Effects of ambient air pollution on respiratory tract complaints and airway inflammation in primary school children

Respiratory health effects of ambient air pollution were studied in 605 school children 9 to 13 years in Eskisehir, Turkey. Each child performed a fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) measurement and a lung function test (LFT). Self-reported respiratory tract complaints (having cold, complaints of throat, runny nose and shortness of breath/wheezing) in the last 7 days and on the day of testing were also recorded. As acute health outcomes were investigated, weekly average ambient concentrations of ozone (O-3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) were determined by passive sampling in the school playgrounds simultaneously with the health survey. Effects of air pollution on respiratory tract complaints and exhaled NO/lung function were estimated by multivariate logistic regression and multivariate linear mixed effects models, respectively. Upper respiratory tract complaints were significantly (p = 0.05). Lung function was not associated with upper respiratory tract complaints and FEN levels. Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) levels were negatively associated with weekly average O-3 levels for children without upper respiratory tract complaints. In summary, elevated levels of air pollutants increased respiratory tract complaints in children. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Respiratory Health Symptoms among Students Exposed to Different Levels of Air Pollution in a Turkish City

In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of respiratory health symptoms among high school students attending schools at industrial, urban and rural areas in a Turkish city. Three schools located in different zones of the city having different pollution characteristics were chosen based on the pollutant distribution maps using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software. A cross-sectional survey was performed among 667 high school students in the schools. Outdoor and indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O-3) concentrations were also measured by passive samplers in the same schools to investigate possible routes of exposure. Chronic pulmonary disease (OR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.11-1.99; p = 0.008), tightness in the chest (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.22-2.02; p = 0.001), morning cough (OR = 1.81 95% CI: 1.19-2.75; p = 0.006) were higher among students in the industrial zone where nitrogen dioxide and ozone levels were also highest. There were no indoor sources of nitrogen dioxide and ozone exists in the schools except for the dining hall. As a conclusion, this study has noticed that air pollution and respiratory health problems among high school students are high in industrial zones and the use of passive samplers combined with GIS is an effective tool that may be used by public health researchers to identify pollutant zones and persons at risk

Vertical variation and source evaluation of VOCs and inorganic pollutants in a university building

Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and inorganic pollutants including sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O-3) were measured using passive samplers in both indoor and outdoor environments at 2, 5, 8, 13, 17, 24, and 29 m from the ground level at a high-rise building in the Middle East Technical University campus in Ankara, Turkey. The measured indoor concentrations of Sigma 24VOCs were highly variable, ranging from 98g m(-3) (at the ground floor) to 235.3g m(-3) (at the fourth floor), while the outdoor concentrations varied between 96.8g m(-3) (at the seventh floor) and 189.8g m(-3) (at the ground level). Outdoor concentrations of inorganic pollutants ranged between 58g m(-3) at the ground floor and 26g m(-3) at the ninth floor for SO2, and 59.9g m(-3) at the ground floor and 31.2g m(-3) at the ninth floor for NO2. A similar decreasing trend with altitude was also observed for indoor concentrations of these pollutants. Indoor and outdoor O-3 concentrations did not change with altitude. Statistically significant correlations were found between indoor and outdoor concentrations of some of the measured NO2, SO2 toluene, octane, nonane and 1,2-dichlorobenzene, indicating moderate-to-strong relationships between their indoor and outdoor concentrations. The factor analysis revealed six factors for both indoor and outdoor data. Traffic was found to be the highest contributor to the measured VOCs, SO2, and NO2 concentrations, which was followed by painting activities

Existence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient particulate matter samples: A nationwide study in Turkey

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. The disease led to significant mortality and morbidity in Turkey, since the first case was reported on March 11th, 2020. Studies suggest a positive association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of ambient particulate matters (PM), as potential carriers for SARS-CoV-2. Ambient PM samples in various size ranges were collected from 13 sites including urban and urban-background locations and hospital gardens in 10 cities across Turkey between 13th of May and 14th of June 2020 to investigate the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient PM. A total of 203 daily samples (TSP, n = 80; PM2.5, n = 33; PM2.5-10, n = 23: PM10 mu m, n = 19; and 6 size segregated PM, n = 48) were collected using various samplers. The N1 gene and RdRP gene expressions were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to real time (RT)-PCR and three-dimensional (3D) digital (d) PCR analysis, dual RdRP and NI gene positivity were detected in 20 (9.8%) samples. Ambient PM-bound SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed quantitatively and the air concentrations of the virus ranged from 0.1 copies/m(3) to 23 copies/m(3). The highest percentages of virus detection on PM samples were from hospital gardens in Tekirdag, Zonguldak, and Istanbul, especially in PM2.5 mode. Findings of this study have suggested that SARS-CoV-2 may be transported by ambient partides, especially at sites close to the infection hot-spots. However. whether this has an impact on the spread of the virus infection remains to be determined. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved