AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH EFFECTS (1). ANTHRACOSIS SILICOSIS Archeological evidence shows air pollutants in the lungs of mummies.

AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH EFFECTS (1)

ANTHRACOSISANTHRACOSISSILICOSISSILICOSIS

Archeological evidence shows air pollutants in the lungs of mummies

PLEUROSY IN PLEUROSY IN ROMAN TIMESROMAN TIMES

Rib lesions: evidence of indoor pollution from burning vegetable matter lamp oils at Herculaneum

Lancet 356, 1774 (2000)L. Capasso

SINUSITISSINUSITIS

Common in Saxon times

Often related to lack of chimneys

DOSEDOSE

Exposure to air pollutants has to account for both the concentration and the time of exposure

Dose can loosely be thought as the product of concentration and time…

DOSE RESPONSE RELATIOSNHIPDOSE RESPONSE RELATIOSNHIP

0

10

20

30

0 5 10 15

Dose

Res

pons

e

No Threshold

Threshold

Nutrient

THRESHOLD

PERCIVAL POTTS PERCIVAL POTTS AND THE CLIMBING BOYSAND THE CLIMBING BOYS

Potts first recognised occupational cancer through exposure to coal tars (1775)…

Scrotal and nasal cancers among chimney sweeps

PAH

The Water-Babies, Charles Kingsley (1862-1863)

BaPBaP

BENZO(a)PYRENE the ultimate carcinogen!

Importance of bay region

BENZO(a)PYRENE (BaP)BENZO(a)PYRENE (BaP)

Ultimate carcinogen!

REGULATING CARCINOGENSREGULATING CARCINOGENS

No thresholds BaP as an indicator Risk assessment Risk 1.5x10-5 per ng(BaP) m-3 (MOE 1997)

What is an acceptable risk? UK PAH [B(a)P] at 0.25 ng m-3

Annual mean by 31/12/10

OTHER POLLUTANTSOTHER POLLUTANTS

HCHO – suspect carcinogen but typically unregulated in outdoor environment interior concern via furnishing regulations

PAN –some suspicions about carcinogenicity, but irritant

BENZENE – carcinogen and regulated in EC, UK 5 µg m-3 (Ann. Mean)

CARBON MONOXIDE CARBON MONOXIDE AT ALTITUDEAT ALTITUDE

Some 480 accidental deaths and 2000 suicides per year in the US

Gas or charcoal barbeque indoors Poorly ventilated interiors especially cooking fumes

on climbing or polar expeditions Denver, Colorado high CO - high altitude means

incomplete combustion of gasoline in motor vehicles, but fuel wood also a significant source

CARBON MONOXIDE CARBON MONOXIDE IN SUBMARINESIN SUBMARINES

Carbon monoxide levels in. submarines: closed space smoking among crew and equipment

Catalytically converted to CO2

Smokers have heightened susceptibility

Physical symptoms headache Nausea dizziness vomiting

Cognitive Impairments attention problems multi-tasking problems poor time judgement

50 ppm (8 hr) show some symptoms

100 ppm (a few hours) flu-like symptoms

150-300 ppm dizziness, drowsiness and vomiting

>400 ppm unconsciousness, brain damage and death.

CARBON MONOXIDE CARBON MONOXIDE EFFECTSEFFECTS

Tissue hypoxia and oxidative stress…

CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN (HbCO)CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN (HbCO)

CO binds with hemoglobin at 200-300 times the affinity of oxygen

CO + HbO2 O2 + HbCO Effects during exercise >2.5-4.0% Smokers as high as 10%, Ambient CO of 100 ppm produces

16% Tent with a kerosene camping

stove 21.5% Half-life 3-4 hours.

HbCO – aim at <2.5% for non-smokers - time and concentration dependent 10ppm (10hours) 25ppm (1 hour) 50ppm (30 min)

http://www.andyrak.com/digital01/hemoglobin.htm

BRONCHIAL TRACTBRONCHIAL TRACTCILIARY ELEVATORCILIARY ELEVATOR

Synergistic impact of SO2 and smoke

Bronchial epithelial

cellsMucous thickeroutside

Cilia

SULFUR DIOXIDESULFUR DIOXIDE

Despite great improvements still considerable impact on urban epidemiology

Affect on airway function especially among people with pre-existing complaints

Hospital admissions about 2% up for a 50 µgm-3 increase – not especially large

Mortality about 3% up for a 50 µgm-3 , but… …death bought forward by a days

SULFUR DIOXIDESULFUR DIOXIDE

Short term exposure 10-15 minutes 266 µgm-3 (15 min) 35 exceedences

per year (UK) 350 µgm-3 (1 hour) 9 exceedences

per year (NZ)

NITROGEN DIOXIDENITROGEN DIOXIDE

Very widespread exposure… in urban areas…

Long understanding of indoor exposure especially from gas cooking – wheeze among children

NASA’s Aura satellite

15 July 2006

NITROGEN DIOXIDENITROGEN DIOXIDE Exposure above 2000 µgm-3 required to show

bronchial response Asthmatics not too different …, but at 800 µgm-3 may sensitize to other

allergens Little confidence on mechanisms or relevant

day-to-day effects, but relevance may be the chronic impact.

200 µgm-3 (1 hour) 9 times per year (NZ)

OZONEOZONE

http://www.cerc.co.uk/YourAir/index.asp

Problem of heterogeneity…

Trees grow better in NY!Trees grow better in NY!

Nature JWGregg et al 424, p183 10 July 2003

OZONE EFFECTSOZONE EFFECTS Pulmonary system primary target Biochemical effect from oxidation or

peroxidation of biomolecules Ozone-caused lung damage

resembles “sunburn” Reduces lung function or aggravates

existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, emphysema or bronchitis

May cause chest pain, coughing, throat irritation or congestion

Healthy

Inflamed

http://www.sbcapcd.org/sbc/ozonehealth.htm

OZONEOZONE

Background 40-70 µg m-3 Summer 120-150 µg m-3 240 µg m-3 exercising – detriments to

lung function Recommendations close to background 120 µg m-3 (8-hour) WHO NZ Ozone (1-hour) 150 µg m-3

HUMAN HAIR OZONE REACTIONHUMAN HAIR OZONE REACTION

Secondary products Geranyl acetone

» trans-2,6-dimethyl-2,6-undecadien-2-one6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one

Decanal

Pandrangi and Morrison (2008)

LEADLEAD

Exposure to lead linked to criminal behaviour Jun 16, 2008: US study finds higher blood lead levels correlated to more arrests.

1,3-BUTADIENE1,3-BUTADIENE

Some concern in 96/62/EC but never adopted

UK, NZ(?) have set standards

Standards will probably be met

Carcinogen

FLUORIDEFLUORIDE

Some concern in 96/62/EC but never adopted

Brick making, aluminium production and coal combustion (big source in China)

Indoor contamination of surfaces In New Zealand

largely ecological worries

Aluminium smeltingAluminium smelting

SULFIDESSULFIDES

Hydrogen sulfide from catalytic converters - shifting the oxidation state of sulfur emissions

Regulation based on odour thresholds (7g m-3)

Mercaptans - pulp mills 0.5 ppm (Manitoba) Thiophenes and benzothiophenes from tyres,

combustion etc

Odour and carcinogenicity problems...

on to particles….