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August 1, 2007 Taken from: Science Daily - Air Pollution Linked To Early Death ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2007) — Even comparatively low levels of air pollution boost the chances of an early death, suggests research published ahead of print in Thorax. The researchers base their findings on long term monitoring of air quality in different electoral wards around Britain during different time periods, and national data on causes of death. More than 5000 adults aged 30 and above were included in the study. To assess more closely the impact of pollution on health, they divided the data into four chunks, spanning a total of 16 years each, starting in 1966-70 and ending in 1994-8. Black smoke and sulphur dioxide were strongly linked to the chances of an early death, the findings showed. But despite a fall in air pollutants over the study period, as measured by the air quality readings, the risk of an early death remained, even at the comparatively low levels of air pollutants during the most recent time frame. This was especially true for deaths from respiratory illness. The risk of an early death from respiratory disease rose by almost 4% for every 10 ug/m3 increase in black smoke, and by 13% for every 10 parts per billion increase in sulphur dioxide during 1982-98. In 1994-8, the comparable figures were more than 19% and almost 22%, respectively. The figures held true even after adjusting for factors known to increase the chances of an early death, including social deprivation. Their findings confirm the enduring legacy of air pollution on health, say the authors. And they "point to continuing public health risks even at the relatively low levels of black smoke and sulphur dioxide that now occur."
April 16, 2008 Taken from: Science Daily - Excess Pneumonia Deaths Linked To Engine Exhaust, Study Suggests ScienceDaily (Apr. 16, 2008) — Engine exhaust fumes are linked to excess deaths from pneumonia across England, suggests research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The annual death toll is comparable to that caused by the London smog in 1952, suggests the author. Data on atmospheric emissions, published causes of death, and expected causes of death for 352 local authority jurisdictions in England were combined to calculate the impact of pollution on death rates between 1996 and 2004. Levels of air pollution varied substantially among the local authorities. Calculations revealed that pneumonia, peptic ulcer, coronary and rheumatic heart diseases, lung and stomach cancers, and other diseases, were all associated with a range of emissions, as well as deprivation, smoking, binge drinking and a northern location. Further analysis, allowing for the effects of the social factors, showed that pneumonia deaths were strongly and independently linked to emissions, with the exception of sulphur dioxide from coal burning. The primary culprits were emissions associated with oil combustion, including vehicle exhaust fumes. During the eight years of the study there were almost 390.000 deaths from pneumonia. And 35 local authorities accounted for almost 54,000 of these deaths, or around15,000 more than would be expected. "Total annual losses as a result of air pollution probably approach those of the 1952 London smog," writes the author. Because the links were so strong across all categories of exposure and deaths were so much higher than would be expected, this suggests that these pollutants directly damage lung tissue, he says. Excess deaths from the progressive lung disease COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and rheumatic heart disease, both of which are characterised by failing lung function, could also be precipitated by engine exhaust, he adds.
January 10, 2008 Taken from: Science Daily - Air Pollution Shrinks Fetus Size, Study Suggests ScienceDaily (Jan. 10, 2008) — Exposure to air pollution significantly reduces foetus size during pregnancy, according to a new study by Brisbane scientists. Queensland University of Technology senior research fellow Dr Adrian Barnett said the study compared the foetus sizes of more than 15,000 ultrasound scans in Brisbane to air pollution levels within a 14km radius of the city. "The study found that mothers with a higher exposure to air pollution had foetuses that were, on average, smaller in terms of abdominal circumference, head circumference and femur length," Dr Barnett said. The 10-year study, which was undertaken by Dr Barnett, Dr Craig Hansen (US Environmental Protection Agency) and Dr Gary Pritchard (PacUser), has been published in the international journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Dr Barnett, who is based at QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, said the study looked at foetuses between 13 and 26 weeks duration. "To our knowledge this is the first study of its kind as it uses ultrasound measurement as a direct estimate of growth, rather than using birth weight as a delayed measure of growth," Dr Barnett said. "When analysing scans from women at different distances to monitoring sites, we found that there was a negative relationship between pollutants such as sulphur dioxide found in diesel emissions, and ultrasound measurement. "If the pollution levels were high the size of the foetus decreased significantly." Dr Barnett said with research showing that bigger babies were healthier in childhood and adulthood, foetus size during pregnancy was important. "Birth weight is a major predictor of later health, for example, bigger babies have been shown to have higher IQs in childhood and lower risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood," he said. "While some people may think there is no air pollution in Brisbane because the air looks so clean, you have to remember that most air pollutants are not visible to the naked eye, people do have a very outdoor lifestyle, and homes are designed to maximise airflow. "So although the actual levels of pollution are low our exposure to whatever is out there is relatively high. "This is particularly a problem for people who live near major roads." Dr Barnett said it was wise for pregnant women to try to reduce their exposure to air pollution, most of which in Brisbane was caused by vehicles. "While we need to get more data from individual mothers before we can be more certain about the effects of air pollution on fetal development, we would recommend that where possible pregnant women reduce their exposure to air pollution."
September 22, 2006 Taken from: Science Daily - High Hourly Air Pollution Levels More Than Double Stroke Risk ScienceDaily (Sep. 22, 2006) — High hourly levels of air pollution, more than double the risk of one type of stroke, suggests research published ahead of print in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Currently, the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems tends to be linked to the average daily amount of air pollution, rather than variations in hourly levels. The researchers assessed data on stroke deaths in people aged 65 years and older, occurring between January 1990 and December 1994 in 13 major urban areas in Japan. Levels of air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and photochemical oxidants, were monitored hourly at various sites in each of the 13 areas. When the two sets of data were put together, a pattern emerged for intracerebral haemorrhage - where a blood vessel bursts inside the brain - for the warmer months between April and September. This showed that high hourly rates of particulate matter (in excess of 200 ug/m3) around two hours before death were associated with a more than doubling in the risk of death from a bleed into the brain. The findings held true, irrespective of the average daily level of air pollutants. No such effect was found for ischaemic stroke, where the arteries in the brain become furred up and narrowed as a result of fatty deposits. This is possibly because the time lag between the start of this type of stroke and death is rather longer than that for a bleed into the brain, say the authors. Pervious research shows that the effects of air pollution act quickly on the body, say the authors, with inhaled particles detectable in the blood within 60 seconds. Peak levels can stay in the blood for up to an hour. Their findings prompt the authors to suggest that preventive measures should be based on average hourly measures rather than just average daily measures alone. |