Impact of traffic-related air pollution on acute changes in cardiac autonomic modulation during rest and physical activity: a cross-over study.

People are often exposed to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) during physical activity (PA), but it is not clear if PA modifies the impact of TRAP on cardiac autonomic modulation. We conducted a panel study among 28 healthy adults in Barcelona, Spain to examine how PA may modify the impact of TRAP on cardiac autonomic regulation. Participants completed four 2-h exposure scenarios that included either rest or intermittent exercise in high- and low-traffic environments.

Arterial blood pressure responses to short-term exposure to low and high traffic-related air pollution with and without moderate physical activity.

Background: Short-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) has been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Physical activity (PA) in polluted air may increase pollutant uptake and increase these effects.

Methods: Crossover real-world exposure study in 28 healthy participants comparing systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) responses to four different exposure scenarios: 2 h exposure in high or low-TRAP environment, each at rest and combined with intermittent moderate PA consisting of 15 min intervals alternating rest and cycling on a stationary bicycle.

Outdoor and indoor UFP in primary schools across Barcelona.

Indoor and outdoor measurements of real-time ultrafine particles (UFP; N10-700 in this study) number concentration and average diameter were collected twice at 39 primary schools located in Barcelona (Spain), with classrooms naturally ventilated under warm weather conditions. Simultaneous outdoor N concentration measurements at schools under different traffic exposures showed the important role of this source, with higher levels by 40% on average at schools near heavy traffic, highlighting thus the increased exposure of children due to urban planning decisions. A well-defined spatial pattern of outdoor UFP levels was observed.

High blood pressure and long-term exposure to indoor noise and air pollution from road traffic.

Background: Traffic noise has been associated with prevalence of hypertension, but reports are inconsistent for blood pressure (BP). To ascertain noise effects and to disentangle them from those suspected to be from traffic-related air pollution, it may be essential to estimate people's noise exposure indoors in bedrooms.

Objectives: We analyzed associations between long-term exposure to indoor traffic noise in bedrooms and prevalent hypertension and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) BP, considering long-term exposure to outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Sources of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations in primary schools.

Children spend a third of their day in the classroom, where air pollution levels may differ substantially from those outdoors due to specific indoor sources. Air pollution exposure assessments based on atmospheric particle mass measured outdoors may therefore have little to do with the daily PM dose received by school children. This study aims to investigate outdoor and indoor sources of PM2.

Child exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants in schools in Barcelona, Spain.

Proximity to road traffic involves higher health risks because of atmospheric pollutants. In addition to outdoor air, indoor air quality contributes to overall exposure. In the framework of the BREATHE study, indoor and outdoor air pollution was assessed in 39 schools in Barcelona.

Association of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution with blood pressure and hypertension in an adult population-based cohort in Spain (the REGICOR study).

Background: Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution may increase blood pressure (BP) and induce hypertension. However, evidence supporting these associations is limited, and they may be confounded by exposure to traffic noise and biased due to inappropriate control for use of BP-lowering medications.

Objectives: We evaluated the associations of long-term traffic-related air pollution with BP and prevalent hypertension, adjusting for transportation noise and assessing different methodologies to control for BP-lowering medications.

Association between long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and subclinical atherosclerosis: the REGICOR study.

Background: Epidemiological evidence of the effects of long-term exposure to air pollution on the chronic processes of atherogenesis is limited.

Objective: We investigated the association of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution with subclinical atherosclerosis, measured by carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and ankle-brachial index (ABI).

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data collected during the reexamination (2007-2010) of 2,780 participants in the REGICOR (Registre Gironí del Cor: the Gerona Heart Register) study, a population-based prospective cohort in Girona, Spain.

Monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in home outdoor air using moss bags.

One monitoring station is insufficient to characterize the high spatial variation of traffic-related heavy metals within cities. We tested moss bags (Hylocomium splendens), deployed in a dense network, for the monitoring of metals in outdoor air and characterized metals' long-term spatial distribution and its determinants in Girona, Spain. Mosses were exposed outside 23 homes for two months; NO₂ was monitored for comparison.

Local determinants of road traffic noise levels versus determinants of air pollution levels in a Mediterranean city.

Background: Both traffic-related noise and air pollution have been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Spatial correlations between these environmental stressors may entail mutual confounding in epidemiological studies investigating their long-term effects. Few studies have investigated their correlation - none in Spain - and results differ among cities.

Health changes in fishermen 2 years after clean-up of the Prestige oil spill.

Background: In 2002, the oil tanker Prestige spilled more than 67,000 tons of bunker oil, heavily contaminating the coast of northwestern Spain.

Objective: To assess respiratory effects and chromosomal damage in clean-up workers of the oil spill 2 years after the exposure.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Effect of fireworks events on urban background trace metal aerosol concentrations: is the cocktail worth the show?

We report on the effect of a major firework event on urban background atmospheric PM(2.5) chemistry, using 24-h data collected over 8 weeks at two sites in Girona, Spain. The firework pollution episode (Sant Joan fiesta on 23rd June 2008) measured in city centre parkland increased local background PM(2.

Association between modelled traffic-related air pollution and asthma score in the ECRHS.

The aim of our analysis was to study the association between air pollution and asthma among adults. For this goal, a previously developed "asthma score" was used. Persons aged 25-44 yrs were randomly selected (1991-1993) and followed up (2000-2002) within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS I and II, respectively).

Prolonged respiratory symptoms in clean-up workers of the prestige oil spill.

Rationale: The wreckage of the oil tanker Prestige in November 2002 produced heavy contamination off the coast of Galicia, Spain.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in local fishermen more than 1 year after having participated in clean-up work.

Methods: Questionnaires including qualitative and quantitative information about clean-up activities and respiratory symptoms were distributed among associates of 38 fishermen's cooperatives.

Performance of a high-volume cascade impactor in six European urban environments: mass measurement and chemical characterization of size-segregated particulate samples.

The performance of a modified Harvard high-volume cascade impactor (HVCI) was evaluated in six field campaigns with size-segregated particulate samplings for chemical and toxicological characterization. The 7-week sampling campaigns in 2002-2003 in Duisburg (autumn), Prague (winter), Amsterdam (winter), Helsinki (spring), Barcelona (spring), and Athens (summer) were selected to represent contrasting urban environments and seasons of public health interest due to high particulate concentrations or previous findings in epidemiological studies. Particulate samples were collected in parallel with the HVCI (PM(10-2.