Gaseous Air Pollutants & Respiratory Conditions

1. Gaseous Air Pollutants & Respiratory Conditions Outdoor Air Quality Michele West-Lax MPH Walden Graduate Student

2. Presentation Objectives • To increase the awareness upon you, local and state government officials, on the respiratory health effects stemming from air pollutants concentrated in specified regions, with high concentrated traffic (urban areas) • To prevail upon policymakers on the efficacy of mitigating this problem, through implementation and establishment of regulations and policies that focus on rebuilding the built environment to increase air quality

3. Presentation Outline • Define and Lists Environments for Air Quality • Determine the sources and formation of Outdoor Air Pollution • Discuss how these air pollutants induce increased incidence in respiratory conditions and related hospitalizations • Discuss studied disparities in the distributed proportions of air pollutants across regional areas, with high traffic concentration (urban cities) • Discuss the mitigations and solutions to ameliorate the air quality within these regions (regulations and policies)

4. Environmental Health • Environmental Health is “the segment of Public Health concerned with assessing, understanding, and controlling the impacts of people on their environment and the impacts of the environment on them”. • Environmental Health spectrum includes: food safety, air quality, occupational safety, waste disposal and liquid disposal & water quality and safety Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press.

5. Air Quality • Air Pollution is defined as “the presence in the air of substances in concentrations sufficient to interfere with health, comfort, safety, or the full use and enjoyment of property”. • Air pollution occurs into two different environments: -Indoor Air Pollution -Outdoor Air Pollution Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press.

6. Outdoor Pollution • Sources of outdoor pollution can be man-made and natural. • Natural encompasses: forest fires, volcanic eruptions, biological decay, and lightning that form sulfur and nitrogen oxides • Man-made encompasses: fossil fuels (oils, coal, & gas), road vehicles, & power stations • These sources release byproducts that induce health consequences to the ecosystem Buchdahl, J. & Hare, S. 2000. Outdoor Air Pollution, retrieved from, http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Air_Quality/Older/Outdoor_Air_Pollution.html

7. Outdoor Pollution • Byproducts of Man-Made Gaseous Air Pollutants - Carbon Monoxide (CO) - Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) - Ozone (O3) - Particulates - Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press

8. Air Pollutant Formation • Fossil Fuels from car emissions release volatile organic compounds, containing mostly carbon, along with other compounds such as oxygen and nitrogen • Once released into the atmosphere, heat and ultraviolet light react with VOCs to form gaseous air pollutants

9. Air Pollutant Formation Depiction of Air Pollution Formation

10. Air Pollution Formation Depiction of Air Pollution Formation

11. Air Pollution Health Affects • The most common pathway for intake of environment contaminants are the lungs • Some particles , depending on size and aerodynamics can deposit at different areas on the lungs • Remaining pollutants within the lungs or prolonged exposure can induce chronic conditions Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press

12. Aerodynamics of Air Pollutants • Gaseous air pollutants are small in size and relatively high aerodynamics, allowing for rapid deposition into the small bronchiolar and alveolar regions Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press

13. Air Pollution Health Affects • According to studies, up to 8% of Americans suffer from chronic lung conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema, or asthma caused or aggravated by air pollution Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press

14. Air Pollutants and Asthma Association • One 18 year study completed in Southern California concluded that O3 (ozone) contributes to increased hospitalizations for children with asthma • Another study concluded that the prevalence of childhood asthmatic symptoms was about 4% higher at the high O3 areas than at the low O3 areas. Moore, K., Neugebauer, R., Lurmann, F., Hall, J. et al. 2008. Ambient Ozone Concentrations Cause Increased Hospitalizations for Asthma in Children: An 18- year Study in Southern California. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8), 1063-1069 Sousa, S.I.V., Alvim-Ferraz, M.C.M, Martins, F.G., & Pereira, M.C. 2009. Ozone exposure and its Influence on the Worsening of Childhood Asthma. Allergy, 64, 1046-1065.

15. High Traffic Regions and Air Pollution • One study has examined and concluded that areas of high trafficked roads (intra-urban communities) was associated with increased incidence in respiratory conditions. • Another study concluded that high fossil fuel release into the atmosphere is associated with increase incidence and risk for development of asthma or other respiratory conditions in children Padhi, B.K. & Padhy, P.K. 2008. Assessment of Intra-Urban Variability in Outdoor Air Quality and Its Health Risk. Inhalation Toxicology, 20, 973-979 Perera, F.P. 2008. Children are Likely to suffer Most from Our Fossil Fuel Addiction. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8), 987-990.

16. Environmental Stewardship Model • Focus on the Environment first, is the imperative factor in ameliorating this problem Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press Environment Public Disease Death

17. Air Pollution Preventions • Focus on the Built Environment - planting of trees - walkability - alternate routes Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy Neighborhoods: Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1-18.

18. Air Pollution Preventions • Planting of trees decreases the amount of air pollutants, through absorption into its leaves Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press

19. Air Pollution Preventions • Increasing a walkable community; more sidewalks and walkways to induce bicycle riding and walking to commute Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy Neighborhoods: Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1-18.

20. Air Pollution Preventions • Rebuilding alternate routes of travel through urban cities to reduce concentrated car emission fuels Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy Neighborhoods: Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1-18.

21. Air Pollution Preventions • One study concludes that in order to decrease air pollutants released into the atmosphere, trip and travel length needs to be the focus for demand management measures • The study also concludes that policies at the local, national, and even international levels needs to blend technical improvements to vehicles, with reduced growth in journey lengths. Potter, S. 2007. Exploring Approaches Towards a Sustainable Transport System. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 1, 115-131.

22. Air Pollution Preventions • You, the Local & State policymakers should endeavor to establish regulations and policies to modify the built environment by: - planting of more trees to absorb gaseous air pollutants - building more walkways to increase walkability and decrease car dependency - building of alternate routes of travel to decrease concentrated air pollutants in urban communities

23. Summary • Air Pollution imposes a problem on the health of the environment • Areas of high gaseous pollutants (O3, NO2, CO) can induce higher rates of respiratory conditions and respiratory hospitalizations; emphasis on asthma • High gaseous pollutants tend to be highly concentrated in regions of high traffic and car congestion, lower walkability and less plants

24. Summary • Local & State policymakers can focus on rebuilding the built environment; planting of more trees and building more walkways to induce walking and bicycle riding; less propensity to drive • You, Local & State Policymakers must set regulations on producing alternate routes to decrease concentration of traffic through urban neighborhoods

25. References Buchdahl, J. & Hare, S. 2000. Outdoor Air Pollution, retrieved from, http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Air_Quality/Older/Outdoor_Air_Pollution.html Kozyrskyj, A.L., Kendall, G.E., Jacoby, P., Sly, P.D., Zubrick, S.R. 2008. Association Between Socioeconomic Status and the Development of Asthma: Analyses of Income Trajectories. American Journal of Public Health, 100(3), 540-546. Lin, M., Chen, Y., Villeneuve, P.J., Burnett, R.T., Lemrye, L., et. al. 2004. Gaseous Air Pollutants and Asthma Hospitalization of Children with Low Household Income in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. American Journal of Epidemiology, 159(3), 294-303 Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy Neighborhoods: Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1-18. Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press

26. References Moore, K., Neugebauer, R., Lurmann, F., Hall, J. et al. 2008. Ambient Ozone Concentrations Cause Increased Hospitalizations for Asthma in Children: An 18- year Study in Southern California. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8), 1063-1069 Padhi, B.K. & Padhy, P.K. 2008. Assessment of Intra-Urban Variability in Outdoor Air Quality and Its Health Risk. Inhalation Toxicology, 20, 973-979 Perera, F.P. 2008. Children are Likely to suffer Most from Our Fossil Fuel Addiction. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8), 987-990. Sousa, S.I.V., Alvim-Ferraz, M.C.M, Martins, F.G., & Pereira, M.C. 2009. Ozone exposure and its Influence on the Worsening of Childhood Asthma. Allergy, 64, 1046-1065.

27. Further Readings Kozyrskyj, A.L., Kendall, G.E., Jacoby, P., Sly, P.D., Zubrick, S.R. 2008. Association Between Socioeconomic Status and the Development of Asthma: Analyses of Income Trajectories. American Journal of Public Health, 100(3), 540-546. Lin, M., Chen, Y., Villeneuve, P.J., Burnett, R.T., Lemrye, L., et. al. 2004. Gaseous Air Pollutants and Asthma Hospitalization of Children with Low Household Income in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. American Journal of Epidemiology, 159(3), 294-303. Cunha, S.S., Rodriguez, M.P., Barreto, M.L., Genser, B., & Rodrigues, L.C. 2007. Ecological Study of socio-economic indicators and prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren in urban Brazil. BMC Public Health, 7, 1-6.

28. THANK YOU!!