[cleanairuk_news] Health Effects of Air Quality and Noise - update May 2015
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Tue Jun 30 15:58:59 BST 2015
* Health Effects of Air Quality and Noise - update May 2015 *
By Barbara Rimmington, Researcher, East End Quality of Life Initiative
(Previous edition - April 2015:
http://cleanairuk.org/pipermail/news_cleanairuk.org/2015-May/000084.html)
(Index for previous issues:
http://www.cleanairuk.org/health-air-pollution.html)
*Notice*
Clean Air Convergence (Sat 4 July 2015, London): An unconference for
better air quality & less air pollution. All welcome. Organised by
Network for Clean Air. Details:
http://www.cleanairuk.org/convergence.html
*CONTENTS*
1) The impacts of traffic-related and woodsmoke particulate matter on
measures of cardiovascular health: a HEPA filter intervention study
2) Associations between Long-Term Exposure to Chemical Constituents of
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Mortality in Medicare Enrollees in
the Eastern United States
3) Fine Particulate Matter Components and Emergency Department Visits
for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases in the St. Louis,
Missouri–Illinois, Metropolitan Area
4) Association between Ambient Air Pollution and Diabetes Mellitus in
Europe and North America: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
5) Environmental Noise: Valuing impacts on: sleep disturbance,
annoyance, hypertension, productivity and quiet. A report informed by:
the Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits Noise Subject Group
6) Long-term air pollution exposure and diabetes in a population-based
Swiss cohort
7) The impact of an urban park on air pollution and noise levels in
the Mediterranean city of Tel-Aviv, Israel
8) Influence of avenue-trees on air quality at the urban neighborhood
scale. Part II: Traffic pollutant concentrations at pedestrian level
9) Traffic-related pollution and asthma prevalence in children.
Quantification of associations with nitrogen dioxide
10) Differences in Birth Weight Associated with the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Air Pollution Reduction: Results from a Natural Experiment
11) Air pollution ‘costs UK economy £54 billion a year’
12) Correspondence: Ambient Air Pollution and Depressive Symptoms in
Older Adults
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1) The impacts of traffic-related and woodsmoke particulate matter on
measures of cardiovascular health: a HEPA filter intervention study
Majid Kajbafzadeh, Michael Brauer, Barbara Karlen, Chris Carlsten,
Stephan van Eeden, Ryan W Allen
Evidence of an association between C reactive protein and indoor PM2.5
among healthy adults in traffic-impacted areas is consistent with the
hypothesis that traffic-related particles, even at relatively low
concentrations, play an important role in the cardiovascular effects
of the urban PM mixture.
Occup Environ Med 2015;72:394-400 - read abstract
(http://oem.bmj.com/content/72/6/394.abstract?etoc)
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2) Associations between Long-Term Exposure to Chemical Constituents of
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Mortality in Medicare Enrollees in
the Eastern United States
Yeonseung Chung, Francesca Dominici, Yun Wang, Brent A. Coull,
Michelle L. Bell
Long-term exposures to PM2.5 and several constituents were associated
with mortality in the elderly population of the eastern United States.
Moreover, some constituents increased the association between
long-term exposure to PM2.5 and mortality. These results provide new
evidence that chemical composition can partly explain the differential
toxicity of PM2.5.
Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1307549 - read article
(http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1307549/)
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3) Fine Particulate Matter Components and Emergency Department Visits
for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases in the St. Louis,
Missouri–Illinois, Metropolitan Area
Stefanie Ebelt Sarnat, Andrea Winquist, James J. Schauer, Jay R.
Turner, Jeremy A. Sarnat
Our findings add to the growing field examining the health effects of
PM2.5 components. Combustion-related components of the pollutant mix
showed particularly strong associations with cardiorespiratory ED
visit outcomes.
Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1307776 - read article
(http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1307776/)
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4) Association between Ambient Air Pollution and Diabetes Mellitus in
Europe and North America: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Ikenna C. Eze, Lars G. Hemkens, Heiner C. Bucher, Barbara Hoffmann,
Christian Schindler, Nino Künzli, Tamara Schikowski, Nicole M.
Probst-Hensch
Existing evidence indicates a positive association of air pollution
and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk, albeit there is high risk of
bias. High-quality studies assessing dose–response effects are needed.
Research should be expanded to developing countries where outdoor and
indoor air pollution are high.
Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1307823 - read article
(http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1307823/) and editorial
(http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/123-A134/)
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5) Environmental Noise: Valuing impacts on: sleep disturbance,
annoyance, hypertension, productivity and quiet. A report informed by:
the Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits Noise Subject Group
Five key areas addressed by this report are: sleep disturbance,
annoyance, hypertension, productivity and quiet areas. Key
Recommendations:
1. It is recommended that the impacts of noise on sleep disturbance
are monetised and reflected in appraisal, where it is proportionate to
do so.
2. Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) should be used to reflect
the value of impacts related to annoyance from environmental noise,
where it is proportionate to do so.
3. Where a decision is expected to alter the level of environmental
noise, the impacts on hypertension—and consequently on dementia and
stroke should be considered and where proportionate quantified and
valued.
4. Further research into the productivity impacts of noise should be
prioritised, particularly on the impacts arising from noise-related
sleep disturbance.
5. The method set out in Chapter 6 should be used to value impacts
that occur on quiet areas, where sufficient evidence is available.
This approach aims to reflect the public good properties of quiet
areas and therefore how individual preferences need to be aggregated
to obtain a public value.
DEFRA November 2014 61pp - read report
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/380852/environmental-noise-valuing-imapcts-PB14227.pdf)
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6) Long-term air pollution exposure and diabetes in a population-based
Swiss cohort
Ikenna C. Eze, Emmanuel Schaffner, Evelyn Fischer, Tamara Schikowski,
Martin Adam, Medea Imboden, Ming Tsai, David Carballo, Arnold von
Eckardstein, Nino Künzli, Christian Schindler, Nicole Probst-Hensch
We model associations of ambient air pollution and diabetes
prevalence. The effect of incremental adjustment for potential
confounders was studied. A stable positive association was observed,
which might be non-linear. Beta-blocker may be protective for the
effects of PM10 on diabetes prevalence. Associations were present at
pollution levels below air quality guidelines.
Environment International 70, September 2014, 95–105
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7) The impact of an urban park on air pollution and noise levels in
the Mediterranean city of Tel-Aviv, Israel
Pninit Cohen, Oded Potchter, , Izhak Schnell
The impact of an urban park on air pollution and noise levels is
examined. The urban park is an effective tool for noise and air
pollution mitigation. Urban parks can reduce noise, NOx, CO and PM10
values and increase O3 levels. Park's mitigation effect is greater at
higher NOx and PM10 levels. Tree impact on dust mitigation is most
effective during dust flow episodes.
Environmental Pollution 195, December 2014, 73–83 - read abstract
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749114003546)
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8) Influence of avenue-trees on air quality at the urban neighborhood
scale. Part II: Traffic pollutant concentrations at pedestrian level
Christof Gromke, Bert Blocken
The impacts of trees on flow and dispersion in an urban neighborhood
were studied. Trees cause quantitative and qualitative changes (flow
reversals) in the wind field. Trees cause low to moderate increases in
average concentrations (<13.2%). Trees cause strong locally restricted
changes in concentrations (−87 to +1378%). Avenue-trees have to be
considered for reliable urban air quality assessments.
Environmental Pollution 196, January 2015, 176–184 - read article
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749114004382)
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9) Traffic-related pollution and asthma prevalence in children.
Quantification of associations with nitrogen dioxide
Graziella Favarato, H. Ross Anderson , Richard Atkinson, Gary Fuller,
Inga Mills, Heather Walton
Individual studies tended to have only weak positive associations
between nitrogen dioxide and asthma prevalence but the summary
estimate bordered on statistical significance at the 5 % level.
Although small, the potential impact on asthma prevalence could be
considerable because of the high level of baseline prevalence in many
cities. Whether the association is causal or indicates the effects of
a correlated pollutant or other confounders, the estimate obtained by
the meta-analysis would be appropriate for estimating impacts of
traffic pollution on asthma prevalence.
Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health 2014 10.1007/s11869-014-0265-8 - read
article
(http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-014-0265-8/fulltext.html)
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10) Differences in Birth Weight Associated with the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Air Pollution Reduction: Results from a Natural Experiment
David Q. Rich, Kaibo Liu, Jinliang Zhang, Sally W. Thurston, Timothy
P. Stevens, Ying Pan, Cathleen Kane, Barry Weinberger, Pamela Ohman
Strickland, Tracey J. Woodruff, Xiaoli Duan, Vanessa Assibey-Mensah,
and Junfeng Zhang
Short-term decreases in air pollution late in pregnancy in Beijing
during the 2008 Summer Olympics, a normally heavily polluted city,
were associated with higher birth weight.
Environ Health Perspect doi: 10.1289/ehp1408795 - read article
(http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/advpub/2015/4/ehp.1408795.acco.pdf)
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11) Air pollution ‘costs UK economy £54 billion a year’
Michael Holder
Indoor and outdoor air pollution costs European economies as much as
US$1.6 trillion (£1.05 trillion) each year in deaths and diseases
according to a new study published by the World Health Organisation
today (April 28).
Air Quality News, April 2015 - read article
(http://www.airqualitynews.com/2015/04/28/air-pollution-costs-uk-economy-54-billion-a-year/)
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12) Correspondence: Ambient Air Pollution and Depressive Symptoms in
Older Adults
Yongqing Gao, Tan Xu, Wenjie Sun
Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1409657
(http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1409657/)
and Wellenius et al. Respond
Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.1409657R
(http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/1409657R/)
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Compiler and Editor: Barbara Rimmington, Researcher, East End Quality
of Life Initiative
10 Montgomery Terrace Road
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Fax 0114 278 7173
Email: barbara at sheffieldct.co.uk
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