on high levels of exposure in occupational settings. Over the last thirty to forty years, scientific attention has focused on quantifying the adverse health effects of indoor and outdoor air pollutants at exposure levels several orders of magnitude lower than were studied initially. These include secondhand smoke, household exposure to radon, residential and environmental exposure to asbestos, soot from diesel-powered engines, ambient exposures to small particles (PM2.5), and indoor air pollution from the combustion of biomass and coal. This chapter provides an overview of recent epidemiologic studies of air pollutants and cancer.

2013 ◽  
Vol 664 ◽  
pp. 207-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Han ◽  
Li Fen Yi

There is a great improvement in modern people’s working and living environment. As the new building materials and technology appear, it brings some problems to indoor environment. more and more people pay attention to their living conditions especially the quality of indoor environment. Every year ,there are 110,000 people who die from indoor air pollution every year in China, hence indoor air pollution is affecting human health. In this paper, through analysis of the sources, adverse health effects of several common indoor air pollutants, air pollutants are major contributing factors to chronic diseases and mortality. It should be treated urgently with the people’s standard of living improvement.


2014 ◽  
Vol 307 (4) ◽  
pp. H467-H476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Farmer ◽  
Timothy D. Nelin ◽  
Michael J. Falvo ◽  
Loren E. Wold

Concentrations of outdoor air pollution are on the rise, particularly due to rapid urbanization worldwide. Alternatively, poor ventilation, cigarette smoke, and other toxic chemicals contribute to rising concentrations of indoor air pollution. The World Health Organization recently reported that deaths attributable to indoor and outdoor air pollutant exposure are more than double what was originally documented. Epidemiological, clinical, and animal data have demonstrated a clear connection between rising concentrations of air pollution (both indoor and outdoor) and a host of adverse health effects. During the past five years, animal, clinical, and epidemiological studies have explored the adverse health effects associated with exposure to both indoor and outdoor air pollutants throughout the various stages of life. This review provides a summary of the detrimental effects of air pollution through examination of current animal, clinical, and epidemiological studies and exposure during three different periods: maternal (in utero), early life, and adulthood. Additionally, we recommend future lines of research while suggesting conceivable strategies to curb exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants.


Author(s):  
Horacio Riojas-Rodríguez ◽  
Isabelle Romieu ◽  
Mauricio Hernández-Ávila

This chapter describes the adverse effects of both outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution. Various ambient air pollutants are described as well as their adverse health effects, including acute and chronic respiratory disorders, cardiac disorders, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer. A section deals with National Ambient Air Quality Standards of the Environmental Protection Agency for particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, ozone, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide. Another section describes exposure assessment. The chapter also describes various measures to control hazardous air pollutants and prevent disorders related to air pollution. In addition, a section features indoor air pollution, including pollution due to burning of biomass for cooking and heat.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Omidvarborna ◽  
Prashant Kumar

<p>The majority of people spend most of their time indoors, where they are exposed to indoor air pollutants. Indoor air pollution is ranked among the top ten largest global burden of a disease risk factor as well as the top five environmental public health risks, which could result in mortality and morbidity worldwide. The spent time in indoor environments has been recently elevated due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak when the public are advised to stay in their place for longer hours per day to protect lives. This opens an opportunity to low-cost air pollution sensors in the real-time Spatio-temporal mapping of IAQ and monitors their concentration/exposure levels indoors. However, the optimum selection of low-cost sensors (LCSs) for certain indoor application is challenging due to diversity in the air pollution sensing device technologies. Making affordable sensing units composed of individual sensors capable of measuring indoor environmental parameters and pollutant concentration for indoor applications requires a diverse scientific and engineering knowledge, which is not yet established. The study aims to gather all these methodologies and technologies in one place, where it allows transforming typical homes into smart homes by specifically focusing on IAQ. This approach addresses the following questions: 1) which and what sensors are suitable for indoor networked application by considering their specifications and limitation, 2) where to deploy sensors to better capture Spatio-temporal mapping of indoor air pollutants, while the operation is optimum, 3) how to treat the collected data from the sensor network and make them ready for the subsequent analysis and 4) how to feed data to prediction models, and which models are best suited for indoors.</p>


Author(s):  
Suzanne E. Gilbey ◽  
Christopher M. Reid ◽  
Rachel R. Huxley ◽  
Mario J. Soares ◽  
Yun Zhao ◽  
...  

Background: A growing body of epidemiological and clinical evidence has implicated air pollution as an emerging risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. Whilst individuals spend up to two-thirds of daily time in their domestic residential environment, very few studies have been designed to objectively measure the sub-clinical markers of cardiometabolic risk with exposure to domestic indoor air pollutants. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate associations between the components of domestic indoor air quality and selected sub-clinical cardiometabolic risk factors in a cohort of healthy adults living in Perth, Western Australia. Methods: One hundred and eleven non-smoking adults (65% female) living in non-smoking households who were aged between 35–69 years were recruited for the project. Study subjects were invited to participate in all sections of the study, which included: Domestic indoor air monitoring along with the concurrent 24 h ambulatory monitoring of peripheral and central blood pressure and measures of central hemodynamic indices, standardized questionnaires on aspects relating to current health status and the domestic environment, a 24 h time-activity diary during the monitoring period, and clinic-based health assessment involving collection of blood and urine biomarkers for lipid and glucose profiles, as well as measures of renal function and an analysis of central pulse wave and pulse wave velocity. Results: This study provides a standardized approach to the study of sub-clinical cardiometabolic health effects that are related to the exposure to indoor air pollution. Conclusion: The findings of this study may provide direction for future research that will further contribute to our understanding of the relationship that exists between indoor air pollution and sub-clinical markers of cardiometabolic risk.


2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 357-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie L. Clark ◽  
Jennifer L. Peel ◽  
James B. Burch ◽  
Tracy L. Nelson ◽  
Matthew M. Robinson ◽  
...  

Epidemiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (Suppl) ◽  
pp. S351-S352
Author(s):  
M L. Clark ◽  
J L. Peel ◽  
T L. Nelson ◽  
J R. Stevens ◽  
S Conway ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Maria-Viola Martikainen ◽  
Päivi Aakko-Saksa ◽  
Lenie van den Broek ◽  
Flemming R. Cassee ◽  
Roxana O. Carare ◽  
...  

The adverse effects of air pollutants on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are unquestionable. However, in recent years, indications of effects beyond these organ systems have become more evident. Traffic-related air pollution has been linked with neurological diseases, exacerbated cognitive dysfunction, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the exact air pollutant compositions and exposure scenarios leading to these adverse health effects are not known. Although several components of air pollution may be at play, recent experimental studies point to a key role of ultrafine particles (UFPs). While the importance of UFPs has been recognized, almost nothing is known about the smallest fraction of UFPs, and only >23 nm emissions are regulated in the EU. Moreover, the role of the semivolatile fraction of the emissions has been neglected. The Transport-Derived Ultrafines and the Brain Effects (TUBE) project will increase knowledge on harmful ultrafine air pollutants, as well as semivolatile compounds related to adverse health effects. By including all the major current combustion and emission control technologies, the TUBE project aims to provide new information on the adverse health effects of current traffic, as well as information for decision makers to develop more effective emission legislation. Most importantly, the TUBE project will include adverse health effects beyond the respiratory system; TUBE will assess how air pollution affects the brain and how air pollution particles might be removed from the brain. The purpose of this report is to describe the TUBE project, its background, and its goals.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magali N. Blanco ◽  
Amanda Gassett ◽  
Timothy Gould ◽  
Annie Doubleday ◽  
David L. Slager ◽  
...  

AbstractGrowing evidence links traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) to adverse health effects. Previous air pollution studies focused on a few commonly measured pollutants with poor spatial resolution. Well-designed mobile monitoring studies may address this limitation. We designed an extensive mobile monitoring campaign to characterize TRAP exposure levels for a Seattle-based cohort, the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study. The campaign measured particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5), ultrafine particulates (UFP), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) at 309 stop locations representative of the cohort. We collected about 29 two-minute measures at each location during all seasons, days of the week, and most times of day for a one-year period. Annual average concentrations of UFPs had similar degrees of spatial variability as BC and NO2 but higher degrees of variability as CO2 and PM2.5. UFPs had less temporal variability than other pollutants. Validation showed good agreement between our BC, NO2, and PM2.5 measurements and regulatory monitoring sites. The results from this campaign will be used to assess TRAP exposure in the ACT cohort.SynopsisWe assessed annual-average traffic-pollutant levels with high spatial resolution at locations representative of participant residences using a temporally balanced short-term mobile monitoring campaign.Abstract Figure


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalpana Singh

Indoor air pollution is a major problem in our daily life. Efficient corrective methods are urgently needed to combat the problem of Indoor air quality Virus Bacteria pollen grains, smoke, humidity, chemical substances and gases released in anthropogenic activity have adverse health effects in humans . Indoor air is dominant exposure for humans, more than half of the body’s intake during life time is air inhaled in the home. This article is a study based on the effect of indoor air pollutant and their control measures


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