Threshold Values for the Information to the General Public about the Poaceae and Urticaceae Pollen Types in the Towns of Cartagena, Lorca and Murcia (REAREMUR) 2010-2016

The incidence of pollinosis in developed countries has been on the rise for the past few decades. It is an illness that leads to a large number of missed work and school days. Therefore, in addition to the direct costs associated therewith, it also causes significant indirect costs. Avoidance to exposure is the most effective preventive measure. With aerobiological data for homogeneous geographical areas, sick people can both take preventive measures and optimize the period of usage of drugs and thus improve the quality of their life. Aerobiological networks have to decide how to provide this information. In the case of information intended for the general public, it is more useful to give it as concentration ranges adjusted to categories of low, medium and high/very high threshold values than as specific numerical values, which might not achieve the desired goal.In this paper we have analyzed the data generated by the Aerobiological Network of the Region of Murcia, Spain, from aerobiological databases in the 2010-2016 period. Based on the analysis of the 90, 95, 97 and 99 percentiles of the time series, we have proposed threshold values —in four levels (low, medium, high and very high), for the Poaceae and Urticaceae pollen types in the towns of Cartagena, Lorca and Murcia— that enhance the information supplied by said Aerobiological Network and are aimed at allowing allergic people to take avoidance and pharmacological treatment measures.</p

Valores limite para informação à população dos tipos polínicos Poaceae e Urticaceae nas cidades deCartagena, Lorca e Múrcia (REAREMUR) 2010-2016

The incidence of pollinosis in developed countries has been on the rise for the past few decades. It is an illness that leads to a large number of missed work and school days. Therefore, in addition to the direct costs associated therewith, it also causes significant indirect costs. Avoidance to exposure is the most effective preventive measure. With aerobiological data for homogeneous geographical areas, sick people can both take preventive measures and optimize the period of usage of drugs and thus improve the quality of their life. Aerobiological networks have to decide how to provide this information. In the case of information intended for the general public, it is more useful to give it as concentration ranges adjusted to categories of low, medium and high/very high threshold values than as specific numerical values, which might not achieve the desired goal.In this paper we have analyzed the data generated by the Aerobiological Network of the Region of Murcia, Spain, from aerobiological databases in the 2010-2016 period. Based on the analysis of the 90, 95, 97 and 99 percentiles of the time series, we have proposed threshold values —in four levels (low, medium, high and very high), for the Poaceae and Urticaceae pollen types in the towns of Cartagena, Lorca and Murcia— that enhance the information supplied by said Aerobiological Network and are aimed at allowing allergic people to take avoidance and pharmacological treatment measures.La prevalencia de la polinosis está aumentando en los países desarrollados en las últimas décadas, siendo una enfermedad que ocasiona un gran número de días de pérdida de actividad laboral o de asistencia a la escuela, por lo que, además de los costes directos ligados a la enfermedad, ocasiona importantes costes indirectos. La evitación de la exposición es la medida preventiva más eficaz. El disponer de datos aerobiológicos para áreas geográficas homogéneas permite a los enfermos, tanto poner en marcha medidas preventivas, como optimizar el periodo de uso de medicamentos y mejorar la calidad de vida. Las redes aerobiológicas deben decidir el modo en que suministra la información. En el caso de información destinada a la población general, es más útil difundirla como intervalos de concentraciones ajustados a categorías de valores umbrales bajos, medios, altos o muy altos, que a un dato numérico concreto que puede no alcanzar el objetivo perseguido.En este trabajo hemos analizado esta información para los datos generados en la Red Aerobiológica de la Región de Murcia y a partir de las bases de datos aerobiológicas del periodo 2010-2016 hemos propuesto, basado en el análisis de los percentiles 90, 95, 97 y 99 de la serie temporal, unos valores umbrales, en cuatro escalones, bajo, medio, alto y muy alto para los tipos polínicos Poaceae y Urticaceae en la ciudades de Cartagena, Murcia y Lorca, que mejoran la información suministrada por la Red Aerobiológica de la Región de Murcia encaminada a que los pacientes alérgicos emprendan las medidas de evitación y el tratamiento farmacológico.A prevalência da polinose tem vindo a aumentar nos países desenvolvidos nas últimas décadas, sendo uma doença que ocasiona um grande número de dias de absentismo laboral ou escolar, pelo que, além dos custos diretos associados à doença, determina consideráveis custos indiretos. Evitar a exposição é a medida preventiva mais eficaz. Dispor de dados aerobiológicos para áreas geográficas homogéneas permite aos doentes quer adotar medidas preventivas, quer otimizar o período do uso de medicamentos, melhorando a sua qualidade de vida. As redes aerobiológicas devem decidir a forma como disponibilizam a informação. No caso de informação destinada à população em geral é mais útil difundi-la como intervalos de concentrações ajustados a categorias de valores limite baixos, médios, altos ou muito altos, considerando que um dado numérico concreto pode não atingir o objetivo pretendido.Neste trabalho foi analisada esta informação para os dados gerados na Rede Aerobiológica da Região de Múrcia, já a partir das bases de dados aerobiológicas no período 2010-2016. Baseados na análise dos percentis 90, 95, 97 e 99 da série temporal, foram propostos valores limites, em quatro escalões (baixo, médio, alto e muito alto), para os tipos polínicos Poaceae e Urticaceae, nas cidades de Cartagena, Múcia e Lorca, visando melhorar a informação disponibilizada pela Rede Aerobiológica da Região de Múrcia, destinada a que os pacientes alérgicos empreendam medidas de redução da exposição e o tratamento farmacológico

Material particulado en España: niveles, composición y contribución de fuentes

El estudio llevado a cabo en un elevado número de emplazamientos de medida de material particulado (PM) en España ha permitido determinar las importantes variaciones que se producen en los niveles medios de concentración de PM10 y PM2,5 y en su composición química, entre sus distintas regiones geográficas. En diferentes entornos industriales y de tráfico considerados “hotspots”, los niveles medios de PM10 registrados llegan a superar normalmente los valores límite de concentración recomendados. La variabilidad existente entre los distintos emplazamientos de medida en lo que se refiere a niveles de concentración de PM y a la superación de los valores límite de concentración está relacionada con la existencia de distintos patrones, tanto de emisión de las fuentes de material particulado naturales y antropogénicas, como patrones climáticos y de reactividad/ estabilidad de algunas especies presentes en la composición del PM.Este estudio ha sido financiado mediante convenios de colaboración de la Dirección General de Calidad y Evaluación Ambiental del Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y del Plan Nacional de I+D del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (CGL2004-05984_C07-02/CLI, REN2001-0659-C03-03), y contratos de investigación respaldados por Comunidades Autónomas de Andalucía, Cataluña, Madrid, y Valencia

Key factors for abating particulate matter in a highly industrialized area in N Spain: Fugitive emissions and secondary aerosol precursors

In highly industrialized areas, abating particulate matter (PM) is complex owing to the variety of emission sources with different chemical profiles that may mix in the atmosphere. Gijón-an industrial city in northern Spain-was selected as a case study to better understand the key emission sources and improve air quality in highly industrialized areas. Accordingly, the trends of various air quality indicators (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and O3) during the past decade (2010-2019) were analyzed. Additionally, the inorganic and organic PM10 compositions were analyzed for source apportionment studies and to assess the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on PM10 levels. The results revealed that over the past decade, PM10 concentrations decreased, whereas PM2.5 concentrations dominated by secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA) remained relatively constant. Notably, during the COVID-19 lockdown, the PM10 concentration increased by 9.1%, primarily owing to an increase in regional SIA (>65%) due to specific meteorological conditions that favor the formation of secondary PM from gaseous precursors. Overall, eight key PM10 sources were identified: "industrial fugitive PM resuspension" (FPM, 28% of mean PM10 concentration), "aged sea spray" (SSp, 16%), "secondary nitrate" (SN, 15%), "local diffuse source" (LPM, 12%), "solid fuel combustion" (SFC, 7.8%), "biomass burning" (BB, 7.4%), "secondary sulphate" (SSu, 6.0%), and "sinter" (SIN, 4.5%). The PM10 concentration in Gijón is significantly influenced by the integrated steel industry (FPM, SFC, and SIN; 41% of PM10) and fugitive primary PM emissions were the main source (FPM and LPM; 40%). To reduce PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, industrial fugitive emissions, which are currently poorly regulated, and SIA precursors must be abated. This study provides a methodological approach that combines trend analysis, chemical speciation, and source apportionment for assessing pollution abatement strategies in industrialized areas with a complex mix of emission sources.IDAEA-CSIC is a Centre of Excellence Severo Ochoa (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, grant no. CEX2018-000794-S). The present work was supported by The Spanish Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demografico (MITERD); the RI-URBANS project (Research Infrastructures Services Reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial Areas, European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, Green Deal, European Commission, under grant agreement No. 101036245); the “Agencia Estatal de Investigación” from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and FEDER funds under the projects CAIAC (PID2019-108990RB-I00); the Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) under the Project 202030E261; the Generalitat de Catalunya, by AGAUR (2021 SGR 00447) and the Direcció General de Qualitat Ambiental i Canvi Climàtic (DGQACC).Peer reviewe

Influence of air pollution exposure on systemic inflammation and enzymatic infarct size in patients with STEMI successfully treated with primary PCI

European Society of Cardiology Congress (2018, Munich, Germany