Health Impacts of Nanoparticles (NPs)

Nanoparticles in the environment: assessment using the causal diagram approach(11 page pdf, Suchi Smita, Shailendra K Gupta, Alena Bartonova, Maria Dusinska, Arno C Gutleb, Qamar Rahman, Environmental Health, Jun. 28, 2012)

Today we review research into the impacts of naturally occuring (NNPs)and man-made nanoparticles (ENPs)which range from impacts on high level noctiluent clouds (and from this climate warming) to impacts on vegetation and human health. Their very small size (less than 100 nm) poses a potentially greater threat than the particulate matter that has been studied in depth because of their greater reactivity potential and a number of diverse health impacts have been identified ranging from heart and lung diseases to impacts on vital organs, including the brain, via NPs in the bloodstream.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Developing an Environmentally Healthy Urban Oasis from a Racetrack

Environment and Heart Disease – Heart and the city(68 page pdf, François Reeves, Hippodrome project conference, Montreal, Dec. 11, 2012)

Also discussed here : Le Projet hippodrome priorisera la santé des résidants(Camille Laurin-Desjardins, Journal Metro, Dec. 11, 2012)

And here : Forum d’experts sur la mise en valeur du secteur de l’hippodrome – L’aménagement urbain : un déterminant de la santé et du bien-être collectif et individuel

[Expert Forum on development sector racecourse - Urban planning: a determinant of health and well-being collectively and individually](Ville de Montreal,  Dec. 11, 2012)

Today we review a conference in Montreal aimed at developing a former racecourse (the “Hippodrome”)  in the urban core into an area that promotes the environment and a healthy life for its residents. Above all, this would promote active forms of transportation and lots of trees with a canopy objective of at least 25%. The keynote address by Francois Reeves analyzed the historical link between the growth of heart disease and the industrial era and urban living which gave rise to the very high cardiovascular mortality rates there. He suggests that with a healthier diet and reduction of air pollutants, Montreal could reduce the incidence of cardiac disease by 25 to 75%.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

How Do Tobacco Smoke and Air Pollution Affect Asthma in Young Children?

Wreaths of tobacco smoke. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Air pollution, fetal and infant tobacco smoke exposure, and wheezing in preschool children: a population-based prospective birth cohort(23 page pdf, Agnes MM Sonnenschein-van der Voort ,Yvonne de Kluizenaar, Vincent WV Jaddoe, Carmelo Gabriele Hein Raat, Henriëtte A Moll, Albert Hofman, Frank H Pierik, Henk ME Miedema, Johan C de Jongste, Liesbeth Duijts, Environmental Health, Dec. 11, 2012)

The key conclusion drawn by the study under review today is that early exposure to tobacco smoke makes the lungs of children more vulnerable to air pollution. Also short term exposure to air pollutants alone could affect development of respiratory while long term exposure has greater impact when combined with tobacco smoke

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports abut this post, click HERE

Top 10 Posts for 2012 on Pollution Free Cities-WordPress Edition

At year end, bloggers sometimes look back at their posts to see which ones were the most popular- and I did just that with the list of links clipped below, in case you want to revisit any of them. There continues to be interest in pollution free cities such as Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates and advances being made to reduce or eliminate energy consumption, traffic congestion, pollution (including noise) in cities, along with an ongoing interest in the health impacts of all this. Perhaps surprising is that only one post in the last year was as popular as the older posts- the one on GEO Medicine and accumulated exposure to air pollution over a lifetime.

Masdar City – zero carbon, zero waste

Health Effects of Noise

Low and Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB)

Global Health Impact of Air, Land and Water Pollution

Managing Urban Noise

Traffic-Related Air Pollution Literature Review

The Cleanest (and Dirtiest) Cities in the World

Health Effects of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles

Impact of Traffic Air Pollution on Health in Toronto

GEO Medicine and Lifetime Exposure to Poor Air Quality

Health and Urban Poverty

Soot’s Impact on Lungs

Experimental determination of deposition of diesel exhaust particles in the human respiratory tract(Abstract, Jenny Rissler, Erik Swietlicki, Agneta Bengtsson, Christoffer Boman, Joakim Pagels, Thomas Sandström, Anders Blomberg, Jakob Löndahl, Journal of Aerosol Science, June 2012)

Also discussed here: Half of Inhaled Soot Particles from Diesel Exhaust, Fires Gets Stuck in the Lungs (ScienceDaily. Jun. 27, 2012)

According to the research reviewed today, soot particles from diesel engines present a greater  heath hazard because there more small particles from this source are absorbed into the lungs,  compared to emissions from wood stoves and coal-driven power stations.  In addition, soot particles impact on climate change and reduction must accompany action to reduce greenhouse gases.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Health Impacts from Short Term Exposures to Ozone

English: Ozone molecular electrical potential surface 3D-vdW (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Controlled Exposure of Healthy Young Volunteers to Ozone Causes Cardiovascular Effects (27 page pdf, Robert B. Devlin, Kelly E. Duncan, Melanie Jardim, Michael T. Schmitt, Ana G. Rappold, and David Diaz-Sanchez,  Circulation, Jun. 25, 2012)

Also discussed here: Ozone Exposure Linked to Potential Heart Attacks (ScienceDaily, Jun. 25, 2012)

And here: New evidence links ozone exposure to potential heart attacks (American Heart Association, Jun. 25, 2012)

Today we review research into the link between exposure to ozone for a few hours and the impacts on the cardiovascular system, as well as the pathway to explain these impacts. Results indicate a clear link that adds to the complexity of assessing impact on heart disease from air pollution, previously thought to be mainly from fine particulate matter.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Diesel Exhaust and Lung Cancer

The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study: A Nested Case–Control Study of Lung Cancer and Diesel Exhaust (18 page pdf, Debra T. Silverman, Claudine M. Samanic, Jay H. Lubin, Aaron E. Blair, Patricia A. Stewart, Roel Vermeulen, Joseph B. Coble, Nathaniel Rothman, Patricia L. Schleiff, William D. Travis, Regina G. Ziegler, Sholom Wacholder and Michael D. Attfield,  Journal of the National Cancer Institute,  Mar.5, 2012)

Also discussed here: IARC: Diesel Engine Exhaust Carcinogenic (4 page pdf, World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Jun. 12, 2012)

And here: Diesel exhaust found to cause lung cancer (Carly Weeks , Globe and Mail, Jun. 12, 2012)

And here: Diesel fumes cause cancer (The Connexion, June 13, 2012)

And here: WHO: exhaust fumes more cancer causing than secondhand smoke ( Yukio Strachan, Digital Journal, Jun. 13, 2012)

Today we review a report from the WHO stating that there is “sufficient evidence” to link diesel exhaust directly to lung cancer and “limited evidence” to a link with bladder cancer which is stronger than earlier statements on health risk. The report goes on to recommend worldwide measures to reduce or eliminate exposure to diesel exhaust as a priority.

Main sites of metastases for some common cancer types. Primary cancers are denoted by “…cancer” and their main metastasis sites are denoted by “…metastases”. List of included entries and references is found on main image page in Commons: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

2012 Global Ranking of Countries by Environmental Performance

The 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) (99 page pdf, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, Yale University, Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Columbia University, 2012)

Also discussed here: New Rankings on Environmental Performance (The Dirt, ASLA, Jun. 5, 2012)

The Environmental Performance Index assesses the relative progress of 132 countries with 22 performance indicators. The 2012 ranking showed Switzerland, Latvia and Norway at the top, Canada in 37^th position and the USA, 49^th. Rising greenhouse gas emissions are a particular challenge for developed countries while safe drinking water is the biggest one for developing countries. Major data gaps exist for monitoring air pollution and greenhouse gas with the notable exception of the European Union(which had 20 of the top ranked 22 countries overall).

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Harvard Six Cities Study Update on Mortality from Exposure to Fine Particles

Chronic Exposure to Fine Particles and Mortality: An Extended Follow-Up of the Harvard Six Cities Study from 1974 to 2009 (31 page pdf, Johanna Lepeule, Francine Laden, Douglas Dockery, Joel Schwartz, Environ Health Perspect,  Mar. 28, 2012)

The research article of interest today is an update of the famous 1993 Six Cities Study (in the USA) that established links between long term exposure to fine PM and mortality. The newer research continued to showed a significant relationship between PM 2.5 and both lung and cardiovacular mortality, without any lower safe threshold and points to the public health benefits of further reductions in PM 2.5 levels.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Slight Decreases in Air Quality and Higher Risk of Strokes

Ambient Air Pollution and the Risk of Acute Ischemic Stroke (Abstract, Gregory A. Wellenius, Mary R. Burger, Brent A. Coull, Joel Schwartz, Helen H. Suh, ScD; Petros Koutrakis, Gottfried Schlaug, Diane R. Gold, Murray A. Mittleman,  Arch Intern Med., Feb. 13, 2012)

Also discussed here: Even Moderate Air Pollution Can Raise Stroke Risks (Science Daily,Feb. 13, 2012)

Also here: Air pollution may increase stroke, heart attack risk (Anne Harding, CNN Health, Feb. 15, 2012)

Today, we review research that looked at the increased risk of short term exposure to slightly higher levels of air pollution (i.e. “moderate” compared to “good”), measured at hourly intervals. Results indicated that the onset of stroke occurs within 12-14 hours and that the most hazardous type of pollution (NO2 and PM2.5)comes from vehicles and traffic.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Canadian Health Impacts to Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter

Risk of Non-accidental and Cardiovascular Mortality in Relation to Long-term Exposure to Low Concentrations of Fine Particulate Matter: A Canadian National-level Cohort Study (29 page pdf, Dan L. Crouse, Paul A. Peters, Aaron van Donkelaar,Mark S. Goldberg, Paul J.Villeneuve, Orly Brion, Saeeda Khan, Dominic Odwa Atari, Michael Jerrett, C. Arden Pope III, Michael Brauer, Jeffrey R. Brook, Randall V. Martin, David Stieb, Richard T. Burnett, Environ Health Perspect, Feb.7,  2012)

Today, we review a study that assesses the mortality health risk for native born Canadians from long term exposure to fine particulate matter which is higher in the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto-Windsor corridor than elsewhere in the country. The authors concluded that there is a 31% increased risk of ischemic heart disease with an increase of 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5, a higher increase in health risk than previously estimated (12-14%).

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Global Overview of Health Impacts from Particulate Matter

Premature Mortality and Particulate Matter: A Critical Challenge in Urban Management – A Global Perspective on Effects, Placed in an Asian Context (57 page pdf slides, Bob O’Keefe, Sixth Regional EST Forum in Asia, New Delhi, India, Nov. 9, 2011)

Today, we review the keynote address to The Sixth Regional EST Forum in Asia,sponsored by the World Health Organization  with the Theme: Sustainable Mobility. The author provided highlights of recent  research into the health impact associated with air pollution, pointing out the risks of proximity (within 300-500 m) of most urban populations to traffic.

To see key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

 

Proximity to Traffic, Autism and Impacts on the Brain

The Hidden Toll of Traffic Jams – Scientists Increasingly Link Vehicle Exhaust With Brain-Cell Damage, Higher Rates of Autism
(Robert Lee Hotz , Wall Street Journal, Nov. 8, 2011)

Today, we return to a review of studies on the health impacts on the brain for those who breathe air near traffic. The studies indicate that the while the vehicle emissions affect everyone for periods as short as 30 minutes,  impacts near traffic include the intelligence and emotional stability of children and the brain activity of seniors. There is evidence also that congestion pricing’s role in improving air quality has beneficial health impacts.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

 

The Health Impact of Indoor Air Pollution

Image via Wikipedia

Method to Estimate the Chronic Health Impact of Air Pollutants in U.S. Residences (29 page pdf, Logue JM, Price PN, Sherman MH, Singer BC, Environ Health Perspect, Nov.17, 2011)

Today we review research into indoor air quality as it effects health on a long term basis. The main sources of the three main pollutants (aside from radon), formaldehyde, acrolein and particulate matter are emitted from materials around the house and from tobacco smoking- with some PM coming from outdoor sources. The total health impact is  1,100 Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

 

Sprawl and Health Impacts in Ontario, Canada

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Report on Public Health and Urban Sprawl in Ontario – A review of the pertinent literature (53 page pdf, Riina Bray,Catherine Vakil MD, David Elliott,  Environmental Health Committee, Ontario College of Family Physicians, Jan. 2005)

Today we review a report from the environmental health community on the negative impacts that sprawl has on the province of Ontario. The report emphasizes health impacts and air pollution that accompany sprawl driven, literally, by an increase in commuting traffic on municipal roadways.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

 

Is there a Link between Climate Warming and Hospital Infections?

Seasonal and Temperature-Associated Increases in Gram-Negative Bacterial Bloodstream Infections among Hospitalized Patients ( 6 Page pdf, Michael R. Eber1, Michelle Shardell, Marin L. Schweizer, Ramanan Laxminarayan, Eli N., Perencevich, PLoS ONE, Sep. 26, 2011)

Today’s review summarizes analysis of the incidence of bloodstream infections in hospitals with higher outside air temperatures. The results indicate a rise in infections by 12 to 51% comparing winter to summer and an increase of 3-10% with every 10 degree F (5 deg C) rise in temperature. The implication for an additional health impacts of climate change is clear – unless year-round precautions are taken by hospitals during hot spells and, in general, as climate warming progresses, we will see more infections. It is worth noting that the spread of insect-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus is also a growing threat in countries such as Canada where winter cold has lessened and allowed insects and birds to carry the disease further north. Also, the convergence of more urbanization, greater use of emission producing vehicles and the large role these vehicles play in causing climate change points to the other major factor and potential solution in reducing these health threats in cities.

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Estimating Health Impacts on Major Streets Using Oxidative Potential of Particulates

Contrasts in Oxidative Potential and Other PM Characteristics Collected Near Major Streets and Background Locations (32 page pdf, Hanna Boogaard, Nicole A.H. Janssen, Paul H. Fischer, Gerard P.A. Kos, Ernie P. Weijers, Flemming R. Cassee, Saskia C. van der Zee, Jeroen J. de Hartog, Bert Brunekreef, Gerard Hoek, Environ Health Perspect, Oct. 20, 2011)

Today’s review article looks at how particulates near heavy traffic on major streets generates hydroxyl radicals and how this in turn may be a better measure of health impacts than simply monitoring PM 2.5 or PM 10. The results indicate the oxidative potential near heavy traffic was 4 to 6 times greater than in suburban locations.

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Air Pollution Preconditions for Heart Attacks

A retrospective cohort study of stroke onset: Implications for characterizing short term effects from ambient air pollution  (27 page pdf,  Julie YM Johnson, Paul J Villeneuve, Dion Pasichnyk and Brian H Rowe, Environmental Health, Oct. 6, 2011)

Today we review an interesting look at what difference it makes when using the date that a stroke patient is taken to hospital (vs. the time of stroke onset) and using the level of local pollution at the residence(vs. ambient level for city).  Conclusion is that it makes little difference in this case- but may when the patient is more mobile or when the patient is exposed to pockets of high pollution.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Exposure to Pollution and Heart Attack Risk

Image via Wikipedia

The effects of hourly differences in air pollution on the risk of myocardial infarction: case crossover analysis of the MINAP database (Abstract, Krishnan Bhaskaran, Shakoor Hajat, Ben Armstrong, Andy Haines, Emily Herrett, Paul Wilkinson, Liam Smeeth, BMJ, Sep.20, 2011)

Today’s review article looks at how long after exposure to high levels of pollution is there a heightened  risk of a heart attack. Results indicate a period of 6 hours but this may be the result of the pollution  causing a heart attack to occur earlier for a patient with an existing risk of heart attack.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click  HERE

Exposure to Air Pollution and Heart Attacks

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Supraventricular Arrhythmia Following Exposure to Concentrated Ambient Air Pollution Particles (14 page pdf, Andrew J. Ghio, Maryann Bassett, Tracey Montilla, Eugene H. Chung, Wayne E. Cascio, Martha Sue Carraway, Environmental Health Perspectives, Sep. 6, 2011)
The focus today is on the reaction of a middle aged woman’s heart to air pollution particles and an analysis of the likely factors to explain that reaction. The results support a causal link between the particles and the impact on her heart.

The volunteer’s electrocardiogram (12 lead and rhythm strip) before (A) and immediately following (B) exposure to concentrated ambient particles. The electrocardiogram before the exposure (A) reveals a regular sinus rhythm with defined P waves (arrows) while that following the exposure (B) is irregular with “flutter” waves (arrows).

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Which Sources of Fine Particulates Have the Most Health Impacts?

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The Effects of Particulate Matter Sources on Daily Mortality: A Case-Crossover Study of Barcelona, Spain (28 page pdf, Bart Ostro, Aurelio Tobias, Xavier Querol, Andrés Alastuey, Fulvio Amato, Jorge Pey, Noemí Pérez, Jordi Sunyer, Environ Health Perspect, Aug. 16, 2011)

The focus today is on the results of an investigation into eight sources of particulate matter as they impact human health and which ones have the greatest impact. As pointed out, previous research on this topic have been challenged on the second question because the sources tend to be cross-correlated on effect and hard to isolate. Despite this, the article points to sulphur particulates from traffic diesel fuel and minerals from brake wear and road dust as the main culprits.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Traffic Air and Sound Pollution Impacts on Blood Pressure and Hypertension

Long-Term Urban Particulate Air Pollution, Traffic Noise and Arterial Blood Pressure (30 page pdf, Kateryna Fuks, Susanne Moebus, Sabine Hertel, Anja Viehmann, Michael Nonnemacher, Nico Dragano, Stefan Möhlenkamp, Hermann Jakobs, Christoph Kessler, Raimund Erbel, Barbara Hoffmann, |Environmental Health Perspectives, Aug. 9, 2011)

The focus today is on research into the impacts of long term exposure to emissions and noise from heavy traffic (greater than 22,000 vehicles/day) on blood pressure. The results point to a link  even when the increase in PM concentration is small, because even a small increase over the long term has large impacts in population health terms.

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Risk Assessment and Air Pollution Epidemiology

Improving the Linkages between Air Pollution Epidemiology and Quantitative Risk Assessment (23 page pdf, Fann N, Bell ML, Walker K, Hubbell B, Environmental Health Perspectives, Aug. 4, 2011)

Today’s focus is on the link between the assessment of health risk on the one hand and the analysis of causes and effect of health impacts through epidemiology- and how one can complement the other. The review article considers a number of aspects: estimated effects, air quality, population and health data.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Diesel Exhaust Particulates and Heart Disease

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Combustion-derived nanoparticulate induces the adverse vascular effects of diesel exhaust inhalation (12 page pdf, Nicholas L. Mills, Mark R. Miller, Andrew J. Lucking, Jon Beveridge, Laura Flint, A. John F. Boere, Paul H. Fokkens, Nicholas A. Boon, Thomas Sandstrom, Anders Blomberg, Rodger Duffin, Ken Donaldson, PatrickW.F. Hadoke, Flemming R. Cassee, and David E. Newby. European Heart Journal Advance Access, Jul. 13, 2011)

Today’s review article explores the various gaseous and particulate components of exhaust from diesel motors in terms of vascular response and test various filters used to reduce health impacts.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports about this post, click HERE

Does Traffic Air Pollution Cause Cervical and Brain Cancer?

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Air pollution from traffic and cancer incidence: a Danish cohort study (33 page pdf, Ole Raaschou-Nielsen, Zorana J Andersen, Martin Hvidberg, Steen S Jensen, Matthias Ketzel, Mette Sorensen, Johnni Hansen, Steffen Loft, Kim Overvad and Anne Tjonneland, Environmental Health 2011, 10:67, Jul. 19, 2011)

The article reviewed today looks at exposure to traffic–related air pollution and its impact on various organs in addition to the well-studied impact on the heart and respiratory system. The conclusions indicate a significant link to cervical and brain cancer as well as impacts on the liver and kidney.

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How Does Particulate Matter Affect the Brain

Air pollution impairs cognition, provokes depressive-like behaviors and alters hippocampal cytokine expression and morphology (L K Fonken, X Xu, Z M Weil, G Chen, Q Sun, S Rajagopalan and R J Nelson, Molecular Psychiatry , Jul. 5, 2011)

The journal article reviewed today looks at the health impacts of air pollution, not on heart and lungs, but on the brain, specifically dendrites. The authors found that prolonged exposure has negative effects which can lead to a number of health problems.

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Health Impacts of Landfills and Incinerators

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Health impact assessment of waste management facilities in three European countries (48 page pdf, , Francesco Forastiere, Chiara Badaloni, Kees de Hoogh, Martin Krayer von Kraus, Marco Martuzzi, Francesco Mitis, Lubica Palkovicova, Daniela Porta, Philipp Preiss, Andrea Ranzi, Carlo A Perucci, David Briggs, Environmental Health 2011, 10:53, June 2, 2011)

Today’s review article assessed the health impacts for people living close to a landfill or incinerator in three European countries, which are generally classified as cancer incidence and premature or malformed births. The main health threat for mortality comes from elevated levels of NO2 near incinerators.

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Impact of Nitrogen Dioxide on Mortality in Italian Cities

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Short Term Effects of Nitrogen Dioxide on Mortality and Susceptibility Factors in Ten Italian Cities: the EpiAir Study (33 page pdf, Monica Chiusolo, Ennio Cadum, Massimo Stafoggia, Claudia Galassi, Giovanna Berti, Annunziata Faustini, Luigi Bisanti, Maria Angela Vigotti, Maria Patrizia Dessì, Achille Cernigliaro, Sandra Mallone, Barbara Pacelli, Sante Minerba, Lorenzo Simonato and Francesco Forastiere on behalf of the EpiAir collaborative Group, Environmental Health Perspectives, May 17, 2011)
Today’s review article assessed the relationship between NO2 and deaths in 10 Italian cities. A significant link was found with a time lag of under 5 days, and this was independent of ozone and particulate matter which are known to also be a cause of mortality.

To see Key Quotes and Links to key reports, click HERE

Triggering of Inflammation Response by Fine Particulate Matter

Image by AJC1 via Flickr

Dysfunction via NADPH Oxidase and TLR4 Pathways – Chronic Fine Particulate Matter Exposure Induces Systemic Vascular (29 page pdf, Qinghua Sun, Henning Morawietz and Sanjay Rajagopalan, Nitin P. Padture, Sampath Parthasarathy, Lung Chi Chen, Susan Moffatt-Bruce, Deiuliis, Xiaohua Xu, Nisharahmed Kherada, Robert D. Brook, Kongara M. Reddy, Thomas Kampfrath, Andrei Maiseyeu, Zhekang Ying, Zubair Shah, Jeffrey A., Circulation Research, Jan. 27, 2011)

 

Today’s review article discusses the way that fine particulate matter interacts with white blood cells (in mice) to cause widespread inflammation which in turn has impacts on the lungs and circulation.

To see Key Quotes and Links about this post, visit the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

How Does Air Pollution Affect Life Expectancy?

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How to determine life expectancy change of air pollution mortality: a time series study (35 page pdf, Ari Rabl, Tq Thach, Pyk Chau and Cm Wong, Environmental Health, Mar.31, 2011)
Today’s review article examines the important question asked when a policy to improve air quality, such as congestion pricing, is introduced- what difference would this make to mortality rates and life expectancy? The authors used data from Hong Kong and found a lower bound only to the answer, restricted as they were to a 5 year window used to assess the correlation lag between cause and effect.

To see Key Quotes and Links about this post visit the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Impacts of Nano Particulates from Urban Traffic on the Brain

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Glutamatergic Neurons in Rodent Models Respond to Nanoscale Particulate Urban Air Pollutants In Vivo and In Vitro (31 page pdf, Todd E Morgan, David A Davis, Nahoko Iwata, Jeremy A Tanner, David Snyder, Zhi Ning, Winnie Kam, Yu-Tien Hsu, Jeremy W Winkler, Jiu-Chiuan Chen, Nicos A Petasis, Michel Baudry, Constantinos Sioutas, Caleb E Finch, Environmental Health Perspectives, Apr. 7, 2011)

 

Although today’s review article is highly technical and the result of experiments conducted on mice, the implications for the impact of nano-sized vehicle emissions on human brain development is clear. “The evident neurotoxicity of nPM suggests links between urban air pollution and brain health across the lifespan”. Two areas need further study: definition for nano particles within the Ultra Fine Particle (UFP) category of air quality standards and the accumulation of nPM in the brain over time.

To see Key Quotes and Links to relevant reports on this post, go to the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Economic Impacts of Air Pollution from Asthma

The Economic Affliction of Asthma and Risks of Blocking Air Pollution Safeguards (12 page pdf, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and the National Association of School Nurses, Apr. 6, 2011)

 

Today’s review article assesses the economic impact of asthma in the USA, both the direct costs from medical treatment and the indirect costs from absence from school for children which has life-long consequences. More than 10% of the population (24 million Americans) is affected and the prime cause is air pollution from cars, factories and power plants, as reflected in the map below, showing visits by state to pediatricians by children with asthma.

To read more about this post and see Key Quotes and Links to relevant reports, visit the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Proximity to Traffic Air Pollution and Birth Outcomes

Increased traffic exposure and negative birth outcomes: a prospective cohort in Australia (24 page pdf, Adrian G Barnett, Kathryn Plonka, W. Kim Seow, Lee-Ann Wilson and Craig Hansen, Environmental Health, Apr. 1, 2011)

 

Today’s focus is on a paper that assessed the impact of the proximity of pregnant women to traffic with the birth weight of their children. The paper concluded a clear association up to 400 m from busy roads and speculated that one cause might be the impact of particulate matter on the growing fetus.

To see Key Quotes and Links to relevant reports, visit the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Population Exposure Modelling in Canada

Creating National Air Pollution Models for Population Exposure Assessment in Canada (31 page pdf, Perry Hystad, Eleanor Setton, Alejandro Cervantes, Karla Poplawski, Steeve Deschenes, Michael Brauer, Aaron van Donkelaar, Lok Lamsal, Randall Martin, Michael Jerrett, and Paul Demers; Environ Health Perspect., Mar. 31, 2011)

 

The focus today is on a review of methods used in Canada to estimate exposure to air pollutants particularly in cities, based on observations from fixed ground station network (NAPS), space-borne satellite sensors and modelling tied together with statistical techniques such as kridging and land use modelling using GIS. The authors conclude that more can be deduced than from the conventional approach of interpolating between surface stations.

To see Key Quotes and Links to relevant reports, visit the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Roadside Traffic Emissions and Lung Transplants

Image by epSos.de via Flickr

The impact of traffic air pollution on bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and mortality after lung transplantation (Abstract, Tim S Nawrot, Robin Vos, Lotte Jacobs, Stijn E Verleden, Shana Wauters, Veerle Mertens, Christophe Dooms, Peter H Hoet, Dirk E Van Raemdonck, Christel Faes, Lieven J Dupont, Benoit Nemery, Geert M Verleden, Bart M Vanaudenaerde, Thorax, British Medical Association, Mar. 23, 2011)
Today’s review summarizes research into the impact of roadside emissions on those who have undergone lung transplants. Although this is a small segment of the population, the sensitivity of health damage from living near heavy traffic is clear.

To see Key Quotes and Links to relevant reports about this post, visit the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Modelling Exposure to Health Risks from Air Pollution

Combining Regional- and Local-Scale Air Quality Models with Exposure Models for Use in Environmental Health Studies (12 page pdf, Vlad Isakov, Jawad S. Touma, and Janet Burke, Danelle T. Lobdell, Ted Palma, Arlene Rosenbaum, Haluk Ozkaynak, Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, Vol. 59:461– 472, Apr. 2009)

 

Today’s focus is on ways of measuring the exposure of humans to air pollution and the models being used to assess the health risks, including the EPA’s Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST), the Hazardous Air Pollutant Exposure Model [HAPEM] and the Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation [SHEDS] model. The noted links point to reports that describe how each functions. One conclusion is that the complex patterns and gradients in air pollution across a city requires more than one or two representative measurement points if one needs to adequately define the health risk to urban communities.

To see Key Quotes and Links to reports about this post, go to the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Measuring Ultrafine Particle Emissions

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Challenges and Approaches for Developing Ultrafine Particle Emission Inventories for Motor Vehicle and Bus Fleets (21 page pdf, Diane U. Keogh and Darrell Sonntag, Atmosphere 2011, 2(2), 36-56, Mar. 24, 2011)

 

The research reviewed today looks at the factors that need to be considered when developing a system to collect and archive ultrafine particle data, taking into account both the characteristics of their emission and the potential health risks they pose for human health. Only one such inventory exists in the world – in Brisbane, Australia. As no air quality regulations exist for these particles and many cities depend on diesel buses for public transit, the requirement seems clear in order to begin to define and address this health threat.

To view Key Quotes and Links to relevant reports, go to the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities by clicking HERE

Diesel Emissions and Lung Damage

Road RAGE? The Role of Diesel Particulate Matter in Lung Inflammation (Betts KS, Environ Health Perspect 119, March 1, 2011)

 

The research reviewed today examines the components of diesel particulates found in environments close to truck and bus traffic that are particularly harmful to health through biological interactions in the lungs.

To read more about this post and see Key Quotes and relevant reports and links, visit the new internet platform for Pollution Free Cities HERE

Traffic as a Trigger for Heart Attacks

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Public health importance of triggers of myocardial infarction: a comparative risk assessment (Dr Tim S Nawrot PhD, Laura Perez PhD, Prof Nino Künzli MD, Elke Munters MD, Prof Benoit Nemery MD, The Lancet, Feb. 24, 2011)
The conclusion to note from today’s review article is “air pollution is an important trigger of myocardial infarction”- a fact underlined when one is in or near the emissions from heavy traffic. In fact, when one takes into account the exposure to traffic every day, this rises to the top of the list in terms of health risk, especially for elderly persons, as noted in the article. What more is needed for public health authorities to take steps to reduce traffic and exposure to traffic in downtown areas?

To read more about this post on Pollution Free Cities new internet platform, click HERE to see Key Quotes and links to relevant articles.

Do Petrol Stations Pollute?

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Assessing the impact of petrol stations on their immediate surroundings (8 page pdf, Journal of Environmental Management, December 2010)

Also discussed here: Petrol stations pollute their immediate surroundings (Eurekalert, FECYT – Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology ,Feb. 4, 2011)

And here: Traffic, Pollution and Scales of Exposure (Pollution Free Cities, Jan 3, 2011)

Research from Spain examines vapour emissions from gas stations. It recommends a 100 m belt around these stations to reduce health impacts, in addition to the risks of roadside emissions which extend some 100-300 m from roads with heavy traffic, according to European studies.

 

Key Quotes:

“the ratio of the concentrations of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants in the air of the petrol stations and their surroundings (basically determined by vapor emissions from unburned gasoline) differs from the ratio found in urban air, which is mainly influenced by traffic emissions”

“Some airborne organic compounds – such as benzene, which increases the risk of cancer – have been recorded at petrol stations at levels above the average levels for urban areas where traffic is the primary source of emission”

“In the three cases studied we obtained maximum distances of influence of close to 100 metres, although the average distance over which this contamination has an effect is around 50 metres”

“the distances depend on the number of petrol pumps, the amount of fuel drawn from them, traffic intensity, the structure of the surroundings, and weather conditions”

“the more contaminated the zone surrounding the petrol station as a result of other causes (traffic), the lower the impact of the two pollutants at the service station”

“The procedure should help local authorities in terms of land management, so that a “belt” can be established around petrol stations where housing or vulnerable populations and activities such as those in schools, hospitals and community centers should be restricted”

Related articles

• Petrol station: Living within 100m of a garage is bad for your health (dailymail.co.uk)
• Petrol stations pollute their immediate surroundings (scienceblog.com)
• Gas stations pollute their immediate surroundings, Spanish study finds (sciencedaily.com)
• Living with 100 yards of petrol stations ‘damages your health’, study claims (telegraph.co.uk)
• Petrol stations pollute their immediate surroundings (physorg.com)
• Petrol sign changed by pranksters (bbc.co.uk)
• Petrol stations on strike as price could surge (lookatvietnam.com)

The Risk of Lung Cancer from Living near Traffic

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Lung Cancer Incidence and Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution from Traffic (33 page pdf, Environ Health Perspect ,  Jan. 12, 2011)

The article under review today comes from Denmark where exposure to traffic within 200 m was correlated with the incidence of lung cancer over a 12 year period. Not surprisingly, a clear statistical connection was made.

Key Quotes:

“the overall picture is an increased risk for lung cancer in association with various measures of exposure to air pollution with a strength of the association for traffic-related air pollution being comparable with that of environmental tobacco smoke”

“In the study reported here, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to air pollution from traffic increases the risk for lung cancer. We used data from a large Danish cohort and applied detailed data on traffic and a dispersion model with high spatial resolution to calculate the concentrations of air pollution at the actual residential addresses over a 30-year period“

“During 1993–1997, 57 053 men and women aged 50–64 years living in Copenhagen and Aarhus areas were recruited into the Diet, Cancer and Health cohort study”

“In conclusion, this study showed associations between risk for lung cancer and different markers of air pollution from traffic near the residence, in line with the weight of the epidemiological evidence to date”

 

 

 

 

Related articles

• Tamoxifen May Cut Lung Cancer Deaths (webmd.com)
• What Causes Lung Cancer? (brighthub.com)
• How Many People Die from Cancer Each Year? (brighthub.com)

Health Impacts from Climate Change – a Canadian Perspective

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Climate Warming Impacts Health (Canadian Geographic, Oct. 2010)

Key Quotes:

“climate change could be the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.” [Lancet, 2009]

“The alert, sent out by the Extreme Heat Wave Portal to public health and emergency officials across Quebec, was generated by software developed by Gosselin’s team. It compiles real-time data on air pollution, emergency room visits, calls to the province’s Info-Santé health hotline, ambulance traffic and weather forecasts, all mapped onto Google Earth”

“between 2010 and 2100, rising summer temperatures are expected to kill 15,330 to 27,150 Montrealers and cost up to $124 billion nationally in added health expenditures and lost productivity.”

“Warmer weather will mean more cases of heatstroke and medical conditions aggravated by hot spells. It will also lead to more smog in urban centres, which is associated with respiratory and heart disease. Other health impacts of climate change include increases in water-borne pathogens such as E. coli and illnesses such as malaria and Lyme disease, which is expected to spread northward by 1,000 kilometres as of 2080”

“To reverse this effect and curtail rising temperatures, urban planners are encouraging rooftop gardens, whitepainted roofs, public transit, tree planting and green spaces. The City of Toronto has promoted “green roofs” (roofs covered with vegetation instead of tar or shingles) as a way to reduce the urban heat island effect”

“There is a correlation between the warmth of a city and the ozone and fine particle matter that cause heart disease. This is the principal challenge of the 21st and 22nd centuries — we are literally poisoning our habitat.”

“Ottawa has yet to take the lead in crafting a coordinated national approach and in underwriting adaptation measures, such as reducing smog-causing emission”

“measures to curb smog would save up to 265 lives annually in Toronto by 2050 and result in up to $2.50 in health and productivity savings for each dollar spent.”

 

Related articles

• NASA Photographs Highlight Urban Heat Island Problem (inhabitat.com)
• Satellites pinpoint drivers of urban heat islands in northeastern U.S. (sciencedaily.com)
• Heating Things Up: Extreme Heat Events Rise With Sprawl (switchboard.nrdc.org)
• New York Whitewashes a Million Square Feet of Rooftop (fastcompany.com)
• Cool Roofs: An Easy Upgrade (whitehouse.gov)

Health Effects of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles

Part I. Epidemiological studies of the health effects of air pollution due to motor vehicles (page 13-62), Motor Vehicle Air Pollution – Public Health Impact and Control Measures (250 pages pdf, World Health Organization, 1992)

Key Quotes:

“Usually, over 90% of the CO in city centers comes from vehicles and it is common to find 50 to 60% of the hydrocarbons (HC) and NO, coming from this source”

“Short exposure(10-15 minutes) to concentration of NO2 exceeding 1300 ug/m3 (0.7 ppm) caused functional changes in healthy subjects particularly an increased airway resistance”

“effects showed increases of respiratory illness in children of less than 12 years of age, associated with long-term exposure to high concentrations of NQ (gas stoves) compared to children exposed to low concentrations of this pollutant: a difference in exposure of 30 ug/m3 resulting in an increase of about2 0% in the odds of respiratory illness”

“Most of the studies on the health effects of have focused on short-term( 1-2 hour) exposure and have indicated a number of acute effects of 03 and other photochemical oxidants .. The results suggest a significant association between chronic symptoms and total oxidants above2 00 ug/m3 (0.10 ppm).

“Four types of health effects are reported to be associated with CO exposure: neurobehavioral effects, cardiovascular effects, fibrinolysis effects, and perinatal effects”

“An estimated 80-90% of lead in ambient air derives from the combustion of leaded petrol…. Exposure of children to lower concentrations of lead may produce neurophysiological disorders, including impairment of learning ability, behavior, intelligence and fine motor coordination”

Related articles

• Impact of Air Pollution on Health (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Photos of tiny blood vessels in the eye link air pollution to heart disease (eurekalert.org)
• Long Time Exposure to Traffic Pollution and COPD (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Traffic, Pollution and Health (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Impact of Traffic Air Pollution on Health in Toronto (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Polluted air increases obesity risk in young animals (sciencedaily.com)
• Air pollution exposure increases risk of severe COPD (eurekalert.org)
• Multi-City Health Impacts from Air Pollution in Australia and New Zealand (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)

The Cleanest (and Dirtiest) Cities in the World

Most “Global” Cities Aren’t the Dirtiest (The City Fix, Feb. 9, 2009)

Also discussed here: Global Cities Index (Foreign Policy, Oct. 15, 2008)

And here: Quality of Living worldwide city rankings 2010 – Mercer survey (Mercer, May 26, 2010)

What makes a large city sustainable and clean is the focus of today’s review article.

Key Quotes

“gives each city a “globalization score” according to 24 metrics across five different dimensions: business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience and political engagement.”

“Foreign Policy found that rapid urbanization (which brings with it more people and more waste) doesn’t necessarily result in dirty cities. For example, some of the world’s biggest cities, Washington, Stockholm, Zurich, and Boston, also rank in the cleanest top 20 of 215 cities”

“The problem of cleanliness, then, depends on how a city’s level of integration with the rest of the world and its access to resources”

Mercer ranking (2010)- based on “water availability and drinkability, waste removal, quality of sewage systems, air pollution and traffic congestion”:

• “European cities continue to dominate the top of the ranking
• Vienna remains at the top, Baghdad at the bottom
• Calgary is first in the new Eco-city ranking”

“A high-ranking eco-city optimises its use of renewable energy sources and generates the lowest possible quantity of pollution (air, water, noise, etc). A city’s eco-status or attitude toward sustainability can have significant impact on the quality of living of its inhabitants.”

“A certain standard of sustainability is essential for city living and forms a very important part of its inhabitants’ quality of living. Though a high standard of living may be taken for granted in certain cities, a lack thereof is much more noticeable and can even lead to severe hardship”

“The lack of adequate modern infrastructure in some of the African cities combined with relatively high air pollution explains why many of them are ranked below 100.”

Related articles

• America’s Dirtiest Cities (forbes.com)
• What is the concept of sustainable cities? (greenanswers.com)
• Measuring and Marketing in Japan’s Eco-Model Cities (worldchanging.com)
• The Importance of Sustainable Mobility in Megacities (thecityfix.com)
• Scenes from one of the most polluted cities on Earth [Pollution Apocalypse] (io9.com)
• The 10 Cities With the World’s Worst Air (dailyfinance.com)
• Reader Report: Tianjin Eco-city Cleantech Focus (worldchanging.com)
• Top Ten Dirtiest Cities of America (socyberty.com)
• Sydney ranks in top ten in cities index (news.theage.com.au)

Risk of Dying from Heat Waves in US Cities

Heatwaves in the United States: Mortality Risk During Heatwaves and Effect Modification by Heatwave Characteristics in 43 US Communities (41 page pdf, Environ Health Perspect, November 18, 2010)

Also discussed here: Heat Waves, Climate Change and Urban Mortality (Pollution Free Cities, Jul. 30, 2010)

The article reviewed today reports on a comprehensive study of heat waves in the US and their impact on mortality, including, for the first time, an analysis of the differences that are seen between communities in their responses to heat. There is no mention of the additional effect of air pollution during the heat waves which might have made the analysis of mortality clearer as to the cause- heat or pollution (or both acting together)- as done in this study in southern Canada Differential and combined impacts of extreme temperatures and air pollution on human mortality in south–central Canada. Part II: future estimates and in this study Health Impacts of Urban Sprawl, combined with Pollution and Climate Warming

Key Quotes:

“we estimate the mortality effects of heatwaves across the United States (43 communities) for the period 1987-2005 and determine how these effects change when heatwaves are more intense, longer, or earlier in the summer”

“A 1oF increase in average Tmean during a heatwave was associated with a 4.39% increase in the relative risk of mortality during that heatwave in the Northeast and a 3.22% increase in the Midwest.”

“The association between heatwave duration and mortality effects was largest in the Northeast, where mortality risk during a heatwave was on average 2.50% higher for every extra day a heatwave lasted“

“within a community, heatwave mortality effects are influenced by the heatwave’s intensity, duration, and timing in the season. This effect modification probably results from physiological responses to heat and/or behavior modification”

“Power outages sometimes occur during heatwaves .. and these could contribute to particularly high impacts due to increased heat exposure without AC and greater difficulty leaving upper-level apartments in buildings with elevators”

“the observed heterogeneity, both in heatwave effects and in the influence of heatwave characteristics on mortality effects between different communities, indicates the importance of developing heatwave response plans that are community-specific”

Related articles

• Heat wave deaths highest in early summer (eurekalert.org)
• Some heat waves can be more harmful than others, study says. (climatecentral.org)
• Climate Clippings – Heat waves, identity politics, and a green starter palace. (wwwp.dailyclimate.org)
• Heating Things Up: Extreme Heat Events Rise With Sprawl (switchboard.nrdc.org)
• California Heat Wave To Last Through Weekend (huffingtonpost.com)
• Janet Ritz: The Planet Has a Fever (huffingtonpost.com)
• You: The forest paradox during heatwaves (ourworld.unu.edu)
• Are We Developing Ghost Towns? (socyberty.com)
• Extreme heat will soon be norm: UN agency (cbc.ca)
• Scorching summers soon routine, U.N. agency says (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Climate science chief sees ‘huge gaps’ in research (foxnews.com)
• Scorching Heat Is Coming (foxnews.com)
• Climate-Related Deaths Doubled in 2010 (treehugger.com)
• Proactive…blaming Climate Change on Healthcare costs (ameristroika.wordpress.com)
• Moscow’s 2010 Heat Wave Revisited (jamblemag.com)
• The global climate is changing (greenantilles.com)

Impact of Air Pollution on Health

The Health Effects of Air Pollutants (59 slide pdf, 6^th Annual Workshop on Air Pollution and Health, Jun. 15, 2009)

Also discussed here:

(2 min YouTube video)

Key Quotes:

“A recent Canadian Medical Association estimate for BC residents projected 306 premature deaths (of which 85% relate to long-term exposure), and 1158 hospital admissions for 2008 through exposure to air pollution”

“Long-term particulate exposure is associated with:

• More frequent preterm births and low birth weight babies
• Middle ear disease in children
• Accelerated heart and lung disease”

“Short-term exposure results in:

• Increased rates of myocardial infarction for those with risk factors for heart disease
• Heart rate disturbances
• Episodes of acute asthma and bronchitis
• Reduced lung function”

Related articles

• Long Time Exposure to Traffic Pollution and COPD (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Air pollution exposure increases risk of severe COPD (sciencedaily.com)
• Air Pollution Ups Risk of Chronic Lung Disease (nlm.nih.gov)
• Air pollution exceeds safety limits in big Asian cities: report (reuters.com)
• Impact of Air Pollution on Mortality in Canadian Cities (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Air pollution ‘costs us 6 months of our lives’ (news.bioscholar.com)
• 7 interesting findings of recent study on air pollution in US cities (iipalbanjary.net)

Long Time Exposure to Traffic Pollution and COPD

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Long-Term Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution: A Cohort Study (Abstract, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine., Sep. 24, 2010)

Also discussed here: Air Pollution Exposure Increases Risk of Severe COPD (Science Daily, Nov. 5, 2010)

Key Quotes:

“Long term exposure to low-level air pollution may increase the risk of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)”

“estimated pollution exposure by linking residential addresses to outdoor levels of NO2 and NOx levels, which were used to approximate the overall level of traffic-related pollutants since 1971. They looked at exposures over 15-, 25- and 35-year periods to assess the effect of different exposure lengths on COPD incidence”

“When we adjusted for smoking status and other confounding factors, the association remained significant, indicating that long-term pollution exposure likely is a true risk factor for developing COPD.”

“effect of air pollution on COPD was strongest in people with pre-existing diabetes and asthma”

“In any case, sufficient data, including the results of this study, provide evidence that traffic-related urban air pollution contributes to the burden of COPD and that reductions in traffic emissions would be beneficial to public health.”

Related articles

• Air pollution exposure increases risk of severe COPD (eurekalert.org)
• India – Indoor air pollution behind COPD, not smoking (iapnews.wordpress.com)
• Living With COPD: Household Hazards to Avoid (webmd.com)
• Traffic Pollution Tied to Increased Emphysema Risk (nlm.nih.gov)
• Air Pollution Ups Risk of Chronic Lung Disease (nlm.nih.gov)

The Changing Meaning of Sustainability

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What is Sustainability? (13 page pdf, Sustainability 2010, 2(11), 3436-3448, Nov.1, 2010)

The authors of the article under review today tackled a large challenge in examining what “sustainable development” meant when introduced in 1987 by the Brundtland Commission and what it has become in being applied with such concepts as Triple Bottom Line. Indeed, “Sustainable Cities” was considered for the title of this blog but discarded in preference to a clearer “Pollution Free Cities” where the link to sustainability is expected from striving for a city without pollution- a term which, unlike sustainability, is measurable. The other main point made in the article is the lack of priority given to the environment compared to socio-economic trends which also tend to be viewed short term “happiness” as opposed to the long term well being implied in maintaining a high quality environment.

Key Quotes:

“The concept of sustainability was originally coined in forestry, where it means never harvesting more than what the forest yields in new growth.. is a natural topic of study for economists: after all, the scarcity of resources is of central concern to the dismal science”

“two major developments in the concept of sustainability:

• its interpretation in terms of three dimensions, which must be in harmony: social, economic and environmental.
• the distinction between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ sustainability”

“Sustainability ..was concerned with the tension between the aspirations of mankind towards a better life on the one hand and the limitations imposed by nature on the other hand.. re-interpreted as encompassing three dimensions, namely social, economic and environmental.. obscures the real contradiction which exists between long-term sustainability and short-term welfare.”

“return to the original meaning, where sustainability is concerned with the well-being of future generations and in particular with irreplaceable natural resources—as opposed to the gratification of present needs which we call well-being”

“If ‘sustainability’ is anything more than a slogan or expression of emotion, it must amount to an injunction to preserve productive capacity for the indefinite future”

“Happiness, Well-being and Welfare.. may be used to express a primary goal of government policy: to improve people’s lives”

“view happiness as a basic goal of human behaviour but not of policy.. well-being refers to the objective conditions that help to make people happy..equivalent to ‘livability of the environment’.. Welfare is then a more limited concept denoting prosperity in terms of material needs such as food, water, health, and shelter.

“Sustainability may then be defined as maintaining well-being over a long, perhaps even an indefinite period. This covers largely the environmental dimension of the triple bottom line, but environment and sustainability are not synonymous”

“should pose two questions: what resources should we preserve at all cost, and to what degree?.. Sustainability, then, is a matter of what resources—natural resources, quality of the environment, and capital—we bequeath to coming generations”

Related articles

• So, what is your distinction? (jameswsasongko.wordpress.com)
• America’s Beef Producers Participate in Global Conference on Sustainable Beef (prweb.com)
• AEG Sustainability Reporting comes Alive (triplepundit.com)
• Unilever Unveils Plan to Decouple Business Growth from Environmental Impact (eon.businesswire.com)
• Americans Want Environmentally Sustainable Businesses (livescience.com)
• Digital Nirvana: The First Rule of the Triple Bottom Line (whattheythink.com)
• Sustainable Urbanism: Creating Resilient Cities (yuriartibise.com)

Impact of Pollution from Traffic on Childhood Development

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Prenatal Exposure to Airborne Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Children’s Intelligence at 5 Years of Age in a Prospective Cohort Study in Poland (6 page pdf, Environ Health Perspect 118:1326-1331, 20 April 2010)

Also discussed here: Can Pollution Affect My Child’s IQ? (Health News, Oct. 22, 2010)

Key Quotes:

“study found that children between the ages of eight and 11 living and attending school in areas of Boston with higher levels of traffic pollutants scored an average of 3.7 points lower on IQ tests than children living in less polluted areas”

“The effect of pollution on intelligence was similar to that seen in children whose mothers smoked 10 cigarettes a day while pregnant, or in kids who have been exposed to lead,”

“showed even greater effects on the offspring of expecting mothers living in parts of Harlem and the Bronx in New York City. Researchers found that those children exposed to the highest amounts of PAH pollution had IQs some 4.31 to 4.67 lower than non-exposed kids.”

“This finding is of concern because IQ is an important predictor of future academic performance, and PAHs are widespread in urban environments and throughout the world.”

“Some researchers believe that traffic pollution acts like secondhand smoke or marijuana use, restricting oxygen and nutrients delivered to the fetus,”

“airborne PAH concentrations can be reduced through currently available controls, alternative energy sources and policy interventions,” she says. Indeed, urban planners, regulators and eco-entrepreneurs are experimenting with different methods of reducing smog and other pollutants in problem areas. But until such techniques are perfected and clean-up mandates enforced, those living near busy roadways or otherwise polluted areas put their families at risk every time the front door opens”

Related articles

• Effects of Air Pollution on Young Comparable to Cigarettes: Harvard (thedailygreen.com)
• EarthTalk: Can Pollution Affect My Child’s IQ? (greenparentchicago.com)
• Can Pollution Affect A Child’s IQ? (thegoodhuman.com)
• Study: Pollution Can Trigger Asthma in Young Children (doyourpart.com)
• Brain imaging measures effects of lead on development (theglobeandmail.com)
• Brain imaging lets researchers measure effect of neurotoxins on brain development (theglobeandmail.com)
• 7 interesting findings of recent study on air pollution in US cities (iipalbanjary.net)
• Traffic Pollution Linked to Chronic Lung Disease (doyourpart.com)
• Breast Cancer Linked to Traffic Pollution (doyourpart.com)
• Traffic linked to ‘worsening’ child asthma (news.theage.com.au)

Who has the Greatest Health Impacts from Particulate Matter?

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Particulate Matter Induced Health Effects: Who’s Susceptible? (43 page pdf, Environmental Health Perspectives, 20 Oct 2010)

Key Quotes:

“To identify populations potentially at greatest risk for particulate matter (PM)- related health effects by evaluating epidemiologic studies that examined various characteristics that may influence susceptibility”

“definition for the term ‘susceptible population’ as it relates to PM: Individual- and population-level characteristics that increase the risk of PM-related health effects in a population including, but not limited to: genetic background, birth outcomes (e.g., low birth weight, birth defects), race, sex, lifestage, lifestyle (e.g., smoking status, nutrition) preexisting disease, SES (e.g., educational attainment, reduced access to health care), and characteristics that may modify exposure to PM (e.g., time spent outdoors).”

“Children exposed to comparable levels of PM are more susceptible than adults due to greater: time spent outdoors, activity levels, minute volume per unit body weight and lung surface area leading to an increased dose, all of which could lead to adverse effects on their developing lungs”

“Older adults also represent a potentially susceptible population compared to children or younger adults due to the higher prevalence of preexisting cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, which may also confer susceptibility to PM.”

“A multicity study found upwards of 75% greater risk of hospitalization for cardiac diseases with PM10 exposure in individuals with diabetes compared to non-diabetics”

“Overall, the epidemiologic studies evaluated in this review, ..identified characteristics of populations that may lead to increased susceptibility to PM-related health effects. This includes lifestage, specifically children and older adults; preexisting cardiovascular (i.e., CAD) and respiratory (i.e., asthma) diseases; genetic polymorphisms; and low SES, as measured by educational attainment and income”

Related articles

• Study: ‘Safe’ Levels of Soot Linked to Diabetes (nytimes.com)
• Air pollution appears to foster diabetes (sciencenews.org)
• Polluted Air and Diabetes: A Link (green.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Particulate Air Pollution Strongly Linked With Increased Diabetes Prevalence in US Study (treehugger.com)
• NASA Maps Global Air Pollution (wired.com)
• “I want those workers to be as safe as those shrimp” – What we still don’t know about Deepwater Horizon response health impacts [The Pump Handle] (scienceblogs.com)
• Pollution Takes its Toll on the Heart (prweb.com)