Environmental health effects of brick kilns in Kathmandu valley.

INTRODUCTION: Brick kilns operating in Kathmandu valley are known to be a leading cause of air pollution. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of brick kilns on environment and human health. This study has been done at Duwakot VDC in Bhaktapur. METHODS: This study was conducted during brick kilns operating and not operating periods. Different methods were used for data collection, such as household environmental health survey, school health examination, and air quality measurement for total suspend particles, particulate matter of size less than 10 microns, Sulphur Dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen, and Carbon Monoxide. RESULTS: A total of 330 individuals were interviewed during household environmental survey and majority of them expressed about smoke related respiratory discomfort at home and surrounding. Out of 141 school children who underwent thorough physical health examination, 79 students were from Ganesh Public School (located near to brick kilns) and 62 were from Nabin English School (far away from brick kilns). Statistically significant high odds ratios for respiratory problems like tonsillitis (4.17 95% CI 2.05, 8.45) and acute pharyngitis (4.08 95% CI 2.01, 8.33) were observed among the students from Ganesh Public School. Average value of particulate matter of size less than 10 microns and total suspend particles for the pre operation time was 0.029 mg/m3 and 0.033 mg/m3 respectively whereas, it reached 0.050 mg/m3 and 0.056 mg/m3 respectively during the brick kiln operation time. CONCLUSION: The concentration of various air pollutants was higher during the operation of brick kilns at Duwakot. Similarly, the health status of the school children attending the school close to the vicinity of the brick kilns was worse compared to the students attending the school away from the brick kilns.

Repercussões clínicas da exposição à poluição atmosférica / Clinical repercussions of exposure to atmospheric pollution

A poluição atmosférica é um assunto exaustivamente discutido mundialmente. As repercussões clínicas decorrentes das exposições aos principais poluentes atmosféricos são apresentadas resumidamente. Os padrões de qualidade do ar para esses agentes, segundo a Agência de Proteção Ambiental Americana, estão descritos em relação aos seus valores primários e tempo médio. Os efeitos respiratórios conseqüentes à queima de combustíveis fósseis e de biomassa são apresentados de forma sucinta visando, essencialmente, a alertar os profissionais da saúde para o aumento da morbidade relacionada com a poluição ambiental.

Atmospheric pollution is a topic of extensive discussion the world over. The clinical repercussions of exposure to the principal atmospheric pollutants are summarized herein. According to the American Environmental Protection Agency, air quality standards for these agents are set based on their primary and half-life values. The respiratory effects of the burning of fossil fuels and biomass are succinctly presented, with a special focus on alerting health care professionals of the increased morbidity related to environmental pollution.

Studies of some biochemical changes in the tissues of Catla catla (Hamilton), Labeo rohita (Hamilton) and Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton) exposed to NH3-N, NO2-N and NO3-N.

Biochemical changes, total proteins, glycogen, aspartate and alanine (AAT and ALAT) amino transferases were studied with exposure of sublethal concentrations of NH3-N, NO2-N and NO3-N to the freshwater fish Catla catla (Hamilton), Labeo rohita (Hamilton) and Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton). Depletion in the food reserves and enzyme activity was observed in all the three fish species exposed to these toxicants. Hence, the concentrations of NH3, NO2 and NO3 in water need to be monitored in water quality in aquaculture practices.

Influencia de la contaminación atmosférica en la calidad de aire de interiores / Influence of outdoor pollution on indoor air quality

The influence of outdoor pollution on indoor air quality was studied in downtown Santiago (Bandera street). Carbon monoxide (CO), nicotine, particulate matter, respirable fraction (PM5) and total and carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were simultaneously monitores indoors and outdoors and indoors in restaurants, offices and other places. The levels of CO changed simultaneously outdoors and indoors (r=0.89) specially during traffic rush hours, demonstrating the importance of outdoor infiltration into the indoor air quality and masking the contribution of other CO indoor sources. The maximun CO concentrations were over 800 percent and over 1000 percent higher indoors and outdoors respectively than the 9 ppm CO National Ambient Air Quality. The PM5 concentrations were very high and showed no significant differences (p>0.05) from indoor to outdoors, or between indoor levels in restaurants, offices and other places. Total ans carcinogenic PAHs levels were also very high, outdoors and indoors, outodoor levels being generally higher than those indoors and no significant; differences (p>0.05) were found for the indoor levels between restaurants, offices and other places. Nicotine levels showed significant differences (p<0.05) between indoor and outdoor levels. In addition, great differences (p<0.05) in indoor levels, were found between offices and restaurants, and offices and other places. Among indoor sources cigarrete smoke seems to be a minor source since nicotine concentrations, bieng 2.3 times higher in restaurants and other places than in offices, do not contribute to enhance significantly PM5 and total and carcinogenic HAPs in the first ones. These results suggest that in downtown Santiago, infiltration might be the main source of indoor pollution. This is supported by 2 evidences: a) coronene, a tracer of vehicle emissions was found in high concentraion indoors and b) in restaurants (in wich PAHs emissions might be higher indoor) a correlation coefficient of 0.987 for the indoor and outdoor concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs was found. Furthermore a survey asking for different symptoms and effects probably related to air pollution was made to people working in Bandera and in a rural area located 40 Km from Santiago. The results showed that excluding smoking as a confounded factor, people working in Bandera showed a significantly greater (p<0.05) risk of ill effects on their health than people working in the rural area

Efectos de la contaminación del ambiente sobre la salud respiratoria / Effects of environmental contamination on respiratory health

A partir de la década de los 50, las ciudades industrializadas y grandes urbes en el mundo confrontaron un nuevo problema de salud pública "LA CONTAMINACION AMBIENTAL", las consecuencias sobre el desarrollo y la salud de los seres vivos a largo plazo no se conocen con precisión, sin embargo de acuerdo al tipo, cantidad y mecanismo de acción del contaminante sus efectos pueden ser irreversibles o mortales. En México la contaminación del aire en la zona metropolitana representa uno de los principales problemas de salud por lo que los autores de esta revisión mencionan los diferentes tipos de contaminantes y su mecanismo de acción sobre el aparato respiratorio, además de señalar las principales fuentes de origen y las acciones encaminadas a contrarrestar y prevenir los efectos de la contaminación atmosférica

Pulmonary function status of shopkeepers of Ahmedabad exposed to autoexhaust pollutants.

The study deals with evaluation of pulmonary function status (VC, FEV1% and FEF25-75%) in Ahmedabad shopkeepers stationed near different traffic junctions and relating them with the levels of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) near these junctions categorised as Heavy, Medium and Low polluted area junctions. The pulmonary function test (PFT) values of heavy polluted and medium polluted area shopkeepers is compared with low polluted area shopkeepers. The influence of smoking habits and duration of exposure over PFT values was seen. The prevalence of airway obstruction in shopkeepers was compared with USA population. The results indicated significant impairment in FEV1% and FEF25-75% value in high polluted area shopkeepers where NOx level is much higher than TLV value. In medium polluted area, where NOx level is slightly higher than TLV value, shopkeepers demonstrated significant impairment in FEF25-75%. Smoking is found to have an additive effect. A linear increase in the prevalence of pulmonary impairment with increasing duration of exposure was evidenced. Shopkeepers exhibited higher prevalence of impairment in both smokers and non-smokers than USA population attributing it to the effect of autoexhaust pollutants. This study also denoted that FEF25-75% is an early indicator of obstruction in smaller airways which is the primary site of deposition of inhaled pollutants.