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Free Radical Biology & Medicine May 2020
Review
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Environmental Exposure; Oxidative Stress; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 32360613
DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.04.031 -
Annals of Global Health Dec 2019Five national academies of science and medicine-from Brazil, Germany, South Africa, and the United States-issued a powerful statement about air pollution's immense...
Five national academies of science and medicine-from Brazil, Germany, South Africa, and the United States-issued a powerful statement about air pollution's immense impacts on public health. The statement concluded that the evidence linking air pollution and adverse health effects is unequivocal, the costs are enormous and yet the problem is preventable. However it is insufficient to treat clean air as a policy objective. It must be regarded as a fundamental human right, related to the rights of life, health, and a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The human rights perspective changes everything, because governments have clear, legally enforceable obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights.
Topics: Air Pollution; Costs and Cost Analysis; Global Health; Health Care Costs; Human Rights; Humans; Mortality, Premature; Public Policy
PubMed: 31871909
DOI: 10.5334/aogh.2646 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2022This review summarises the extant literature investigating the relation between traffic-related air pollution levels in and around schools and executive functioning in... (Review)
Review
This review summarises the extant literature investigating the relation between traffic-related air pollution levels in and around schools and executive functioning in primary-school-aged children. An electronic search was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, and Education Literature Datasets databases (February 2020). Review articles were also searched, and forwards and backwards searches of identified studies were performed. Included papers were assessed for quality. We included 9 separate studies (published in 13 papers). Findings suggest that indoor and outdoor particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM) negatively influences executive function and academic achievement and that indoor and outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO) adversely affects working memory. Evidence for the effects of particulate matter with a diameter of 10 μm or less (PM) is limited but suggests potential wide-ranging negative effects on attention, reasoning, and academic test scores. Air pollution in and around schools influences executive function and appears to impede the developmental trajectory of working memory. Further research is required to establish the extent of these effects, reproducibility, consequences for future attainment, and place within the wider context of cognitive development.
Topics: Academic Performance; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Air Pollution, Indoor; Child; Environmental Exposure; Executive Function; Humans; Particulate Matter; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 35055570
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020749 -
International Journal of Environmental... Nov 2022A balanced microbiota composition is requisite for normal physiological functions of the human body. However, several environmental factors such as air pollutants may... (Review)
Review
A balanced microbiota composition is requisite for normal physiological functions of the human body. However, several environmental factors such as air pollutants may perturb the human microbiota composition. It is noticeable that currently around 99% of the world's population is breathing polluted air. Air pollution's debilitating health impacts have been studied scrupulously, including in the human gut microbiota. Nevertheless, air pollution's impact on other microbiotas of the human body is less understood so far. In the present review, the authors have summarized and discussed recent studies' outcomes related to air pollution-driven microbiotas' dysbiosis (including oral, nasal, respiratory, gut, skin, and thyroid microbiotas) and its potential multi-organ health risks.
Topics: Humans; Particulate Matter; Air Pollution; Air Pollutants; Microbiota; Bacteria
PubMed: 36497569
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315494 -
Journal of the American College of... Aug 2008Recent epidemiologic studies show that increased levels of air pollutants are positively associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Inhalation of air... (Review)
Review
Recent epidemiologic studies show that increased levels of air pollutants are positively associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Inhalation of air pollutants affects heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, vascular tone, blood coagulability, and the progression of atherosclerosis. Several categories within the general population (i.e., people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease and diabetic and elderly individuals) are considered to be more susceptible to air pollution-mediated cardiovascular effects. Major mechanisms of inhalation-mediated cardiovascular toxicity include activation of pro-inflammatory pathways and generation of reactive oxygen species. Although most studies focus on the influence of systemic effects, recent studies indicate that ultrafine particles may be translocated into the circulation and directly transported to the vasculature and heart where they can induce cardiac arrhythmias and decrease cardiac contractility and coronary flow.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Lung Diseases; Particle Size; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 18718418
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2008.05.029 -
Annals of Global Health 2024The United Nations has declared that humans have a right to clean air. Despite this, many deaths and disability-adjusted life years are attributed to air pollution... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The United Nations has declared that humans have a right to clean air. Despite this, many deaths and disability-adjusted life years are attributed to air pollution exposure each year. We face both challenges to air quality and opportunities to improve, but several areas need to be addressed with urgency.
OBJECTIVE
This paper summarises the recent research presented at the Pacific Basin Consortium for Environment and Health Symposium and focuses on three key areas of air pollution that are important to human health and require more research.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION
Indoor spaces are commonly places of exposure to poor air quality and are difficult to monitor and regulate. Global climate change risks worsening air quality in a bi-directional fashion. The rising use of electric vehicles may offer opportunities to improve air quality, but it also presents new challenges. Government policies and initiatives could lead to improved air and environmental justice. Several populations, such as older people and children, face increased harm from air pollution and should become priority groups for action.
Topics: Child; Humans; Aged; Air Pollution; Climate Change; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution, Indoor
PubMed: 38312715
DOI: 10.5334/aogh.4363 -
The Lancet. Planetary Health Apr 2022
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Philippines
PubMed: 35397217
DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00065-1 -
Environmental Research Mar 2023Cambodia's 16.5 million people are exposed to air pollution in excess of World Health Organisation guidelines. The Royal Government of Cambodia has regulated air...
Cambodia's 16.5 million people are exposed to air pollution in excess of World Health Organisation guidelines. The Royal Government of Cambodia has regulated air pollutant emissions and concentrations since 2000, but rapid economic growth and energy consumption means air pollution continues to impact human health. In December 2021, the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia published Cambodia's first Clean Air Plan that outlines actions to reduce air pollutant emissions over the next decade. This work presents the quantitative air pollution mitigation assessment underpinning the identification and evaluation of measures included in Cambodia's Clean Air Plan. Historic emissions of particulate matter (PM, black carbon, organic carbon) and gaseous (nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, sulphur dioxide, ammonia, and carbon monoxide) air pollutants are quantified between 2010 and 2015, and projected to 2030 for a baseline scenario. Mitigation scenarios reflecting implementation of 14 measures included in Cambodia's Clean Air Plan were modelled, to quantify the national reduction in emissions, from which the reduction in ambient PM exposure and attributable health burdens were estimated. In 2015, the residential, transport, and waste sectors contribute the largest fraction of national total air pollutant emissions. Without emission reduction measures, air pollutant emissions could increase by between 50 and 150% in 2030 compared to 2015 levels, predominantly due to increases in transport emissions. The implementation of the 14 mitigation measures could substantially reduce emissions of all air pollutants, by between 60 and 80% in 2030 compared to the baseline. This reduction in emissions was estimated to avoid approximately 900 (95% C.I.: 530-1200) premature deaths per year in 2030 compared to the baseline scenario. In addition to improving air pollution and public health, Cambodia's Clean Air Plan could also to lead to additional benefits, including a 19% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, simultaneously contributing to Cambodia's climate change goals.
Topics: Humans; Cambodia; Air Pollution; Air Pollutants; Particulate Matter; Sulfur Dioxide
PubMed: 36623681
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115230 -
Environment International Jan 2021Street canyons are generally highly polluted urban environments due to high traffic emissions and impeded dispersion. Green infrastructure (GI) is one potential passive... (Review)
Review
Street canyons are generally highly polluted urban environments due to high traffic emissions and impeded dispersion. Green infrastructure (GI) is one potential passive control system for air pollution in street canyons, yet optimum GI design is currently unclear. This review consolidates findings from previous research on GI in street canyons and assesses the suitability of different GI forms in terms of local air quality improvement. Studies on the effects of various GI options (trees, hedges, green walls, green screens and green roofs) are critically evaluated, findings are synthesised, and possible recommendations are summarised. In addition, various measurement methods used for quantifying the effectiveness of street greening for air pollution reduction are analysed. Finally, we explore the findings of studies that have compared plant species for pollution mitigation. We conclude that the influences of different GI options on air quality in street canyons depend on street canyon geometry, meteorological conditions and vegetation characteristics. Green walls, green screens and green roofs are potentially viable GI options in existing street canyons, where there is typically a lack of available planting space. Particle deposition to leaves is usually quantified by leaf washing experiments or by microscopy imaging techniques, the latter of which indicates size distribution and is more accurate. The pollutant reduction capacity of a plant species largely depends on its macromorphology in relation to the physical environment. Certain micromorphological leaf traits also positively correlate with deposition, including grooves, ridges, trichomes, stomatal density and epicuticular wax amount. The complexity of street canyon environments and the limited number of previous studies on novel forms of GI in street canyons mean that offering specific recommendations is currently unfeasible. This review highlights a need for further research, particularly on green walls and green screens, to substantiate their efficacy and investigate technical considerations.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Cities; Environmental Pollution; Quality Improvement; Trees; Vehicle Emissions
PubMed: 33395936
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106288 -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2021To understand the status of air pollution in northeastern China, we explore the structure of air pollution transmission networks and propose targeted policy...
To understand the status of air pollution in northeastern China, we explore the structure of air pollution transmission networks and propose targeted policy recommendations. Using air pollution data from 35 cities in northeastern China for a total of 879 periods from 6 January 2015 to 3 June 2017, this paper used social network analysis (SNA) to construct a spatial association network of air pollution in the region, and analyzed the spatial association of air pollution among cities and its causes in an attempt to reveal the transmission path of air pollution in the region. The results show that inter-city air pollution in northeast China forms a complex and stable correlation network with obvious seasonal differences of "high in winter and low in summer". Different cities in the region play the roles of "spillover", "intermediary" and "receiver" of air pollution in the network. Small respirable particulate (PM2.5) pollution constitutes a significant component of air pollution in northeast China, which spreads from Liaoning province to Heilongjiang province via Jilin province. Therefore, regional joint pollution prevention and control measures should be adopted to combat the air pollution problem, and different treatment measures should be developed for different city "roles" in the pollution network, in order to fundamentally solve the air pollution problem in the region.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; China; Cities; Environmental Monitoring; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 34682365
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010619