Temperature modifies the association between air pollution and cardiovascular disease hospital admissions in the Vaal Triangle Air Pollution Priority Area, South Africa

Background: Temperature and air pollution are often treated as separate risk factors and very few studies have investigated effect modification by temperature on air pollution, and the impact of this interaction on human health in Africa. This study therefore investigated the modifying effects of temperature on the association between air pollution and Respiratory disease (RD) hospital admission in South Africa. Methods: RD admission data (ICD10 J00-J99) were obtained from two hospitals located in Secunda, South Africa beween 1 January 2011 to 31 October 2016. NO2, SO2, PM10, PM2.5, temperature and relative humidity data were obtained from the South African Weather Services. A case-crossover epidemiological study design was applied and lag0-1 was used. Models were adjusted for public holidays and Apparent Temperature (Tapp). Tapp was classified as warm (Tapp>75th percentile), cold (Tapp<25th percentile) and normal (Tapp 25th-75th percentile). Results: Of the 14 568 RD admissions, approximately equal number of females and males were admitted. The average daily NO2, SO2, PM2.5 and PM10 levels were 12.4 μm/m3, 8.5 μm/m3, 32.3 μm/m3 and 68.6 μm/m3, respectively. Overall, a 10 μm/m3 increase in SO2 on warm days was associated with an increase in RD hospital admissions among the patients by 8.5% (95% Conf. Int: 0.4%, 17.2%) and 8.4% (95% Conf. Int: 0.3%, 17.1%) after adjustment for PM2.5 and PM10 respectively. However, increasing PM2.5 or PM10 by 10 μm/m3 was associated with an increase in RD hospital admissions when the temperature was normal after adjusting for SO2. On cold days there were significant associations between the SO2 and RD admissions among the 0-14 year age group after adjusting for either PM2.5 (6.5%; 95% Conf.Int: 0.9%, 12.4%) or PM10 (5.5%; 95% Conf.Int: 0.3%, 11.1%). Conclusions: SO2 was affected by extremes of temperature while the particulate matters had effect on RD admission during normal temperature in Secunda.

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Source apportionment of ambient PM10−2.5 and PM2.5 for the Vaal Triangle, South Africa

South African Journal of Science ◽

10.17159/sajs.2021/8617 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 117 (5/6) ◽

Author(s):

Luckson Muyemeki ◽

Roelof Burger ◽

Stuart J. Piketh ◽

Brigitte Language ◽

Johan P. Beukes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Biomass Combustion ◽

Priority Area ◽

Chromatography Analysis ◽

Particulate Air Pollution ◽

Pollution Problem ◽

Secondary Aerosols ◽

Vaal Triangle

The Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area (VTAPA), like other priority areas in South Africa, has an air pollution problem. Understanding the sources contributing to air pollution in this priority area will assist in the selection and implementation of appropriate control strategies. For this study, aerosol samples in the coarse (PM10-2.5) and fine (PM2.5) fraction were collected at four sites in the VTAPA during summer/autumn, winter, and spring. The contributing sources were identified and characterised based on the elemental and ionic compositions obtained through X-ray fluorescence and ion chromatography analysis. The highest seasonal median concentrations of PM10-2.5 (116 μg/m3) and PM2.5 (88 μg/m3) were observed in Sharpeville during the winter. The lowest median concentrations of PM10-2.5 (25 μg/m3) and PM2.5 (18 μg/m3) were detected in Zamdela during the summer/autumn period. At all sites, there was a high abundance of crustal elements in PM10-2.5 and a dominance of coal and biomass combustion-related elements in PM2.5. The Positive Matrix Factorisation receptor model identified dust-related and secondary aerosols as the major contributing sources of PM10-2.5. PM2.5 contributions were predominantly from coal burning for Sebokeng and Sharpeville and from industry, wood and biomass burning, and secondary aerosols for Kliprivier and Zamdela. The results of this study identify the main sources contributing to particulate air pollution in the VTAPA and provide local authorities with valuable information for decision-making.

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Association between Wheeze and Selected Air Pollution Sources in an Air Pollution Priority Area in South Africa: a Cross - Sectional Study

ISEE Conference Abstracts ◽

10.1289/isee.2014.o-258 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 (1) ◽

pp. 1597

Author(s):

Joyce Shirinde* ◽

Janine Wichmann ◽

Kuku Voyi

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Pollution Sources ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Priority Area

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Air Quality and Human Health among a Low Income Community in the Highveld Priority Area

Clean Air Journal ◽

10.17159/caj/2011/20/1.7180 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

C.Y Wright ◽

R Oosthuizen ◽

J John ◽

R.M Garland ◽

P Albers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Human Health ◽

Low Income ◽

Power Plants ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Agricultural Activity ◽

Priority Area ◽

The Impact

Human exposure to poor air quality is linked to adverse health effects. The largest burden of air pollution-related diseases is in developing countries where air pollution levels are also among the highest in the world. In South Africa, two geographic areas, the Vaal Triangle and the Highveld, have been identified for air quality managementinterventions to ensure compliance with National Air Quality Management Standards and to control potential harmful air pollution impacts on human health. The Highveld Priority Area (HPA) is characterised by intense mining, coal-fired power plants, industries, including iron and steel manufacturing, chemical plants, agricultural activity, motor vehicles and domestic fuel burning. Apart from two previous studies, no respiratory health studies have been carried out in the HPA. This paper describes the results of a recent, comprehensive study of ambient air quality, potential exposure to air pollution and air-related human health among a low income community living in the HPA in order to better understand the impact of air pollution on human health in South Africa.

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