The impact of stay-home policies during Coronavirus-19 pandemic on the chemical and toxicological characteristics of ambient PM2.5 in the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy.

The goal of this study was to characterize changes in components and toxicological properties of PM2.5 during the nationwide 2019-Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions in Milan, Italy. Time-integrated PM2.5 filters were collected at a residential site in Milan metropolitan area from April 11th to June 3rd at 2020, encompassing full-lockdown (FL), the followed partial-lockdown (PL2), and full-relaxation (FR) periods of COVID-19 restrictions. The collected filters were analyzed for elemental and organic carbon (EC/OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), individual organic species (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and levoglucosan), and metals. According to online data, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and benzene (C6H6) levels significantly decreased during the entire COVID-19 period compared to the same time span in 2019, mainly due to the government-backed shutdowns and curtailed road traffic. Similarly, with a few exceptions, surrogates of tailpipe emissions (e.g., traffic-associated PAHs) as well as re-suspended road dust (e.g., Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Ti) were relatively lower during FL and PL2 periods in comparison with year 2019, whereas an increasing trend in mass concentration of mentioned species was observed from FL to PL2 and FR phases due to the gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions. In contrast, comparable concentrations of ambient PM2.5 and black carbon (BC) between lockdown period and the same time span in 2019 were attributed to the interplay between decreased road traffic and elevated domestic biomass burning as a result of adopted stay-home strategies. Finally, the curtailed road traffic during FL and PL2 periods led to ~25% drop in the PM2.5 oxidative potential (measured via 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCFH) and dithiothreitol (DTT) assays) with respect to the FR period as well as the same time span in 2019. The results of this study provide insights into the changes in components and oxidative potential of PM2.5 in the absence of road traffic during COVID-19 restrictions.

[Observed smoking in car: results of a study of the Regional Health Prevention Service of Veneto, Northern Italy]. / La prevalenza dell'abitudine a fumare in automobile: i risultati dello studio osservazionale in Veneto.

OBJECTIVE: to estimate the prevalence of smokers inside cars or duty vehicles and the presence of children exposed to second hand smoke on board, in the NHS districts of Veneto Region. DESIGN: an observational study was carried out by the technicians of the Prevention department from October 1st to October 17th 2008. The observers had to record sex of the driver and of the passengers, their presumed ages, verify if drivers or passengers were smoking, and if there were any children on board. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 19 Local Health Authorities (90,5%) out of 21 in the Veneto region. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: percentage of crossings monitored out of the total scheduled. RESULTS: a total of 5,928 cars were examined at the crossings, males accounted for 61,4% of the drivers. Smoking overall by at least one person in the car was reported in 409 cases (6.9%, 12% among commercial vehicles), the driver alone was smoking in 87.3% of the cases, whereas only the passenger smoking represented 8.3% of the cases. Both the driver and passenger smoking were 4.4% of the observations. Children were present as passengers in 762 cars (12.9%); there were people smoking with children on board in 7 cars (0.9%). CONCLUSION: in spite of the efforts to limit the dangers of second hand smoke, smoking in car is still a common behaviour, and represents a serious risk both for both, adults and children. Focusing in research projects could help the Department of Prevention of the Local Health Authorities to increase their activities and involvement in the research field.

[Smoking in car: monitoring pollution of particulate matter, of organic volatile compounds and of carbon monoxide. The effect of opening the driver's window]. / Fumare in macchina: l'inquinamento da polveri, da composti organici volatili e da monossido di carbonio. L'effetto dell'apertura del finestrino.

OBJECTIVE: to identify the most suitable marker for monitoring ETS inside a moving car, and to verify the efficacy of window opening to reduce ETS pollution inside the car. DESIGN: experimental pilot study. SSETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: monitoring of ETS markers in a moving car. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: we used real time analyzers to measure: n particulate matter as mass (mug/m3, PM1, PM2.5, PM10); n suspended particle number (total number of particles sized >0.3 e >0.4 mum; n the number of particles with aerodynamic size between 0.3-0.4 mum in diameter; n total volatile organic compounds (TVOC); n carbon monoxide (CO). The recordings were carried out inside a car moving on the road at the speed of 50 km/h, with controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity. RESULTS: after lighting a cigarette, with driver's window closed, the levels of all the pollutants increased dramatically, with peaks of 700 mug/m3 for PM2.5 and PM10, and of over 600,000 particles/ liter, while TVOC reached values up to 6,000 mug/m3 and CO up to 6 ppm. When a cigarette was lit with the window 1/4 open, excess pollution was promptly recorded, although with less intensity. With the window completely open, PM, TVOC and CO concentrations were hardly measurable as compared to background levels. On the contrary, particle number increased dramatically up to over 300,000/liter, mostly due to the submicrometric particle fraction in the range 0.3-0.4 mum. CONCLUSION: smoking just a cigarette inside a car represents an extremely high exposure to ETS. Partially opening the window is useless to prevent the accumulation of pollutants. Complete window opening is helpful to remove coarse PM and volatile pollutants, but is ineffective against submicrometer particles. Measuring particle number seems to be the best way to assess ETS pollution inside a car.

Efficacy of pins and diplomas as a reward for long-term smoking cessation.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Since 2004, the Antismoking Center of the National Cancer Institute of Milan has rewarded those who have been ex-smokers for longer than a year with a "former smoker" pin and a diploma. We investigated firstly whether these rewards contributed to maintain smoking withdrawal, secondly, which one of these was more appreciated and why, and thirdly, how they may have influenced the ex-smokers' perception of smoking and how this was reflected on those surrounding them (i.e., ex-smokers' personal and/or interpersonal areas). METHODS: A multiple-choice questionnaire was developed to investigate how much the rewards were appreciated and their effectiveness in maintaining smoking cessation. Moreover, smokers and non-smokers were asked about the impact of the pin. The questionnaire was completed on the phone by the last 100 ex-smokers who entered the pin and diploma program. RESULTS: All subjects appreciated the rewards, but only a few of them considered them as an aid to maintain long-term smoking cessation. Those who preferred the diploma stated that it represented a contribution to their self-esteem, an official recognition of being an ex-smoker, besides being something to show with pride to others. Those who preferred the pin principally stated it allowed them to be an example to other smokers. Most of the subjects reported that they wore the pin in several circumstances, raising interest and admiration. CONCLUSIONS: Rewarding ex-smokers one year after smoking cessation with a small prize may be a useful practice to improve the doctor-patient relationship, which is vital to maintain smoking cessation, and to boost the awareness of the availability of aids to reach this objective.

[The effects of the traffic restriction fee (Ecopass) in the center of Milan on urban pollution with particulate matter: the results of a pilot study]. / L'effetto del provvedimento di restrizione del traffico nel centro di Milano (Ecopass) sull'inquinamento urbano da polveri: i risultati di uno studio pilota.

BACKGROUND: the city of Milan introduced a traffic charging zone in city center in January 2008, named Ecopass. AIM OF THE STUDY: to compare PM1, PM2,5 and PM10 levels in and outside the restricted area before and after the enforcement of the charging scheme. METHODS: PM1, PM2,5 and PM10 exposures were measured by means of pre-calibrated portable laser-operated particle analyzers. PM10 data from the ARPA official monitoring stations were also evaluated. RESULTS: during a walking trip from Piazza Loreto (outside) to Piazza Duomo (inside Ecopass zone) and back, mean (SD) PM1, PM2,5 and PM10 were 31 (6), 68 (24) and 93 (37) microg/m3 inside the Ecopass zone, and 32 (6), 70 (37), 98 (48) microg/m3 in the outer area, respectively (not significant, ns). In another trip walking from Piazza Buonarroti to Piazza Duomo and back, PM1, PM2,5 and PM10 levels were 56 (2), 183 (14) and 245 (28) microg/m3 inside the Ecopass zone, and 58 (3), 197 (13) and 247 (24) microg/m3 in the outer area, respectively (ns). In the measurements taken from a car moving in three ring belts--one inside the restricted zone, and two outer radial orbitals--PM1, PM2,5 and PM10 levels were found 41 (1), 110 (8) and 148 (16) microg/m3 inside the Ecopass area, 42 (3), 116 (14) and 152 (28) microg/m3 along the middle belt, and 39 (4), 102 (15) and 127 (23) microg/m3 along the greater Milan orbital ("Tangenziale"), respectively (ns). Mean (SD) PM10 levels from ARPA in the two months before the enforcement were 71.2 (32.6) and 74.8 (38.4) microg/m3, in the Ecopass zone and outside, respectively while after the enforcement were 67.3 (36.4) and 70.9 (38.3) microg/m3 of PM10, respectively (ns). CONCLUSIONS: no signficant improvement in air quality was observed after the enforcement of the Ecopass charging zone in Milan. In spite of their limitations, the present data confirm that small scale reductions in particle emissions are not sufficient to reach the goal of an improvement in air quality. Large scale, coordinated interventions on an inter-regional basis are envisioned.