Quantifying the impact of residential heating on the urban air quality in a typical European coal combustion region.

The present investigation, carried out as a case study in a typical major city situated in a European coal combustion region (Krakow, Poland), aims at quantifying the impact on the urban air quality of residential heating by coal combustion in comparison with other potential pollution sources such as power plants, industry, and traffic. Emissions were measured for 20 major sources, including small stoves and boilers, and the particulate matter (PM) was analyzed for 52 individual compounds together with outdoor and indoor PM10 collected during typical winter pollution episodes. The data were analyzed using chemical mass balance modeling (CMB) and constrained positive matrix factorization (CMF) yielding source apportionments for PM10, B(a)P, and other regulated air pollutants namely Cd, Ni, As, and Pb.

Exposure to ambient concentrations of particulate air pollution does not influence vascular function or inflammatory pathways in young healthy individuals.

Background: Particulate air pollution is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events although the involved mechanisms are poorly understood. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of controlled exposure to ambient air fine and ultrafine particles on microvascular function and biomarkers related to inflammation, haemostasis and lipid and protein oxidation.

Methods: Twenty-nine subjects participated in a randomized, two-factor crossover study with or without biking exercise for 180 minutes and with 24 hour exposure to particle rich (number concentrations, NC: 11600 +/- 5600 per cm3, mass concentrations: 13.

Effects of ambient air particulate exposure on blood-gas barrier permeability and lung function.

Particulate air pollution is associated with increased risk of pulmonary diseases and detrimental outcomes related to the cardiovascular system, including altered vessel functions. This study's objective was too evaluate the effects of ambient particle exposure on the blood-gas permeability, lung function and Clara cell 16 (CC16) protein release in healthy young subjects. Twenty-nine nonsmokers participated in a randomized, two-factor crossover study with or without biking exercise for 180 min and with 24-h exposure to particle-rich (6169-15,362 particles/cm(3); 7.

Indoor particles affect vascular function in the aged: an air filtration-based intervention study.

Rationale: Exposure to particulate matter is associated with risk of cardiovascular events, possibly through endothelial dysfunction, and indoor air may be most important.

Objectives: We investigated effects of controlled exposure to indoor air particles on microvascular function (MVF) as the primary endpoint and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress as secondary endpoints in a healthy elderly population.

Methods: A total of 21 nonsmoking couples participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study with two consecutive 48-hour exposures to either particle-filtered or nonfiltered air (2,533-4,058 and 7,718-12,988 particles/cm(3), respectively) in their homes.

Exposure to ultrafine particles from ambient air and oxidative stress-induced DNA damage.

Background: Particulate matter, especially ultrafine particles (UFPs), may cause health effects through generation of oxidative stress, with resulting damage to DNA and other macromolecules.

Objective: We investigated oxidative damage to DNA and related repair capacity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) during controlled exposure to urban air particles with assignment of number concentration (NC) to four size modes with average diameters of 12, 23, 57, and 212 nm.

Design: Twenty-nine healthy adults participated in a randomized, two-factor cross-over study with or without biking exercise for 180 min and with exposure to particles (NC 6169-15362/cm(3)) or filtered air (NC 91-542/cm(3)) for 24 hr.

Ambient particle source apportionment and daily hospital admissions among children and elderly in Copenhagen.

An association between particulate air pollution and morbidity and mortality is well established. However, little is known about which sources of particulate matter contribute most to the adverse health effects. Identification of responsible sources would merit more efficient control.

Arctic atmospheric contaminants in NE Greenland: levels, variations, origins, transport, transformations and trends 1990-2001.

This review is based on the results obtained from the Danish AMAP programme for the Arctic atmosphere during the 1990s. The purpose of the programme is to quantify the pollution, apportion source contributions, follow the trends, and identify midlatitude source areas and transport pathways. The project has been carried out in North Greenland as integrated monitoring, which is an interacting combination of field measurements and model calculations of atmospheric transport and transformation in the Northern Hemisphere.

Fate of elemental mercury in the Arctic during atmospheric mercury depletion episodes and the load of atmospheric mercury to the Arctic.

Atmospheric mercury depletion episodes (AMDEs) were studied at Station Nord, Northeast Greenland, 81 degrees 36' N, 16 degrees 40' W, during the Arctic Spring. Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) and ozone were measured starting from 1998 and 1999, respectively, until August 2002. GEM was measured with a TEKRAN 2735A automatic mercury analyzer based on preconcentration of mercury on a gold trap followed by detection using fluorescence spectroscopy.

[Effects on health of particulate air pollution in Denmark--a quantitative assessment].

Introduction: Ambient air pollution is a risk factor for mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to quantify the health effects related to particulate matter (PM10) in Denmark.

Materials And Methods: We used relative risk estimates in relation to PM10 based on the epidemiological literature.

[Effects of traffic-generated ultrafine particles on health].

Epidemiological studies have consistently shown relation between exposure to particulate matter in urban air and cardiovascular and pulmonary morbidity and mortality. Some recent population studies suggest that the ultrafine fraction of particulate matter generated by motorised vehicles is particularly damaging. Animal studies and cell culture experiments support this hypothesis and address the possible mechanisms of action.