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Background Indoor air pollution is an important risk factor affecting health of the respiratory system. Studies on indoor air pollution in China are mostly limited to the central and eastern regions, and there are few studies in the rural areas of northwest China. Objective To explore the influencing factors of lung ventilation function and its relationship with indoor air pollution in rural areas of Gansu Province based on a cross-sectional investigation. Methods A total of 399 subjects were selected from four villages in Baiyin and Yuzhong of Gansu Province. Questionnaires were used to collect demographic information, lifestyle, disease history, fuel use, and other information, and physical and functional tests were ordered such as height, weight, and lung function. The Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) exposure index was calculated based on smoking, fuel type, and weekly ventilation. IAP > 5 was defined as a high level of indoor air pollution. Lung function indexes included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, forced vital capacity as a percentage of predicted value (FVC%), and forced expiratory volume in the first second as a percentage of predicted value (FEV1%), which were used to determine pulmonary ventilation dysfunction. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between indoor air pollution and pulmonary ventilation function, and subgroup analysis was further conducted according to home address and BMI , in order to identify the high-risk population of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction. Results The mean age of the subjects was (56.75±7.31) years old; 155 subjects (38.85%) had normal pulmonary ventilation function, and the other 244 subjects (61.14%) had impaired pulmonary ventilation function; about 89.97% of the subjects were exposed to high level of indoor air pollution (IAP > 5). We found that IAP > 5 (OR=2.327, 95%CI: 1.089-4.974) and use of bituminous coal as the main heating fuel in winter (OR=3.467, 95%CI: 1.197-10.037) increased the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction after adjusting for age, BMI, residence, gender, smoking, drinking, and cardiovascular disease. The subgroup analysis results showed that no ventilation in the living room/bedroom (OR=3.460, 95%CI: 1.116-10.268) increased the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in Baiyin. Heating with coal stoves and Chinese Kang in the bedroom (OR=2.092, 95%CI: 1.030-4.247) and cooking in the bedroom in winter ( OR =2.954, 95% CI : 1.046-8.344) also increased the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in the residents with BMI≤24 kg·m−2. IAP > 5 (OR=3.739, 95%CI: 1.147-12.182) was associated with a significantly increased risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in the BMI > 24 kg·m−2 subgroup. Conclusion The pulmonary ventilation function of rural residents in Gansu is poor, which is negatively correlated with indoor air pollution. Coal use, overweight, cooking in bedroom, and use of coal stoves and Chinese Kang for heating may increase the risk of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction, while room ventilation is a beneficial factor.
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ObjectiveCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a serious infectious disease, which has caused great number of deaths and health problems worldwide. This study aims to examine the effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) pollution on COVID-19 across China. MethodsIn this study, we obtained confirmed cases of COVID-19, the data of airborne ambient PM with aerodynamic diameter [≤] 2.5 m (PM2.5) and [≤] 10 m (PM10), ambient temperature (AT), absolute humidity (AH) and migration scale index (MSI) in 72 cities of China (excluded Wuhan city) on a daily basis, each of which confirmed more than 50 cases from January 20th to March 2nd, 2020. We applied a two-stage analysis. Generalized additive models with quasi-Poisson distribution was first fitted to estimate city-specific effects of PM10 and PM2.5 on daily confirmed COVID-19 cases while controlling AT, AH and MSI. Then, we used meta-analysis to generate the pooled effect estimates from city-specific results. ResultsDuring the study period, there were a total of 24 939 COVID-19 cases, most of which were reported in Hubei Province. In our meta-analysis, we found each 10 g/m3 increase in concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 in single day lag (from lag 0 to lag 7 and lag 14) were positively associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19, not including PM10 at lag 5, lag 6 and lag 7, and PM2.5 at lag 5, lag 6. Similar trend was also found in different cumulative lag days (from lag 01 to lag 07 and lag 014). The effects of PM2.5 and PM10 on daily COVID-19 confirmed cases are statistically significant for three cumulative lag periods over 3, 7 and 14 days with the greatest effect over 14 days. The estimated RRs of which were 1.64 (95% CIs: 1.47, 1.82) and 1.47 (95% CIs: 1.34, 1.61) with each 10 g/m3 increase in concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. In addition, we found that the effects of PM2.5 on daily confirmed cases were greater than PM10 in all included lag days. ConclusionsThis nationwide study suggests that airborne PM pollution likely increases the risk of getting COVID-19 in China.
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ObjectMeteorological parameters are the important factors influencing the infectious diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). This study aims to explore the association between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) death and weather parameters. MethodsIn this study, we collected the daily death number of COVID-19, meteorological and air pollutant data from 20 January, 2020 to 29 February, 2020 in Wuhan, China. Then, the generalized additive model was applied to explore the impact of temperature, humidity and diurnal temperature range on daily mortality of COVID-19. ResultsThere were in total 2299 COVID-19 mortality counts in Wuhan. A positive association with COVID-19 mortality was observed for diurnal temperature range (r = 0.44), but negative association for relative humidity (r = -0.32). In addition, each 1 unit increase in diurnal temperature range was only associated with a 2.92% (95% CI: 0.61%, 5.28%) increase in COVID-19 mortality at lag 3. However, both per 1 unit increase of temperature and absolute humidity were related to the decreased COVID-19 mortality at lag 3 and lag 5, respectively. ConclusionIn summary, this study suggests the temperature variation and humidity may be important factors affecting the COVID-19 mortality.
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Objective@#To understand the pollution characteristics and assess the pollution health risks of heavy metals in atmospheric PM2.5 in Lanzhou.@*Methods@#According to the regional characteristics of air pollution and industrial distribution characteristics in Lanzhou, atmospheric PM2.5 was sampled monthly in Chengguan and Xigu Districts from January, 2015 to December, 2016. Detected the concentration of PM2.5 and 12 kinds of elements (Sb, Al, As, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se and Tl) by weighing method and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index were used to describe the pollution characteristics, while health risk assessment was conducted using the recommended United States Environmental Protection Agency (USA EPA) model. The health risks of non-carcinogens were evaluated by non-cancer hazard quotient (HQ), the non-carcinogenic risk was considered to be negligible when HQ<1, HQ>1 meant a health risk. With a single contaminant cancer Risk value to evaluate the health risks of carcinogens, when the Risk value between 10-6 to10-4 as an acceptable level.@*Results@#The daily average concentrations of PM2.5 was 83.0 μg/m3, 77.0 μg/m3 in Chengguan and Xigu Districts, respectively, during the sampling periods, and the concentration of PM2.5 in winter/spring was higher than summer/fall in both districts. The concentration of Al in PM2.5 was the highest and other elements in descending order: Pb, Mn, As, Sb/Cd, Tl in both districts. Enrichment factor results showed that Al and Mn were mainly affected by natural factors, the rest of five elements were all typical man-made pollution elements and according to geo-accumulation index pollution level of Cd was the strongest in the winter. The results of health risk assessment showed that Mn had the highest non-cancer risks (HQ>1) and affected the health of the children seriously. HQ reached up to 2.44 and 1.79 in Chengguan and Xigu Districts, respectively. Pb, As, Sb, Cd had slight health impact (HQ<1), could be negligible. The cancer risks range of As, Cr were 6.33×10-6 to 6.46×10-5 between the acceptable level of risk (10-6 to 10-4), which indicated that As and Cd had potential cancer-risks.@*Conclusions@#The pollution level of atmospheric PM2.5 and the heavy metals in it was still grim;the non-cancer risks caused by multiple metals on children deserved attention. Although the cancer risks of As and Cd were between the acceptable level of risk, the potential cancer risk still shall not be ignored.
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Objective To investigate and compare the effects of PM2.5 in ambient air samples collected from nickel and nonickel contaminated areas on inflammatory factors in the serum of rats.Methods The air PM2.5 of the nickel-contaminated area and the control area were collected and detected for some major elements.Forty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 10 groups,6 in each,which were respectively instilled with saline,suspended PM2.5 fluid of the nickel-contaminated area and the control area of 3 different doses(1.6,8.0,40.0 mg/kg) through the trachea.The rats were sacrificed 24 hours after being treated with PM2.5.The levels of IL-6,CRP in serum were examined.Results There was no significant difference in the level of PM2.5 between the two areas,the concentration of Ni in the nickel-polluted area was 48.75 times as that in the non-polluted area.A good dose-dependent manner was found in the test of IL-6 in nickel-contaminated groups.CRP was found significantly higher in the nickel-contaminated group and the control group than the saline control group(P
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Objective To explore the acute effects of nickel in air PM2.5 on the cardiovascular system of rats.Methods The air PM2.5 of nickel-contaminated area and control area were collected and determined for some major metal elements.42 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 10 groups,6 rats in each,the rats were instilled through trachea with saline,PM2.5 suspension of nickel-contaminated area and the control area respectively,at different doses(low,moderate and high dose).24 hours later,all the rats were killed for the determination of sVCAM-1 in the blood and MCP-1 in the myocardial tissue.Results The concentration of nickel in the air PM2.5 of nickel-contaminated area was found to be about 50 times higher than that in the control area.A good dose-response relationship was found in MCP-1 determination of the heart tissue in nickel-contaminated groups,and there were significant differences between nickel-contaminated area group and other groups(P﹤0.05).As for the sVCAM-1 in the serum,it was significant higher in the nickel-contaminated group and control group than the saline control group(P﹤0.05).Among the groups of nickel-contaminated area and control area,significant differences were found between the moderate and high dose groups.Conclusion The air PM2.5 from nickel-contaminated area has an obvious effect on the MCP-1 and sVCAM-1 of rats,the nickel in the air PM2.5 is likely the main contributing factor.
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Objective To study the effect of sand storm on the activity of saliva lysozyme of middle school students and pupils.Methods 452 subjects aged 8-17 years,living in the areas where the sand storm happened frequently and infrequently,were selected with the stratified sampling and cluster sampling methods in May 2007.The activity of saliva lysozyme in saliva was measured by turbidimetric method.Results Compared with the areas where the sand storm happened frequently,in the infrequent areas,the activity of lysozyme of the boys in 12,14,16 ～17 age groups and of the girls in 12 and 14 age groups significantly decreased(P﹤0.05 or P﹤0.01).The activity of saliva lysozyme of the areas where the sand storm happened frequently was concerned with gender,age,time of daily outdoor activity during the sand storm.Conclusion Sand storm can cause the activity of saliva lysozyme decrease in the middle school students and pupils.
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Objectlive To explore the health effects of passive smoking on children. Methods During the period of March 1,2000-Feb. 28, 2001, the frequencies of respiratory diseases (eg. cold,chathitis,pneumonia and asthma)were investigated among 1031 4-6-year old children in 4 day-care nursing schools in Lanzhou, 485 children of which were selected for the determinations of the concentration of sulphocyanate,bacteriolytic enzyme and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, lgM)in saliva. Results The proportion of the numbers of children suffering from respiratory diseases and cold at least 4 times per year to all of 1031 children increased with the increase of intensity of passive smoking exposure (respiratory disease: X2=13,8, P
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Objective To investigate the influence of passive smoking to pregnant woman's and fetus's health by the detection of biomarker. Methods A questionnaires about passive smoking made by ourselves were answered by 236 pregnant women including quantity and the number of year of smoking in the family and working places. At the same time pregnant woman's saliva, venous blood, urine and umbilical cord blood were collected. The sulphocyanate in their saliva was determined with pyridine-barbiturate method; the cotinine in venous blood, urine and umbilical cord blood were determined with barbiturate method. Results The content of sulphocyanate in saliva was different upon the quantity of passive smoking of pregnant women; there were significant differences had been seen among groups of passive smoking in cotinine in venous blood, urine and umbilical cord blood. Conclusion The contents of cotinine in venous blood, urine and umbilical cord blood are biomarkers of pregnant woman subjected to passive smoking, and passive smoking of pregnant woman will influence the health of pregnant woman and fetus.
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site C. As for the pulmonary function indexes, site A
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Objective To assess the level of environmental hormone (EH) in Lanzhou reach of the Yellow River and to find the pollutant sources and pollution routes. Methods Solid phase extraction (SPE), gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography (GC-FID) were employed to determine EH in the water samples. Results 10 kinds of EH were detected, of which 6 were the priority control pollutants determined by the American EPA and 6 were predominant pollutants in China. 10 EH detected in Lanzhou reach of the Yellow River included naphthalene, phenanthrene, DBP, DEHP and benzothiazole and the detection rates of the five EH were 40%, 60%, 100%, 100% and 20% respectively. Conclusion The predominant environmental hormone pollutants in Lanzhou reach of the Yellow River are PAEs, PAHs, heterocycles, phenols and the main source of these pollutants is the waste water of petroleum chemical industry.
