Revisão bibliográfica: o ruído urbano como um poluente ambiental / Literature review: urban noise as an environmental pollutant

Objetivo: Analisar os estudos sobre o ruído como poluição ambiental nos centros urbanos, com foco em suas fontes e os níveis sonoros na tentativa de entender se modelo urbano atual é adequado para a saúde individual e coletiva. Material e Métodos: BVS, Pubmed e Cochrane foram usados para pesquisar artigos originais de pesquisa relacionados com o ruído ambiente. Resultados: Este artigo de revisão analisa 19 estudos relacionados ao ruído como um poluente ambiental. Conclusão: Muitos estudos estão sendo conduzidos para quantificar o ruído urbano e seu potencial de perturbação causada na população, utilizando-se diferentes metodologias. Nosso trabalho demonstra que o ruído está presente no ambiente urbano e geralmente extrapola os atuais níveis tolerados pela lei, sendo um estressor em potencial. Portanto, a sua presença em várias atividades humanas, especialmente no trânsito, reflete um modelo de cidade atual que precisa ser repensado.Os resultados deste estudo podem ser úteis para o desenvolvimento de novas pesquisas sobre o ruído urbano e desenvolvimento de políticas públicas.

Purpose: Analyze studies on noise as environmental pollution in urban centers, focusing on their sources and sound levels in attempt at understand whether current urban model is suitable for individual and collective health. Material and Methods: The BVS, PubMed and Cochrane were used to search original research articles related to the environmental noise. Results: This review article analyses 19 studies related to noise as an environmental pollutant. Conclusion: many studies have been conducted to quantify the urban noise and potential disturbance caused in the population, using different methodologies. Our work demonstrates that the noise is present in the urban environment and commonly extrapolates current levels tolerated by the law, being a potential stressor. Therefore, their presence in various human activities, especially in traffic, reflects a model of the current city that needs to be rethought. The results of this study may be useful for the development of new research on the urban noise and public policy development.

Assessment of total suspended particulates level and some physical environmental factors and related health problems among school pupils in Alexandria

The present work aimed at measuring TSP, noise, and lighting levels in school environment and determining their possible effects on the health status of students. A systematic sample of 18 schools was selected from the Eastern region of Alexandria. From each school, 2-3 classrooms were selected at random where measurements of TSP, noise, and lighting levels were carried out. A total of 646 students were selected from 6 positions inside 46 classrooms. The health impacts of the studied parameters were assessed using a precoded observation sheet. The average TSP level was 2.10 +/- 1.30 mg/m[3]. Schools and classrooms near markets showed significantly the maximum average TSP [3.38 +/- 0.59 mg/m[3]] while those lying within residential areas showed the lowest average [1.33 +/- 0.67 mg/m[3]]. No significant difference between pupils classified by history of allergy in the average TSP levels was found. The average noise levels were 64.45 +/- 3.7 dB and 71.36 +/- 4.08 dB during complete silence in the morning and afternoon respectively, 75.32 +/- 3.85 dB during a lesson, and 78.32 +/- 6.87 dB during tram or train passage. All noise levels exceeded the recommended maximum permissible levels [42-55 dB]. No statistically significant association could be detected between noise during a lesson in one hand and hearing acuity, performance, and concentration in the other. The median lighting level was 27.9 foot-candles. Pupils with visual acuity lower than 6/9 were significantly exposed to a higher average lighting level than those with visual acuity of 6/6 or 6/9 [Mann-Whitney Z = 2.59. P<0.01]