ABSTRACT
Los diversos contaminantes del aire, presentes en el material particulado respirable MP 2,5, el que representa aproximadamente el 50 por ciento del MP10, causan diversos efectos adversos sobre la salud y aumentan la mortalidad. La Norma Primaria recién aprobada para MP2,5 urbano tiene ventajas en comparación con la norma MP10, pero duplica los niveles de MP2,5 recomendados por la OMS. Más aún, los niveles para decretar medidas de preemergencia o emergencia son permisivos, lo cual hace que la concentración autorizada resulte similar a aquélla que resulta al aplicar la norma actual para MP10. Con la nueva norma MP 2,5 tendremos una norma mejor pero, no mejorará la salud de los habitantes expuestos ni disminuirá la mortalidad por la contaminación. Para fines prácticos la nueva norma es equivalente a la actual para MP10.
The various air pollutants present in the breathable particulate matter PM2.5, which represents approximately 50 percent of PM10, cause various adverse health effects and increase mortality. The recently approved regulation for urban PM2.5 presents advantages when compared with the current MP10 regulation, but nevertheless the allowed threshold of MP 2,5 is twice that recommended by WHO. Further, the levels at which pre-emergency or emergency measures would be taken are very permissive, and the concentrations allowed would be similar to those that result from the application of the current PM10 regulation. With the new PM2.5 regulation we will have an improved norm but with authorized levels similar to those resulting from the current regulation. Therefore the health of exposed people will not improve and pollution caused mortality will not diminish.
Subject(s)
Humans , Air Quality Control , Air Pollution/legislation & jurisprudence , Legislation, Environmental , Particulate Matter , Urban Area , ChileABSTRACT
The term air pollution comprises a wide variety of chemical and biological components of the outdoor and indoor atmosphere. Air pollution and its effect on human health is critically reviewed in this article with emphasis in the situation of inhabitants of Chilean cities with critical high levels of atmospheric pollution. Atmospheric contaminants that are hazardous for the human health are breathable particulate matter (PM10;PM2,5 and PM0,1) and gaseous chemicals such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Indoor air contains a variety of noxious compounds derived from multiple sources, being cigarette smoking, heating and cooking appliances, and biological agents and its sub-products the principal ones. Exposure to air pollutants can increase not only morbidity but also mortality rate as well as increasing the number of hospital admissions for patients with respiratory or cardiovascular symptoms. Air pollution is important in determining the quality of life particularly in infants, ageing persons and patients affected by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Health professionals should advocate for a cleaner outdoor and indoor atmosphere through the dissemination of our knowledge about the respiratory and non-respiratory effects of air contamination.
El término contaminación del aire incluye una amplia variedad de componentes químicos y biológicos de la atmósfera intra y extradomiciliaria. Este artículo intenta realizar una revisión crítica de los efectos de la contaminación intra y extradomiciliaria sobre la salud humana, poniendo especial énfasis en la situación de los habitantes de ciudades chilenas con niveles críticamente altos de contaminación atmosférica. Los contaminantes atmosféricos riesgosos para la salud humana son el material particulado inhalable (PM10; PM2,5 y PM0,1) y compuestos químicos gaseosos tales como dióxido de nitrógeno, ozono, dióxido de azufre y monóxido de carbono. El aire intradomiciliario contiene una variedad de compuestos nocivos que derivan de múltiples fuentes. Las más importantes son el humo de cigarrillo, artefactos de calefacción y para cocción de alimentos y los agentes biológicos y sus sub-productos. La exposición a contaminantes del aire no solo puede aumentar la tasa de morbilidad sino la tasa de mortalidad como también puede aumentar el número de ingresos hospitalarios de pacientes con síntomas respiratorios y cardiovasculares. La contaminación del aire es importante en la determinación de la calidad de vida de niños menores, ancianos y en pacientes con enfermedades respiratorias y cardiovasculares. Los profesionales de la salud deberían abogar por una atmósfera intra y extradomiciliaria más limpia a través de la difusión del conocimiento que disponemos sobre los efectos respiratorios y no respiratorios de la contaminación del aire.
Subject(s)
Humans , Air Quality Standards , Air Pollution/adverse effects , Chile , Air Pollution, Indoor/adverse effects , Air Pollutants/adverse effects , Particulate Matter/adverse effects , Seasons , Cardiovascular System/physiopathology , Respiratory System/physiopathology , Urban AreaABSTRACT
The urban atmosphere contains a mixture of air pollutants, including mutagenic and carcinogenic substances. Associations between urban pollutants and respiratory/cardiovascular diseases and a greater incidence of certain cancer types have already been established in literature. Thus, biomonitoring procedures are required to evaluate the genotoxic potential of urban atmospheres. The Tradescantia micronucleus (Trad-MCN) test is one of the most commonly used bioassays for the detection of genotoxic effects. It is based on the formation of micronuclei resulting from chromosome breakage in the meiotic pollen mother cells of Tradescantia ssp. inflorescences. This study dealt with Trad-MCN for assessing the genotoxic potential of air in two areas of the municipality of Senhor do Bonfim/BA: (1) Lomanto Júnior Highway (RLJ), an area of intense vehicular traffic; and (2) Nova do Congresso Plaza (PNC), an area with lower flow of vehicles. The negative control (CTR) was installed in Campus VII of the State University of Bahia. Plants exposed in RLJ and PNC presented the highest frequency of micronuclei (MCN), in comparison with CTR plants (p 0.05). The increase in the frequency of observed MCN points to the efficiency of the Trad-MCN and indicates the potential mutagenic risk of substances present in atmospheric air.
A atmosfera urbana contém uma mistura de poluentes que inclui substâncias mutagênicas e carcinogênicas. Associação entre estas substâncias e problemas respiratório e cardiovascular, além do aumento de determinados tipos de cânceres, é estabelecida na literatura. Assim, o biomonitoramento é importante para avaliar o potencial genotóxico da atmosfera urbana. O Teste de Micronúcleo em Tradescantia (Trad-MCN) é um dos bioensaios usados para detecção de efeitos genotóxicos. Este teste é baseado na formação de micronúcleos resultante de quebra cromossômica na meiose das células-mãe do grão de pólen de inflorescências de Tradescantia ssp. Neste estudo, Trad-MCN foi utilizado para avaliar o potencial mutagênico do ar atmosférico em duas áreas de tráfego diferenciado na cidade de Senhor do Bonfim, Estado da Bahia: 1) Rodovia Lomanto Júnior (RLJ), uma área de tráfego intenso, e 2) Praça Nova do Congresso (PNC), área de menor fluxo de veículos. O controle negativo (CTR) foi instalado no Campus VII da Universidade do Estado da Bahia. Plantas expostas na RLJ e na PNC apresentaram frequência de micronúcleo (MCN) mais alta em comparação com as plantas CTR (p 0,05). Esta alta frequência de MCN observada aponta a eficiência do TRD-MCN e indica o potencial risco mutagênico das substâncias presentes no ar atmosférico.
ABSTRACT
The most common method of evaluating beneficial impacts of environmental policies is cost-benefit analysis (CBA). In the present review, CBA methods for air pollution impacts are reviewed. Three types of air pollution effects are identified, including health, productivity, and amenity. Market valuation, stated preference methods, and revealed preference methods are identified for valuing benefits. Three types of costs are described, including private sector costs, societal costs, and governmental regulatory costs. A benefits valuation approach based on Freeman’s principals is described. A costs valuation approach based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Dixon et al. principals is described. Limitations associated with estimates of benefits and costs are summarized. Input assumptions and results are compared for several existing air pollution control analyses. The importance of CBA in environmental policy studies is discussed. Our conceptual approaches should be useful in analyses of urban air pollution impacts and air pollution prevention policies.