Monitoring of particulate matter 10 µm (PM10) in ambient air by means of Gent Sampler as an alternative to Beta Ray Automatic Analyzer for Air Pollution Mitigation

BACKGROUND: Indoor and ambient air pollution exposure is a major risk to respiratory health worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Interventional trials have mainly focused on alternatives to cooking stoves, with mixed results. Beyond cooking, additional sources of particulate matter also contribute to the burden of air pollution exposure. This review explores evidence from current randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on the clinical effectiveness of interventions to reduce particulate matter in LMICs.METHODS: Twelve databases and the grey literature (e.g., Government reports and policy papers) were searched. Eligible studies were RCTs conducted in LMICs aiming to reduce particulate exposure from any source and reporting on at least one clinical respiratory outcome (respiratory symptoms, lung function or clinical diagnoses). Data from relevant studies were systematically extracted, the risk of bias assessed and narrative synthesis provided.RESULTS: Of the 14 included studies, 12 tested ‘improved' cookstoves, most using biomass, but solar and bioethanol cookers were also included. One trial used solar lamps and another was an integrated intervention incorporating behavioural and environmental components for the treatment and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Of the six studies reporting child pneumonia outcomes, none demonstrated significant benefit in intention-to-treat analysis. Ten studies reported respiratory symptom outcomes with some improvements seen, but self-reporting made these outcomes highly vulnerable to bias. Substantial inter-study clinical and methodological heterogeneity precluded calculation of pooled effect estimates.CONCLUSION: Evidence from the RCTs performed to date suggests that individual household-level interventions for air pollution exposure reduction have limited benefits for respiratory health. More comprehensive approaches to air pollution exposure reduction must be developed so their potential health benefits can be assessed.

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Air pollution and public health: the challenges for Delhi, India

Reviews on Environmental Health ◽

10.1515/reveh-2017-0032 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 77-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Arun Kumar Sharma ◽

Palak Baliyan ◽

Prashant Kumar

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Data Collection ◽

Human Health ◽

Bronchial Asthma ◽

Suspended Particulate Matter ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Aerodynamic Diameter ◽

Suspended Particulate

AbstractMitigating the impact of pollution on human health worldwide is important to limit the morbidity and mortality arising from exposure to its effect. The level and type of pollutants vary in different urban and rural settings. Here, we explored the extent of air pollution and its impacts on human health in the megacity of Delhi (India) through a review of the published literature. The study aims at describing the extent of air pollution in Delhi, the magnitude of health problems due to air pollution and the risk relationship between air pollution and associated health effects. We found 234 published articles in the PubMed search. The search showed that the extent of air pollution in Delhi has been described by various researchers from about 1986 onwards. We synthesized the findings and discuss them at length with respect to reported values, their possible interpretations and any limitations of the methodology. The chemical composition of ambient air pollution is also discussed. Further, we discuss the magnitude of health problem with respect to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), bronchial asthma and other illnesses. The results of the literature search showed that data has been collected in last 28 years on ambient air quality in Delhi, though it lacks a scientific continuity, consistency of locations and variations in parameters chosen for reporting. As a result, it is difficult to construct a spatiotemporal picture of the air pollution status in Delhi over time. The number of sites from where data have been collected varied widely across studies and methods used for data collection is also non-uniform. Even the parameters studied are varied, as some studies focused on particulate matter ≤10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and those ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), and others on suspended particulate matter (SPM) and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM). Similarly, the locations of data collection have varied widely. Some of the sites were at busy traffic intersections, some on the terraces of offices and residential houses and others in university campuses or airports. As a result, the key question of the extent of pollution and its distribution across various parts of the city could be inferred. None of the studies or a combination of them could present a complete picture of the burden of diseases like COPD, bronchial asthma and other allergic conditions attributable to pollution in Delhi. Neither could it be established what fraction of the burden of the above diseases is attributable to ambient air pollution, given that other factors like tobacco smoke and indoor air pollution are also contributors to the causation of such diseases. In our discussion, we highlight the knowledge gaps and in the conclusion, we suggested what research can be undertaken to fill the these research gaps.

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Particulate Matter Management Plan for Prayagraj City Based Upon Emissions

International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology ◽

10.22214/ijraset.2021.37875 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 2820-2825

Author(s):

Anmol Sharma

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Fossil Fuels ◽

Action Plan ◽

Road Dust ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Management Plan ◽

Vehicular Pollution ◽

Sources Of Pollution ◽

The City

Abstract: Air Pollution has become one of the significant factors behind the increase in world-wide mortality rate. There are several reasons behind this increased rate such as rapid growth of industrialization, vehicular pollution accompanied by increase in urbanisation and burning of fossil fuels. This paper presents the proper management and mitigation plan (action plan) of air pollution scenario for the city Prayagraj based upon emissions. Some major air pollutants under consideration in the city of Prayagraj are Particulate Matter (PM10) and particulate matter (PM2.5). There are several prominent sources within and outside prayagraj contributing to PM10 and PM2.5 ambient air; these pollutants can be taken as surrogate of other pollutants also, as most of the pollutants coexist and have common sources. Several major sources of pollution in the city have been noted such as from Domestic, Vehicular Pollution, Road dust, Municipal solid waste (MSW) and Brick kiln. Based upon emissions calculated from these major sources a proper mitigation and management plan has been prepared for the city. Keywords: Air pollution, Particulate Matter, Prayagraj city, Action Plan, Emissions.

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Effects of AIR pollution on cardiopuLmonary disEaSe in urban and peri-urban reSidents in Beijing: protocol for the AIRLESS study

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-20-15775-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (24) ◽

pp. 15775-15792

Author(s):

Yiqun Han ◽

Wu Chen ◽

Lia Chatzidiakou ◽

Anika Krause ◽

Li Yan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Large Scale ◽

Personal Exposure ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Urban Residents ◽

Cardiopulmonary Disease ◽

Pollution Levels ◽

Large Scale Field

Abstract. Beijing, as a representative megacity in China, is experiencing some of the most severe air pollution episodes in the world, and its fast urbanization has led to substantial urban and peri-urban disparities in both health status and air quality. Uncertainties remain regarding the possible causal links between individual air pollutants and health outcomes, with spatial comparative investigations of these links lacking, particularly in developing megacities. In light of this challenge, Effects of AIR pollution on cardiopuLmonary disEaSe in urban and peri-urban reSidents in Beijing (AIRLESS) was initiated, with the aim of addressing the complex issue of relating multi-pollutant exposure to cardiopulmonary outcomes. This paper presents the novel methodological framework employed in the project, namely (1) the deployment of two panel studies from established cohorts in urban and peri-urban Beijing, with different exposure settings regarding pollution levels and diverse sources; (2) the collection of detailed measurements and biomarkers of participants from a nested case (hypertensive) and control (healthy) study setting; (3) the assessment of indoor and personal exposure to multiple gaseous pollutants and particulate matter at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution with validated novel sensor technologies; (4) the assessment of ambient air pollution levels in a large-scale field campaign, particularly the chemical composition of particulate matter. Preliminary results showed that there is a large difference between ambient and personal air pollution levels, and the differences varied between seasons and locations. These large differences were reflected on the different health responses between the two panels.

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Ambient Air Quality and General Health Outcomes in Nigde (Turkey) between 2011 and 2017

Iranian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.18502/ijph.v50i10.7496 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ertan Kara ◽

Hasan Göksel Özdilek ◽

Emine Erman Kara ◽

Fatih Balcı ◽

Burcu Mestav

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Health Problems ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Ambient Air Quality

Background: We aimed to provide information for health practitioners and other related people about the association between ambient air quality and adverse health outcomes in the general population of Nigde, a central Turkish city, within the context of current health data epidemiological evidence. Methods: The present study highlights the connection between health problems and time series of particulate matter (PM10) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) in Nigde, Turkey between 2011 and 2017. Significant morbidity is linked to ambient air pollution, resulting in a significant economic cost to society. Results: We found that the required funds to treat cancers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease triggered by ambient air pollution in Nigde, exceed 9 million US dollars per year, even when only the city center is taken into account. Conclusion: As Turkish cities grow and urban population density increases, air pollution issues need to be given priority in order to protect the health of the public and support sustainable development for future generations. It is recommended that particulate matter concentration in this urban center should be significantly reduced to minimize health problems.

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Atmospheric Monitoring of PM₂.₅, PM₁₀₋₂.₅, PM₁₀, Arsenic and Carbonaceous Aerosol at Wainuiomata

10.26686/wgtn.17014226.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Chandar Singh

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Biomass Burning ◽

Limit Of Detection ◽

Ion Beam ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Guideline Value ◽

Treated Timber ◽

Gf Aas

<p>Air pollution is harming our health and that of our children and parents. Air pollution causes many harmful effects, ranging from premature death, to headaches, coughing and asthma attacks. Previous studies (2008-2009) of particulate matter at Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt showed that biomass burning was primarily responsible for peak PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ concentrations and exceedances of the National Environmental Standard (NES) and the New Zealand Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (NZAAQG). Arsenic was also found to be associated with biomass burning sources during winter at Wainuiomata. The source of arsenic was considered to be due to the use of copper chromium arsenate (CCA) treated timber as solid fuel for fires for domestic heating. While particulate matter pollution from domestic fires itself presents a health risk for the exposed population, the addition of arsenic to the mix enhances the potential risk. The use of CCA treated timber was unlikely to be used on a regular basis hence the peak arsenic concentrations did not always coincide with peak contributions from domestic fires and that the use of CCA – treated timber is more intermittent and opportunistic. This work compared several different analytical methodologies for the determination of arsenic in air particulate matter. The primary purpose was to use a standard analytical method as recommended by the NZAAQ guidelines and compare those results with the Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) and X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) methods used to determine arsenic concentrations in previous studies. Through this collaborative research with GNS Science and GWRC, it was found that annual PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ averages were well within the NZAAQG values of; 20 μg m⁻³ and 10 μg m⁻³ respectively. There was a much correlated seasonal and temporal variations observed for black carbon (BC), PM₂.₅ and arsenic concentrations. The overall concentrations of BC, PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ have decreased significantly in the Wainuiomata airshed compared to previous studies as reported in 2009 with fewer exceedances of the NES and NZAAQG on a 24 hour daily average. The overall weighted mean arsenic concentration as measured by GF-AAS was 6.3 ± 0.8 ng m⁻³ and that measured by XRF and IBA was 3.8 ± 2.0 ng m⁻³ and 3.1 ± 5.9 ng m⁻³ respectively. The XRF and IBA arsenic concentrations were consistently lower than that of GF-AAS. The two annual arsenic averages (GF-AAS) were 6.5 ± 0.9 ng m⁻³ and 5.9 ± 0.7 ng m⁻³ respectively, for the entire sampling period. In both the cases the NZAAQG value of 5.5 ng m⁻³ were exceeded. The exceedance in the second year of sampling was not statistically significant as the guideline value 5.5 ngm⁻³ falls within the given uncertainty of the measured annual averages for arsenic. However, it is definitely an area of concern as the overall arsenic concentrations during winter periods was 12.2 ± 1.0 ng m⁻³. Moreover, burning CCA treated timber is effectively banned through regional plan rules and the problem presents itself as one of enforcement and/or public education. The inter-method comparison showed that IBA technique can be used for “screening” purposes due to high limit of detection (LOD) and analytical noise. While XRF can still be used interchangeably with GF-AAS but with Teflon or thinner filter membrane, for long term environmental monitoring of arsenic and other elemental compositions. Given the excellent recoveries of 99.2 ± 0.8% for duplicate spiked analysis and 102.7 ± 0.9% for lab blank filters spiked analysis, at 95% confidence intervals, GF-AAS method is highly reproducible and should be used in the determination of arsenic in ambient air for the purpose of comparing with the NZAAQG values.</p>

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Using Ultrasound-Treated Washout from Conifer Needles and Fresh Snow Samples in Air Pollution Monitoring

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1155/2020/3529437 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

A. Kholodov ◽

M. Tretyakova ◽

K. Golokhvast

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Atmospheric Particulate Matter ◽

Pollution Monitoring ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Air Pollution Monitoring ◽

Conifer Needles ◽

Fresh Snow ◽

Snow Precipitation

Snow precipitation and snowpack are commonly used to assess the condition of the aerial environment. Another way to monitor air quality is to study trees and shrubs, which are natural barriers for capturing air pollution, including atmospheric particulate matter. The hypothesis of the current study was that using fresh snow precipitation and washout from vegetation for the monitoring of air pollution can produce comparable results. In this study, we compared the results of laser diffraction analysis of suspended particular matter in melted fresh snow and ultrasound-treated washout from conifer needles. The samples were collected at several sites in Primorsky Krai, Russian Federation, and analyzed according to the same scheme. We observed that the content of particulate matter with a smaller aerodynamic diameter in the ultrasound-treated washout from conifer needles was higher than that in the melted fresh snow. The content of PM10 in the ultrasound-treated washout from conifers was increased by 6–27% depending on the site, showing greater efficacy of this method. This method can be used as an alternative to the sampling of snow for the monitoring of ambient air pollution, taking into account several limitations.

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How Do Economic Growth, Urbanization, and Industrialization Affect Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations? An Assessment in Liaoning Province, China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17155441 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (15) ◽

pp. 5441

Author(s):

Tuo Shi ◽

Yuanman Hu ◽

Miao Liu ◽

Chunlin Li ◽

Chuyi Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Economic Growth ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Liaoning Province ◽

Fine Particulate ◽

Pm2.5 Concentration

With China’s rapid development, urban air pollution problems occur frequently. As one of the principal components of haze, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has potential negative health effects, causing widespread concern. However, the causal interactions and dynamic relationships between socioeconomic factors and ambient air pollution are still unclear, especially in specific regions. As an important industrial base in Northeast China, Liaoning Province is a representative mode of social and economic development. Panel data including PM2.5 concentration and three socio-economic indicators of Liaoning Province from 2000 to 2015 were built. The data were first-difference stationary and the variables were cointegrated. The Granger causality test was used as the main method to test the causality. In the results, in terms of the causal interactions, economic activities, industrialization and urbanization processes all showed positive long-term impacts on changes of PM2.5 concentration. Economic growth and industrialization also significantly affected the variations in PM2.5 concentration in the short term. In terms of the contributions, industrialization contributed the most to the variations of PM2.5 concentration in the sixteen years, followed by economic growth. Though Liaoning Province, an industry-oriented region, has shown characteristics of economic and industrial transformation, policy makers still need to explore more targeted policies to address the regional air pollution issue.

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The Short-Term Effects of Ambient Air Pollutants on Childhood Asthma Hospitalization in Taiwan: A National Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16020203 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 203 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Ching-Yen Kuo ◽

Chin-Kan Chan ◽

Chiung-Yi Wu ◽

Dinh-Van Phan ◽

Chien-Lung Chan

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Childhood Asthma ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Ambient Air ◽

National Study ◽

Relative Risks ◽

Asthma Hospitalization

This investigation determined the effects of air pollution on childhood asthma hospitalization in regions with differing air pollution levels in Taiwan over a long time period. Data of childhood hospital admissions for asthma in patients aged 0–18 years and air quality in eight regions for the period 2001–2012 in Taiwan were collected. Poisson generalized linear regression analysis was employed to identify the relative risks of hospitalization due to asthma in children associated with exposure to varying levels of air pollutants with a change in the interquartile range after adjusting for temperature and relative humidity. Particulate matter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM10), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), were positively associated with childhood asthma hospitalization, while O3 was negatively associated with childhood asthma hospitalization. SO2 was identified as the most significant risk factor. The relative risks for asthma hospitalization associated with air pollutants were higher among children aged 0–5 years than aged 6–18 years and were higher among males than females. The effects of air pollution on childhood asthma were greater in the higher-level air pollution regions, while no association was observed in the lower-level air pollution regions. These findings may prove important for policymakers involved in implementing policies to reduce air pollution.

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Social Inequalities in Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution: A Systematic Review in the WHO European Region

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16173127 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (17) ◽

pp. 3127 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jonathan Fairburn ◽

Steffen Andreas Schüle ◽

Stefanie Dreger ◽

Lisa Karla Hilz ◽

Gabriele Bolte

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Social Inequalities ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

World Health ◽

European Region ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Oxides Of Nitrogen ◽

Majority Population

Ambient air pollution is a long-standing and significant public health issue. The aim of this review is to systematically examine the peer-reviewed evidence on social inequalities and ambient air pollution in the World Health Organization European Region. Articles published between 2010 and 2017 were analyzed in the review. In total 31 articles were included in the review. There is good evidence from ecological studies that higher deprivation indices and low economic position are usually linked with higher levels of pollutants such as particulate matter (particulate matter under 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter, PM2.5, PM10) and oxides of nitrogen (e.g., NO2, and NOx). There is also evidence that ethnic minorities experience a mixed exposure in comparison to the majority population being sometimes higher and sometimes lower depending on the ethnic minority under consideration. The studies using data at the individual level in this review are mainly focused on pregnant women or new mothers, in these studies deprivation and ethnicity are more likely to be linked to higher exposures of poor air quality. Therefore, there is evidence in this review that the burden of higher pollutants falls disproportionally on different social groups.

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