BACKGROUND The impact of very low levels of air pollutants, particulate matter (PM10) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) concentrations, on human health is not well characterized. We examined the outcomes (30-day in-hospital mortality) of emergency hospitalizations of respiratory patients and the level of local pollutants on the day of admission. METHODS All emergency admissions (82,421 episodes in 44,...

The estimates of airborne fine particle (PM2.5) concentrations are possible through rigorous empirical correlations based on the monitored PM10 data. However, such correlations change depending on the nature of sources in diverse ambient environments and, therefore, have to be environment specific. Studies presenting such correlations are limited but needed, especially for those areas, where PM...

CONTEXT Health risks of fine particulate matter of 2.5 microm or less in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) have been studied extensively over the last decade. Evidence concerning the health risks of the coarse fraction of greater than 2.5 microm and 10 microm or less in aerodynamic diameter (PM10-2.5) is limited. OBJECTIVE To estimate risk of hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory ...

BACKGROUND The long-term health effects of coarse particular matter (PM10-2.5) are challenging to assess because of a limited understanding of the spatial variation in PM10-2.5 mass and its chemical components. OBJECTIVES We conducted a spatially intensive field study and developed spatial prediction models for PM10-2.5 mass and four selected species (copper, zinc, phosphorus, and silicon) in...

Soil analyses and measurements with the Portable In Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL) were conducted on 16 soil types in an area heavily affected by off-road vehicle (ORV) driving. Measurements were performed in ORV trails as well as on undisturbed terrain to investigate how ORV driving affects the vulnerability of a soil to emit PM10 (particles<10microm), during the driving as well as du...

Many epidemiological studies conducted in the last several years have reported associations between exposure to airborne particulate matter, measured as PM10 (<10 microm in diameter), and daily morbidity and mortality. However, much of the evidence involves effects on the elderly population; there is less evidence about the effects of particulates on children, especially those under 2 years of ...

BACKGROUND Panel studies have been used to investigate the short term effects of outdoor particulate air pollution across a wide range of environmental settings. AIMS To systematically review the results of such studies in children, estimate summary measures of effect, and investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. METHODS Studies were identified by searching electronic databases to Ju...

BACKGROUND Few epidemiologic studies have evaluated the effects of air pollution on the risk of Parkinson disease (PD). OBJECTIVE We investigated the associations of long-term residential concentrations of ambient particulate matter (PM) < 10 μm in diameter (PM10) and < 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in relation to PD risk. METHODS Our nested case-control analysis inc...

BACKGROUND Long-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with mortality in urban cohort studies. Few studies have investigated this association in large-scale population registries, including non-urban populations. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to evaluate the associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and nonaccidental and cause-specific mortality in the Netherl...