Human Exposure to ultrafine particles and its importance

1. Human Exposure to
ultrafine particles: and
its importance
Slides made by:
Samrat Gurung
LA Grandee International College
Pokhara, Nepal

2. Outlines-
1.Introduction
2.Rationale-
3.Findings
4.Objective
5.Conclusion
6.Recommendation
7.References

3. INTRODUCTION-
 Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are particulate matter of
nanoscale size (less than 0.1 μm or 100 nm in diameter).
 Ultrafine particles (UFPs), which include carbonaceous
or metallic particles less than or equal to 0.1 μm (100
nm) in size, are an important component of PM2.5 and
PM10 .
 PM10 rating as an example represents the weight of
particles that have a diameter smaller than 10
micrometer.

4.  Ultra-fine particles are hazardous and penetrate
and deposit deeper in the lungs than coarser
particles.
 When PM 2.5 levels go above roughly 35
micrograms per cubic meter of air, it can
become a major health problem.
 UFPs have a variety of applications in the
medical and technology fields

6.  Sources of ultra-fine particles
 Airborne particles originate from many natural and man-
made sources (e.g. sand dust, fires, diesel smoke, sea
salt). Ultra-fine particles are only generated at very high
temperatures, such as combustion processes. One can
think of wood fires, car engines, industry, cooking fumes
and cigarette smoke.
 UFPs typically are generated through combustion of
biomass (e.g., tobacco smoking, wood burning, incense
burning) or fossil fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas, diesel).
 Toner (carbon black) from copiers, laser printers and
welding-fumes or nano-materials are important sources
as well.

7.  Examples of workplaces with high concentration
levels-
 Workplaces with potentially high concentrations are
typically found at roadsides, at airport platforms, in
engineered nano-particle production sites, and in the
metalworking industry (welding, cutting, melting).

8.  The ultra-fine particle concentration indoors or
outdoors are not constant.
 The ultra-fine particle concentration outdoors
depends on many factors: e.g. the amount of
traffic, the occurrence of other ultra-fine particle
sources, the wind and weather conditions.
 Indoor quality is dependent on the connection
with outdoor, air treatment systems filtering
quality and indoor ultra-fine particle sources.

9. Rationale-
 UFPs typically are generated through
combustion of biomass (e.g., tobacco
smoking, wood burning, incense burning) or
fossil fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas, diesel). The
use of these source of energy is very high
especially in village area.
 Likewise, large number of Nepalese people
are victim of respiratory infection and these
ultrafine particles further decorates their
health.

10. Objective-
 General Objective-
 To access about human exposure to ultrafine
particles and the importance of indoor
source
 Specific Objectives-
 To identify the impacts of ultrafine particle
on human health
 To identify the importance of indoor source

11. Findings-
Toxic nature of ultrafine particles
UFPs might be more toxic than larger
particulate matter for several reasons.
 First, their small diameter enables UFPs to
penetrate deep into the lungs more easily
than larger particles. majority of larger
particles deposit in the extrathoracic region
and bronchi, UFPs deposit at much higher
rates in the bronchioles and alveoli.

12.  Second, UFPs are cleared less efficiently from the
respiratory tract than larger particles and thus have
more opportunity to translocate from the lung into
the bloodstream and into other organ systems.
 Third, UFPs have a greater surface area to mass ratio
compared to larger particles, providing a larger area
to adsorb potentially toxic chemicals or metals and
interface with pulmonary surfaces.

13.  These health effects can be divided in short term
and long-term effects.
 Long-term effects are lung diseases, but also
increased risk of heart and brain problems.
 Short-term effects are increased mortality and
morbidity.
 Especially children, elderly people and people
with lung problems like asthma are vulnerable to
ultra-fine particle air pollution.

14. Health impacts-
 In recent years, scientists have investigated the health
effects of airborne particles and of ultra-fine particles in
particular. They are finding convincing results indicating
that airborne particles damage our health.
 In short, statistical evidence has been found that acute
negative health effects related with increased levels of
airborne particles include:
 Increased use of asthma medication
 Asthma attacks in patients having asthma
 COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) attacks
 Hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases
 Deaths from heart attacks, strokes and respiratory
problems

15.  Beside these acute health effects on people
with high susceptibility towards particles,
scientists also expect a long-term effect on
normal people: life expectancy decreases
significantly as a result of high particle
concentrations.

16. Relation between the indoor and outdoor ultra-
fine particle concentration-
 The ventilation of buildings and the indoor
sources determine the relation between indoor
and outdoor concentrations.
 In older, naturally ventilated buildings, ultra-fine
particles penetrate very easily. In modern,
mechanically ventilated buildings, the quality of
the air filters determines the intake of ultra-fine
particles.
 Average filters only have an efficiency of up to
40% for ultra-fine particles. Furthermore, indoor
sources like kitchens, smoking rooms, laser
printers, copiers should not be neglected.

17. Importance of ultrafine particles-
 Ultrafine particles occur as components of
urban environmental particulate air pollution.
 Environmental particulate air pollution is
measured by a global sampling convention
called PM10 that measures the mass of particles
collected with a 50% efficiency for particles .
 The respirable fraction, which penetrates to the
unciliated regions of the lung, is approximated
by an analogous PM2.5 convention, which is
now being considered in the United States as
the standard.

18. Other importance-
 UFPs have a variety of applications in the medical
and technology fields.
 They are used in diagnostic imagining, and novel
drug delivery systems that include targeting the
circulatory system, and or passage of the blood
brain barrier to name just a few.
 Certain UFPs like silver based have antimicrobial
properties that are exploited in wound healing
and internal instrumental coatings among other
uses, in order to prevent infections.

19. Environmental Performance Index
Report 2017-
Best Five Countries
 Switzerland 87.42
 France 83.95
 Denmark 81.60
 Malta 80.90
 Sweden 80.51
Worst Five Countries
 176. Nepal 31.44
 177. India 30.57
 178. DR Congo 30.41
 178. Bangladesh 29.56
 180. Burundi 27.43

20.  Nepal was 176 ranked the for air-quality
among 180 countries, according to the EPI
report which highlighted air pollution as a
leading threat to public health. Nepal stands as
fifth worst country for air pollution

21. Recent Trends and innovation-
 Standardization and regulation on both engineered
nanoparticles and ultrafine particles are being
developed by several bodies like ISO, OECD, EPA
and CEN.
 Philips has currently developed two products based
on the Aerasense technology: the portable
NanoTracer and the fix-mount NanoMonitor.
 The Aerasense business venture wishes to
collaborate with professionals who share the
objective of protecting people against the harmful
effects of ultra-fine and nano-particles.

22. NanoMonitor
 NanoTracer

23. Public Health Importance-
 These ultrafine particles are the important
causes for the respiratory health problem.
 According to Environmental Performance
index Nepal has ranked in the 5th worst
country for air pollution. Hence special
focus should be given.
 UFPs also has a variety of applications in the
medical and technology fields. Its should be
properly utilized.

24. Conclusion-
 From this study it is concluded that there is
high exposure of human to the ultrafine
particles as Nepal has ranked in the 5th worst
position. The combustion of bio mass and
fossil fules should be reduced and these UFP
should be properly utilized in medical field.

25. Recommendation-
 Alternatives sources of energy should be
used rather than the bio mass and fossil fuel.
 Government commitment toward reducing
the ultrafine particles.
 Prodrive Technologies’ Ultra Fine Particle
sensing system enables air quality
measurement in interiors and outdoor

26. References-
 https://prodrive-technologies.com/products/ultra-
fine-particle-sensor/
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrafine_particle
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S01
6041201400018X
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/978081
5514046
 http://oem.bmj.com/content/58/3/211
 http://www.aerasense.com/index.php?pageID=6

27. THANK YOU!!!!