Pollution Free Cities

Monday, July 16, 2012

Health Impacts from Short Term Exposures to Ozone

English: Ozone molecular electrical potential surface 3D-vdW (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Controlled Exposure of Healthy Young Volunteers to Ozone Causes Cardiovascular Effects (27 page pdf, Robert B. Devlin, Kelly E. Duncan, Melanie Jardim, Michael T. Schmitt, Ana G. Rappold, and David Diaz-Sanchez, Circulation, Jun. 25, 2012)

Also discussed here: Ozone Exposure Linked to Potential Heart Attacks (ScienceDaily, Jun. 25, 2012)

And here: New evidence links ozone exposure to potential heart attacks (American Heart Association, Jun. 25, 2012)

Today we review research into the link between exposure to ozone for a few hours and the impacts on the cardiovascular system, as well as the pathway to explain these impacts. Results indicate a clear link that adds to the complexity of assessing impact on heart disease from air pollution, previously thought to be mainly from fine particulate matter.

Key Quotes:

“Twenty three young healthy individuals were exposed in a randomized crossover fashion to clean air and 0.3 ppm ozone for two hours while undergoing intermittent exercise.”

“Ground level ozone is created when pollutants from vehicles, power plants, industry, chemical solvents and consumer products react in the presence of sunlight”

“This controlled human exposure study shows that ozone can cause an increase in vascular markers of inflammation, changes in markers of fibrinolysis, as well markers that affect autonomic control of heart rate and repolarization”

“the changes in ozone-induced vascular inflammation, fibrinolysis markers and heart rate variability (HRV) V detailed in this study provides the most compelling data to date of the potential for ozone to modulate the cardiovascular system”

“we observed robust changes in several pro-inflammatory cytokines in the blood within an hour after exposure to ozone”

“Given the reactivity of ozone, if it were to diffuse into the circulatory system the concentration in arteries would likely be higher then in veins, raising the intriguing possibility that if small quantities of ozone were to diffuse into the blood they might contribute to oxidation of cholesterol found in the plaques”

“This study provides a plausible explanation for the link between acute ozone exposure and death”

Friday, July 13, 2012

How Polluted is the Air Inside Buses?

An Examination of the Sensitivity of Sulfur Dioxide, Nitric Oxide, and Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations to the Important Factors Affecting Air Quality Inside a Public Transportation Bus (22 page pdf, Akhil Kadiyala and Ashok Kumar, Atmosphere, Jun.15, 2012)

While there is much evidence that the air quality near and in heavy traffic is poor, there has been less research into the quality of air inside commuting vehicles. The journal article reviewed today examines the changes that occur by weather type, season and time of day for each pollutant found inside a bus in Toledo, a city in the northern USA. The worst conditions appear to be in late fall/ winter, during the morning rush hour and when it is not raining. This should prompt public health and urban transportation planners to look more closely at health impacts from air pollution during the winter rather than just summer when smog alerts
are usually issued.

Key Quotes:

“people spend 90% of their time indoors and about 7% of their daily time is spent commuting, mostly between the workplace and their residences.. people are exposed to high concentrations of traffic contaminants when they drive in heavy traffic, stand near idling vehicles, and spend time at places near roads that have high traffic”

“There are no in-vehicle sources for SO2, NO, and NO2 concentrations. slow-moving traffic in combination with the increased idling times at traffic signals during the winter contribute to large amounts of local SO2, NO, and NO2 concentrations that are not normally experienced at other times”

“Urban areas with colder climates…experience higher atmospheric SO2 concentrations during the late fall and winter because it is less reactive in these climates”

“Outdoor NO2 concentrations are expected to be the highest, early in the mornings, due to exhaust emissions from the morning vehicular rush and the reaction of newly emitted NO with O3 without sunlight to form NO2”

“significantly lower in-bus SO2 concentrations were observed on days with haze, rain, thunderstorm, and mist weather types, when compared with the foggy and normal weather type days”

“Medium in-bus SO2 concentrations were observed only in the fall-winter months, when the lead heavy vehicular density was a minimum of 56 per hour”

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Collecting and Distributing Air Quality Data in Europe in Near Real-Time

Map of the Member States of the European Union (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Reporting and exchanging air quality information using e-Reporting (62 page pdf, European Environment Agency, EEA Technical report No 5/2012)

Also discussed here: EIONET – the Ambient Air Quality Portal

And here: EIONET- Reporting Obligations Database (ROD)

Today we review a report concerned with the more timely reporting, processing and distribution of air quality data in Europe via an E-Reporting system to come online on January 1, 2014. It makes a number of recommendations concerning data formats, standardized procedures and making the data more easily absorbed into air quality models. What is most interesting to this observer who comes from a country with the same challenges involved in different (provincial) jurisdictions where similar agreements and coordination is needed to ensure timely delivery of air quality information and warnings.

Key Quotes:

“This report discusses the options available for this new system in the area of air quality. It describes functional algorithms, routines, procedures and concepts that are required or beneficial within the e-Reporting system”

“The near-real time (NRT) data flow has evolved over time on a voluntary basis with Eionet members. Data providers are invited to exchange provisional/preliminary hourly average concentrations of O3, NO2, NOX, PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and CO”

“Earlier deliveries of, for example, automatic measurements, would greatly expedite some assessment activities…the only means to speed up the data flow in this respect is by quick processing of provisional and validated data, during and after the data has reached the data repository. There is also a need to agree on the timing of the data made available”

“A range of models on several scales are available throughout Europe. EEA sees an important role for FAIRMODE (Forum for Air quality Modelling) and its user communities in developing and harmonising practicable modelling guidance in order to promote comparability of modelling, quality of modelled data, uncertainty estimation and interoperability in representation of modelled data”

Monday, July 9, 2012

Assessing Sustainable Mobility in Germany

English: Roadsign on the Island of Juist, Germany. Juist is an island without motorized vehicles. Deutsch: Verkehrszeichen auf Juist an der Billstraße an der Backstube (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the German Federal Government with Respect to Sustainable Mobility (114 page pdf, Robert Gruber, Wuppertal Institute for Climate Environment and Energy, May 2012)

From Germany’s Wuppertal Institute comes a master’s thesis which assesses the limited success of the federal government to reduce emissions from road traffic by relying on passive measures such as awareness campaigns or a reliance on technological improvements instead of a more direct focus on traffic avoidance to shift from using cars to using transit and cycling or walking.

Key Quotes:

“instead of focusing on traffic avoidance and modal shift. The federal government tries to solve emission problems only by improving engines and technology”

“in the EU, 70.9% of the emitted CO2 in Europe comes from road vehicles..in Germany, the share of individual motorized transport is around 80%” while public transit is used for only 15% of the person kilometers..1% of the total fuel consumer in Germany is consumed during congestion”

“there are few worse things that can happen to human beings then being immobilized.. if people have the strong desire to travel, programs to lower travel demand may not e successful..not an issue of if people travel, but more of how and how far they travel..this is where technical solutions have proven to be ineffective”

“strategies for transport sustainability:

avoid..allows people to use system as usual with minimized person kilometers..proper land-use and urban planning strategies..density of cities increased..locally produced goods..shift to more sustainable transport modes
shift ..to road or rail emits a lot fewer harmful substances than private motorized vehicles
improve..vehicle efficiency..reduction of more than 50% is possible for passenger cars..increase occupancy rate..lightweight materials..decrease fuel emissions..driving behavior..reduce traffic volume”

“the competent road authority may restrict or ban vehicle traffic on certain roads or in certain areas..where such motor vehicle traffic contributes to pollution levels exceeding the emission values..in order to reduce any harmful effects on the environment callused by air pollution or prevent the formation thereof..motor vehicles with low pollutant emissions are or may be wholly or in part exempted from traffic bans” (Federal Emission Control Act, 2007)

“10% road taxation increase induces a 3-5% traffic reduction"

“in Germany there is no road taxation for passenger cars..[only for] heavy trucks using German high-speed motorways”

Friday, July 6, 2012

Diesel Exhaust and Lung Cancer

The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study: A Nested Case–Control Study of Lung Cancer and Diesel Exhaust (18 page pdf, Debra T. Silverman, Claudine M. Samanic, Jay H. Lubin, Aaron E. Blair, Patricia A. Stewart, Roel Vermeulen, Joseph B. Coble, Nathaniel Rothman, Patricia L. Schleiff, William D. Travis, Regina G. Ziegler, Sholom Wacholder and Michael D. Attfield, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Mar.5, 2012)

Also discussed here: IARC: Diesel Engine Exhaust Carcinogenic (4 page pdf, World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Jun. 12, 2012)

And here: Diesel exhaust found to cause lung cancer (Carly Weeks , Globe and Mail, Jun. 12, 2012) And here: Diesel fumes cause cancer (The Connexion, June 13, 2012)

And here: WHO: exhaust fumes more cancer causing than secondhand smoke ( Yukio Strachan, Digital Journal, Jun. 13, 2012)

Today we review a report from the WHO stating that there is “sufficient evidence” to link diesel exhaust directly to lung cancer and “limited evidence” to a link with bladder cancer which is stronger than earlier statements on health risk. The report goes on to recommend worldwide measures to reduce or eliminate

exposure to diesel exhaust as a priority.

Main sites of metastases for some common cance...

Key Quotes :

"Given the additional health impacts from diesel particulates, exposure to this mixture of chemicals should be reduced worldwide."

"Large populations are exposed to diesel exhaust in everyday life, whether through their occupation or through the ambient air. People are exposed not only to motor vehicle exhausts but also to exhausts from other diesel engines, including from other modes of transport (e.g. diesel trains and ships) and from power generators."

“The Working Group found that diesel exhaust is a cause of lung cancer (sufficient evidence) and also noted a positive association (limited evidence) with an increased risk of bladder cancer (Group 1)”

“Our findings are important not only for miners but also for the 1.4 million American workers and the 3 million European workers exposed to diesel exhaust, and for urban populations worldwide.”

“Diesel engine exhaust will be placed on IARC’s “Group 1” list of known carcinogens, which includes asbestos, tobacco smoke, ultraviolet radiation and formaldehyde” “Large populations are exposed to diesel exhaust in everyday life, whether through their occupation or through the ambient air…..citing exposure from vehicles, diesel trains, ships and power generators”

“It will be important to consider these findings in light of emission reduction programs, and for setting standards for workplace exposure levels in order to reduce, if not eliminate, exposure”