Inflammatory and functional responses after (bio)diesel exhaust exposure in allergic sensitized mice. A comparison between diesel and biodiesel.

Unlabelled: Many cities fail to meet air quality standards, which results in increased risk for pulmonary disorders, including asthma. Human and experimental studies have shown that diesel exhaust (DE) particles are associated with worsening of allergic asthma. Biodiesel (BD), a cleaner fuel from renewable sources, was introduced in the eighties.

Intra-urban biomonitoring: Source apportionment using tree barks to identify air pollution sources.

It is of great interest to evaluate if there is a relationship between possible sources and trace elements using biomonitoring techniques. In this study, tree bark samples of 171 trees were collected using a biomonitoring technique in the inner city of São Paulo. The trace elements (Al, Ba, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Rb, S, Sr and Zn) were determined by the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry.

Mucociliary clearance, airway inflammation and nasal symptoms in urban motorcyclists.

Objectives: There is evidence that outdoor workers exposed to high levels of air pollution exhibit airway inflammation and increased airway symptoms. We hypothesized that these workers would experience increased airway symptoms and decreased nasal mucociliary clearance associated with their exposure to air pollution.

Methods: In total, 25 non-smoking commercial motorcyclists, aged 18-44 years, were included in this study.

Composition of diesel particles influences acute pulmonary toxicity: an experimental study in mice.

Ambient particles have been consistently associated with adverse health effects, yielding mainly high cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. Diesel engines represent a major source of particles in the urban scenario. We aimed to modify the composition of diesel particles, by means of different extraction procedures, to relate changes in chemical profile to corresponding indicators of respiratory toxicity.

Chronic exposure to ambient levels of urban particles affects mouse lung development.

Rationale: Chronic exposure to air pollution has been associated with adverse effects on children's lung growth.

Objectives: We analyzed the effects of chronic exposure to urban levels of particulate matter (PM) on selected phases of mouse lung development.

Methods: The exposure occurred in two open-top chambers (filtered and nonfiltered) placed 20 m from a street with heavy traffic in São Paulo, 24 hours/day for 8 months.

Air pollution from biomass burning and asthma hospital admissions in a sugar cane plantation area in Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the association between the total suspended particles (TSPs) generated from preharvest sugar cane burning and hospital admission due to asthma (asthma hospital admissions) in the city of Araraquara.

Design: An ecological time-series study. Total daily records of asthma hospital admissions (ICD 10th J15) were obtained from one of the main hospitals in Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil, from 23 March 2003 to 27 July 2004.