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Particulate Matter Sources, Health Effects, and Control Strategies

This presentation discusses the sources, health effects, and control strategies of particulate matter (PM) in indoor environments. Explore key targets for indoor air quality (IAQ) improvement, changes in EPA standards, human health effects of PM, risk groups, and potential health impacts. Learn about factors influencing health effects, such as composition, concentration, and particle size, and understand the impact of short-term and long-term PM exposure on human health.

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Particulate Matter Sources, Health Effects, and Control Strategies

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  1. Particulate Matter Sources, Health Effects, and Control Strategies NAFA Annual Meeting and Convention Indianapolis, Indiana September 21, 2007 Wayne R. Thomann, Dr.P.H. Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC

  2. INDOOR AIR QUALITYWhat Makes You So Special? • 30,000 Employees at Duke • Fair percentage have primary outdoor assignments • Many transition from building to building • >50% of dorms are naturally ventilated • Smokers have to go outdoors

  3. SHOULD THE INDOOR AIR BE BETTER? • People Spend 80-90% of Their Time Indoors • Except as noted • Indoor Environments Vary Dramatically • Quality of HVAC systems • Amount of outdoor air • Filtration/air cleaning • Should they all be “equal” • Commercial vs. residential vs. schools, etc.

  4. WHAT ARE THE KEY TARGETS FOR IAQ IMPROVEMENT? • Particulate s • Changes in EPA’s Ambient Air Standard • Microbials • Mold Hysteria • New Health Concerns Regarding Ozone • Energy Conservation • Cleaning air for “ventilation” • “Greening”

  5. CHANGES IN EPA PARTICULATE STANDARDS • Moving from PM10 to PM 2.5 • Will Require More Efficient Filtration to Reduce Indoor Concentrations • How Low will They Go? • Concentration • Particle size • Targeted areas for control?

  6. HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS OF PMWORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION • PM is a Complex Mixture of Solid and Liquid Constituents • Inorganic salts like nitrates, sulfates, and ammonium • Large number of carbonaceous species • PM Implicitly Covers a Number of Different Chemical Pollutants Emitted by Various Types of Sources

  7. HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS OF PMWORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION • Several Studies Suggest that Combustion Sources are Particularly Important • Transition metals • Organic compounds • Relatively high surface area • Laboratory studies have shown that other single components like ammonium salts, chlorides, sulfates, nitrates and silicate clays have lower toxicity

  8. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE HEALTH EFFECTS • Composition of the material (particle specific) • Concentration • Particle size • Duration of exposure

  9. POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS • “Lodging” in the lung capillaries and alveoli • Slowing exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to cause shortness of breath • Straining the heart because of oxygen loss • Natural Inflammatory Response and Release of Cytokines • Absorption into the Blood • Chemical Toxicity • Allergic Response

  10. POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS • Bacterial or Fungal Infections • Fibrosis (asbestos, quartz) • Cancer (asbestos, chromates) • Irritation of Mucous Membranes (acids and alkalis)

  11. HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTSWORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION • Effects Related to Short-term Exposure • Lung inflammatory reactions • Respiratory symptoms • Adverse effects on the cardiovascular system • Increase in medication usage • Increase in hospital admissions • Increase in mortality

  12. HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTSWORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION • Effects Related to Long-Term Exposure • Increase in lower respiratory symptoms • Reduction in lung function in children • Increase in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease • Reduction in lung function in adults • Reduction in life expectancy • cardiopulmonary mortality and possibly lung cancer

  13. HUMAN HEALTH PROBLEMSUS EPA • Premature Death • Respiratory Related Hospitalization and Emergency Room Visits • Aggravated Asthma • Acute Respiratory Symptoms • Aggravated coughing • Difficult or painful breathing

  14. HUMAN HEALTH PROBLEMSUS EPA • Decreased Lung Function • Shortness of breath • Work and School Absences

  15. RISK GROUPS • The Elderly • 10,00 premature deaths • Thousands of hospital admissions • People with Pre-existing Heart or Lung Disease • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) • Emphysema and chronic bronchitis • Increased admissions, ER visits, and death

  16. RISK GROUPS • Children • Breathe 50% more air per pound of body weight • More susceptible because of developing respiratory system • Increased frequency of childhood illnesses • Affects future development of their lungs • Increased respiratory symptoms and reduced lung function

  17. RISK GROUPS • Asthmatics and Asthmatic Children • 14 Americans die every day from asthma • Children are 25% of the population but account for 40% of asthma cases • Breathing fine particulate alone or in combination with other pollutants can aggravate asthma

  18. ACUTE VERSUS CHRONIC EFFECTS • WHO – The public health significance of long-term effects of exposure to PM clearly outweighs that of short-term effects • Nonetheless, the effects of short-term exposure to PM are also significant • Both short-term and long-term guidelines for control are indicated

  19. IMPACT OF SHORT-TERM EXPOSURES TO PM2.5 • Dominici, et.al, JAMA, March 8, 2006, Vol 295, No. 10 • Found an Association Between Recently Measured PM2.5 Concentrations and Daily Hospitalization • Strong Evidence of Heterogeneity in the Effects • Related to differences in the composition of the particles

  20. HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTSNanoparticlesGurumurthy Ramachandran at University of Minnesota • Special Physical/Chemical Properties • More reactive then larges particles of same material • Higher surface area per unit mass • Chemical properties • Transition metals on surface • Morphology • May cause greater degree of translocation within the body • Faster • Olfactory nerve migration directly to brain

  21. CONCLUSIONS • Both Long-Term (Chronic) and Short-Term (Acute) Exposures to Particulate Matter Produce Significant Adverse Health Effect • Limiting or Controlling Exposure will Result in Reduced Morbidity and Mortality

  22. CONSIDERIZATIONS REGARDING CONTROL STRATEGIES • WHO – Both epidemiological and toxicological evidence show consistent associations between daily variations in air pollution and certain health outcomes • Are these associations “causal”? • If so, which agents play a crucial role in the effects? • It is reasonable to assume that reduction in particulate matter pollution will lead to health benefits

  23. CONSIDERIZATIONS REGARDING CONTROL STRATEGIES • WHO – In targeting control measures, it would be important to know if PM from certain sources or of a certain composition gave rise to special concern from the point of view of health, for example owing from toxicity. • More research needed

  24. CONSIDERIZATIONS REGARDING CONTROL STRATEGIES • Use Proven Strategies • Source control • Local exhaust of filtration/cleaning • Pressurization/containment • Isolation or protective environment • Increased air exchanges for dilution • Must be high quality air • Air filtration and cleaning

  25. CONSIDERIZATIONS REGARDING CONTROL STRATEGIES • ASHRAE 62.1 – In areas where PM2.5 exceeds national standard, particle filters or air cleaning devices shall be provided to clean the outdoor air • MERV of 11 or higher

  26. ENERGY CONSERVATION AND IAQ • Viewed as Source of Current Problems • Tight Building Syndrome • Reduce Ventilation to Conserve Energy? • Less heating and cooling • Leads to IAQ complaints • Increase Ventilation to Improve IAQ • Wasted energy? • More efficient filtration/cleaning

  27. “GREENING” • Ronald McDonald House • One LEED point for 30% outdoor air • More filtration (maintenance costs)? • Using more energy (pressure drop)? • Coincident pollution • Air Cleaning for ozone? • Reaction products • Aldehydes from Alkenes

  28. Ventilation Rates and Human Health:Report of an Interdisciplinary Review of the Scientific Literature • Some Support for Having Higher Ventilation Rates • Health benefits of higher rates may be more likely in places where outdoor air quality is very good • Any recommendations to increase ventilation must address the issue of poor ambient air quality and not just assume that more outdoor air will always improve the indoor environment

  29. IMPACT OF DOOR OPENING ON INDOOR PARTICLE COUNTS

  30. CONCLUSIONS • Particulates Do Impact Human Health • We Should Improve IAQ Where We Can • Targeted to special populations? • We do this in healthcare • New Emphasis on Smaller Particles • Research still needed in this area • Both Internal and External Sources Must be Controlled

  31. CONCLUSIONS • Filtration and Air Cleaning will Play an Increasingly Important Role • Improved technology and efficiencies • “Fit” existing HVAC systems to enhance the built environment

  32. QUESTIONS?

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