Examination of Air Pollution’s Relationship with COVID-19, Physical and Mental Health

AbstractAir pollution is a result of natural phenomena or human activities that can cause the release of harmful substances in the environment, leading to adverse health outcomes among living beings. Pollution is associated with adverse health impacts on multiple organ systems among humans. While the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are mainly affected, there are other health issues related to the eyes, skin, brain, blood, immunity, behavioral/mental well-being, and reproduction among exposed individuals. Air pollutants can especially have higher health impacts on people at the extremes of their ages (children and elderly) and on those suffering from underlying respiratory and heart issues. Pollutants such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide have respiratory effects among children and adults and are associated with increased respiratory diseases, asthma exacerbations, and related hospitalizations. Carbon monoxide interferes with transporting oxygen by forming carboxyhemoglobin leading to cardiovascular, neurological, and respiratory problems. Particulate matter is a heterogeneous mixture of tiny particles of varying compositions found in the atmosphere and has a wide variety of severe health effects. Particulate matter emits from combustion, diesel engines, power generation, and wood-burning, and certain industrial activities. Lead is considered neurotoxic and has more severe consequences among children. Here we summarize characteristics of six criteria air pollutants and associated air quality risk assessment parameters known as the Pollutant Standard Index (PSI). The present manuscript also examines the impact of air pollution on human behavior, mental well-being, and neurological health consequences, as air pollution has been associated with cognitive decline, hyperactivity, dementia, anxiety, depression, aggression, and Alzheimer’s disease-related changes. Lastly, we also attempt to look into any relationship between air pollutants and Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and examine its possible association with a higher COVID-19 incidence, complications, and mortality.

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TUBE Project: Transport-Derived Ultrafines and the Brain Effects

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19010311 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 311

Author(s):

Maria-Viola Martikainen ◽

Päivi Aakko-Saksa ◽

Lenie van den Broek ◽

Flemming R. Cassee ◽

Roxana O. Carare ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Health Effects ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Air Pollutant ◽

Adverse Health Effects ◽

Adverse Health ◽

Organ Systems ◽

The Brain

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.

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Air Pollutants Reduce The Physical Activity Of Professional Soccer Players.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-558780/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michał Zacharko ◽

Robert Cichowicz ◽

Marcin Andrzejewski ◽

Paweł Chmura ◽

Edward Kowalczuk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Well Being ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Considerable Problem ◽

The Impact ◽

Sporting Performance

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the impact of air quality – analyzed on the basis of the model of integrating three types of air pollutants (ozone – O3, particulate matter - PM, nitrogen dioxide – NO2) – on the physical activity of soccer players. Study material consisted of 8927 individual match observations of 461 players competing in the German Bundesliga during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 domestic seasons. The measured indices included players’ physical activities: total distance (TD) and high intensity effort (HIE). Statistical analysis showed that with increasing levels of air pollution, both TD (F = 13.900(3); p = 0.001) and HIE (F = 8.060(3); p = 0.001) decrease significantly. The worsening of just one parameter of air pollution results in a significant reduction in performance. This is important information as air pollution is currently a considerable problem for many countries. Improving air quality during training sessions and sports competitions will result in better well-being and sporting performance of athletes, and will also help protect athletes from negative health effects caused by air pollution.

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Air Pollutants Reduce the Physical Activity of Professional Soccer Players

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182412928 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (24) ◽

pp. 12928

Author(s):

Michał Zacharko ◽

Robert Cichowicz ◽

Marcin Andrzejewski ◽

Paweł Chmura ◽

Edward Kowalczuk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Well Being ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Professional Soccer ◽

Considerable Problem ◽

The Impact ◽

Sporting Performance

The aim of the study was to determine the impact of air quality—analyzed on the basis of the model of integrating three types of air pollutants (ozone, O3; particulate matter, PM; nitrogen dioxide, NO2)—on the physical activity of soccer players. Study material consisted of 8927 individual match observations of 461 players competing in the German Bundesliga during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 domestic seasons. The measured indices included players’ physical activities: total distance (TD) and high-intensity effort (HIE). Statistical analysis showed that with increasing levels of air pollution, both TD (F = 13.900(3); p = 0.001) and HIE (F = 8.060(3); p = 0.001) decrease significantly. The worsening of just one parameter of air pollution results in a significant reduction in performance. This is important information as air pollution is currently a considerable problem for many countries. Improving air quality during training sessions and sports competitions will result in better well-being and sporting performance of athletes and will also help protect athletes from negative health effects caused by air pollution.

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Influence of particulate matter on human health in selected African provinces: mini-review

Reviews on Environmental Health ◽

10.1515/reveh-2020-0013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Tadesse W. Bulto

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Human Health ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Single Case ◽

Health Effect ◽

Economic Value ◽

Well Being ◽

Environmental Benefits ◽

Global Burden

AbstractAir contamination influenced the human health and environmental well-being of the ecosystem. Particulate matter is a series of issues from major air pollutants in atmosphere. The aim of the review was to analyses the influence of particulate matter on human health and estimate the number of populations exposed to air pollution. The data analysed using the Environmental Benefits Mapping Analysis program model to selected African provinces. The review used 15% rollback data from the global burden disease and 5.8 µg/m³ the concentration of air pollutants from 1990 to 2013 years. The main findings of the study revealed that about 370 million (36.6%) population affected by air pollution. Besides, the risk factor associated with a population was 53,000 deaths per total population and 50,000 life-year losses. The economic value estimated to avoid a single case of particular matter on human health effect were estimated 14 billion dollars (US 2011). Priorities should be given to air quality management to improve the human and environmental health of ecosystems to reduce the global burden of disease of Africa regions.

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Assessing the Impact of Ozone and Particulate Matter on Mortality Rate from Respiratory Disease in Seoul, Korea

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos10110685 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 685 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Park

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Mortality Rate ◽

Respiratory Disease ◽

Warning System ◽

Error Rates ◽

Health Impacts ◽

Tree Model ◽

Method Error ◽

The Impact

The evidence linking ozone and particulate matter with adverse health impacts is increasing. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of air pollution on the mortality rate from respiratory disease in Seoul, Korea, between 2008 and 2017. The analysis was conducted using a decision tree model in two ways: using 24-hour average concentrations and using 1-hour maximum values to compare any health impacts from the different times of exposure to pollution. Results show that in spring an elevated level of ozone is one of the most important factors, but in summer temperature has a greater impact than air pollution. Nitrogen dioxide is one of the most important factors in fall, while high levels of particles less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and 10 μm in size (PM10) and cooler temperatures are key factors in winter. We checked the accuracy of our results through a 10-fold cross validation method. Error rates using 24-hour average and 1-hour maximum concentrations were in the ranges of 24.9%–42% and 27.6%–42%, respectively, indicating that 24-hour average concentrations are slightly more directly related with mortality rate. These results could be useful for policy makers in determining the temporal scale of predicted pollutant concentrations for an air quality warning system to help minimize the adverse impacts of air pollution.

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COVID-19 as ‘Game Changer’ for the Physical Activity and Mental Well-Being of Augmented Reality Game Players During the Pandemic: Mixed Methods Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.25117 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Louise A Ellis ◽

Matthew D Lee ◽

Kiran Ijaz ◽

James Smith ◽

Jeffrey Braithwaite ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Video Games ◽

Video Game ◽

Well Being ◽

Harry Potter ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Pokémon Go ◽

The Impact ◽

Mental Well Being

BACKGROUND Location-based augmented reality (AR) games, such as Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, have been shown to have a beneficial impact on the physical activity, social connectedness, and mental health of their players. In March 2020, global social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the AR games developer Niantic Inc to implement several changes to ensure continued player engagement with Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. We sought to examine how the physical and mental well-being of players of these games were affected during the unprecedented COVID-19 restriction period as well as how their video game engagement was affected. OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the physical and mental well-being of AR game players; to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the use of video games and motivations for their use; and to explore the potential role of AR games (and video games in general) in supporting well-being during COVID-19–related social restrictions. METHODS A mixed methods web-based self-reported survey was conducted in May 2020, during which COVID-19–related social restrictions were enforced in many countries. Participants were recruited on the web via four subreddits dedicated to Pokémon GO or Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Data collected included quantitative data on demographics, time spent playing video games, physical activity, and mental health; qualitative data included motivations to play and the impact of video games on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown. RESULTS We report results for 2004 participants (1153/1960 male, 58.8%, average age 30.5 years). Self-reported physical activity during COVID-19–related social restrictions significantly decreased from 7.50 hours per week on average (SD 11.12) to 6.50 hours (SD 7.81) (<i>P</i><.001). More than half of the participants reported poor mental health (925/1766, 52.4%; raw World Health Organization–5 Well-Being Index score <13). Female gender, younger age, and reduced exercise were significant predictors of poor mental health. Participants reported a significant increase in video game play time from 16.38 hours per week on average (SD 19.12) to 20.82 hours (SD 17.49) (<i>P</i><.001). Approximately three quarters of the participants (n=1102/1427, 77.2%) reported that playing video games had been beneficial to their mental health. The changes made to Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite were very well received by players, and the players continued to use these games while exercising and to maintain social connection. In addition to seeking an escape during the pandemic and as a form of entertainment, participants reported that they used video games for emotional coping and to lower stress, relax, and alleviate mental health conditions. CONCLUSIONS AR games have the potential to promote physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Used by populations under isolation and distress, these games can improve physical and mental health by providing virtual socialization, sustained exercise, temporal routine, and mental structure. Further research is needed to explore the potential of AR games as digital behavioral interventions to maintain human well-being in the wider population.

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The impact of air pollution with the particulate matter on the development of cardiovascular diseases (literature review)

Hygiene and Sanitation ◽

10.47470/0016-9900-2021-100-6-555-559 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 100 (6) ◽

pp. 555-559

Author(s):

Serafima V. German ◽

Igor P. Bobrovnitskii ◽

Alisa V. Balakaeva

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Cardiovascular Diseases ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Ultrafine Particles ◽

The Elderly ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Short Term Exposure ◽

The Impact

Air pollution constitutes a severe threat to human health. It is recognized as an essential risk factor for morbidity and mortality, contributing primarily to the development of cardiovascular pathology - arterial hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke. A decrease in air pollution is accompanied by reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Researches on CVD mechanisms development under the influence of air pollutants keep on being conducted. The main biological pathways are inflammation and oxidative stress, causing cascades of synergistic pathophysiological reactions. The most significant harm is caused by the particulate matter (PM) and ultrafine particles PM0.1 (less than 0.1 microns) with the highest penetrating ability. Air pollution by PM can have adverse effects with both prolonged and short-term exposure. The elderly patients with CVD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity are more vulnerable to exposure to pollutants. The purpose of this work is to generalize data on the issue of the interconnection of air pollution with particulate matter and cardiovascular diseases obtained over the past decade and a half. A literature search was conducted in MedLine, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar databases. The results of studies on exposure to air pollutants may vary due to differences in concentration, the composition of pollutants, duration of exposure, study design, characteristics of study participants, etc. In addition, susceptibility to air pollution can vary under the influence of other factors - economic, environmental, social, etc. The nature of atmospheric air pollution has been studied in many industrial centres of Russia. Still, only a few studies have been devoted to its effect on the country’s cardiovascular system. Awareness of this problem remains insufficient to date.

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Sitting in the dark

New Sociology: Journal of Critical Praxis ◽

10.25071/2563-3694.52 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fiona Edwards

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Interaction ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Impacts ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Safety Measures ◽

Global Crisis ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Youth Population ◽

Mental Well Being

COVID-19 has created a new reality for countries worldwide as leaders are tasked with the responsibility of enacting safety measures to stop the rate of infection. Social distancing is promoted as one of the main ways of curbing the spread of the virus. Such measures limit social interaction and the spaces people are free to occupy. The following poem, entitled “Sitting in the dark: COVID-19 and mental well-being” speaks to the mental health impacts of such closures on the youth population, highlighting that no one is immune from the virus. This poem also explores the interconnectedness of a person’s physical and mental health andthe subsequent need to pay attention to both realities during times of global crisis. Despite the challenges the pandemic presents, it is imperative that youth find an outlet to cope, one that will help them develop resiliency and a sense of hope.

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Five-Year Analysis of Air Pollution in Istanbul Including Also the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of İzmir Chest Hospital ◽

10.5222/igh.2021.78941 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nilüfer Aykaç ◽

Pınar Pazarlı Bostan ◽

Sabri Serhan Olcay ◽

Berker Öztürk

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Air Quality ◽

Nitrogen Oxide ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

World Health ◽

Limit Values ◽

Public Data ◽

Health Organization ◽

The Impact

INTRODUCTION: Particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and nitrogen oxide compounds are the main air pollutants. The purpose of this research is to analyze the five-year air quality of Istanbul and examine the effect of movement restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic on pollutants. METHODS: The public data of the National Air Quality Observation Network has been utilized. The research has been conducted based on the five-year daily averages of PM10, NO2, and NOx pollutants for Istanbul between 2016 - 2020. The data of stations which measured for 75% and more throughout the year has been used. The effect of lockdowns enforced due to COVID-19 was revealed by comparing data of pollutants from April and May of 2020 to the same period in 2019. RESULTS: There were 12 stations between 2016 – 2018, and 39 stations in 2019 and 2020 which measured particulate matter and nitrogen oxide compounds. Only 9 stations reached the standard of measuring pollution for 75% and more throughout the year. The PM10, NO2, and NOx levels measured by all the 9 stations between 2016 - 2020 are above the limit values set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The lockdowns in 2020 have not been helping improvements in air pollution issue. However, there have been regressions of 33.4%, 59.6%, and 52.6% in the overall average particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and nitrogen dioxide concentrations during the lockdowns between 23-26 of April, 1-3 of May, and 23-26 of May, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The air pollution issue in Istanbul has not improved in a meaningful and significant manner for the last five years. There is a significant deficiency in measuring traffic pollution. It has been found that two days long lockdowns and physical movement restrictions due to COVID-19 have significantly contributed to a significant regression in the overall concentration of air pollutants.

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COVID-19 as ‘Game Changer’ for the Physical Activity and Mental Well-Being of Augmented Reality Game Players During the Pandemic: Mixed Methods Survey Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/25117 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (12) ◽

pp. e25117

Author(s):

Louise A Ellis ◽

Matthew D Lee ◽

Kiran Ijaz ◽

James Smith ◽

Jeffrey Braithwaite ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Video Games ◽

Video Game ◽

Well Being ◽

Harry Potter ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Pokémon Go ◽

The Impact ◽

Mental Well Being

Background Location-based augmented reality (AR) games, such as Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, have been shown to have a beneficial impact on the physical activity, social connectedness, and mental health of their players. In March 2020, global social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the AR games developer Niantic Inc to implement several changes to ensure continued player engagement with Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. We sought to examine how the physical and mental well-being of players of these games were affected during the unprecedented COVID-19 restriction period as well as how their video game engagement was affected. Objective The aims of this study were to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the physical and mental well-being of AR game players; to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the use of video games and motivations for their use; and to explore the potential role of AR games (and video games in general) in supporting well-being during COVID-19–related social restrictions. Methods A mixed methods web-based self-reported survey was conducted in May 2020, during which COVID-19–related social restrictions were enforced in many countries. Participants were recruited on the web via four subreddits dedicated to Pokémon GO or Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Data collected included quantitative data on demographics, time spent playing video games, physical activity, and mental health; qualitative data included motivations to play and the impact of video games on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown. Results We report results for 2004 participants (1153/1960 male, 58.8%, average age 30.5 years). Self-reported physical activity during COVID-19–related social restrictions significantly decreased from 7.50 hours per week on average (SD 11.12) to 6.50 hours (SD 7.81) (P<.001). More than half of the participants reported poor mental health (925/1766, 52.4%; raw World Health Organization–5 Well-Being Index score <13). Female gender, younger age, and reduced exercise were significant predictors of poor mental health. Participants reported a significant increase in video game play time from 16.38 hours per week on average (SD 19.12) to 20.82 hours (SD 17.49) (P<.001). Approximately three quarters of the participants (n=1102/1427, 77.2%) reported that playing video games had been beneficial to their mental health. The changes made to Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite were very well received by players, and the players continued to use these games while exercising and to maintain social connection. In addition to seeking an escape during the pandemic and as a form of entertainment, participants reported that they used video games for emotional coping and to lower stress, relax, and alleviate mental health conditions. Conclusions AR games have the potential to promote physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Used by populations under isolation and distress, these games can improve physical and mental health by providing virtual socialization, sustained exercise, temporal routine, and mental structure. Further research is needed to explore the potential of AR games as digital behavioral interventions to maintain human well-being in the wider population.

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