AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH EFFECTS (II)

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AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH EFFECTS (II)
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PARTICULATE MATTER

• Since the CAA(1956) a kind of complacency set in
  because smoke and SO2 were very much reduced.
• Some did notice an increase in fine particles
• Diesel
• Summer haze secondary particles
• Monitoring for PM10 rather than TSP

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QUARG INITIALLY POSITIVE ABOUT FUTURE

• Dockery et al (1993) six cities study
• An association between air pollution and
  mortality in six U.S. cities New England
  Journal of Medicine 329, 1753-1759

• Emissions of pollutants from vehicles looked set
  to decrease

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SIX CITY STUDY

• A long term analysis of data on air pollution and
  mortality undertaken by Harvard School of Public
  Health

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NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE
lt
lt

• Annual mean concentrations decrease northwards
• Sahelian dust
• Photochemistry
• Emissions
• Lack of resource and expertise in south created
  concern in EC

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COMPOSITION OF DUSTS

• Sardinia more than 80 of the Fe and Al come from
  the Sahara. Guerzoni, S et al Chemosphere
  (1999)

• Declining emissions of fly ash from industrial
  plant may lower Ca and offset gains from reduced
  acidic emissions. Lee and Pacyna Atmos. Env.
  (1999)

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RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

• Modern concerns relate more to the lung than the
  respiratory tract

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PARTICULATE MATTER

• Size matters particles need to be lt3 µm to get
  deep in lung

http//www.uihealthcare.com/news/currents/vol2issu
e4/1lungimagingfig1.html http//classes.yale.edu/f
ractals/Panorama/Biology/Physiology/Physiology.htm
l http//www.becomehealthynow.com/popups/alveoli_b
h.htm http//www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/asbestospanel/a
ppendix_e.html
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PARTICULATE MATTER

• Size matters particles need to be lt3 µm to get
  deep in lung

Alveoli
A Alveolar TB Tracheobronchial NPL Nasal,
Pharyngeal, Laryngeal
http//www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/asbestospanel/appendi
x_e.html MSU College of Human Medicine John
Hopkins School of Medicine
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SHORT TERM EXPOSURE RESPONSE TO PM10
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MONTHS LOSS OF LIFE
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PARTICLES
Buseck et al

• PM10 - health effects complex...
• Organics and metals
• Compositional complexity and nanoscale
  heterogeneity Buseck et al, Atmospheric
  Geochemistry No. 281 http//geology.asu.edu/7star
  M/index.htm

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PARTICULATE MATTERIN ALVOLI

• Mechanisms for removal involve macrophages

MSU College of Human Medicine John Hopkins School
of Medicine
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INJURY FROM FINE PARTICLES
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KEY FACTORS IN EFFECTS OF PARTICULATE MATTER

• Area/number
• Oxidative stress
• Hydroxyl radical activity
• Transition metals Fe, V

ALVEOLI
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OXIDATIVE STRESS

• Transition metals and organics on the surface of
  the carbon core affect the antioxidant defences
  within the lung lining fluid.

• Consumes the protective antioxidant
• Macrophages overwhelmed and more (less active
  particles?) can reach the surface of the lung.

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OXIDATIVE STRESS

• Ascorbate and glutathione depletion as indicators
  of oxidative activity.
• Measured in London

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PARTICLE TYPE
Impact of 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 from various
sources
Laden et al Association of fine particulate
matter from different sources with daily
mortality in six U.S. cities Environmental Health
Perspectives 108, 941-947( 2000)
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NON CLASSICAL IMPACTSLONG TERM (20a) PM EXPOSURE
AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN THE ELDERLY
CERAD neuropsychological test battery (Consortium
to Establish a Registry for Alzheimers Disease)

• PM translocates to the brain which causes
  inflammation.
• Brain inflammation is promotes neurodegenerative
  diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's).

Ranft et al Environmental Research (2009)
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FOREST SMOKE IN CITIES

• Health effects of particles
• problem of size
• problem of toxicity
• Canadian fires affect US pollutant concentrations
  Wotawa and Trainer Science 288 (5464)
  324-328

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YELLOW DUST
Photographs C.J. Park

• Enormous worry in Asia about dust from the Loess
  plateau and its potential health effects.
• May incorporate organic materials and also be
  carcinogenic.

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DUST CHEMISTRY
More dust perhaps with agriculatural and climate
change but pollutants in cities coat on the dust.
HNO3 H2SO4
ORGANIC ACIDS
HULIS
NEUTRALIZATION
ORGANICS
OZONE INTERACTIONS
SOLUBILZATION
SURFACTANTS
DUST EMISSION
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MOONDUST

• NASA wories about particles less than 3?m

http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6460089.
stm
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LONG AND SHORT TERM EFFECTS

• Need to distinguish between the effects of fine
  particles and oxidative stress and long term
  effects of carcinogenesis

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URBAN NANOPARTICLES lt1?m
Health concerns over smaller and smaller
particles has driven the study of
nanoparticles...

• Traffic
• Industry
• Secondary production
• but also rapid nucleation

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Los Angeles ULTRAFINES (50-100nm)

• Most abundant
• catalytic metals
• Fe, Ti, Cr,
• Zn, Ce

Some 10 of primary organic particles seem to
be from cars...
Cass et al Phil. Trans. 2000
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PULMONARY SURFACTANTS

• Surfactants in alveoli aid gas exchange, but also
  lung defence.
• Would aerosol surfactants alter these functions?

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REGULATION OF PM

• Confusion over mechanisms and measurement
• Regulatory problems
• uncertainty
• no-thresholds
• Constitutional dilemmas TSP PM-10 PM-2.5

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PROBLEMS WITH STANDARDS

• Meeting limit values may not always reduce
  exposure most effectively

LIMIT VALUE
Meets limit value
CURRENT
Fails to meet limit value, but much
reduced cumulative does