Health and Economic Burden of the 2017 Portuguese Extreme Wildland Fires on Children

Wildland fires release substantial amounts of hazardous contaminants, contributing to a decline in air quality and leading to serious health risks. Thus, this study aimed to understand the contributions of the 2017 extreme wildland fires in Portugal on children health, compared to 2016 (with burned area, in accordance with the average of the previous 15 years). The impact of long-term exposure to PM10 and NO2 concentrations, associated with wildland fires, on postneonatal mortality, bronchitis prevalence, and bronchitis symptoms in asthmatic children was estimated, as well as the associated costs. The excess health burden in children attributable to exposure to PM10 and NO2, was calculated based on WHO HRAPIE relative risks. Fire emissions were obtained from the Fire INventory from NCAR (FINN). The results obtained indicate that the smoke from wildfires negatively impacts children’s lung function (PM10 exposure: increase of 320 and 648 cases of bronchitis in 2016 and 2017; NO2 exposure: 24 and 40 cases of bronchitis symptoms in asthmatic children in 2016 and 2017) and postneonatal mortality (PM10 exposure: 0.2 and 0.4 deaths in 2016 and 2017). Associated costs were increased in 2017 by around 1 million € for all the evaluated health endpoints, compared to 2016.

Prenatal Particulate Matter Exposure Is Associated with Saliva DNA Methylation at Age 15: Applying Cumulative DNA Methylation Scores as an Exposure Biomarker

Background: Exposure in utero to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) is associated with maladaptive health outcomes. Although exposure to prenatal PM2.5 and PM10 has cord blood DNA methylation signatures at birth, signature persistence into childhood and saliva cross-tissue applicability has not been tested. Methods: In the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a United States 20-city birth cohort, average residential PM2.5 and PM10 during the three months prior to birth was estimated using air quality monitors with inverse distance weighting. Saliva DNA methylation at ages 9 (n = 749) and 15 (n = 793) was measured using the Illumina HumanMethylation 450 k BeadArray. Cumulative DNA methylation scores for particulate matter were estimated by weighting participant DNA methylation at each site by independent meta-analysis effect estimates and standardizing the sums. Using a mixed-effects regression analysis, we tested the associations between cumulative DNA methylation scores at ages 9 and 15 and PM exposure during pregnancy, adjusted for child sex, age, race/ethnicity, maternal income-to-needs ratio, nonmartial birth status, and saliva cell-type proportions. Results: Our study sample was 50.5% male, 56.3% non-Hispanic Black, and 19.8% Hispanic, with a median income-to-needs ratio of 1.4. Mean exposure levels for PM2.5 were 27.9 μg/m3/day (standard deviation: 7.0; 23.7% of observations exceeded safety standards) and for PM10 were 15.0 μg/m3/day (standard deviation: 3.1). An interquartile range increase in PM2.5 exposure (10.73 μg/m3/day) was associated with a −0.0287 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM2.5 (95% CI: −0.0732, 0.0158, p = 0.20) across all participants. An interquartile range increase in PM10 exposure (3.20 μg/m3/day) was associated with a −0.1472 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM10 (95% CI: −0.3038, 0.0095, p = 0.06) across all participants. The PM10 findings were driven by the age 15 subset where an interquartile range increase in PM10 exposure was associated with a −0.024 standard deviation lower cumulative DNA methylation score for PM10 (95% CI: −0.043, −0.005, p = 0.012). Findings were robust to adjustment for PM exposure at ages 1 and 3. Conclusion: In utero PM10-associated DNA methylation differences were identified at age 15 in saliva. Benchmarking the timing and cell-type generalizability is critical for epigenetic exposure biomarker assessment.

Ambient PM2.5 and PM10 Exposure and Respiratory Disease Hospitalization in Kandy, Sri Lanka

Evidence of associations between exposure to ambient air pollution and health outcomes are sparse in the South Asian region due to limited air pollution exposure and quality health data. This study investigated the potential impacts of ambient particulate matter (PM) on respiratory disease hospitalization in Kandy, Sri Lanka for the year 2019. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was applied to estimate the short-term effect of ambient PM on respiratory disease hospitalization. As the second analysis, respiratory disease hospitalizations during two distinct air pollution periods were analyzed. Each 10 μg/m3 increase in same-day exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 was associated with an increased risk of respiratory disease hospitalization by 1.95% (0.25, 3.67) and 1.63% (0.16, 3.12), respectively. The effect of PM2.5 or PM10 on asthma hospitalizations were 4.67% (1.23, 8.23) and 4.04% (1.06, 7.11), respectively (p < 0.05). The 65+ years age group had a higher risk associated with PM2.5 and PM10 exposure and hospital admissions for all respiratory diseases on the same day (2.74% and 2.28%, respectively). Compared to the lower ambient air pollution period, higher increased hospital admissions were observed among those aged above 65 years, males, and COPD and pneumonia hospital admissions during the high ambient air pollution period. Active efforts are crucial to improve ambient air quality in this region to reduce the health effects.

Short- and Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter and Pulse Wave Velocity

Background: In hemodialysis patients, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) levels are affected by particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10). We conducted this study to determine whether there is an association between short- and long-term PM10 exposure and baPWV in apparently healthy adults aged 40 years and older.Methods: A total of 1,628 subjects who underwent health examinations between 2006 and 2009 were included in the study. On the basis of the day of medical screening, the 1–3-day and 365-day moving averages of PM10 concentrations were used to evaluate the association between short- and long-term exposure to PM10 and high baPWV (≥the third quartile of baPWV, 1,534 cm/s) using logistic regression models. Additional subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, sex, obesity (body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m2), and comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome.Results: No statistically significant associations were identified between short-term and long-term exposure to PM10 and baPWV in any of the subjects and subgroups. A 10-μg/m3 increase in the 2-day moving average of PM10 exposure was marginally associated with high baPWV in non-obese subjects (odds ratio, 1.059; P=0.058). This association in non-obese subjects was significantly different from that in obese subjects (P=0.038).Conclusion: This study did not show statistically significant associations between short-term and long-term exposure to PM10 and baPWV in apparently healthy subjects. With short-term exposure to PM10, non-obese subjects showed a marginally unfavorable association with baPWV. Further studies are necessary to validate and elucidate the mechanism underlying the effect of PM10 on baPWV.

RGC-TBRS Personal Air Pollutant Exposure versus Health Condition and Perception Pilot Study for Young Asthmatics in Hong Kong (2019/2020)

This is a report of the RGC-TBRS funded observational pilot study which examines the effects of personal exposures to three types of air pollutants, namely, PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10, on personal health condition and perception of young asthmatics (aged 12 to 15) in Hong Kong. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between PM1.0 and FEV1 and FVC of young asthmatics in Hong Kong, based on personal exposures obtained from portable sensors. Our preliminary results show that a higher level of PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10 would deteriorate the health conditions of young asthmatics in HK. All correlations between particulates and lung functions are significant and negative, including PM1.0 exposure vs. FEV1 (R2=12%; p=0.023), PM1.0 exposure vs. FVC (R2=15%; p=0.010), PM2.5 exposure vs. FEV1 (R2=13%; p=0.019), PM2.5 exposure vs. FVC (R2=16%; p=0.008), PM10 exposure vs. FEV1 (R2=14%; p=0.012), and PM10 exposure vs. FVC (R2=18%; p=0.005). Moreover, after accounting for covariates, including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), temperature, and relative humidity, we found a significant relationship between PM1.0 exposure vs. FVC (Coefficient=-0.1224; p=0.032), PM2.5 exposure vs. FVC (Coefficient=-0.1177; p=0.021), PM10 exposure vs. FEV1 (Coefficient=-0.0703; p=0.019), and PM10 exposure vs. FVC (Coefficient=-0.1204; p=0.006). Further, using the pilot study data, we have performed a power analysis to estimate the sample size for our follow-up main study. Based on the primary null hypothesis that personal PM exposure would not change the FEV1 and FVC of young asthmatics in HK, the lowest sample size that gives 80% power at a 5% significance level is 107. Hence, the sample size (or the total number of participated asthma subjects) expected for the follow-up longitudinal clinical study should be 125 (after adjusting for the non-compliance and withdrawal of subjects). Our pilot study has demonstrated the feasibility of research into the effects of personal air pollutant exposure on health condition and health perception. Our follow-up study will address the challenges identified in the pilot study, based on the proposed follow-up actions for subject engagement, data collection, and data analysis.

Clinical outcomes associated with long-term exposure to airborne particulate pollution in kidney transplant recipients

Background Researchers have yet to investigate the specific association between 10-μm particulate matter (PM10) levels and the risk of graft failure, kidney disease, or the functional decline of transplanted kidneys, in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Furthermore, we know very little about the association between PM10 levels and the development of allograft rejection in transplanted kidneys. Identification of air pollution as a potential contributor to kidney disease could help reduce future disease burden, stimulate policy discussions on the importance of reducing air pollution with respect to health and disease, and increase public awareness of the hazards of air pollution. We aimed to evaluate the relationship of PM10 with the risk of graft failure, mortality, and decline of graft function in KTRs. Methods Air pollutant data were obtained from the Korean National Institute of Environmental Research. We then investigated potential associations between these data and the clinical outcomes of 1532 KTRs who underwent kidney transplantation in a tertiary hospital between 2001 and 2015. Survival models were used to evaluate the association between PM10 concentrations and the risk of death-censored graft failure (DCGF), all-cause mortality, and biopsy-proven rejection (BPR), over a median follow-up period of 6.31 years. Results The annual mean PM10 exposure after kidney transplantation was 27.1 ± 8.0 μg/m3. Based on 1-year baseline exposure, 1 μg/m3 increase in PM10 concentration was associated with an increased risk of DCGF (hazard ratio (HR): 1.049; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.014–1.084) and BPR (HR: 1.053; 95% CI: 1.042–1.063). Fully adjusted models showed that all-cause mortality was significantly associated with 1-year average PM10 concentrations (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.043 to 1.140). Conclusions Long-term PM10 exposure is significantly associated with BPR, DCGF, and all-cause mortality in KTRs.

Risiko Gangguan Kesehatan Masyarakat Akibat Pajanan PM10 di Kota Padang

Latar belakang: Pencemaran udara merupakan salah satu permasalahan kesehatan masyarakat yang mempunyai dampak serius pada kesehatan manusia dan kualitas lingkungan. Salah satu polutan udara yang dapat menyebabkan masalah kesehatan adalah partikel debu/ Particullate Matter (PM10). Kegiatan penambangan tanah liat di Gunung Sarik merupakan yang terbesar di Kota Padang. Proses pengangkutan tanah liat ke perusahaan, menimbulkan dampak terhadap masyarakat dan lingkungan sekitarnya. Penelitian bertujuan menganalisis risiko lingkungan pajanan PM 10 kegiatan penambangan tanah liat dan manajemen risiko yang dapat dilakukan.Metode: Penelitian menggunakan metode Analisis Risiko Kesehatan Lingkungan (ARKL). Penelitian dilakukan pada bulan April sampai November 2019, sebanyak 53 responden. Parameter yang diukur adalah PM10 pada empat titik pengukuran. Teknik pengambilan sampel secara systematik random sampling. Instrumen berupa LVAS, termohygrometer, anemometer, timbangan dan kuesioner. Analisis data menggunakan tahapan analisis risiko lingkungan.Hasil: Konsentrasi PM10 adalah 0,152 µg/m3 melebihi baku mutu sesuai dengan Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 41 Tahun 2009. Nilai intake pajanan PM10 secara inhalasi di titik empat memiliki nilai RQ > 1, menunjukkan bahwa pemajanan tidak aman bagi masyarakat di sepanjang jalan Gunung Sarik sehingga perlu dilakukan pengendalian.Simpulan: Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat satu titik pengukuran dengan konsentrasi PM10 udara ambien di Gunung Sarik 0,152 µg/m3 melewati baku mutu sesuai PP No 41 Tahun 2009 yaitu 150 µg/m3 . Hasil analisis risiko RQ>1, artinya pemajanan tidak aman bagi masyarakat yang tinggal di sepanjang Jalan Gunung Sarikdan sebanyak 43 responden (86%) memiliki gejala gangguan saluran pernafasan ABSTRACTTitle: Public Health Problems Due to PM10 Exposure in Padang CityBackground: Air pollution is a public health problem that has a serious impact on human health and environmental quality. One of the air pollutants that can cause health problems is dust particles / Particullate Matter (PM10). The clay mining activity in Gunung Sarik is the largest in Padang City. The process of transporting clay to the company has an impact on the community and the surrounding environment. This study aims to analyze the environmental risk of exposure to PM10 clay mining activities and the risk management that can be carried out.Method: The study used the Environmental Health Risk Analysis (ARKL) method. The study was conducted from April to November 2019, with a total of 53 respondents. The measured parameter is the four point PM10 measurement. The sampling technique is systematic random sampling. Instruments using LVAS, thermohygrometer, anemometer, scales and questionnaires. Data analysis uses the environmental risk analysis stage. Result: The concentration of PM10 is 0.152 µg/m3 exceeding the quality standard in accordance with Government Regulation No. 41 of 2009. The value of PM10 exposure by inhalation at point four has a value of RQ> 1, indicating that the exposure is not safe for the community along the Gunung Sarik road so it needs to be done control. Conclusion: The results showed that there was a single point of measurement with the concentration of PM10 in ambient air at Mount Sarik 0.152 µg / m3 passing the quality standard according to Government Regulation No. 41 of 2009, namely 150 µg / m3. The results of the risk analysis RQ> 1, meaning that the exposure is not safe for people who live along Jalan Gunung Sarik and as many as 43 respondents (86%) have symptoms of respiratory problems.