Inhaling A Heart Attack: How Air Pollution Can Cause Heart Disease

BETHESDA, Md. (March 18, 2009) We are used to thinking of heart disease as a product of genetic factors or lifestyle choices, such as what we eat and how much we exercise. There is another road to heart disease: breathing.

Accumulating evidence indicates that an increase in particulate air pollution is associated with an increase in heart attacks and deaths. Research has begun in the relatively new field of environmental cardiology -- a field that examines the relationship between air pollution and heart disease.

Aruni Bhatnagar of the University of Louisville and Robert Brook of the University of Michigan have organized a symposium Environmental Factors in Heart Disease, to take place April 21 at the Experimental Biology conference in New Orleans. The American Physiological Society is one of the sponsors of the annual conference. Dr. Bhatnagar will speak on Environmental aldehydes exposure and cardiovascular disease, while Dr. Brook will give a talk on Environmental pollution and hypertension. In addition, Araujo Jesus of UCLA will speak on Exacerbation of experimental atherogenesis by ultrafine air pollution, and Murray Mittleman of the Harvard School of Public Health will speak on Air pollution and stroke.

There have been a number of studies connecting pollution with heart disease:
- A study of six U.S. cities found that people died earlier when they lived in cities with higher pollution levels. A majority of these deaths were due to heart disease.
- A study of 250 metropolitan areas around the world found a spike in air pollution is followed by a spike in heart attacks.
- A study in Salt Lake City found that when a nearby steel mill shut down for a period of months, there was a 4-6% drop in mortality. The mortality rose to previous levels when the steel mill reopened.

The people who seem to be most susceptible to environmental pollutants are the people who are already vulnerable, including the elderly and people with coronary artery disease. There is also some evidence that diabetics, women and people who are obese may be at greater risk.

Identifying harmful pollutants
Researchers are trying to find out which pollutants are harmful and how the harmful pollutants work to damage the cardiovascular system. They have focused on smaller, microscopic particles that can get into the lungs and may gain entrance to the blood stream. (The upper airway filters out larger particles that are in smog and other air pollutants before they can cause a problem.)

In addition, researchers have focused on air pollutants, including:
- ozone
- nitrates
- sulfates
- metals
- aldehydes

One intriguing statistic is that the risk of heart attack increases in parallel with time spent in traffic the previous day. In animal experiments, Dr. Bhatnagar has found that aldehydes -- a toxic class of chemicals found in most forms of smoke, including cigarette smoke and car exhaust -- increase blood cholesterol levels and activate enzymes that cause plaque in the blood vessels to rupture. When plaque ruptures, it can cause a blood clot, which may block an artery and lead to a heart attack.

Much of Robert Brook’s research has centered on the relationship between air pollution and hypertension. Fine- and ultra-fine particles that get into the lung may make their way into the blood vessels. Within 15 minutes of inhaling pollutants, there is a very rapid increase in blood pressure, he said.

Blood vessels react to the pollutants by producing an inflammatory response to attack the foreign matter. However, the inflammatory response itself can set off a complex physiological reaction that is harmful to the blood vessels, Dr. Brook said.

Lessons learned
If you live in an area where pollution levels may be high, you can take steps to reduce the risk of air pollution, Dr. Brook said. During times when air quality is unhealthy, exercise indoors, because indoor air is filtered. If you exercise outdoors, particularly if you’re at risk for heart disease, do it when pollutants are at lower levels. Avoid peak traffic times.

The work in environmental cardiology goes on and these researchers, and others, will gather together at Experimental Biology to share their ideas and research findings and plan the next steps in fighting environmental heart disease.

A fuller audio interview is available in Episode 17 of the APS podcast, Life Lines, at: Click here.

You can also find out more about the symposium at: Click here.

Blue Sky Research Reveals Increase in Global Air Pollution

A University of Maryland-led team has compiled the first decades-long database of aerosol measurements over land, making possible new research into how air pollution affects climate change.

Using this new database, the researchers show that clear sky visibility over land has decreased globally over the past 30 years, indicative of increases in aerosols, or airborne pollution. Their findings are published in the March 13 issue of Science.

“Creation of this database is a big step forward for researching long-term changes in air pollution and correlating these with climate change,” said Kaicun Wang, assistant research scientist in the University of Maryland’s department of geography and lead author of the paper. “And it is the first time we have gotten global long-term aerosol information over land to go with information already available on aerosol measurements over the world’s oceans.”

Wang, together with Shunlin Liang, a University of Maryland professor of geography, and Robert Dickinson, a professor of geological science at the University of Texas, Austin, created a database that includes visibility measurements taken from 1973 – 2007 at 3,250 meteorological stations all over the world and released by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Visibility was the distance a meteorological observer could see clearly from the measurement source. The more aerosols present in the air, the shorter the visibility distance.

According to the researchers, the visibility data were compared to available satellite data (2000-2007), and found to be comparable as an indicator of aerosol concentration in the air. Thus, they conclude, the visibility data provide a valid source from which scientists can study correlations between air pollution and climate change.

Aerosols, Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change
Aerosols are solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in air. They include soot, dust and sulfur dioxide particles, and are what we commonly think of when we talk about air pollution. Aerosols come, for example, from the combustion of fossil fuels, industrial processes, and biomass burning of tropical rainforests. They can be hazardous to both human health and the environment.

Aerosol particles affect the Earth’s surface temperature by either reflecting light back into space, thus reducing solar radiation at Earth’s surface, or absorbing solar radiation, thus heating the atmosphere. The variable cooling and heating effects of aerosols also modify properties of cloud cover and rainfall.

Unlike aerosol particles, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are transparent and have no effect on visibility. Sunlight passes right through them, just as it does through the oxygen and nitrogen that are the main constituents of our atmosphere. Though present in the atmosphere in relatively small amounts, greenhouse gases cause global warming because these “trace” gases trap solar energy absorbed at the earth's surface and prevent it from being radiated as heat back into space.

While the climate warming impacts of increased greenhouse gases are clear, the effects of increased aerosols are not. Studies of the long-term effects of aerosols on climate change have been largely inconclusive up to now due to limited over-land aerosol measurements, according to Wang and his team. However, with this database researchers now can compare temperature, rainfall and cloud cover data from the past 35 years with the aerosol measurements in the new database.

Global Dimming
According to the authors, a preliminary analysis of the database measurements shows a steady increase in aerosols over the period from 1973 to 2007. Increased aerosols in the atmosphere block solar radiation from the earth’s surface, and have thus caused a net “global dimming.” The only region that does not show an increase in aerosols is Europe, which has actually experienced a “global brightening,” the authors say.

The largest known source of increased aerosols is increased burning of fossil fuels. And a major product of fossil fuel combustion is sulfur dioxide. Thus, the team notes, that their finding of a steady increase in aerosols in recent decades, also suggests an increase in sulfate aerosols. This differs from studies recently cited by the Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change showing global emissions of sulfate aerosol decreased between 1980 and 2000.

Climate Change Research at Maryland
Visit the University of Maryland's Climate Change Microsite to find the latest climate news from around the world; information on the university's climate change research and partnerships with NOAA, NASA & DOE; and links to leading U.S. and international sources of climate information. http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/micro/index.cfm

EPA Awards $500,000 to Biomedical Institute for Air Quality Research

The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $500,000 to the Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to develop environmental health indicators of cardiovascular disease caused by air pollution. Exposures to particulate matter, ozone, and diesel exhaust have been identified as a possible cause for cardiovascular disease in humans, but no investigation confirms that pollutants act through known markers of atherosclerosis (e.g., C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor). The Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute will conduct research to develop novel and more specific markers for acute exposure to humans.

“Gaining a better understanding of science, research, and technology is critical to our agency’s mission,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “Research conducted by this biomedical institute will provide life-saving data used to improve the quality of life and help protect our environment.”

Project activities involved in this research will include identifying susceptible individuals, classifying casual components of the complex air pollution mixture, and developing a better understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in air pollution-induced cardiovascular toxicity. As a result of data collected from this study, Lovelace hopes to identify individuals who could be at risk of developing atherosclerosis, a chronic arterial inflammatory disease which may lead to a stroke.

Funding for the grant award was provided through the EPA National Center for Environmental Research’s Science to Achieve Results or STAR program. The STAR program funds research grants and graduate fellowships in numerous environmental science and engineering disciplines through a competitive solicitation process and independent peer review.

Air Pollution Episodes Especially Harmful to Athletes and Outdoor Workers

Health effects include respiratory problems, DNA damage

Staff fom the ARB have recently presented research to the California Air Resources Board that links air pollution episodes to adverse health effects for athletes and those who must work outdoors.

Scientists have found that outdoor exercise during high levels of smog or particulate matter may cause otherwise healthy individuals to experience lung function decrease, exacerbation of asthma, and even DNA damage. For those with pre-existing respiratory or heart ailments, the danger is even greater.

"This report once again shows that an active person's zeal for fitness may sometimes do more harm than good when air quality is suffering," said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. "People should be aware of air quality in their region and take precautions to protect their health when pollution spikes occur. For example, we are surprised and alarmed to find many people out exercising during the recent rash of wildfires that have blanketed much of the state in smoke."

The findings from the studies include:
* A three-fold decrease in lung function after walking near diesel traffic compared to walking in a park with no traffic;

* A four-fold increase in DNA damage after cycling in traffic;

* A 10 percent reduction in lung function after cycling with ozone exposure;

* Delivery of oxygen to the heart may drop by three times when exercising while exposed to diesel exhaust; and,

* A three-fold increase in asthma development for children who played multiple sports in high ozone areas.

Research shows that during exercise, people breathe faster; a greater proportion of air is inhaled through the mouth, bypassing nasal filtration, and pollutants are carried more deeply into the lungs. And, greater volumes of air are exchanged during exercise -- up to 10 or 20 times more air compared to when at rest.

As breathing rates increase so does the quantity of pollutants inhaled. Anyone exercising outdoors during times of high pollution should remember they will receive a greater dose of pollutants. Additionally, research studies found that people who exercise near roadways such as joggers, cyclists and pedestrians experience increased risk because not only are they exposed to outdoor air pollution but traffic-related pollution as well.

For people who already have compromised lung function or heart disease, these risks are amplified.

It is well established that exercise promotes health and fitness. Regular exercise can help counteract the negative effects of air pollution. For example, regular activity may improve removal of inhaled particles from the lungs and can strengthen immune defenses. Prior to exercise outdoors, people can protect themselves by heeding air quality advisories, available in local newspapers, television weather reports, and through local health agencies, air districts and U.S.

For more information:

Air Now EPA

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Is Air Pollution Associated with Ventricular Arrhythmia?

Introduction: Premature ventricular complexes are a normal finding in healthy individuals and the prevalence increases with age and is more common in men. Premature ventricular complexes can occur in association with a variety of stimuli, and a lesser known cause is the association between air pollution and ventricular arrhythmias.

Case presentation: A previously healthy man started to ride a lightweight motorbike in heavy traffic.

A few weeks later he was admitted to hospital with premature ventricular complexes in bigeminy, which decreased after a few days when he was not exposed to exhaust fumes. A few weeks later he started using the motorbike again and the same symptoms developed once more, only to subside when he stopped riding in heavy traffic.

Conclusions: Studies have shown an association between air pollution and premature ventricular complexes and other kinds of arrhythmias.

The mechanism may be changes in cardiac autonomic function, including heart rate and heart rate variability. Air pollution should be considered when patients present with arrhythmias and no other causes are found.

See the Source:

7th space Interactive

Journal of Medical Case Reports

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Breathing Dust and Soot Raises Risk of Stroke

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, June 2, 2008 - Short-term exposure to low levels of particulate air pollution may increase the risk of stroke or mini-stroke, according to new research conducted in Texas that suggests current exposure standards are not sufficient to protect the public. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

The study examined particulate air pollution in the southeast Texas community of Corpus Christi where there is a large petroleum and petrochemical industry presence.

The results showed what the researchers called "borderline significant associations" between same day and previous day exposures to fine particulate matter and risk of ischemic strokes.

Ischemic (is-skeem-ic) stroke occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked.

In the study, researchers identified ischemic strokes and also transient ischemic attacks, or TIA, sometimes called mini strokes, that often lead to a stroke later.

Findings suggest that recent exposure to fine particulate matter may increase the risk of these types of stroke events specifically.

Particulate matter is a combination of fine solids such as dirt, soil dust, pollens, molds, ashes, and soot; and aerosols that are formed in the atmosphere from gaseous combustion by-products such as volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Particulate pollution comes from such diverse sources as factory and utility smokestacks, vehicle exhaust, wood burning, mining, construction activity, and agriculture.

"The vast majority of the public is exposed to ambient air pollution at the levels observed in this community or greater every day, suggesting a potentially large public health impact," said Lynda Lisabeth, lead author and assistant professor in the University of Michigan School of Public Health, where the research is based.

Despite the fossil fuel industry in the area, fine particulate matter exposures were low relative to other regions of the country, the researchers said probably because of the proximity to the coast and prevailing wind patterns.

Lisabeth stressed that the association requires further study in other areas with varying climates and alternative study designs.

Ischemic stroke is by far the most common kind of stroke, accounting for about 88 percent of all strokes. Stroke can affect people of all ages, including children.

Many people with ischemic strokes are 60 or older, and the risk of stroke increases as people age. At each age, stroke is more common in men than women, and it is more common among African-Americans than white Americans.

For this study, researchers looked at data from the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi Project, a population-based stroke surveillance project designed to capture all strokes in Nueces County, Texas.

Ischemic stroke and TIA cases between 2001 and 2005 were identified using trained staff and later verified by neurologists.

Daily historical air pollutant and meteorological data were obtained for the same time period from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Monitoring Operations database.

Data on fine particulate matter and ozone from a centrally located monitor in Corpus Christi located upwind of the local industrial facilities was used in the study.

The majority of stroke and TIA cases were found to be located upwind of local chemical plants and refineries.

Some research has shown that particulate air pollution is associated with acute artery vasoconstriction and with increased thickening of the blood, which may enhance the potential for blood clots.

Similar associations were also seen with ozone, another type of air pollution.

This study confirms earlier research showing that exposure to fine particle matter air pollution increases a person's risk for hospital admission for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

The study, "Ambient Air Pollution and Risk of Ischemic Stroke and TIA," will be published in the July 2008 issue of Annals of Neurology http://www.interscience.wiley.com/, the official journal of the American Neurological Association.

Find out:

How to decrease diesel particulate pollution using diesel particulate filters.

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Air Pollution Might Cause Blood Clots in Legs

Long-term exposure to air pollution appears to be associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, blood clots in the thigh or legs, according to a new article.

Exposure to particulate air pollution--very small particles of solid and liquid chemicals that come from burning fossil fuels and other sources--has been linked to the increased risk of developing or dying from heart disease and stroke, according to background information in the article. Recent studies have suggested this relationship may result at least in part from the effects of particulate air pollution on blood clotting.

Andrea Baccarelli, M.D., Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and colleagues assessed exposure to particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter among 870 patients who had been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in Lombardy, Italy, between 1995 and 2005. These patients, along with 1,210 controls who did not have deep vein thrombosis, were assigned to one of nine geographic regions based on where they lived at the time of the study. The researchers then used the average concentration of particulate matter for each area, obtained by monitors located at 53 different sites throughout the region, to estimate the level of exposure over the year before diagnosis (for cases) or examination (for controls).

Individuals with deep vein thrombosis tended to have a higher exposure to particulate air pollution than controls. After adjusting for other environmental and health factors, for every increase in particulate matter of 10 micrograms per square meter the previous year, the risk of deep vein thrombosis increased 70 percent. In addition, the blood of patients in both the case and control groups with higher levels of exposure to particulate matter took less time to clot, as measured by a test given in the clinic.

The association between particle exposure and blood clots was stronger in men than in women, and disappeared among women taking oral contraceptives or hormone therapy. "Such hormone therapies are independent risk factors for deep vein thrombosis, which is also confirmed in this study by the higher prevalence of oral contraceptive and hormone use in the cases compared with the controls," the authors write.

"Given the magnitude of the observed effects and the widespread diffusion of particulate pollutants, our findings introduce a novel and common risk factor into the pathogenesis of deep vein thrombosis and, at the same time, give further substance to the call for tighter standards and continued efforts aimed at reducing the impact of urban air pollutants on human health," they conclude.

This work was supported by grants from the Environmental Protection Agency Particulate Matter Center; grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; a grant from the MIUR Internationalization Program; and grants from the CARIPLO Foundation and Lombardy region.

Editorial: Blood Clot Risk Could Increase Estimates of Death Toll from Pollution
Air pollution "has become so omnipresent over the past century as to be commonly perceived as a normal natural entity--'the lazy, hazy days of summer'," writes Robert D. Brook, M.D., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in an accompanying editorial.

"While we have learned to live within this haze without a second thought, air pollution is neither natural nor benign," he continues. "Even though the absolute cardiovascular risk posed to one individual at any single time point is small, owing to the ubiquitous and constant nature of exposure, particulate matter ranks as the 13th leading cause of global mortality (approximately 800,000 deaths annually)."

Dr. Baccarelli and colleagues have presented evidence of a new category of health risks associated with pollution, he writes. "If future studies corroborate their findings and address some of the limitations, it may be proven that the actual totality of the health burden posed by air pollution, already known to be tremendous, may be even greater than ever anticipated," Dr. Brook concludes.

See the Source:
ScienceDaily

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How diesel particulate matter is reduced using emissions control technology

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Half Measures and Compromises Are Not Good Enough

Statement of Bernadette Toomey, President and Chief Executive Officer
American Lung Association: March 12, 2008

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a critical tightening of the health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone. We wish we could be happier about this decision, but we cannot. The standard announced today, although an improvement, falls far short of the requirements of the Clean Air Act. We are unable to celebrate half measures when the risks are so evident, when the science and the scientists are so united about what is needed and when the missed opportunity means that thousands will suffer more and die sooner than they should. Furthermore, we reject the suggestions made by the Administrator to weaken and undermine the Clean Air Act itself. Coming from the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, such suggestions are truly outrageous.

Certainly, today’s decision on the health-based standard opens a welcome new phase in the attack against the most widespread air pollutant in the nation—and among the most dangerous. A tighter ozone standard sets in motion new steps to clean up air pollution. The ozone standard the EPA adopted strengthens the protection for millions of Americans from the air pollutant often known as smog. Yet, by stopping far short of the mark, the EPA action today denies millions more the protection they deserve from their government.

Ozone smog threatens the health of infants, children, seniors, and people who have asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and other lung diseases. For these people, breathing smog-polluted air can make them cough and wheeze, restrict their airways, worsen their diseases, force them to the hospital and even kill them. Even healthy young adults and people who exercise or work outdoors can suffer from high levels of ozone pollution.

Today’s decision means that millions of Americans will not get the protection that the law requires. According to the nation’s landmark air pollution law, the Clean Air Act, the EPA must set our air quality standards at levels that protect the health of the public, including children, older people, and people who suffer from chronic lung diseases. The EPA’s own expert scientific advisors unanimously recommended a stronger standard that would provide much more protection—advice the Agency ignored. Sixteen major medical societies and public health organizations—including the American Lung Association—repeatedly urged the EPA to follow the overwhelming evidence for a truly protective standard. Our recommendations also went unheeded.

Instead of following the law, the Administrator has proposed, incredibly enough, dismantling the core principles that are embodied in the Clean Air Act—legal requirements that have enabled us to reduce deadly forms of air pollution. The Administrator offers to play “pick your poison” with public health, allowing the state and local governments to determine which pollutants to ignore and which to clean up. The Clean Air Act recognized these pollutants as the national priority because they were the most widespread and dangerous. The Act assigned the EPA Administrator the responsibility to set standards to protect the health of all of the public from these pollutants, not just some people, and required the states and local governments to reduce the burden of all these pollutants, not just some of them. History has shown that when communities pick and chose who gets protected, those left behind, exposed to the worst, are usually the weak, the young, the old and those who face life-threatening disease. The Administrator cannot promote such discrimination.

Basic to those principles is the requirement that the national ambient air quality standards protect public health with an adequate margin of safety. The Supreme Court unanimously confirmed that protecting public health be the sole basis for the Administrator’s decision on a standard. History has shown that principle to be sound. The Administrator proposes to change the Clean Air Act to violate that principle. That is completely unacceptable.

Despite arguments from polluters, thirty years of evidence shows that protecting public health has not harmed the economy—nor is it likely to do so in the future. We would encourage the Administrator to read his own website to see the EPA chart documenting that we’ve been able to cut emissions by half while the economy soared.

Given the real dangers to the most vulnerable members of each of our families, EPA’s decisions today represent a compromise the public can ill afford. The Agency moved closer to the need but not only failed to follow the law, the Agency is now supporting fundamentally weakening the Clean Air Act itself.

See the Source:

American Lung Association

Lehman Student Receives Award for Research on Asthma in the Bronx

Andrew Maroko, a doctoral student in the Earth and Environmental Science program at the CUNY Graduate Center and Lehman College, received a cash award and a certificate last month for his work on the relationship between pollution and disease in the Bronx. His study shows that more people in the Bronx were exposed to air pollution from major stationary point sources than was previously known.

The award was given at the NOAA-CREST Symposium, held February 20-22 at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. At the symposium, Maroko presented the paper “Loose-coupling an air dispersion model and a geographic information system (GIS): Asthma and air pollution in the Bronx, New York City.” He coauthored the paper with Prof. Juliana Maantay of Lehman’s Environmental, Geographic and Geological Sciences Department and Jun Tu, also a doctoral candidate in the Earth and Environmental Science program.

The paper describes a set of novel procedures for linking a mathematical pollutant dispersion model and a geographical information system, using asthma and air pollution as a case study to illustrate the new method. The findings will enable health researchers, epidemiologists and others to look more realistically at the relationship between pollution and disease.

“I suppose the simplest thing to say is that there is a statistically significant association between estimated exposure to certain locally emitted airborne pollutants and an increased risk of being hospitalized for asthma,” said Maroko.

See the Source:

CUNY Newswire

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How to reduce air pollution with emissions control technology

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EPA Knows More About Children's Health Today Than Ever

New Report Highlights 10 Years of Comprehensive Research

EPA knows more now than ever about children's environmental health and how to create a healthier environment for children. This is the result of a 10-year research effort on children's environmental health highlighted in a new report issued today.

"Understanding potential environmental health risks to children is important to EPA," said George Gray, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Research and Development. "This research will help us assess and address environmental factors that may affect some of the most vulnerable members of our society."

The report, "A Decade of Children's Environmental Health: Highlights from EPA's Science to Achieve Results Program" focuses on 10 years of research funded or performed by EPA's National Center for Environmental Research's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants program.

Some of the major findings of this research include:
- People metabolize pesticides differently based on their genotype; some faster, others slower. This finding is of particular concern during pregnancy, as many babies do not develop the ability to metabolize some pesticides during the first two years of life, putting them at greater risks of health effects.
- Children living close to major roadways in Southern California have a higher risk of asthma.
- EPA’s ban on two household pesticides (diazinon and chlorpyrifos) resulted in a rapid decrease in exposures in New York City. Children born after the ban were also healthier.
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can be effectively implemented in urban areas to reduce both pesticide and allergen triggers.
- Community partners play a critical role in informing, implementing, and translating children’s environmental health research.

The 1997 Federal Executive Order, "Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks," mandated all federal agencies to place a high priority on identifying and assessing risks to children. In 1998, the STAR program, which funds and supports human health, economics, ecology and engineering sciences, launched its own children's health initiative. To date, the program has awarded more than 60 grants and issued more than 10 research solicitations.

The report summarizes research from the STAR children's health program over the past 10 years, highlighting scientific findings in epidemiology, exposure science, genetics, community-based participatory research, interventions, statistics and methods. This body of work has impacted policy in the United States and influenced scientific directions internationally.

See the Source:

EPA - A Decade of Children's Environmental Health

environment

Air Pollution Linked to Cardiovascular Risk in Healthy Young Adults

Researchers in Taiwan have demonstrated for the first time that urban air pollution simultaneously affects key indicators of cardiovascular risk in young adults: inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation and autonomic dysfunction.

The study, which appeared in the second issue for August of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society, investigated the effect of common urban air pollutants on biological markers for inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation and autonomic dysfunction in 76 healthy Taiwanese college students.

The researchers collected blood samples and performed electrocardiograms on each subject approximately every 30 days for the months of April, May and June in either 2004 or 2005. They then correlated the sample dates and time with monitoring data from a fixed-site air monitoring station on the students’ campus. The concentrations of common urban air pollutants were averaged over 24, 48 and 72 hours.

They found significant increases in all indices of cardiovascular risk were associated with increased exposure to common pollutants. “This study provides evidence that urban air pollution is associated with systemic inflammation/oxidative stress, impairment of the fibrinogenic system, activation of blood coagulation and alterations in the autonomic nervous system in young, healthy humans,” wrote the study’s lead author Chang-Chuan Chan, Sc.D., of National Taiwan University’s College of Public Health.

“Most pollution literature has shown affects in elderly people, and although there have been experiments in young subjects, epidemiological research has not found such significant effects in young people as with these students in Taiwan,” said Benoit Nemery, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the division of pneumonology at the Catholic University of Leuvin in Belgium, who was not involved in the research.

“Further studies with more detailed measurements of cardiovascular endpoints over time are still needed to elucidate the time sequence of pollution effects on cardiovascular endpoints in humans,” wrote Dr. Chang-Chuan Chan.

“Many questions remain to be answered,” wrote Joel Kaufman, M.D., M.P. H., in the accompanying editorial, “[But] these questions should by no means slow the important efforts to reduce exposures and benefit global public health.”

See the Source:
Newswise

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High Pollution Affecting Children in Mexico City

According to researchers in Mexico, children who are chronically exposed to higher levels of air pollution show marked deficiencies in lung growth and function.

"Our study revealed significant deficits in lung function growth in children with long-term exposure to air pollutants,” wrote Isabelle Romieu, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study. "In addition to the important impact of lung health, early lung deficits may increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive lung disease later in life, as well as cardiovascular morbidity and general mortality.

These conclusions are the result of a three-year, multi-site prospective study that measured lung function growth in 3,170 eight-year-old children at 39 schools in Mexico City and analyzed it with respect to the children’s exposure to common urban pollutants: ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter under 10 μm (PM10).

Dr. Romieu, of the Instituto Nacional de Salud Publico in Mexico, and eight colleagues reported their findings in the second issue for August of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society.

Previous studies have found that short-term exposure to pollutants is associated with acute but reversible deficits in lung function, but the effects of long-term exposure, like that experienced by residents of heavily polluted urban environments, had not been conclusively characterized.

Although all measurements of lung function increased over time, the researchers found that higher exposure to O3, NO2 and PM10 was significantly associated with growth deficits.

“At the beginning of the study and at each phase of follow-up, children exposed to lower O3 and PM10 concentrations had better lung function values that children exposed to higher concentrations,” wrote the researchers.

The study could not determine the mechanism by which pollutants change lung growth, but other studies have found differences in lung morphology related to O3 exposure, and suggested that chronic exposure to PM and O3 may be associated with small airway disease.

Recently, oxidative stress from oxidant compounds, including O3, NO2 and PM has been identified as a potential cause of an inflammatory response, which could then lead to chronic lung damage. The reversibility of the damage is unclear, but the authors note that previous studies have reported long-term deficits in lung function associated with air pollutants.

“Although we could not identify specific sources [of the pollutants], the effect is likely to be due to vehicular exhaust,” wrote the researchers, concluding that “there is a clear need for stricter air pollution measures in Mexico City to protect lung growth in children living there.”

See the Source:
Newswise

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How to reduce particulate matter from diesel engines using diesel particulate filters.

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Is Your Daily Commute Giving You a Heart Attack?

Recently, German researchers from the University of Duisberg-Essen found that regularly commuting in heavy traffic or living in high-traffic areas can contribute to atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and an increase risk of a heart attack. Using ongoing data from three industrialized cities in Germany, the researchers found that breathing air pollution at this level created the same damage as inhaling second hand smoke.

They surmised the artery damage was most likely caused by a high concentration of particulate matter from vehicle emissions. This is the first study to establish a direct link to air pollution created by traffic and arterial damage.

“The only immediate protective action that can be taken by people living close to heavy traffic is increased attention to known cardiac risk factors, such as obesity and high blood pressure,” said Dr. Hoffmann, head researcher for the project. “Over the longer run, community action is needed.”

Using data already on record, Forbes magazine compiled three factors to come up with the unhealthiest commutes in the U.S. They looked at levels of particulate pollution; the estimated time spent in rush hour traffic; and the per-capita fatal car accidents registered for a region. From the collected data, the unhealthiest workday drives are: Riverside, CA; Atlanta, GA; and Los Angles, CA. Apparently LA drivers spend the most time in traffic.

The average American takes 25 minutes to drive to work, during that time the California Air Resources Board (CARB) estimates this time equals 50% of a person’s daily exposure to fine particulate matter – one of the worst pollutants to inhale and a known contributor to heart disease.

See the Source:
Heartzine.com
Forbes

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The health and environmental impact of diesel particulate matter.

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What’s Up Doc – Don’t Breathe the Air!

Should you’re doctor be advising you to check the “AQI” each day? That’s the air quality index. If you’re sensitive to pollutants or at risk due to lung or cardiovascular disease, maybe your doctor should be explaining avoidance strategies for heavy pollution days at your next checkup.

A new report in the April issue of American Journal of the Medical Sciences, suggests that health care professionals should be looking at three specific categories of air pollutants, along with how they impact health, when advising their patients.

• Particulate matter, linked to increased rates of illness and death from heart and lung (cardiopulmonary) disease—probably by promoting inflammation within the airways. Particulates may also increase lung cancer risk, but more study is needed.
• Ozone, a respiratory irritant that decreases lung function in healthy people as well as patients with asthma. Short-term increases in ozone level may also lead to increases in illness and death from cardiopulmonary disease.
• Nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, which are highly toxic at high concentrations. Although they contribute to poor air quality, it remains unclear whether these pollutants cause health problems at the "ambient" levels associated with air pollution.

"Increased recognition of the hazards of air pollution, coupled with simple common sense recommendations from clinicians, may provide the basis for reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution," concludes Scott Shofer, MD, PhD, of Duke University School of Medicine.

Patients should be advised to watch for symptoms possibly related to air pollution exposure, such as chest pain or tightness, cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Those with respiratory diseases such as asthma should be sure to carry their "rescue" inhalers.

"We believe these simple actions may help reduce the risk of adverse events due to air pollution in sensitive patient populations," Dr. Shofer conclude. The report also calls for revised air quality standards to lower ambient levels of air pollutants—especially small particles and ozone.

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Newswise

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International Conference on Asthma - Impacts of Air Pollution

The South Coast Air Quality Management District will be co-sponsoring “Asthma Is a Small World, International Conference on the Asthma Impacts of Air Pollution”, to be held Thursday - Friday, April 26 - 27, 2007, in Anaheim, California, USA.

Internationally recognized scientists, physicians, public health professionals, political and policy individuals from countries around the world will address accelerating policy and technology solutions to improve the conditions of the air that we breathe, and reduce the alarming increase in the incidence of asthma

Featured sessions include: Health Effects of Air Pollution; Heath Tracking and Management Guidelines; Legislative and Policy Approaches; and Current Concepts in Asthma and Respiratory Diseases. Other highlights include esteemed researchers, scientists, community-organization leaders and policy makers exploring the health effects of traffic emissions, pollution exposure and the development of asthma, impacts of goods movement to respiratory illness, socioeconomic influences on respiratory disease, a global initiative for asthma, and the global warming connection.

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SCAQMD

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How to decrease fine particulate matter pollution that contributes to asthma by using diesel particulate filters

Carnegie Mellon Researchers Urge Regulators to Rethink Strategies for Soot Emission

Pittsburgh -- March 1, 2007 -- Carnegie Mellon University researchers say government officials need to adopt new ways of measuring and regulating the fine particles of smoke and soot so endemic to serious health problems and the global warming crisis.

In a March 2 article published in the journal Science, professors Allen L. Robinson and Neil M. Donahue report a new conceptual model for how microscopic particles behave in the atmosphere that raises new questions about current regulations.

The research found new chemical processes that occur after soot and gaseous pollutants are emitted from cars and trucks, changing the chemical and physical properties of the soot particles and creating new particulate matter. These new particles are potentially more toxic and may have a stronger influence on cloud formation that can alter the global climate.

"One of our key findings is that this chemical processing leads to more particulate matter in the air, meaning that regulators are likely underestimating how sources such as cars and trucks contribute to pollution," said Robinson, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and engineering and public policy. "We need to take a holistic approach to regulating these sources that account for all emissions." Accounting for these new processes improves the predictions of the models federal and state governments use to develop regulations.

"A second important finding is that the properties of this new particulate matter are different than we previously thought and potentially more toxic," added Donahue, an associate professor of chemical engineering and chemistry.

Particulate matter poses a serious health problem. Fifty thousand Americans are thought to die prematurely each year due to particle exposure, and almost 70 million Americans live in areas that violate the federal standard. That standard was strengthened in September after scientists, armed with years of studies showing that these particles can damage lungs and the heart, advised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the previous standard of 65 micrograms per cubic meter of air was too loose.

A third key implication has to do with how the chemical process leads to a spreading of pollution over a larger geographic region. "We’re seeing that urban pollution doesn’t stay contained in the cities, but impacts rural and other downwind areas, creating even more complicated issues for regulators," Robinson said.

Fine particles such as smoke or dust form droplets in clouds and affect how much sun is able to pass through the cloud to earth, as well as the amount of moisture that is returned to earth. Both clouds and sunlight play key roles in climate change. The effects of particulate matter were identified as key to uncertainty in a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) summarizing the state scientific knowledge on the impacts of human activities on global climate.

"For the longest time, particulate matter has been the least understood component of the climate system. The more we understand particulate matter, the more we realize that complexity has been masking our ability to calculate how big a role greenhouse gases have played in inducing global warming," said Donahue. "Moreover, the new mechanism we found changes the chemical properties of particles, making them more likely to participate in cloud formation. Therefore, particulate matter may be having a stronger influence on global climate than previously thought."

About Carnegie Mellon:
Carnegie Mellon is a private research university with a distinctive mix of programs in engineering, computer science, robotics, business, public policy, fine arts and the humanities. More than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students receive an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation. A small student-to-faculty ratio provides an opportunity for close interaction between students and professors. While technology is pervasive on its 144-acre campus, Carnegie Mellon is also distinctive among leading research universities for the world-renowned programs in its College of Fine Arts.

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Carnegie Mellon

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More about diesel particulate filters from CleanAIR Systems

EPA Announces New Human Health Research Web Site

EPA's Human Health Research Program launched a new Web site on the latest information on its research to protect public health. The program's science looks at such questions as why some people are more sensitive to pollution and how exposure to chemicals affects people's health. The site is designed for the general public as well as for the scientific community.

"The best decisions are informed decisions," said George Gray, assistant administrator for the Office of Research and Development. "The site provides easy access to research and results on methods, tools, and data needed to improve risk assessments to protect the public."

Visitors to the site will find an overview of the research, information on how research has contributed to decision making, resource materials available in journal publications and reports, and a listing of meetings and conferences.

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EPA – Human Health Research Program

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The health impact of pollution caused by diesel emissions

Diesel Fumes Pose Major Health Risk to Commuters

Washington, D.C. -- February 28, 2007 -- Diesel fumes pose a major health risk to commuters, according to a new report by the non-profit Clean Air Task Force.

The Boston-based environmental research group reported today that even though we spend only a tiny portion of our day commuting, it’s during the commute that we receive more than half our overall exposure to deadly fine particle pollution.

“Exposure to diesel exhaust during commutes poses a serious public health risk that needs to be addressed,” said George Thurston, Professor of Environmental Medicine at New York University’s School of Medicine, who wrote the foreword to the report.

Fine particle pollution, including diesel exhaust, can cause lung cancer, stroke, heart attack and infant death. It also triggers asthma attacks and makes people more likely to become allergic.

Some health researchers have estimated that such fine particles are responsible for shortening the lives of at least 70,000 Americans each year.

The Task Force specifically investigated diesel exhaust levels during commutes in New York NY, Boston MA, Austin TX and Columbus OH. The Task Force documented diesel particle levels four to eight times higher inside commuter cars, buses, and trains than in the ambient outdoor air in those cities. These are examples of likely results during a commute anywhere in the country where there is significant diesel traffic.

“Our investigation demonstrated that you may be exposed to high levels of diesel particles – four to eight times the levels in the outdoor air -- whether you commute by car, bus, ferry, train, or on foot,” said Bruce Hill, Senior Scientist with CATF.

By contrast, Hill noted, pollution levels were negligible for commuters in and near vehicles equipped with modern pollution controls or those that run on lower-polluting fuels such as natural gas.

“The problem is that there are 13 million diesel engines in service today, and virtually all are exempt from modern pollution controls,” said Conrad Schneider, Advocacy Director for the Task Force. “However, our study showed that simply replacing the muffler of trucks or buses with a diesel particle filter can reduce commuter exposure substantially,” he said. By EPA regulation, the Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel that is necessary to keep these diesel particle filters operating optimally became available nationwide late last year.

The Task Force called on federal and state agencies to increase funding to clean up highly polluting buses and other existing diesel engines. It urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to require that long-haul trucks clean up when their engines are rebuilt. It also urged the EPA to move ahead with plans to set new pollution standards for diesel trains and diesel-powered boats, including commuter ferries.

The new report can be found online at www.catf.us/goto/noescape
For information about diesel risk in specific communities, go to: www.catf.us/projects/diesel/dieselhealth

Founded in 1996, the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) (www.catf.us) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring clean air and healthy environments through scientific research, public education, and legal advocacy. CATF’s staff includes scientists, engineers, economists, MBAs and lawyers. The organization works closely with more than 40 state, local, regional and national groups to educate the public, media, industry and public decision makers on the science and economics of clean air policies through fact-based and locally appropriate advocacy.

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Clean Air Task Force

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About diesel particulate filters from CleanAIR Systems and how they can virtually eliminate particulate matter from exhaust when retrofitted on diesel engines.

NERAM Launches Plan to Fight Air Pollution

WATERLOO, Ont. -- February 7, 2007 -- A University of Waterloo-based research network says scientific evidence of the effects of air pollution on human health and the environment is clear enough to support global efforts to continue reducing outdoor levels.

The Network for Risk Assessment and Management (NERAM) has developed with international experts a 12-point plan -- parts of which have been adopted in Europe -- to fight air pollution and improve public health. The plan, a policy guidance document on air quality management for local, regional and national policy-makers, is the result of a five-year NERAM colloquium series.

"It is now universally recognized that poor air quality has adverse impacts on human health and research confirms that residents in Southern Ontario and other parts of Canada are exposed to levels of air pollutants associated with morbidity and mortality," says UW professor emeritus John Shortreed, executive director of both NERAM and UW's Institute for Risk Research.

"The University of Waterloo has done five years of work in translating research from around the world for use in policies to improve health. We are ready to battle the No. 1 environmental killer -- air pollution."

The plan reflects the latest thinking of policy-makers and health researchers from around the world. The fifth and final colloquium was held in October in Vancouver.

Research shows that both short-term and long-term exposures to particulate matter and other air pollutants are statistically associated with serious human health effects, including premature death, heart-and breathing-related hospital admissions and emergency room visits, together with a worsening of asthma conditions.

"Scientific evidence of the effects of air pollutant exposure on human health and on the environment is strong enough to justify global efforts to continue to reduce outdoor concentrations, even in locations that meet air pollutant standards," Shortreed says.

He adds that Europe and Britain are already implementing the interim policies proposed by the NERAM colloquium series held in Rome in 2003 and in Mexico in 2005 to deal with hot spots, such as high traffic areas in cities like Toronto.

"They are using an innovative approach to regulations that actually allow some locations to exceed air quality standards, while imposing area-wide reductions that have many more health benefits -- the result is more health outcomes for existing regulatory resources."

Shortreed says that air pollution typically causes a white, yellow or brown haze that reduces visual range, affecting people's ability to enjoy their surroundings. In places like Hong Kong, for instance, the impaired visibility caused by haze or smog is used as a means to show the public the link between high air pollution concentrations and increased health costs.

Topics covered in the NERAM document include air quality and human health, emission inventories, air quality management approaches and evidence of effectiveness, as well as challenges and opportunities in air quality management.

The plan includes the following strategic policy directions for air quality management:
1. Communication of health effects is key to increasing public awareness and demand for air quality management policies.
2. Increase awareness of linkages between air quality and climate change.
3. Cross-sectoral policies in energy, environment, climate, transport, agriculture and health.
4. Exposure reduction and continuous improvement policies are important extensions to ambient air quality standards.
5. Reducing exposure to combustion-generated particles should be a priority, such fossil fuels and biomass.
6. Evidence is sufficient to justify policies to reduce traffic exposures.
7. Prioritize pollutants and sources based on the potential for exposure.
8. Policies focused on improving visibility may gain greater support than those focused solely on health.
9. International harmonization of measurements and metrics, emission inventories, modelling tools, assessment of health effects literature and health-related guidelines.
10. More research on toxicity-determining characteristics of particulate matter and more evaluation of local, regional and global policies.

Shortreed says there are many epidemiological (human population) studies carried out in North America and Europe that have demonstrated statistically significant ties between ambient levels of particulate matter and other air pollutants and a variety of human health problems, including death and hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

NERAM has already started a regional initiative in the Greater Toronto Area along with Pollution Probe to apply some of the research results in order to tackle the thousands of premature deaths every year in Ontario.

The main goal of NERAM is to integrate the scientific knowledge and expertise that exists across many diverse disciplines in Canada, thereby providing a comprehensive approach to environmental risk assessment and risk management. As a result, there will be more effective and efficient environmental protection practices.

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Network for Environmental Risk Assessment and Management

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How to reduce toxic particulate matter from diesel emissions by retrofitting engines with the CleanAIR PERMIT Filter

Code Green: Stanford Medicine Explores Health Impacts of Climate Change

STANFORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Until recently, few scientists investigated the impact of global warming on health. Aside from the World Health Organization and the United Nations, only a handful of institutions focused on the coming crisis — or the other planetary systems at risk. In addition to the climate, humans have altered atmospheric ozone, biodiversity, food production on land and sea, and water cycles in ways that harm health.

But change is in the air. Environmental researchers are beginning to find common ground with physicians, as exemplified by collaborations among researchers at Stanford University’s new Woods Institute for the Environment. And in January, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced its intention to tackle health threats posed by climate change.

The spring issue of Stanford Medicine magazine, which is produced by the Stanford School of Medicine, contains a special report on the health impacts of the global environmental crisis, from climate change to sewage-filled seas. Among the stories:

The heat wave that hit California last summer, killing 138
- An account of one man’s education about his own body’s inventory of environmental toxins
- A peek at the future health impacts of climate change in the United States
- A beginner’s guide to reducing carbon emissions
- A look at what cholera can teach us about climate change, and what climate studies can teach us about preventing cholera
- The growing problem of disease-causing microbes in the surf

The magazine is available online at http://mednews.stanford.edu/stanmed/. Bonus content on the magazine’s Web site includes a video interview with writer David Duncan Ewing on the reporting of the story on his chemical inventory, and a podcast on writer Tracie White’s trip to Fresno to report on the heat wave.

To request the print version of the magazine, call (650) 723-6911.

Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions — Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford.

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MedNews

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How using emissions control technology reduces diesel emissions that can be harmful to health.

Exploring the Effects of Diesel Exposure on School Children

Millions of children rely on school buses for transportation. According to Clarkson University researcher Peter Jaques, "Those who commute in non-retrofitted, diesel-operated buses can be exposed to potentially harmful agents emitted from the exhaust, including carbonaceous ultrafine particles and diesel particulate matter (DPM), which have been linked to increases in upper-respiratory illnesses."

Jaques, assistant professor of biology; Alan Rossner, assistant professor and director of Clarkson's Environmental Health Science Program; Andrea Ferro, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Stephanie Schuckers, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, are working to characterize diesel exposure in school buses and develop methods for measuring lung function and cardiopulmonary effects in children. Their pilot study, led by Jaques, is being funded with a grant from the Collaborative Activities for Research and Technology Information (CARTI) of the Center of Excellence (CoE) at Syracuse University.

In one part of the study the team is measuring the distribution of DPM throughout three empty buses during different modes of operation and under various conditions. The researchers expect the concentration levels to vary depending on such circumstances as seat location, whether windows are open or closed and if the bus is idling or in motion.

Additionally, the team is measuring the heart rate and respiration of 20 different third- and fourth-grade students on school buses throughout the day. Each student wears a LifeShirt TM, an elastic shirt worn under clothing that measures heart and respiratory rates and breathes into respiratory monitors that indicate lung inflammation.

"This gives us data we can later organize and analyze computationally," Rossner said. "We evaluate respiratory inflammation by measuring nitric oxide from exhaled breath at specific intervals, including before and after bus rides. Students also wear personal exposure monitors the size of a small backpack throughout the day."

The goal of this study is to develop techniques and a sufficient exposure database to use later in a more extensive study. The researchers hope their work will improve understanding of diesel exposure-related effects in children. They also hope to strengthen knowledge of the risks associated with exposure to DPM in buses, especially for children with asthma.

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Clarkson University

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How to reduce diesel particulate matter using particulate filters

Air Quality Site Reports Daily Air Quality

AIRNow is a daily update of the Air Quality Index (AQI) reporting how clean or polluted the air is in your neighborhood. Five major air pollutants (ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide) are used by the EPA to calculate the AQI.

Using this information, the AIRNow website offers daily AQI forecasts and real-time conditions for over 300 metropolitan areas in the United States. The user-friendly website is a government-backed program, developed collaboratively by the EPA, NOAA, NPS, tribal, state, and local news agencies to assist the public in understanding the health effects of breathing polluted air.

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AIRNow

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How particulate matter can be reduced using diesel particulate filters from CleanAIR Systems

Court Ruling Protects Mine Workers against Diesel Pollution

PITTSBURGH--(February 12)--News From USW: An appeals court has ruled that standards set by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration for reducing diesel particulate pollution were reasonable in a case that the United Steelworkers joined to protect its mineworker members.

A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected every argument against the pollution standards made by the National Mine Association, the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association and several mine operators.

“It’s a hands down victory for the safety of our members and thousands of other miners,” said Michael Wright, USW Director of Health, Safety and Environment. “This decision was a rebuff of the mining companies and the mining associations,” he added.

The regulations will limit miners’ exposure to the tiny particles in the diesel fuel emissions from trucks and heavy equipment that operate underground in metal mines, such as those for gold, and non-metal mines, such as those for limestone. The rules do not affect coal mines, which are subject to a different regulation. The USW represents more metal and non-metal miners in North America than any other union.

MSHA issued the standards because the tiny particles have been linked to lung cancer, respiratory problems and eye irritation.

The court decision, written by Judge David B. Sentelle, and joined by Chief Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg and Senior Judge Harry T. Edwards, affects 16,000 workers at 256 mines across the country. Before the regulations took effect on an interim basis, miners toiled in conditions that Wright said were “like working inside the tailpipe of a city bus.”
The mine operators and industry groups filed suit to prevent implementation of the regulations, contending MSHA did not have sufficient evidence that the tiny particles endangered workers’ health, that MSHA shouldn’t have used a substitute substance to measure the particles and that it simply was infeasible for mines to meet the MSHA limit deadlines.

The USW filed a brief seeking enforcement of the regulations, which put the union in the unusual position of supporting a Bush Administration agency, Wright noted.
The court found that all of the mine industry arguments were without merit, which means the regulations will take effect over the next 15 months.

MSHA proposed the first set of rules on Jan. 19, 2001 after conducting a risk assessment that determined miners were exposed to very high levels of diesel particles that jeopardized their health.

Because diesel exhaust contains many different substances, MSHA based its limitation on a measure of carbon. The court said that was reasonable because carbon accounts for the bulk of the tiny particles.

The first set of regulations limited carbon concentrations and were to take full effect by January of 2006. MSHA offered numerous suggestions to mine operators for curtailing the particles, including exhaust filters, improved ventilation systems, low-emission engines and low sulfur fuels.

MSHA changed the rules several times over the next five years, trying to appease industry representatives who were unhappy with the carbon measure. Finally, in May 2006, MSHA proposed that mines reduce carbon exposure over time until a final standard was met in May 2008. In addition, MSHA gave companies a break, saying they could get an extra year to comply. And, it said, if mines found it impossible to limit particulates, they could give workers respirators.

Despite all of that, mining companies and industry groups then filed suit calling the rules capricious. The court disagreed.

It said that although the carbon measure wasn’t perfect, it didn’t need to be. It was only necessary that it be realistic, and it was. It said the science MSHA used to determine that the particulates were dangerous was sound. And it said the mine operators’ contention that they just couldn’t comply on time was unreasonable because MSHA had offered the extra year as well as the respirator solution.

Mine operators also objected to MSHA requiring them to give physicals to workers to see if they could tolerate respirators, which sometimes cause excessive stress. And they complained that MSHA required them to transfer workers when a doctor determined a respirator would be hazardous to their health.

As with everything else, however, the court ruled against the operators.
The industry may seek another hearing of the case before the same panel or could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case.

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MSHA

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How CleanAIR’s diesel particulate filters help keep miners safe by reducing particulate matter by greater than 85% and MSHA’s test results for the CleanAIR PERMIT FBC Filter in mines.

Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution Hardens Arteries

Study in Environmental Health Perspectives Finds women most vulnerable to atherosclerosis

Long-term exposure to air pollution may lead to the development of atherosclerosis, a form of cardiovascular disease in which fatty deposits cause artery walls to thicken and harden, according to a study published today in the February issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. The study adds to the growing body of literature linking air pollution with cardiovascular disease and provides the first epidemiologic evidence linking atherosclerosis with exposure to fine particulate matter.

Researchers evaluated 798 healthy Los Angeles-area men and women over the age of 40 who showed some signs of increased risk of cardiovascular disease. They used data from 23 monitoring stations to estimate annual average concentrations of particulate matter in residential zip codes throughout the Los Angeles area. Beginning with data from 2000, researchers found concentrations of particulate matter ranging from 5.2 to 26.9 micrograms per cubic meter.

Overall, the more polluted the air to which subjects were exposed, the thicker the inner layers of their carotid artery, which transports blood to the head and neck. The most-exposed study participants experienced about 8% more artery thickening than the least-exposed participants, after accounting for such factors as diet, use of vitamin supplements and hormone-replacement drugs, physical activity, blood pressure, education, and income.

Women over the age of 60 experienced artery thickening at a rate almost four times higher than the overall population. In general, women were much more vulnerable than men, and nonsmokers and people taking drugs to reduce cholesterol also proved to be more vulnerable than average.

"From a biologic perspective, our results support the hypothesis that long-term exposure to ambient particulate matter contributes to systemic inflammatory pathways, which are a relevant aspect of atherogenesis," the study authors write. "The findings indicate a biologically plausible link between the observed acute effects of ambient air pollution on systemic inflammation and the long-term consequences of sustained vascular inflammation leading to increased atherosclerosis and, ultimately, cardiovascular death."

"We've known for some time that air pollution leads to lung damage, but this study also emphasizes the role air pollution plays on the arteries. Heart disease is a primary cause of death in the western world, so more research, perhaps focusing on those at highest risk, is important," says Dr. Jim Burkhart, science editor for EHP.

The lead author of the study was Nino Künzli of the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. Other authors included M. Jerrett, W.J. Mack, B. Beckerman, L. LaBree, F. Gilliland, D. Thomas, J. Peters, and H.N. Hodis. The article is available free of charge at http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2004/7523/7523.html.

The study was supported in part by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Wright Foundation, the Hastings Foundation, and the Health Effects Institute.

EHP is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. EHP is an Open Access journal.

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Environmental Health Perpectives

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How diesel particulate filters can reduce fine particulate matter.