Heart Disease in Polluted Urban Cores

The relation between coronary artery calcification in asymptomatic subjects and both traditional risk factors and living in the city centre: a DanRisk substudy (Abstract, J. Lambrechtsen, O. Gerke, K. Egstrup, N. P. Sand, B. L. Nørgaard, H. Petersen, H. Mickley, A. C. P. Diederichsen, Journal of Internal Medicine, Dec. 20,2011) Also discussed here: Heart Study [...]

Lifetime Population Exposure to Air Pollution in Canada

Spatiotemporal air pollution exposure assessment for a Canadian population-based lung cancer case-control study (26 page pdf, Perry Hystad, Paul A Demers, Kenneth C Johnson, Jeff Brook, Aaron van Donkelaar, Lok Lamsal, Randall Martin and Michael Brauer, Environmental Health, Apr.4, 2012) Today, we review a report that develops a method of assessing exposure to air pollution [...]

Citizen-Led Air Quality Sensor Networks

The Air Quality Egg Project (An Open Hardware project in New York, NY by @EdBorden) Also discussed  here: Air Quality Egg  (Wiki) And here: You can help build an open air quality sensor network (Pachube, Dec. 7, 2011) And here: MIMAQ (15 slides, mobile pollution sensors) And here: Air Quality Monitoring: A Few Precedents (12 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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 [...]

Vulnerability of Public to Heat Waves

Evaluation of a Heat Vulnerability Index on Abnormally Hot Days: an Environmental Public Health  (29 page pdf, Colleen E. Reid, Jennifer K. Mann, Ruth Alfasso, Paul B. English, Galatea C. King, Rebecca A. Lincoln, Helene G. Margolis, Dan J. Rubado, Joseph E. Sabato, Nancy L. West, Brian Woods, Kathleen M. Navarro, John R. Balmes, Environ [...]

Health Threats to Canadian School Children Near Heavy Traffic

Proximity of public elementary schools to major roads in Canadian urban areas  (33 page pdf, Ofer Amram, Rebecca Abernethy, Michael Brauer, Hugh Davies and Ryan W Allen, International Journal of Health Geographics, Dec. 21, 2011) Also discussed here: School location a factor in student health, performance (Public Affairs, Simon Fraser University, Jan. 4, 2012) And [...]

Real-time Urban Air Quality on a Smart Phone

New Air Quality iPhone Application (King’s College London, Mar. 30, 2010) Also discussed here: London Air iPhone app (King’s College London, YouTube video) And here: Winter smog mid January 2012 (King’s College London, Jan. 2012) For the last two years, the city of  London has been using smart phone technology to distribute up to the [...]

The Health Costs of Asthma caused by Traffic-Related Air Pollution

Costs of childhood asthma due to traffic-related pollution in two california communities (S. J. Brandt, L. Perez, N. Kunzli, F. Lurmann, R. McConnell. Abstract, European Respiratory Journal, Jan. 20, 2012) Also discussed here: Asthma Rate and Costs from Traffic Pollution Higher: Much Higher Than Past Traditional Risk Assessments Have Indicated (Science Daily, Jan. 25, 2012) [...]

Climate Change, Air Pollution and Corrosion of Buildings

Climate change impact on building surfaces and facades (12 page pdf, Terje Grøntoft, International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 2011) As more and more countries fail to meet the international agreements to reduce carbon emissions in a timely manner – either in terms of absolute emissions (China, USA and others) or per capita [...]

Monitoring Air Pollution in Beijing, China

Beijing to put clean-air plan into action (He Dan, China Daily, Jan. 13, 2012) Also discussed  here: Beijing releases key air pollution data (USA Today, Jan. 21, 2012) And here: Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center (in Chinese) And here: Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center (in English) Today, the focus is on efforts by the municipal [...]

Hamilton’s Air Pollution Hot Spots

Mobile Air Quality Monitoring to Determine Local Impacts  (39 page pdf, Denis Corr, Rotek Environmental Inc. July 2011) Also discussed here: Unique study maps neighbourhood air pollution  (Hamilton Spectator, Jan. 20, 2012) And here: A Public Health Assessment of Mortality and Hospital Admissions Attributable to Air Pollution in Hamilton  (3 page pdf, School of Geography [...]

Pollution “Glue” and Congestion Pricing in London

Mayor Boris spreads ‘pollution glue’ across London (Jessica Shankleman, Business Green, Dec.23, 2011) Also discussed here: (Rav Casley Gera, Clean Technica, Dec. 28,2011) And here: Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Today, we review a new approach being trialed in London to reducing pollution hotspots by applying a chemical to the road which attracts particulate matter and [...]

Intensification, Traffic Congestion and Air Pollution

Public Health and Downtown Traffic (Marcus Bowman , Spacing Toronto, Jul. 21, 2011) Also discussed here: Ottawa’s clogged roads near capacity (Open File Ottawa, Nov. 18, 2010) And here: Queue Interactions in Synchro 6 (12 page Word doc,  Synchro 6) Today, we focus on some articles that describe how congested cities, such as Toronto and [...]

GEO Medicine and Lifetime Exposure to Poor Air Quality

Bill Davenhall: Your health depends on where you live (9 min video, TED, Oct. 2009) Also shown here: Bill Davenhall: Your health depends on where you live (9 min You-Tube) And discussed here: Heart Attack Rates (Acute Myocardial Infarction per 100,000 Medicare Enrollees) (ERSI, 2005) The focus today is on a new branch of environmental [...]

The Better Air Quality at Beijing Olympics- government controls or lucky weather conditions?

    Emission controls versus meteorological conditions in determining aerosol concentrations in Beijing during the 2008 Olympic Games (15 page pdf, Y. Gao, X. Liu, C. Zhao, and M. Zhang, Atmos. Chem. Phys.,  Dec. 28, 2011)   Also discussed here: Weather Deserves Medal for Clean Air During 2008 Olympics (Science Daily, Dec. 28, 2011)   And here: Impact of [...]

Health Impacts from Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Biomass Fuels

Respiratory health effects of air pollution: Update on biomass smoke and traffic pollution ( 9 page pdf, Robert J. Laumbach and Howard M. Kipen, Clinical reviews in allergy and immunology, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Jan, 2012) Also discussed here: Review Hardens Links Between Air Pollution, Health Problems (Christine Hsu, Medical Daily, Dec. [...]

Does the Economy Affect Air Pollution and Health for Seniors?

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: Understanding Pro-cyclical Mortality Use a mirror (45 page pdf, Ann Huff Stevens, Douglas L. Miller, Marianne E. Page, Mateusz Filipski, National Bureau of Economy, Dec. 2011) Also discussed here: Why Boom Times Kill (Robin Hanson, Overcoming Bias,  Dec. 19, 2011) We know that the elderly are more [...]

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 [...]

Health Benefits from Mitigating Climate Change in Transportation

Health co-benefits of climate change mitigation – Transport sector (156 page pdf, Jamie Hosking, Pierpaolo Mudu, Carlos Dora, Health Impact Assessment, World health Organization, Dec., 2011) Today the focus is on a report issued by the World Health Organization in connection with the Climate Change  Conference held at Durban, South Africa. The report examines the [...]

Are Pollution Hotspots Legal in Ontario?

Pollution, hot spots and environmental justice (Dianne Saxe, Environmental Law and Litigation, Dec. 5, 2011     Topping the reviews today is a blog post by a lawyer who examines the potential inconsistency of environmental law, as expressed by the 1993 Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights, when applied to varying levels of air pollution across [...]

Estimating the Risk of Death from Air Pollution

Assessment of Deaths Attributable to Air Pollution: Should We Use Risk Estimates based on Time Series or on Cohort Studies? ( 6 page pdf, N. Künzli, S. Medina, R. Kaiser, P. Quénel, F. Horak, Jr., and M. Studnicka, American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 153, No. 11, 2001) Today’s review looks at an analysis of the [...]

The Health Impact of Indoor Air Pollution

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 [...]

Sprawl and Health Impacts in Ontario, Canada

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 [...]

The Health Benefits of Cycling’s Impact on Air Quality

Air Quality and Exercise-Related Health Benefits from Reduced Car Travel in the Midwestern United States (39 page pdf, Maggie L. Grabow, Scott N. Spak, Tracey Holloway,Brian Stone Jr., Adam C. Mednick, Jonathan A. Patz, Environmental Health Perspectives, Nov. 2, 2011) We all know that cycling is good for one’s fitness, as well as providing an [...]

Assessment of Local Air Pollution Impacts on Health

Methodological considerations in developing local-scale health impact assessments: balancing national, regional, and local data (12 page pdf,  Bryan J. Hubbell & Neal Fann & Jonathan I. Levy, Air Qual Atmos Health, Mar. 31, 2009) Today’s review article compares the factors that need to be considered when carrying out a local or urban scale health impact [...]

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 [...]

Neighbourhood-Scale Air Pollution Exposure, Walkability and Heart Disease

Health Impacts of the Built Environment: Within-urban Variability in Physical Inactivity, Air Pollution, and Ischemic Heart Disease Mortality (34 page pdf, Steve Hankey, Julian D. Marshall, Michael Brauer, Environ Health Perspect, Oct. 17, 2011) Today we review some research into the link between physical inactivity, air pollution and health impact at the inter-urban scale. The [...]

Exposure of Schoolchildren to Traffic-Related Air Pollution

Heavy vehicle traffic is related to wheeze among schoolchildren: a population-based study in an area with low traffic flows (31 page pdf, Martin Andersson, Lars Modig, Linnea Hedman, Bertil Forsberg and Eva Ronmark, Environmental Health, Oct. 13, 2011) Today the focus is on a study of the health threat posed by emissions from traffic within [...]

The State of Air Pollution in Europe

The European Environment – State and Outlook 2010 – Air Pollution (46 page pdf, European Environment Agency, 2010) The report reviewed today is an overview of the progress (or lack of progress) being made or forecast in Europe to meet EU objectives. Clearly, the main challenge has to do with particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide [...]

The Application of Air Quality Models in Europe

The application of models under the European Union’s Air Quality Directive: A technical reference guide  (76 page pdf, European Environment Agency, Sep. 2011) Today’s focus is on the application of air quality models in Europe, noting the limitations and benefits of models in combination with ground-based or space-based monitors. There are several very useful tables [...]

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 [...]

Air Pollution Exposure and the Health of Neighbourhoods in Ottawa, Canada

Air Pollution and Health: Toward Improving the Spatial Definition of Exposure, Susceptibility and Risk  (Marie-Pierre Parenteau, PhD Thesis, Dept of Geography, University of Ottawa, 2011) The focus today is an assessment of whether “where one lives impacts one’s health“ holds true at the “inter-urban” scale for 90 neighbourhoods (defined using a number of social indicators)  [...]

Particulate Hot-Spot Analyses

Transportation Conformity Guidance for Quantitative Hot-spot Analyses in PM2.5 and PM10 Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas (143 page pdf, Transportation and Regional Programs Division, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Dec. 2010) Today’s focus is on a guide to analyse PM hotspots in order to assess non-compliance with federal air quality standards [...]

Scrubbing the Air with Trees- London’s BRIDGE Program

Estimating the removal of atmospheric particulate pollution by the urban tree canopy of London, under current and future environments (Abstract, Matthew Tallis,  Gail Taylor, Danielle Sinnett, Peter Freer-Smith, Landscape and Urban Planning, Sep. 1, 2011) From London comes research on the capability of trees in an urban setting to remove PM10 from the air through [...]

The Cost of Climate Change for the Health of Canadians

Paying The Price: The Economic Impacts of Climate Change for Canada (Ch. 5 Human Health) (168 page pdf, National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, Sep. 2011) Today we review a a significant report from Canada’s National Round Table on the Environment and Economy that puts an added cost of 1-10 billion dollars [...]

Population, Traffic Density and Air Pollution in Large Cities

Smart Growth (Livability), Air Pollution and Public Health (Wendell Cox, NewGeography, Sep. 29, 2011) Today’s focus is on the links between population density, traffic intensity and higher levels of pollution intensity based on an analysis of traffic and EPA pollutant data from 51 cities in the USA with more than 1 M population.  The conclusion [...]

Cities of World Ranked by Exposure to Particulates

Database: outdoor air pollution in cities (World Health Organization – Public Health and Environment) The focus today is on a list of cities in the world with the most and least pollution. Not surprisingly, those with the least pollution are small cities located some distance from industry in western Canada and USA and in southeast [...]

Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health in 21st Century

Climate Change Set to Increase Ozone-Related Deaths Over Next 60 Years, Scientists Warn (Science Daily, Sep. 27, 2011) Today’s review post has a broad focus on the impact of climate change on health and, in particular, ozone-related deaths  in some European countries which may increase by 14% in the next 50 years. To see Key [...]

Exposure to Pollution and Heart Attack Risk

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 [...]

EPA Statement on Health Impacts from Roadside NO2 Emissions

US Environmental Protection Agency- Six Common Pollutants, Nitrogen Dioxide, Health The EPA’s summary of health impacts from exposure to nitrogen oxides (which also produce ozone with health impacts) is worth noting, especially the scale of the problem- affecting 16% of the entire  U.S. population who live within 300 ft of  transportation emissions from traffic- and [...]

Traffic Air Pollution and Type 2 Diabetes

Long-term Exposure to Traffic-related Air Pollution and Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence in a Cross-sectional Screening-study in the Netherlands (25 page pdf, Marieke B.A. Dijkema, Sanne F. Mallant, Ulrike Gehring, Katja van den Hurk, Marjan Alssema, Rob T. van Strien, Paul H. Fischer, Giel Nijpels, Coen D.A. Stehouwer, Gerard Hoek, Jacqueline M. Dekker and Bert Brunekreef, [...]

Exposure to Air Pollution and Heart Attacks

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 [...]

Impacts of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality and Health

Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health (in brief) (4 page pdf, source document is 348 pages, Committee on the Effect of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality and Public Health; Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, June 2011) The report reviewed today is a summary of a major report on the kinds of [...]

Why Not Report Urban Air Pollution Publicly?

WikiLeaks reveals China’s failure to measure dangerous pollution- pollutant levels were not measured and made public because findings would have been ‘too sensitive’ for the authorities (Jonathan Watts, Guardian, Aug. 26, 2011) Today’s focus is on a report provided by Wikileaks from the US foreign service in 2006 about the reluctance of Chinese officials to [...]

Health Care Availability and Air Pollution Impacts

Air pollution and general practitioner access and utilization: A population based study in Sarnia, ‘Chemical Valley’, Ontario. (32 page pdf, Tor H Oiamo, Isaac N Luginaah, Dominic O Atari, and Kevin M Gorey, Environmental Health, Aug.9, 2011) Today, we review some research into how (or if) access to medical attention affects the impact of air [...]

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 [...]

Monitoring Local Pollution Across Canada

Creating National Air Pollution Models for Population Exposure Assessment in Canada (7 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, Environmental Health Perspectives, volume 119, number 8, August 2011) Today’s focus is on a study of how [...]

Managing Hot Spots in Urban Municipalities in England

Mapping Air Quality Action Plan Guidance available to Local Authorities (52 page pdf, prepared by Entec UK Limited for DEFRA, Apr. 14, 2011) Since legislation was enacted in 1995 to improve urban air quality in the UK,  over 200 local authorities have declared over 500 Air Quality Management  Areas (AQMA). The report reviewed today critically [...]