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Exposure of Air Pollution and Its Health Effects in Traffic Police Persons of Gwalior City, India

DOI:10.1080/10406026.2017.1390357
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Harendra K. Sharma at Jiwaji University
Harendra K. Sharma
Banwari Dandotiya at Jiwaji University
Banwari Dandotiya
Nimisha Jadon at Jiwaji University
Nimisha Jadon
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This article examines the perceived health effects of air pollution among traffic police persons of Gwalior city, India. The first part of the results reveals the health effects of air pollution on respondents and the second part reports the awareness of respondents regarding air pollution, pollutants, particulate pollutants, gaseous pollutants, and sources of pollutants etc. This perceptional study examines twenty-two types of health effects and an option for other health effects was also included. Eye irritation and sleeplessness were found consistently while difficulty in concentration, headache, sneezing, and nose irritation were found in less extant. A part of health effects were very serious and not curable. Traffic police persons were neither aware adequately regarding air pollutants nor used any type of personal protective equipment. The study covers respondents of four age categories: 15–24, 25–34, 35–44, and 45-above.
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Environmental Claims Journal
ISSN: 1040-6026 (Print) 1547-657X (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/becj20
Exposure of Air Pollution and Its Health Effects in
Traffic Police Persons of Gwalior City, India
Harendra K. Sharma, Banwari Dandotiya & Nimisha Jadon
To cite this article: Harendra K. Sharma, Banwari Dandotiya & Nimisha Jadon (2017): Exposure
of Air Pollution and Its Health Effects in Traffic Police Persons of Gwalior City, India, Environmental
Claims Journal, DOI: 10.1080/10406026.2017.1390357
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10406026.2017.1390357
Published online: 27 Nov 2017.
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ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS JOURNAL
https://doi.org/./..
Exposure of Air Pollution and Its Health Effects in Traffic
Police Persons of Gwalior City, India
Harendra K. Sharmaa, Banwari Dandotiyab, and Nimisha Jadonc
aAssociate Professor, School of Studies in Environmental Science Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya
Pradesh, India; bResearcher, School of Studies in Environmental Science Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya
Pradesh, India; cAssistant Professor, School of Studies in Environmental Chemistry Jiwaji University,
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
ABSTRACT
This article examines the perceived health eects of air pollution
among trac police persons of Gwalior city, India. The rst part
of the results reveals the health eects of air pollution on respon-
dents and the second part reports the awareness of respondents
regarding air pollution, pollutants, particulate pollutants, gaseous
pollutants, and sources of pollutants etc. This perceptional study
examines twenty-two types of health eects and an option for
other health eects was also included. Eye irritation and sleep-
lessness were found consistently while diculty in concentration,
headache, sneezing, and nose irritation were found in less extant.
A part of health eects were very serious and not curable. Trac
police persons were neither aware adequately regarding air
pollutants nor used any type of personal protective equipment.
The study covers respondents of four age categories: 15–24, 25–34,
35–44, and 45-above.
Introduction
Air pollution is a pervasive environmental health hazard of the present scenario.
Health eects of air pollution have been signicantly associated with exposure
time. Human exposure to trac-related air pollution has well established nega-
tive health impacts for urban populations (Brook et al. 2010;ForastiereandAgabiti
2013;HealthEectsInstitute2010;Nawrotetal.2011). Air pollutants associated
problems,likeasthma(Andersonetal.2001) and haze-like visibility impairment
(Bhaskar et al. 2008) are typical air quality related issues in cities. According to 2011
National Emissions Inventory released by the US Environmental Protection Agency
(USEPA), sources of air pollution include commercial and industrial fuel combus-
tion, residential fuel combustion, construction and road dust, industrial processes,
public transportation, private transportation, electric generation, res, agriculture,
and numerous others (EPA 2011).
CONTACT Banwari Dandotiya banwaridandotiya@gmail.com Researcher, School of Studies in Environmental
Science Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.
©  Taylor & FrancisGroup, LLC
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2 H. K. SHARMA ET AL.
Road trac contributes signicantly to the high levels of air pollution observed
in urban areas around the world. Road trac emissions are the result of a combina-
tion of three factors: the total volume of trac; the technical characteristics of the
various vehicle types, which inuence the emission levels of an average vehicle on
the road, and general trac conditions includingoperatingspeeds(Micolas2000).
Motor vehicle emissions degrade urban air quality in accordance with atmospheric
dispersive, chemical, and physical processes (Ott et al. 2007). As a result of dier-
ent processes, motor vehicle circulation generates a number of dierent pollutants
resulting from varying processes, mainly through exhaust gases, brake and tire wear,
and resuspended dust. This results in a complex mixture of pollution being emitted
into the atmosphere, including particulate matter and gaseous pollutants such as
NOx, SOx, VOCs, greenhouse gases. These primary pollutants are precursors of the
secondary formation of particulate material (PM2.5) and ground level ozone (O3)in
the atmosphere. Therefore, the presence of thesepollutantshasalsobeenassociated
with vehicle activity (WHO 2000). The chemical composition (Hillamo et al. 1993),
health impact (Majumder et al. 2010), and rate of dispersion (Viana et al. 2002)of
these pollutants vary signicantly with their concentration. Recently, a WHO expert
panel on health aspects of air pollution in Europe reviewed studies published up to
2004 and concluded that there are many evidences of a causal association between
health eects prevalence and incidence of air pollution in general, but that there is
a suggestive evidence of a causal association between the prevalence and incidence
of health deterioration symptoms and living in close proximity to trac (Binkova
et al. 2005). Organogenesis of the lung starts in fetal life and is especially rapid in
young children. The number of alveoli in the human lung increases from 24 million
at birth to 257 million at the age of 4 years (Dunnill 1962). Changes in the lungs
continue through adolescence (Dietert et al. 2000). Exposure to air pollution alters
the normal process of lung development, which suggests that air pollution may have
a lasting eect on respiratory health, and may play a role in the development of res-
piratory diseases (Trasande and Thurston 2005).
Every year, more than 3.5 million people die worldwide due to air pollution, a g-
ure which increased by 4 percent from 2005 to 2010 (UNEP 2014). Both short-term
and long-term exposures to air pollution have been shown to increase the risk for
cardiovascular diseases (Brook et al. 2004). Urban air pollution relates to urbaniza-
tion. Many studies have suggested that urbanization in less developed countries was
associatedwithadversehealtheectslikeasthmasymptoms,allergies,andrespira-
tory airway inammation. In addition, in many urban areas, the major contributor
of air pollution has been the transportation sector (Robinson et al. 2011;Shrivastava
et al. 2013).
Thespecicgoalofthepresentarticlewastomeasurerealistichealtheects
experienced during morning and evening shifts at signals among trac police
persons in dierent sections of Gwalior City, India and to explore associations
between air pollution exposure and reported health eects and other symp-
toms. The perceptional study was conducted during the months of May–June
2017. Another part of the study was awareness about pollutants types, particulate
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EXPOSURE OF AIR POLLUTION AND ITS HEALTH EFFECTS 3
pollutants, gaseous pollutants, and major sources of pollutants in the city. Awareness
is deeply associated with protective measures.
Methodology
Study area
The present study was carried out in Gwalior, a historical city in Madhya Pradesh
(M.P.). Madhya Pradesh is one of the largest states of India according to its geo-
graphical area. Gwalior is the fourth largest city of the state of Madhya Pradesh. The
city of Gwalior is said to have been named after saint Maharishi Galav. The city is
situated at the junction of Malwa plateau in the southwest and Gangetic plain in the
northeast. It is situated in the northern area of M.P., extended from 25°4525.47N
to 26°1551.88Nandfrom77°3936.77Eto78°2243.08 E, Gwalior district is
elevated from 663 ft. in the NE (lowest) to 1360 ft. in the SW (highest) as height
increases from east to west. According to 2011 Census, the district has an area of
456.4 (000 ha), and a population of 2,030,543. Gwalior District is bounded by the
districts of Bhind to the northeast, Datia to the east, Shivpuri to the southwest,
Sheopur and Morena to the northwest. It is a part of Gwalior Division and one of
the fty-one districts of Madhya Pradesh state in central India.
Climate: Temperature and rain
The city of Gwalior has a humid subtropical type of climate. From late March to
early July, Gwalior shows a sub-tropical climate with hot summers. From late June
to early October, the city has a humid monsoon season and from early November
to late February, it has a cool dry winter. In terms of precipitation, Gwalior comes
under the semi-rainfall area. Rain occurs mostly during the monsoon season.
Questionnaire survey
A questionnaire was proposed as a “tool” for collecting and recording information
about a particular issue of interest. It was mainly made up of a list of questions and
also included clear instructions and space for answers.
In the present questionnaire survey, a current study of the health status and
awareness of the trac police persons about air pollution were studied. The survey
comprised a total of hundred trac police workers spread across the city of Gwalior
(M.P.). The survey was conducted between May and June 2017, through face-to-face
interviews at each site by using a standardized questionnaire. Apart from English
the questionnaire was orally translated into local language for the convenience of
the respondents.
The questionnaire was designed to elicit respondent’s general perception, aware-
ness, opinion, and behavior on air quality issues.
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4 H. K. SHARMA ET AL.
Site selection
The survey was done on-site (signals) and in o-site (trac police stations) in
Gwalior city. Hundred trac police persons from dierent areas of Gwalior city were
selected for the study.
Results and discussion
Health eects
Smoking
Smoking contributes in respiratory, cardiovascular, and other health problems, if
a person live in an air polluted area and also a chain smoker than smoking habit
increases the eect of air pollution. In this study a total of 31 percent respondents
were smokers and 69 percent were nonsmokers. Tobacco smoke similar to vehicular
exhaust is a complex mixture of air pollutants. Several studies suggest that early-life
exposure is more strongly associated with increased risk of respiratory problems
than is exposure at a later age. Respondents which have asthma were all have smok-
ing habit and respondents which have lung problem only three persons were smok-
ersandwhichhavelungcanceronlytwopersonsweresmokers.
Exposure time
Theexposuretimeofallrespondentswhoparticipatedinthisstudywas10–14hours
per day. Exposure time was approximately same for each signal and trac police
station. Prolonged exposure time is a main factor aecting the health of respondents.
Age group
Results of questionnaire survey were divided into four age groups which include
four categories, i.e., age group 15–24 stands for category-1, age group 25–34 stands
for category-2, age group 35–44 stands for category-3, and age group 45-above
stands for category-4. Figure 1 indicates the age group of trac police persons. The
Figure  Age groups categories of respondents.
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EXPOSURE OF AIR POLLUTION AND ITS HEALTH EFFECTS 5
Figure  Different Health Effects in Respondents.
age group of category-2 was found in largest number in the study and the age group
of category-4 was in second largest number. Overall 40 percent of respondents were
in the age group of 25–34 years and age groups 45-above, 35–44, and 15–24 cover
36 percent, 20 percent, and 4 percent of respondents respectively. Survey exhibits
not only old age respondents were aected by air pollution but also respondents of
young age.
Health effects
Multiple options were marked by the respondents, which means the respondents
were aected by multiple health eects. Table 1 depicts the data of health eects
of air pollution in trac police persons that reveals six major health eects were
observed in the survey such as eye irritation, sleeplessness, diculty in concen-
tration, headache, sneezing, and nose irritation. Eye irritation was observed in 13
percent respondents, sleeplessness in 10 percent respondents, diculty in concen-
tration in 8 percent respondents, headache in 8 percent respondents, sneezing in
8 percent respondents, and nose irritation in 7 percent respondents. Some minor
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6 H. K. SHARMA ET AL.
Tab le . Different health effects in no. of respondents.
Health effects No. of respondents
. Nose irritation, Running nose 
. Throat irritation 
. Cough 
. Bronchitis 
. Asthma
. Lung problems 
. Lung cancer
. Headache 
. Eye irritation 
. Difficulty in concentration 
. Less visibility 
. Dry and sore throat
. Muscle twitching 
. Sleeplessness 
. Nausea
. Skin irritation 
. Dr y and rough skin 
. Fatigue/drowsiness
. Smell 
. Sneezing 
. High blood pressure
. Difficulty in breathing 
. Other
and serious health eects were also observed in respondents as asthma in ve per-
sons, lung problem in ten persons, and lung cancer in three persons. Such type of
health eects is a matter of concern for trac police authorities and trac police
personsbecausesuchserioushealtheectsmaycausedeath.Commonandaverage
Tab le . Awareness about different parameters among respondents.
S. No. Awareness parameter No. of respondents
. Air pollution 
. Air pollutants 
. Types of pollutants
Smoke 
Particulates 
Gaseous 
. Gaseous pollutants
Smoke 
NOx 
SOx 
CO 
CO
O
NH
. Particulate pollutants
Dust 
SPM 
RSPM 
PM 
PM. 
. Sources of pollution
Agriculture 
Development 
Waste burning 
Industries 
Tran sp or t 
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EXPOSURE OF AIR POLLUTION AND ITS HEALTH EFFECTS 7
health eects were also observed in this study such as skin irritation in 6 percent
persons, nausea in 5 percent persons, throat irritation in 5 percent persons, di-
culty in breathing in 4 percent persons, cough in 4 percent persons, bronchitis in 4
percent persons, less visibility in 3 percent persons, dry and rough skin in 3 percent
persons, muscle twitching in 3 percent persons, smell in 2 percent persons, dry and
sore throat in 2 percent persons, and fatigue/drowsiness in 1 percent persons. Some
respondents reported other health eects which were not included in the survey
because these health eects were not caused due to air pollution.
Awareness
Table 2 shows the awareness level of respondents.
Air pollution and air pollutants
The trac police persons were competently aware about air pollution and air pol-
lutants. The options of air pollution and air pollutants were marked by 100 percent
trac police persons.
Types of pollutants
Signicant variation was found in the awareness level among trac police persons
about types of pollutants. The survey showed that a greater number of respondents,
i.e., 46% were aware about smoke, 35 percent respondents were aware about gaseous
pollutants, and the rest of 19 percent respondents were aware about particulate pol-
lutants (Figure 3). It was observed that the number of respondents aware about par-
ticulate pollutants were fewer and results revealed that the awareness about smoke
and gaseous pollutants were also not adequate.
Gaseous pollutants
Seven gaseous pollutants were taken for a study of awareness during survey (Smoke,
CO, CO2, NOx, SOx, O3,NH
3). Results were given in Figure 4 and showed aware-
ness of respondents regarding gaseous pollutants. Out of the seven gaseous air
Figure  Awareness about pollutant types.
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8 H. K. SHARMA ET AL.
Figure  Awareness about gaseous pollutants.
pollutants, awareness regarding ve (Smoke, CO, CO2,NOx,SOx,)pollutantswas
comparatively more among trac police persons but the level of awareness was not
adequate. As regards the types of gaseous pollutants, the major nding was police
persons were aware about all the gaseous pollutants listed but extremely less trac
police persons were aware about ozone and ammonia.
Particulate pollutants
ItisquitenoticeablefromFigure 5 that 53 percent trac police persons were aware
aboutdustasparticulatepollutantand29percentwereawareaboutPM10.Trac
police persons were extremely less aware about SPM, RSPM, and PM2.5.
Sources of pollution
Dierent type of sources (agriculture, development, waste burning, industries,
transport) were listed in the questionnaire beside all the options given in the col-
umn transport was reported as the major contributor of air pollution in Gwalior
city and the second most reported source of pollution was waste burning by
Figure  Awareness about particulate pollutants.
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EXPOSURE OF AIR POLLUTION AND ITS HEALTH EFFECTS 9
respondents. Other three sources development, industries, and agriculture were
considered as the source of pollution during survey by 17 percent, 12 percent, and
6 percent respondents respectively.
Conclusion
This perceptional study identies a fairly coherent knowledge regarding the health
eects of air pollution and awareness in trac police persons of Gwalior city. The
resultsindicatethatbothtransportandwasteburningareimportantemittersofair
pollutants in the study area. Air pollution at the trac signals contributes to the
development or worsening of a number of conditions, with eye irritation, sleepless-
ness, diculty in concentration, headache, sneezing, and nose irritation topping
the list. Other conditions thought to aect trac police persons were asthma,
lung problems, high blood pressure, etc. The principal reason of health eects in
the respondents of this study was exposure time. The exposure time reported by
all the respondents who participated in the survey was 10–14 hours per day and
occupational workplace of respondents were in and around trac signals of the city.
Air pollution has the same eects on all age groups but two age groups (25–34 and
45-above) were more aected which indicates that not only elder police persons
but also younger police persons were aected by air pollution. In the perception of
awareness respondents were experienced that the air pollutants harmful for health
but they had hardly any knowledge regarding specic eect of air pollutants on
health. Respondents were comparatively less aware regarding gaseous pollutants
and SPM, RSPM and PM2.5.
Funding
This research work was supported by Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology,
Bhopal (India) under grant 1736/CST/R&D (BS)/2016. We are thankful to the council for pro-
viding nancial support for the research work.
About the authors
Dr. Harendra K. Sharma is an associate professor at School of Studies in Environmental Science
Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India. He is a famous environmentalist in the region and mainly works
on Environmental Pollution and Nanotechnology.
Banwari Dandotiya is a research scholar at School of Studies in Environmental Science Jiwaji
University, Gwalior, India. He works on Air Quality.
Dr. Nimisha Jadon is an assistant professor at School of Studies in Environmental Chemistry
Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India. She works on Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry.
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... However, available literature on PAHs in environmental matrices including soils from central India is scanty (Kumar et al., 2015b). Few reports for this region are available on health impact of air pollutants (Dandotiya et al., 2019;Sharma et al., 2016Sharma et al., , 2017. Recently, Gwalior city in central India has been listed among the most polluted city in India in terms of particulate matter by World Health Organization (WHO, 2018). ...
... However, considering traffic and open waste burning as major sources of air pollution, Sharma et al., (2016) reported moderately polluted air quality of the city. Further, industrial activities in the vicinity are also the cause to the degradation of air quality in the city (Sharma et al., 2017). No study was carried out for identification of possible source of PAHs in any matrix for this region. ...
... Dominance of HMW-PAHs in urban environments has been reported due to industrial and vehicular emissions, which have a tendency to adsorbed on the particles and rapid deposition (Singh et al., 2012;ATSDR, 1995). Sharma et al., (2017) reported vehicular emissions and waste burning as the major sources of air pollutants in the study area. While, majority of air particles in India have been reported to be contributed by vehicular emissions, construction activities, diesel generators, power plants, industries and biomass combustions (Cusworth et al., 2018;Sharma et al., 2017;Singh et al., 2012). ...
CHARACTERIZATION OF POSSIBLE SOURCES OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS, USING VARIOUS DIAGNOSTIC INDICES IN SOILS FROM DEVELOPING CITY IN INDIA
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2021
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be ubiquitous in the environment. Soils are considered as source and sink for many PAHs, and play important role in their distribution. Urbanization has significant impact on all the environmental compartments, resulting in environmental quality deterioration by a variety of pollutants. No study was carried out for identification of possible source of PAHs in any matrix for this region. Hence, total 48 soil samples were collected from a developing city in India, and analysed for priority sixteen PAHs. Sample were extracted with ultrasonication technique and analyzed by HPLC equipped with diode array detector. The observed pattern shows that PAHs with 3-4 aromatic rings were dominant. The concentration of 3-ring and 4-ring PAHs ranged between 18-951 μg kg-1 and 7-824 μg kg-1 , and their contribution accounted for 42.26% and 32.12% to ∑16PAHs. The observed concentrations were much lower than reported PAHs in soils from various locations, and more or less comparable with the various cities in India. Possible sources of PAHs were identified through various diagnostic tools including homolog profiles, diagnostic molecular ratios, Pearson's correlation and principal component analysis. Study concluded with mixed pyrogenic sources from vehicle emissions, diesel, fossil fuel combustion and biomass combustion were the significant contributor of PAHs.
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... Air pollutants and their origins, particulate matter and wellness, occupation-health, particulate matter, recent eye mimic models, and constraints in those models are the main categories. Furthermore, it solely depends on disorders like respiratory (Panunzi et al. 2023;Leikauf et al. 2020;Hime et al. 2018;Shima 2017;Newell et al. 2017;Yu et al. 2018;Mannucci and Franchini 2017;Sweileh et al. 2018;Phosri et al. 2019;Hooper and Kaufman 2018;Khilnani and Tiwari 2018;Chen et al. 2019;Coker and Kizito 2018;Munoz-Pizza et al. 2020;Lee et al. 2020;Glencross et al. 2020;Mulenga and Siziya 2019;Lam et al. 2021;Kotcher et al. 2019;Brumberg and Karr 2021;Dida and Abuom 2022;Xia et al. 2023;Zhang et al. 2023), cardiovascular (Bourdrel et al. 2017;Xia et al. 2017;Ma et al. 2017a;Ma et al. 2017b;Vidale and Campana 2018;Wu et al. 2019;Khaniabadi et al. 2019;Wang et al. 2018;Dastoorpoor et al. 2019;Bublitz et al. 2019;Hamanaka and Mutlu 2018;An et al. 2018;Mihaela et al. 2020;Mishra 2017;Nhung et al. 2020;Combes and Franchineau 2019;Camacho and Camacho 2020;Zhang et al. 2021;Xin and Li 2021;Liu et al. 2020;Afoakwah et al. 2020;Konduracka and Rostoff 2022;de Bont et al. 2022;Jin et al. 2022;Traina et al. 2022;El Ghazi et al. 2022), uterine, andophthalmic (Ammasi Krishnan et al. 2019;Chen et al. 2020;Zhao et al. 2023;Carvalho et al. 2021;Choe et al. 2018;Cosemans et al. 2023;Dastoorpoor et al. 2018;Deguen et al. 2020;Dutta et al. 2021;Guilloteau et al. 2022;Jamali et al. 2017;Nazar and Niedoszytko 2022;Qiu and Tan 2019;Rafenberg 2018;Shao et al. 2020;Sharma et al. 2017;Singh et al. 2019;Sinharoy et al. 2020;Wainstock et al. 2021;Wang et al. 2020;Westergaard et al. 2017;Yi et al. 2022;Yorifuji et al. 2018;Zhong et al. 2018;Zielinska and Hamulka 2019;Ammasi Krishnan et al. 2019;Carvalho et al. 2021;Choe et al. 2018;Cosemans et al. 2023;Dastoorpoor et al. 2018;Deguen et al. 2020;Dutta et al. 2021;Guilloteau et al. 2022;Jamali et al. 2017;Klepac et al. 2018;Lam et al. 2015;Li et al. 2016;Lyu et al. 2020;Nazar and Niedoszytko 2022;Qiu and Tan 2019;Rafenberg 2018;Shao et al. 2020;Sharma et al. 2017;Singh et al. 2019;Sinharoy et al. 2020;Wainstock et al. 2021;Wang et al. 2020;Westergaard et al. 2017;Yi et al. 2022;Yorifuji et al. 2018;Zhong et al. 2018;Zielinska and Hamulka 2019;Juan-Reyes et al. 2023). From 2017 to 2023, Fig. 1 depicts the number of journal publications describing many health impacts on various organs associated with air pollution, with the least amount of publication on eyes. ...
... Air pollutants and their origins, particulate matter and wellness, occupation-health, particulate matter, recent eye mimic models, and constraints in those models are the main categories. Furthermore, it solely depends on disorders like respiratory (Panunzi et al. 2023;Leikauf et al. 2020;Hime et al. 2018;Shima 2017;Newell et al. 2017;Yu et al. 2018;Mannucci and Franchini 2017;Sweileh et al. 2018;Phosri et al. 2019;Hooper and Kaufman 2018;Khilnani and Tiwari 2018;Chen et al. 2019;Coker and Kizito 2018;Munoz-Pizza et al. 2020;Lee et al. 2020;Glencross et al. 2020;Mulenga and Siziya 2019;Lam et al. 2021;Kotcher et al. 2019;Brumberg and Karr 2021;Dida and Abuom 2022;Xia et al. 2023;Zhang et al. 2023), cardiovascular (Bourdrel et al. 2017;Xia et al. 2017;Ma et al. 2017a;Ma et al. 2017b;Vidale and Campana 2018;Wu et al. 2019;Khaniabadi et al. 2019;Wang et al. 2018;Dastoorpoor et al. 2019;Bublitz et al. 2019;Hamanaka and Mutlu 2018;An et al. 2018;Mihaela et al. 2020;Mishra 2017;Nhung et al. 2020;Combes and Franchineau 2019;Camacho and Camacho 2020;Zhang et al. 2021;Xin and Li 2021;Liu et al. 2020;Afoakwah et al. 2020;Konduracka and Rostoff 2022;de Bont et al. 2022;Jin et al. 2022;Traina et al. 2022;El Ghazi et al. 2022), uterine, andophthalmic (Ammasi Krishnan et al. 2019;Chen et al. 2020;Zhao et al. 2023;Carvalho et al. 2021;Choe et al. 2018;Cosemans et al. 2023;Dastoorpoor et al. 2018;Deguen et al. 2020;Dutta et al. 2021;Guilloteau et al. 2022;Jamali et al. 2017;Nazar and Niedoszytko 2022;Qiu and Tan 2019;Rafenberg 2018;Shao et al. 2020;Sharma et al. 2017;Singh et al. 2019;Sinharoy et al. 2020;Wainstock et al. 2021;Wang et al. 2020;Westergaard et al. 2017;Yi et al. 2022;Yorifuji et al. 2018;Zhong et al. 2018;Zielinska and Hamulka 2019;Ammasi Krishnan et al. 2019;Carvalho et al. 2021;Choe et al. 2018;Cosemans et al. 2023;Dastoorpoor et al. 2018;Deguen et al. 2020;Dutta et al. 2021;Guilloteau et al. 2022;Jamali et al. 2017;Klepac et al. 2018;Lam et al. 2015;Li et al. 2016;Lyu et al. 2020;Nazar and Niedoszytko 2022;Qiu and Tan 2019;Rafenberg 2018;Shao et al. 2020;Sharma et al. 2017;Singh et al. 2019;Sinharoy et al. 2020;Wainstock et al. 2021;Wang et al. 2020;Westergaard et al. 2017;Yi et al. 2022;Yorifuji et al. 2018;Zhong et al. 2018;Zielinska and Hamulka 2019;Juan-Reyes et al. 2023). From 2017 to 2023, Fig. 1 depicts the number of journal publications describing many health impacts on various organs associated with air pollution, with the least amount of publication on eyes. ...
Meandered and muddled: a systematic review on the impact of air pollution on ocular health
Article
Full-text available
From the years 1970–2023, a systematic overview of the diverse consequences of particulate matter on eye health and a disease classification according to acute, chronic, and genetic are presented using the PubMed, Research Gate, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases. Various studies on medical aspects correlate with the eye and health. However, from an application perspective, there is limited research on the ocular surface and air pollution. The main objective of the study is to uncover the relationship between eye health and air pollution, particularly particulate matter, along with other external factors acting as aggravators. The secondary goal of the work is to examine the existing models for mimicking human eyes. The study is followed by a questionnaire survey in a workshop, in which the exposure-based investigation was tagged based on their activity. This paper establishes a relationship between particulate matter and its influence on human health, leading to numerous eye diseases like dry eyes, conjunctivitis, myopia, glaucoma, and trachoma. The results of the questionnaire survey indicate that about 68% of the people working in the workshop are symptomatic with tears, blurred vision, and mood swings, while 32% of the people were asymptomatic. Although there are approaches for conducting experiments, the evaluation is not well defined; empirical and numerical solutions for particle deposition on the eye are needed. There prevails a broad gap in the arena of ocular deposition modeling. Graphical Abstract
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... The respiratory health status of a person is directly associated with the chemical composition of the particulate and gaseous pollutants present in the air coupled with the duration of exposure. Road side workers and traffic police man who work along busy roads are more sufferers to the respiratory health issues (Prakash et al., 2013, Sharma et al., 2017. ...
... These air pollutants have been associated with respiratory symptoms such as respiratory airways allergy and infections, obstructive pulmonary diseases, shortness of breath and others health symptoms as watery eyes, eye allergy, headache, fatigue etc. (Kongtip et al., 2006;Amaran et al., 2016;Noomnual and Shendell, 2017;Saini and Kumar, 2021). Studies have reported that road-side vendors and traffic persons are more susceptible to particulate and gaseous air pollutants (Sharma et al., 2017;State of Global Air Report, 2020). Albeit the association between air pollutants and respiratory disease is normally positive, the extent of association among different seasons fluctuates (Samet et al., 2000). ...
SEASONAL CHANGES IN RESPIRATORY HEALTH STATUS OF ROAD-SIDE VENDORS IN INDUSTRIAL CITY GAJRAULA
Article
Full-text available
  • Sep 2022
Traffic and industrial emission generate air pollutants which have been associated with respiratory health symptoms of human beings. Although there is positive association between air pollution and respiratory health, but the degree of association among different seasons varies due to the composition of different air pollutants. Present studies have been carried out to monitor and record the particulate and gaseous air pollutants (PM2.5 , PM10 , NO2 and SO 2) in ambient air at Indra Chowk, Gajraula (U.P.) during winter and rainy seasons. The level of PM2.5 , NO2 and SO2 had been found significantly higher during winter as compared to the rainy season. Due to higher level of air pollutants in ambient air, the incidence of respiratory diseases increased in winter seasons. The symptoms of cough, phlegm, headache and eye irritation had been found significantly higher in the roadside venders during winter months as compared to other seasons of the year. However, their blood oxygen saturation had been recorded significantly higher during the rainy months.
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... Traffic police are an outdoor occupational group that have high chronic exposure to TRAP. Prior studies investigating the health effects of TRAP exposure have focused on the respiratory effects [28][29][30][31][32][33][34], mutagenic and carcinogenic effects [35][36][37][38][39], cytotoxic effects [40][41][42][43][44], chromosomal damage [45], lipid metabolism [46,47], inflammatory effects [48,49], cardiovascular effects [50,51], nephrotoxicity [52], exposure to toxic metals [53][54][55], and physical and psychological hazards [56]. However, published studies of traffic police are lacking that examine the effects of chronic TRAP exposure on CVD biomarkers such as CIMT. ...
Chronic Occupational Exposure to Traffic Pollution Is Associated with Increased Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Healthy Urban Traffic Control Police
Article
Full-text available
Urban traffic officers in many low- and middle-income countries are exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP) while working vehicle control on heavily congested streets. The impact of chronic TRAP exposure on the cardiovascular health, including the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), of this outdoor occupational group remains unclear. This cross-sectional study compared the average mean and maximum CIMT measurements of two groups of relatively young, healthy traffic police (32 ± 7 years; 77% male) in Quito, Ecuador, who were without clinical evidence of serious cardiovascular or other disease. Previously published background data on PM10 (a TRAP surrogate) indicated that street levels of the pollutant were several orders of magnitude higher at the street intersections worked by traffic police compared to those working only in an office. Accordingly, officers permanently assigned to daily traffic control duties requiring them to stand 0–3 m from heavily trafficked street intersections were assigned to the high exposure group (n = 61). The control group (n = 54) consisted of officers from the same organization who were permanently assigned to office duties inside an administration building. Mean and maximum CIMT were measured with ultrasound. General linear models were used to compare the CIMT measurements of the high exposure and control groups, adjusting for covariates. The adjusted average mean and maximum CIMT measures of the high exposure group were increased by 11.5% and 10.3%, respectively, compared to the control group (p = 0.0001). These findings suggest that chronic occupational exposure to TRAP is associated with increased CIMT in traffic police. This is important since even small increases in arterial thickening over time may promote earlier progression to clinical disease and increased premature mortality risk.
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... Around 70% of total environmental pollution in India is from the transport sector (Shrivastava et al., 2013). Previous studies conducted in India examined the effects of traffic emissions on human health and ambient air quality in urban areas (Witek and Schachter, 1983; Ghose et al., 2004;Sharma et al., 2017). Analysing the on-road vehicular emissions in developing countries like India is a complex task due to the mixed traffic conditions, varied fuels, diverse travel patterns, mixed technologies and mixed user attitudes (Goel et al., 2015). ...
Travellers’ Perception About Vehicular Emissions’ and its Impact on Pedestrian Travel Behaviour
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2022
Vehicular emissions have many impacts on human health and travel behaviour. A lot of evidence on the health effects of vehicular emissions is available but very few studies have looked at the impacts on travel behaviour. The current study attempts to fill this research gap by analysing the factors that influence pedestrian travel behaviour concerning vehicle emissions based on travellers’ perceptions in the Indian context. For this, a stated preference questionnaire survey was conducted and a factor-based regression followed by a mediation analysis was used to analyse the responses. Results showed that a person’s perceived impacts about vehicular emissions had a greater impact on their travel behaviour. Public concern and environmental attitude lead to direct changes in travel behaviour whereas vehicle technology and negligent attitude had significant indirect effects. The present study findings are useful to the urban planning policymakers in reducing the impact of vehicular emissions on pedestrians by implementing strategies that lessen human exposure to transport emissions.
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... [44] In a study from Gwalior, India, among traffic police persons, headache was among the most frequently reported symptoms in association with air pollution. [54] ...
Air Pollution and Headache Disorders
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2022
Air pollution, the most prevalent form of pollution worldwide, is associated with a wide range of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative conditions, stroke, autism, depression, and developmental delay. There is accumulating evidence on the association between air pollution and headache disorders, especially migraine. Many classical and non-classical air pollutants have been associated with headache, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds. There has also been research on the impact of biomass fuels on health-related symptoms, including headache, which form an important source of air pollution in our country. The exact mechanisms underlying headache pathophysiology vis-à-vis air pollution are not precisely defined but include triggering of neuroinflammation and activation of the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1)-associated pathways. Evidence from different regions of the world indicates a significant association between headache incidence and prevalence, and occurrence of air pollution. Despite growing data, research on adverse effects of air pollution on headache disorders remains limited, and appropriate outcome measures are not holistically defined in these studies. Due to the rapid advancement of the scourge of air pollution, there is a pressing need to expand the arena of research, specifically focused on pathological mechanisms, impact on health and quality-of-life parameters, as well as broader global ramifications.
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... Smog has been associated with a variety of respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms and disorders. [7]. ...
Present Scenario of Air Quality of Gwalior City: A Review Article
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2021
According to a World Health Organization report, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh is among the top four cities in the world with the polluted air. 13 of the world's 20 cities with the worst air quality are in India. The allowable particulate matter levels in Gwalior's air are three times higher than the standards. The biggest sources to air pollution are automobiles and industrialization; urbanization has resulted in the growth of industrial centers without a corresponding growth in civic utility or pollution control methods. In this study it is tried to bring out the present scenario/condition of air pollution in Gwalior. For analyzing the ambient air quality in Gwalior, the air pollutants CO, SOx, NOx, O3 and PM (PM2.5, PM10) were used. To address variations in ambient air quality, a trend analysis was performed. On the basis of the air quality index, the current investigation discovered that the ambient air environment is largely unhealthy (AQI). Poor air quality has both immediate and long-term consequences for human health. According to the World Health Organization, all metro cities, including Gwalior, have air pollution levels that are excessive (WHO). The outcomes of this research could help local policymakers in Gwalior to adopt optimal management techniques for air quality management.
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Prevalence of Respiratory Morbidity among Traffic Police in Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Article
  • Jun 2022
OBJECTIVES The purpose of the study was to assess respiratory morbidity among traffic police in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. METHODOLOGY A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Peshawar among traffic police from all their traffic stations. A sample of 302 participants was taken conveniently from the stations as a cluster sample for the purpose. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and was analyzed through SPSS Version-17 for its presentation. RESULTS A total of 302 participants participated in the study. The mean age of the study population was 40.45 ± 6.30 years. Almost half (49%) of the study participants belonged to the age group 35-44 years. Results further reflected that majority of the respondents (90%) were head constables and 10% (31) of them were from the grade of Assistant, Sub Inspectors, (SI) and Sub Inspectors (SI). Around 49.7% of the study participants had graduation and above and the remaining 50.3% (152) had a higher secondary qualification. Furthermore; 87 % of the participants reported that they had never used a face mask and 13 % of them had used a face mask. Respiratory morbidity reflected that the 7% of participants had a frequent cough, chronic cough (6%), phlegm (15%), chronic phlegm (12%), wheeze (4%), chronic wheeze (18%), dyspnea I (9%), while 25% of them had dyspnea II and peak flow restriction with. CONCLUSION Findings of the study concluded that the Police working in traffic are very prone to get respiratory illnesses and they have a significantly higher prevalence of respiratory morbidity. Therefore periodic monitoring is encouraged to detect the problems at early stages for their treatment and better prognosis. Further Personal protective equipment needs to be used for the better prevention of the spread of respiratory disease
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Climate Change and Its Impact on Terrestrial Ecosystems
Chapter
  • Jan 2022
This chapter provides a general overview of the effects of climate change on the terrestrial ecosystem and is meant to set the stage for the specific papers. The discussion in this chapter focuses basically on the effects of climatic disturbances on terrestrial flora and fauna, including increasing global temperature and changing climatic patterns of terrestrial areas of the globe. Basically, climate disturbances derived increasing temperature and greenhouse gases have the ability to induce this phenomenon. Greenhouse gases are emitted by a number of sources in the atmosphere such as urbanization, industrialization, transportation, and population growth, so these contributing factors and its effects on climatic events like temperature rise, change precipitation pattern, extreme weather events, survival and shifting of biodiversity, seasonal disturbances, and effects on glaciers are relatively described in this chapter.
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Major Ambient Air Pollutants and Toxicity Exposure on Human Health and Their Respiratory System: A Review
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2021
Indoor and outdoor air pollution is causing environmental and health issues globally. It is more challenging mainly in developing countries like India, china, and others. According to recent World Health Organization (WHO) reports, nearly 4.2 million people die prematurely because of AAP (Ambient Air Pollution). Air pollution is made up of a variety of contaminants, including gases, liquids, heavy metals in the air, and particulate matter. Suspended particulate matter (SPM), surface ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NO2), and other contaminants have become major environmental threats to plant health. These pollutants also have an effect on human health because they affect the consistency of the air we breathe. They usually cause inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, resulting in cough and shortness of breath. These are also significant contributors to the exacerbation of current respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Epidemiological, toxicological, and clinical research all support the connection between air pollution and increased incidence and severity of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This pollution is a major public health problem in the locations where maximum pollution sources exist. To improve air quality and reduce the adverse effects of airborne toxicity due to AAP on human health, significant approaches are needed. The main objective of this review article is to provide evidence on the adverse effects of AAP on human health, as well as to make recommendations to policymakers on how to minimize exposure to this risk factor. Only public awareness combined with a multidisciplinary approach by scientific specialists will be able to handle this problem; national and international organizations must address the rise of this threat and suggest long-term remedies.
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AIR POLLUTION DUE TO ROAD TRANSPORTATION IN INDIA: A REVIEW OF ASSESSMENT AND REDUCTION STRATEGIES
Article
Full-text available
  • Sep 2013
Rapid urbanization and growth of motor vehicles impose a serious effect on human life and its environment in recent years. Most of the cities of India are being suffered by extremely high level of urban air pollution particularly in the form of CO, SO 2 , NO 2 , PM (Particulate Matter) and RSPM (Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter). Transport sectors contributes a major share to environmental pollution (around 70%). A among these pollutants CO is the major pollutant coming from the transport sector, contributing 90% of total emission. Hydrocarbons are next to CO .It is indeed interesting to observe that the contribution of transport sector to the particulate pollution is as less as 3-5%, most of the SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter) are generated due to re-suspension of dust out of which PM 10 is the most prominent air pollutant. NO x is another important air quality indicator. All these situations indicate that air pollution becoming a major problem in Indian context and there is an essential need to built up healthy environment and increase level of research around the world. The present study is a review of an assessment model for emitted pollutants and effective strategies to reduce air pollution due to road transport.
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Exposure Analysis
Book
Full-text available
  • Jan 2007
Written by experts, Exposure Analysis is the first complete resource in the emerging scientific discipline of exposure analysis. A comprehensive source on the environmental pollutants that affect human health, the book discusses human exposure through pathways including air, food, water, dermal absorption, and, for children, non-food ingestion. The book summarizes existing definitions of exposure, dose, and related concepts and provides the mathematical framework at the heart of these conceptual definitions. Using secondhand smoke as an example, the book illustrates how exposure analysis studies can change human behavior and improve public health. An extensive section on air pollutants considers volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), fine and ultrafine particles, and the latest personal air quality monitors for measuring individual exposure. Another detailed section examines exposures to pesticides, metals such as lead, and dioxin that may occur through multiple routes such as air, food, and dust ingestion. The book explores important aspects of dermal exposure such as the absorption of volatile organic compounds while showering or bathing and exposure through multiple carrier media. The authors describe quantitative methods that have been validated for predicting the concentrations in enclosed everyday locations, such as automobiles and rooms of the home. They also discuss existing laws and examine the relationship between exposure and national policies. Defining the new field of exposure analysis, this book provides the basic tools needed to identify sources, understand causes, measure exposures, and develop strategies for improving public health. Note: This book is available on Amazon.com. Either enter "Exposure Analysis" into Google or use the following direct link: http://www.amazon.com/Exposure-Analysis-Wayne-R-Ott/dp/1566706637
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Measurement and modeling of respirable particulate (PM10) and lead pollution over Madurai, India
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2008
Samples of particulate matter less than or equal to 10 μm (PM10) were collected round the clock duration by using a respirable dust sampler (APM 460 BL) in Madurai, the second largest and most densely populated city of Tamil Nadu, India. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-recommended standard methods were adopted not only for sample collection but also for subsequent analysis of respirable particulate pollutants. The observed PM10 concentrations varied from 88.1 to 226.9 μg/m3, and lead concentrations ranged between 0.21 to 1.18 μg/m3. The annual averages of the concentrations of the pollutants of current concern manifested that they were mostly below the Indian air quality standards and were generally comparable with those concentrations observed in most other Indian urban areas. The AERMOD model was validated simultaneously by comparing the predicted levels with the estimated levels of PM10. The generated database of the present investigation on the degree of pollution may be used for further research investigation and pollution abatement in the city.
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Effect of urbanisation on asthma, allergy and airways inflammation in a developing country setting
Article
Full-text available
Asthma is a growing public health problem in developing countries. However, few studies have studied the role of urbanisation in this phenomenon. It was hypothesised that children living in a peri-urban setting in Peru have higher rates of asthma and allergy than rural counterparts. 1441 adolescents aged 13-15 years were enrolled from two settings: a peri-urban shanty town in Lima (n = 725) and 23 rural villages in Tumbes (n = 716). Participants filled in questionnaires on asthma and allergy symptoms, environmental exposures and sociodemographics, and underwent spirometry, and exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and allergy skin testing. Indoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations were measured in 170 households. Lima adolescents had higher rates of lifetime wheezing (22% vs 10%), current asthma symptoms (12% vs 3%) and physician-diagnosed asthma (13% vs 2%; all p <0.001). Current rhinitis (23% vs 12%), eczema (12% vs 0.4%), atopy (56% vs 38%), personal history of cigarette smoking (7.4% vs 1.3%) and mean indoor PM (31 vs 13 μg/m(3)) were also higher in Lima (all p < 0.001). The peri-urban environment of Lima was associated with a 2.6-fold greater odds (95% CI 1.3 to 5.3) of asthma in multivariable regression. Forced expiratory volumes were higher and FEV(1)/FVC (forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity) ratios were lower in Lima (all p < 0.001). Higher eNO values in Lima (p < 0.001) were attributable to higher rates of asthma and atopy. Peri-urban adolescents had more asthma, atopy and airways inflammation and were exposed to more indoor pollution. The findings provide evidence of the risks posed to lung health by peri-urban environments in developing countries.
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The impact of traffic air pollution on bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and mortality after lung transplantation
Article
Full-text available
Approximately half of all patients who underwent a lung transplantation suffer from bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), the clinical correlate of chronic rejection, within 5 years after transplantation. This prevalence is much higher than for other solid organ transplantations, possibly due to the lung's direct contact with the environment. The authors assessed the association between proximity of the home to major roads and BOS and mortality in a cohort of patients after lung transplantation. The authors calculated hazard ratios for BOS and mortality in relation to proximity of the home to major roads, adjusting for relevant covariables, in 288 patients after lung transplantation at the Leuven University Hospital between 1997 and 2009 and with follow-up until August 2009. Inflammatory parameters in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage were assessed in 207 patients. During follow-up, 117 (41%) patients developed BOS and 61 (21%) died. Patients who lived within 171 m of a major road (lowest tertile) were 2.06 (95% CI 1.39 to 3.05) times more likely to develop BOS and 2.20 (1.25 to 3.86) times more likely to die than patients living farther away. The adjusted hazard ratios of BOS and mortality were 0.57 and 0.72 for each 10-fold increase in distance from major roads. Proximity to a major road was inversely associated with plasma C-reactive protein levels, neutrophil percentage and interleukin-6 concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage. Traffic-related air pollution appears to constitute a serious risk of BOS and mortality after lung transplantation.
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Analysing road traffic influences on air pollution: How to achieve sustainable urban development
Article
  • Apr 2000
This paper considers the main road-traffic parameters that determine air pollution, i.e. the total volume of traffic, road speeds and the composition of the vehicle fleet. Changes in the amounts of pollutants emitted, and the importance of each of the three parameters, have been computed by using a traffic assignment model, which also represents emission factors. The types of policies that may be implemented to reduce the environmental impact of transport are then considered. The study demonstrates, for example, that the impact of a deterioration in traffic conditions is limited in comparison with the effect of forecast increases in traffic and improvements in the environmental performance of vehicles. As a consequence, if cities and urban transport are to achieve sustainable development, urban expansion must take place in a controlled way.
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Size distributions of atmospheric trace elements at dye 3, Greenland — I. Distribution characteristics and dry deposition velocities
Article
Cascade impactor samples were collected at Dye 3 on the south-central Greenland Ice Sheet during March 1989. The impactor was calibrated in the laboratory, and the resulting collection efficiency curves were used to derive the impactor response for use in a data inversion procedure. The impactor samples were chemically analysed by proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), and the chemical concentration data were used with the inversion procedure to generate smooth size distributions for 15 elements. Results show three distinct size distribution categories. The first category includes elements that mainly originate from gas to particle conversion, with a substantial fraction from anthropogenic combustion (S, Pb, Zn, Br and Ni). These elements exhibit a unimodal size distribution with geometric mean aerodynamic diameter close to 0.6 μm, although S and Zn show a weak second mode centered at about 2 μm. Elements in the second category (Ti, Si, Fe, Mn, Ca, K) exhibit bimodal size distributions, with geometric mean diameters for the two modes of 0.6 and 2 μm, respectively. These elements results from a variety of sources, including crustal erosion as well as combustion from natural and anthropogenic sources. For elements in the third category (Al, Cl, Na, Mg), most of the mass occurs in particle sizes above 1 μm. Their size distribution is generally unimodal, with the geometric mean aerodynamic diameter around 2 μm. These elements are most likely to be of crustal and/or marine origin. The best-fit size distributions were used with curves of dry deposition velocity vs aerodynamic particle diameter to estimate the overall dry deposition velocity expected from the entire distribution. The deposition velocities for S, Pb, Zn, Br and Ni are all very low, with values less than about 0.02 cm s−1 if hygroscopic growth in the humid layer is neglected. For the other elements, deposition velocities are in the range 0.2-0.7 cm s−1. For those distributions that are bimodal, the upper mode generally dominates deposition even when most of he airborne mass is associated with the lower modes, as in the case of S and Zn.
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Influence of African dust on the levels of atmospheric particulates in the Canary Island air quality network
Article
Time series of levels of atmospheric particulate matter (TSP and PM10) were studied at 19 air quality monitoring stations in the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria (Canary Islands) during the period 1998–2000. After analysing seasonal variations, attention was focused on the detection of high TSP and PM10 events and on the identification of their natural or anthropogenic origins. Back-trajectory analysis and TOMS-NASA aerosol index as well as satellite imagery (SeaWIFS-NASA) were used to identify three types of African dust outbreaks differing in seasonal occurrence, source origin and impact on TSP/PM10 levels. Mean annual and daily TSP and PM10 levels were compared with the forthcoming limit values of the EU Air Quality Directive EC/30/1999, and the results showed that the annual and daily limit values established for 2010 would only be met at rural stations. PM levels at urban background, urban and industrial sites would exceed the 2010 objectives. Only the levels at the urban-background stations would meet the requirements for 2005 despite the fact that the trade winds result in lower levels of atmospheric pollutants in the Canary Islands than in continental environments. The results highlight the role of African dust contributions when implementing the limit values of the EU directive.
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Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease An Update to the Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Article
In 2004, the first American Heart Association scientific statement on "Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease" concluded that exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In the interim, numerous studies have expanded our understanding of this association and further elucidated the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved. The main objective of this updated American Heart Association scientific statement is to provide a comprehensive review of the new evidence linking PM exposure with cardiovascular disease, with a specific focus on highlighting the clinical implications for researchers and healthcare providers. The writing group also sought to provide expert consensus opinions on many aspects of the current state of science and updated suggestions for areas of future research. On the basis of the findings of this review, several new conclusions were reached, including the following: Exposure to PM <2.5 microm in diameter (PM(2.5)) over a few hours to weeks can trigger cardiovascular disease-related mortality and nonfatal events; longer-term exposure (eg, a few years) increases the risk for cardiovascular mortality to an even greater extent than exposures over a few days and reduces life expectancy within more highly exposed segments of the population by several months to a few years; reductions in PM levels are associated with decreases in cardiovascular mortality within a time frame as short as a few years; and many credible pathological mechanisms have been elucidated that lend biological plausibility to these findings. It is the opinion of the writing group that the overall evidence is consistent with a causal relationship between PM(2.5) exposure and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This body of evidence has grown and been strengthened substantially since the first American Heart Association scientific statement was published. Finally, PM(2.5) exposure is deemed a modifiable factor that contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
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