2. Presentation Objectives
To increase the awareness upon you, local and state
government officials, on the respiratory health effects
stemming from air pollutants concentrated in
specified regions, with high concentrated traffic
(urban areas)
To prevail upon policymakers on the efficacy of
mitigating this problem, through implementation and
establishment of regulations and policies that focus on
rebuilding the built environment to increase air
quality
3. Presentation Outline
Define and Lists Environments for Air Quality
Determine the sources and formation of Outdoor Air Pollution
Discuss how these air pollutants induce increased incidence in
respiratory conditions and related hospitalizations
Discuss studied disparities in the distributed proportions of air
pollutants across regional areas, with high traffic concentration
(urban cities)
Discuss the mitigations and solutions to ameliorate the air
quality within these regions (regulations and policies)
4. Environmental Health
Environmental Health is “the segment of Public Health concerned
with assessing, understanding, and controlling the impacts of people
on their environment and the impacts of the environment on them”.
Environmental Health spectrum includes: food safety, air quality,
occupational safety, waste disposal and liquid disposal & water
quality and safety
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University
Press.
5. Air Quality
Air Pollution is defined as “the presence in the air of
substances in concentrations sufficient to interfere
with health, comfort, safety, or the full use and
enjoyment of property”.
Air pollution occurs into two different environments:
-Indoor Air Pollution
-Outdoor Air Pollution
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University
Press.
6. Outdoor Pollution
Sources of outdoor pollution can be man-made and
natural.
Natural encompasses: forest fires, volcanic eruptions,
biological decay, and lightning that form sulfur and
nitrogen oxides
Man-made encompasses: fossil fuels (oils, coal, & gas),
road vehicles, & power stations
These sources release byproducts that induce health
consequences to the ecosystem
Buchdahl, J. & Hare, S. 2000. Outdoor Air Pollution, retrieved from,
http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Air_Quality/Older/Outdoor_Air_Pollution.ht
ml
7. Outdoor Pollution
Byproducts of Man-Made Gaseous Air Pollutants
- Carbon Monoxide (CO)
- Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
- Ozone (O3)
- Particulates
- Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard University Press
8. Air Pollutant Formation
Fossil Fuels from car emissions release volatile organic
compounds, containing mostly carbon, along with
other compounds such as oxygen and nitrogen
Once released into the atmosphere, heat and
ultraviolet light react with VOCs to form gaseous air
pollutants
11. Air Pollution Health Affects
The most common pathway for intake of environment
contaminants are the lungs
Some particles , depending on size and aerodynamics
can deposit at different areas on the lungs
Remaining pollutants within the lungs or prolonged
exposure can induce chronic conditions
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard
University Press
12. Aerodynamics of Air Pollutants
Gaseous air pollutants are small in size and relatively
high aerodynamics, allowing for rapid deposition into
the small bronchiolar and alveolar regions
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard
University Press
13. Air Pollution Health Affects
According to studies, up to 8% of Americans suffer from
chronic lung conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema, or
asthma caused or aggravated by air pollution
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard
University Press
14. Air Pollutants and Asthma
Association
One 18 year study completed in Southern California
concluded that O3 (ozone) contributes to increased
hospitalizations for children with asthma
Another study concluded that the prevalence of childhood
asthmatic symptoms was about 4% higher at the high O3
areas than at the low O3 areas.
Moore, K., Neugebauer, R., Lurmann, F., Hall, J. et al. 2008. Ambient Ozone Concentrations
Cause Increased Hospitalizations for Asthma in Children: An 18- year Study in Southern
California. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8), 1063-1069
Sousa, S.I.V., Alvim-Ferraz, M.C.M, Martins, F.G., & Pereira, M.C. 2009. Ozone exposure and
its Influence on the Worsening of Childhood Asthma. Allergy, 64, 1046-1065.
15. High Traffic Regions and Air
Pollution
One study has examined and concluded that areas of
high trafficked roads (intra-urban communities) was
associated with increased incidence in respiratory
conditions.
Another study concluded that high fossil fuel release
into the atmosphere is associated with increase
incidence and risk for development of asthma or other
respiratory conditions in children
Padhi, B.K. & Padhy, P.K. 2008. Assessment of Intra-Urban Variability in Outdoor
Air Quality and Its Health Risk. Inhalation Toxicology, 20, 973-979
Perera, F.P. 2008. Children are Likely to suffer Most from Our Fossil Fuel
Addiction. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8), 987-990.
16. Environmental Stewardship Model
Focus on the Environment first, is the imperative
factor in ameliorating this problem
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard
University Press
Environment
Public Disease Death
17. Air Pollution Preventions
Focus on the Built Environment
- planting of trees
- walkability
- alternate routes
Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy Neighborhoods:
Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1-18.
18. Air Pollution Preventions
Planting of trees decreases the amount of air
pollutants, through absorption into its leaves
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston: Harvard
University Press
19. Air Pollution Preventions
Increasing a walkable community; more sidewalks and
walkways to induce bicycle riding and walking to
commute
Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy Neighborhoods:
Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1-18.
20. Air Pollution Preventions
Rebuilding alternate routes of travel through urban
cities to reduce concentrated car emission fuels
Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy Neighborhoods:
Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives, 1-18.
21. Air Pollution Preventions
One study concludes that in order to decrease air
pollutants released into the atmosphere, trip and
travel length needs to be the focus for demand
management measures
The study also concludes that policies at the local,
national, and even international levels needs to blend
technical improvements to vehicles, with reduced
growth in journey lengths.
Potter, S. 2007. Exploring Approaches Towards a Sustainable Transport
System. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 1, 115-131.
22. Air Pollution Preventions
You, the Local & State policymakers should endeavor
to establish regulations and policies to modify the
built environment by:
- planting of more trees to absorb gaseous air
pollutants
- building more walkways to increase walkability
and decrease car dependency
- building of alternate routes of travel to decrease
concentrated air pollutants in urban communities
23. Summary
Air Pollution imposes a problem on the health of the
environment
Areas of high gaseous pollutants (O3, NO2, CO) can
induce higher rates of respiratory conditions and
respiratory hospitalizations; emphasis on asthma
High gaseous pollutants tend to be highly
concentrated in regions of high traffic and car
congestion, lower walkability and less plants
24. Summary
Local & State policymakers can focus on rebuilding the
built environment; planting of more trees and
building more walkways to induce walking and bicycle
riding; less propensity to drive
You, Local & State Policymakers must set regulations
on producing alternate routes to decrease
concentration of traffic through urban neighborhoods
25. ReferencesBuchdahl, J. & Hare, S. 2000. Outdoor Air Pollution, retrieved
from,
http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Air_Quality/Older/Outdoor_Ai
r_Pollution.html
Kozyrskyj, A.L., Kendall, G.E., Jacoby, P., Sly, P.D., Zubrick, S.R.
2008. Association Between Socioeconomic Status and the
Development of Asthma: Analyses of Income Trajectories.
American Journal of Public Health, 100(3), 540-546.
Lin, M., Chen, Y., Villeneuve, P.J., Burnett, R.T., Lemrye, L., et. al.
2004. Gaseous Air Pollutants and Asthma Hospitalization of
Children with Low Household Income in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada. American Journal of Epidemiology, 159(3),
294-303
Marshall, J.D., Brauer, M., & Frank, L.D. 2010. Healthy
Neighborhoods: Walkability and Air Pollution. Environmental
Health Perspectives, 1-18.
Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental health (3rd ed.). Boston:
Harvard University Press
26. References
Moore, K., Neugebauer, R., Lurmann, F., Hall, J. et al. 2008.
Ambient Ozone Concentrations Cause Increased
Hospitalizations for Asthma in Children: An 18- year Study in
Southern California. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8),
1063-1069
Padhi, B.K. & Padhy, P.K. 2008. Assessment of Intra-Urban
Variability in Outdoor Air Quality and Its Health Risk.
Inhalation Toxicology, 20, 973-979
Perera, F.P. 2008. Children are Likely to suffer Most from Our Fossil
Fuel Addiction. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(8), 987-
990.
Sousa, S.I.V., Alvim-Ferraz, M.C.M, Martins, F.G., & Pereira, M.C.
2009. Ozone exposure and its Influence on the Worsening of
Childhood Asthma. Allergy, 64, 1046-1065.
27. Further Readings
Kozyrskyj, A.L., Kendall, G.E., Jacoby, P., Sly, P.D., Zubrick, S.R.
2008. Association Between Socioeconomic Status and the
Development of Asthma: Analyses of Income Trajectories.
American Journal of Public Health, 100(3), 540-546.
Lin, M., Chen, Y., Villeneuve, P.J., Burnett, R.T., Lemrye, L., et. al.
2004. Gaseous Air Pollutants and Asthma Hospitalization of
Children with Low Household Income in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada. American Journal of Epidemiology, 159(3),
294-303.
Cunha, S.S., Rodriguez, M.P., Barreto, M.L., Genser, B., &
Rodrigues, L.C. 2007. Ecological Study of socio-economic
indicators and prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren in urban
Brazil. BMC Public Health, 7, 1-6.
Editor's Notes
Hello Everyone; Local and State Governors. My name is Michele West-Lax. I am a graduate student within the Master’s of Public Health program at Walden University. We will be discussing gaseous air pollutants and its association to respiratory conditions.
The presentation objectives are first to increase the awareness amongst you the policymakers of air pollution, induced by increased dependency on cars and high concentrated trafficked areas, inducing respiratory conditions, such as asthma. Policymakers can implement effective strategies to mitigate this problem by establishing regulations and policies that focus on rebuilding the built environment to increase air quality.
The objectives of this presentation are to first define and list environments for air quality; list and discuss sources of outdoor pollution (where and how these pollutants are being produced); outdoor pollution’s affect on the health of the population, with emphasis on asthma; discuss and cover disparities seen in the distributions of outdoor pollutants as concern with regional and socio-economic status, and finally the solutions to mitigate these distributed disparities. Studies will be covered to strengthen viewpoints mentioned.
Environmental Health’s endeavor is to assess and control the impacts of the environment of the population and the population’s impact on the environment. There is reversible relationship between the environment and the population, with an equal homeostatic balance needed for both to main its full function. Environmental health examines different aspects of the environment, food, water, waste disposal (solid & liquid), and air.
In order to fully comprehend the topic at hand, let us begin by defining what air pollution is. (Read the definition above). Air Pollution can occur into two different environments: outdoor and indoor. Indoor composes of a closed environment, being at home, school or place of occupation. Outdoor air pollution is an open environment, consisting of outside of the home, school, and place of occupation (our atmosphere).
There are two different sources for outdoor pollutions; one being natural and the another being man-made. Natural air pollutants include, volcanic eruptions, lightening, forest fires, that when released are subjected to chemical atmospheric reactions. Man-made air pollutants are compounds produced by the human population, for the running of our cars and power stations, that release fossil fuels that too react and form volatile organic compounds within the atmosphere. All once released into the atmosphere, can have dire affects upon the health of those living within it.
These atmospheric byproducts, one the primary source is released into the atmosphere, chemical reactions (incomplete combustion and/or heat) transform them into these volatile compounds. These compounds, if inhaled, can induce respiratory conditions.
Fossil fuels, emitted from car emissions are released into the atmosphere. Once the volatile organic compounds are released, they react with other atmospheric moleculues, such as UV (ultraviolet light) and heat (forms of radiation). These chemical reactions form gaseous air pollutants, CO, NO2, and O3, which are inhaled and induce respiratory conditions.
Analyzing this picture, this is a depiction of the products and byproducts of pollutants. The car emissions release volatile organic compounds, react with the ultraviolet light added to heat, that formulated NO2, CO, and O3 within the atmosphere.
Here is an example of one of the formations of the air pollutants. Volatile compounds are released into the atmosphere, react with UV light , heat, and oxygen to form O3 ozone. Studies concerning ozone and its health effects will be discussed later.
The lungs are the most common intake of environmental particles, with dependency on the size of these particles and the time exposure to these particles can lead to chronic disorders. The longevity of the deposition of these particles can induce chronic respiratory conditions.
Pollutant particles deposition into the lungs depends on size and aerodynamics (air flow into the lungs). Gaseous air pollutants deposit in the alveolar regions of the lungs (very deep into the lungs, indicating they are rather small in particle size.
Studies have examined the associations of air pollutants and chronic lung conditions, and concluded that up to 8% are caused and/or associated with air pollutant exposures.
Studies have shown that with increase air pollutants, particularly ozone, is associated with increased asthma symptoms and hospitalizations, especially in areas with high ozone levels. High ozone levels aggravate asthma symptoms. California, especially southern California, heavily depends on cars for travel, increasing fossil fuels emissions into the atmosphere.
Studies have shown an association between high trafficked areas and increase incidence in respiratory conditions, especially asthma. High trafficked areas have higher atmospheric pollutants, such as O3, NO2, and CO due to increase car exhaust and emissions, which release fossil fuels (volatile organic compounds) into the atmosphere. Urban communities, cities and metropolitan areas, are concentrated with high traffic, leading to increases fossil fuel emissions into the atmosphere allowing for atmospheric reactions to take place forming gaseous air pollutants.
The environmental stewardship model, far superior model to adhere by, goal is to protect the human population by preventing environmental degradation and its resulting impacts on health. In the instance of air pollutants, this model is imperative to follow in mitigating the respiratory condition induced by exposures to air pollutants by first focusing on ways to decrease and prevent air pollutants from forming within the environment; focus on the environment to protect human exposure.
These solutions in mitigation of this problem, is the planting of trees, increasing walkability within the community, and providing alternate routes of travel. Specifics will later be discussed.
Studies have shown that areas of higher greenery have high air quality. The planting of trees provides sticky surfaces and increases absorption of gaseous particles released and formed in the atmosphere, thus decreasing the pollutant concentration.
Studies have shown that areas of high urbanization, have lower walkability, leading to increase dependency on cars for travel. Studies have shown that, with increase walkways (producing a walkable environment), there would be an increase propensity to bicycle ride and walk to areas of destination, rather than drive (less car dependency). This would decrease the amount of car emissions (fossil fuels) released into the atmosphere for further reactivity and gaseous air pollutant formations.
Providing and building alternate routes of travel would decrease the concentration of cars within high urban and city regions. In many cities, people tend to utilize main highways and major streets to get to areas of work and back home. These areas are most of the time residential, increasing their exposure to gaseous air pollutants. These are the areas where high gaseous air pollutants would be disproportionately concentrated.
Studies have shown that decreases in demand for long distance travels would decrease the amount of air pollutants within the atmosphere. In order for this to be achieved, policies requires implementation at the local, national, and even international levels. The policies can modify roads or improve technology to vehicles.
Policymakers, such as local and state government officials, can implement laws and policies on modifying the built environment; producing more walkways and planting more trees (increase greenery), and building alternate routes of travel to reduce amount of concentrated traffic within urban areas.
Air pollution poses a problem on the health of the population, leading to problems with respiratory health. Areas where there is a higher concentration of gaseous air pollutants, will be directly relational to the higher incidences in respiratory conditions and respiratory related hospitalizations. Areas with high traffic will have higher concentrations of air pollutants; they will also have a lower walkability and less plants.
Policymakers, such as yourselves, can mitigate this problem by focusing on modifications on the built environment, producing and building walkways and alternate routes of travel. Also planting of trees to absorb the air pollutants. Regulations can also be established to reduce the amount of concentrated traffic in the urban communities.
These are the references to verify the ascertainment of information and for further knowledge and information on the studies.
These are references that you can utilize at your own leisure to enhance and gain a greater understanding of this problem..
Please utilize this time to ask me any questions. Thank you for lending your ears and minds to this presentation.
