Respro® Masks FAQ: What is Air Pollution?

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

What is Air Pollution?

Air pollution is made up of two distinct categories:

1. Gases and Vapours

2. Particulates

Most types of pollution can be put into one or other category.

Gases & Vapours:

Nitrogen oxides

Sulphur Dioxide

Carbon Monoxide

Low level Ozone

Hydrocarbon Chemicals

These all require an activated carbon filter media to adsorb these pollutants.

(Techno™, City™, Bandit™, Cinqro™, Xtreme™ urban)

Particulates:

Asbestos dust from brake linings

Pollen

Road dust

Black smoke from diesel emissions

Any other material which is solid in nature

These all require a submicron Hepa-Type filter media to trap these pollutants.

(Techno™, Sportsta™, Cinqro™, Respro® Allergy Mask, Xtreme™ Sports)

Particulate Types:

Inhalable and Respirable.

Inhalable particulates: are the particles big enough to be trapped within the nasal hairs and the mucous membranes at the back of the throat. (Larger in size than 2.5 microns)

Respirable particulates: are the particles that pass beyond the nasal hairs and the mucous membranes of the throat and pass into the lung sacs and subsequent blood barrier.

These particulates can carry carcinogenic chemicals used in petrol (benzene, pyrene, etc) to the blood barrier. (Smaller in size than 2.5 microns)

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Study Finds Possible Association Between Autism and Air Pollution

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Research suggests that early exposure to air pollution may have wide-ranging negative effects

A new study from the University of Pittsburgh suggests that exposure to fine particulate air pollution from pregnancy up and through the first two years of childhood may be linked with developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health conducted “a population-based, case-control study” of families living in southwestern Pennsylvania, which included children with and without ASD, reports Science Daily.

The research team was then able to estimate an individual’s exposure to specific categories of air pollution based on where their mothers lived before, during and after pregnancy.

“There is increasing and compelling evidence that points to associations between Pittsburgh’s poor air quality and health problems, especially those affecting our children and including issues such as autism spectrum disorder and asthma,” said Grant Oliphant, president of the Heinz Endowments, which funded the research project.

However, the members of the study stressed that their findings “reflect an association” but does not ultimately prove causality.

via Study Finds Possible Association Between Autism and Air Pollution | TIME.

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European automakers criticize new tests to weed out ‘dirty diesels’

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

European automakers voiced concern over an upcoming regulation that will require diesel car emissions to be tested under “real world” conditions.

The new rule will require diesel vehicles sold in the EU to undergo tests on roads rather than in laboratories starting in September 2017.

The laboratory tests have drawn criticism from environmental groups as under-stating the real level of potentially harmful emissions from diesel cars.

Industry group ACEA said the new tests will require automakers to make major changes in testing and developing new vehicles but this will be difficult because the regulation is incomplete.

“The industry is being asked to design today for requirements that will only be known next year,” an ACEA spokeswoman said. The changes can only be made once there is full clarity on the new test cycle, ACEA said in a statement.

The lobby group said the current proposal is incomplete because it does not meet the following criteria: a comprehensive set of requirements; specified performance limits; dates of application for the regulation because the September 2017 start date is not yet confirmed by EU law.

ACEA is asking EU regulators for a “complete proposal” by June or July at the latest.

Diesel-powered vehicles are popular in Europe, accounting for half of new-car sales, because fuel is expensive and diesel engines are 15 percent to 20 percent more efficient than gasoline models. The better fuel economy helps to cut emissions of CO2, which is linked to climate change, but diesels emit higher levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter that have been linked to asthma, cancer, lung disease and respiratory illnesses.

Politicians in countries such as France and the UK are considering regulation to ban or limit diesel cars in smog-hit cities including Paris and London. Paris aims to phase out diesel vehicles in the city by about 2020.

The environmental lobby group, Transport & Environment, said the new test rules will help to bring an end to “dirty diesels.” The next step will be for the European Commission and member states to agree on what the limits for the real world tests will be and from when they will apply, it said.

“The continuation of the current weak and ineffective testing regime has seen air pollution worsen with widespread health consequences and the prospect of cities banning diesel vehicles as the only remaining solution,” the group said in a statement.

A study by the ICCT group showed that the gap in 2013 between real world emissions were 33 percent higher than the official laboratory test results.

While the switchover to the new tests was expected, it nonetheless deals carmakers a hard blow because it means they face a heavy burden to meet tough CO2 targets after 2021 as well as the costs of moving to a new diesel test cycle.

Exane BNP Paribas said in a recent report: “We believe that the game is over for diesel.”

The equity researchers said if the new test cycle resulted in emission level figures of 10 percent above those of the current test, it could add development costs of up to 400 euros per car. Mass-market automakers, which typically make only 500 euros per car in a good year, would be hit badly, the report said.

The EU’s latest Euro 6 emissions standards mandate a reduction in NOx to 80 milligrams per kilometer for new cars sold from September of this year, down from 180mg/kg.

via European automakers criticize new tests to weed out ‘dirty diesels’.

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Breastfeeding protects against environmental pollution

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Living in a city with a high level of vehicle traffic or close to a steel works means living with two intense sources of environmental pollution. However, a study indicates that the harmful pollution particle matter and nitrogen dioxide disappears in breastfed babies during the first four months of life. According to the results of the research, breastfeeding plays a protective role in the presence of these two atmospheric pollutants.

Living in a city with a high level of vehicle traffic or close to a steel works means living with two intense sources of environmental pollution. However, a study conducted by the UPV/EHU researcher Aitana Lertxundi indicates that the harmful effect of PM2.5 pollution particle matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) disappears in breastfed babies during the first four months of life. According to the results of the research, breastfeeding plays a protective role in the presence of these two atmospheric pollutants.

Aitana Lertxundi has conducted her research work within the framework of the INma (Childhood and Environment) programme led by Jesús Ibarluzea of the Department of Health of the Government of the Basque Autonomous Community (region). The aim is to assess how exposure to environmental pollution during pregnancy affects health and also to examine the role of diet in physical and neurobehavioural development in infancy. Lertxundi’s study focusses on the repercussions on motor and mental development during the first years of life caused by exposure to the PM2.5 and NO2 atmospheric pollutants.

Never before has such a recent, significant evaluation been made of the effect of pollution particle matter (PM2.5) on the development of motor capacity and that of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on mental development between the prenatal phase and until the baby is 15 months old. What is more, it has been sustained over time since it was started in 2006. “In the fetal phase the central nervous system is being formed and lacks sufficient detoxification mechanisms to eliminate the toxins that build up,” pointed out Aitana Lertxundi.

The PM2.5 particles measure less than 2.5 micra, in other words, they are four times thinner that a single hair and are suspended in the air. As they are so small they can easily penetrate the body and as they weigh so little they can spread without any difficulty through the air and can move far away from the initial emission source. The composition of these neurotoxic particles depends on the emission sources in the area. The INMA Gipuzkoa area under study has a high presence of neurotoxic particle matter made up of lead, arsenic and manganese from industrial activity and traffic. In comparison with urban averages where the main source of pollution is traffic, the concentration is lower.

One result of the study is that the existence of an inverse relationship has been detected between exposure to pollution particle matter and the motor development of babies. In this respect, the researcher highlights the fact that “these indices display an alteration with respect to the average and, even if they are not worrying, they are significant in that they reveal the relationship existing between air quality and motor development.” The analysis of the data also shows that neither the PM2.5 particle matter nor the NO2 exert a harmful effect on babies breastfed on mother’s milk for at least four months.

The monitoring study started in 2006 when the mothers were pregnant and is continuing today now that the children have reached the age of 8. So far, samples taken from 638 pregnant women and their babies when they were 15 months old have been analysed. They are inhabitants of the Goierri-Alto and Medio Urola valleys, a part of the province of Gipuzkoa where industrial activity (11 steel works), rural activity, and residential areas are interwoven with each other and through which a major highway passes.

via Breastfeeding protects against environmental pollution — ScienceDaily.

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Pollen in the UK

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Pollen in the UK

Source: metoffice.gov.uk

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Fine particulate air pollution associated with increased risk of childhood autism

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Exposure to fine particulate air pollution during pregnancy through the first two years of a child’s life may be associated with an increased risk of the child developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition that affects one in 68 children, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health investigation of children in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The research is funded by The Heinz Endowments and published in the July edition of Environmental Research.

“Autism spectrum disorders are lifelong conditions for which there is no cure and limited treatment options, so there is an urgent need to identify any risk factors that we could mitigate, such as pollution,” said lead author Evelyn Talbott, Dr.P.H., professor of epidemiology at Pitt Public Health. “Our findings reflect an association, but do not prove causality. Further investigation is needed to determine possible biological mechanisms for such an association.”

Dr. Talbott and her colleagues performed a population-based, case-control study of families with and without ASD living in six southwestern Pennsylvania counties. They obtained detailed information about where the mothers lived before, during and after pregnancy and, using a model developed by Pitt Public Health assistant professor and study co-author Jane Clougherty, Sc.D., were able to estimate individual exposure to a type of air pollution called PM2.5.

This type of pollution refers to particles found in the air that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, or 1/30th the average width of a human hair. PM2.5 includes dust, dirt, soot and smoke. Because of its small size, PM2.5 can reach deeply into the lungs and get into the blood stream. Southwestern Pennsylvania has consistently ranked among the nation’s worst regions for PM2.5 levels, according to data collected by the American Lung Association.

“There is increasing and compelling evidence that points to associations between Pittsburgh’s poor air quality and health problems, especially those affecting our children and including issues such as autism spectrum disorder and asthma,” said Grant Oliphant, president of The Heinz Endowments. “While we recognize that further study is needed, we must remain vigilant about the need to improve our air quality and to protect the vulnerable. Our community deserves a healthy environment and clean air.”

Autism spectrum disorders are a range of conditions characterized by social deficits and communication difficulties that typically become apparent early in childhood. Reported cases of ASD have risen nearly eight-fold in the last two decades. While previous studies have shown the increase to be partially due to changes in diagnostic practices and greater public awareness of autism, this does not fully explain the increased prevalence. Both genetic and environmental factors are believed to be responsible.

Dr. Talbott and her team interviewed the families of 211 children with ASD and 219 children without ASD born between 2005 and 2009. The families lived in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Estimated average exposure to PM2.5 before, during and after pregnancy was compared between children with and without ASD.

Based on the child’s exposure to concentrations of PM2.5 during the mother’s pregnancy and the first two years of life, the Pitt Public Health team found that children who fell into higher exposure groups were at an approximate 1.5-fold greater risk of ASD after accounting for other factors associated with the child’s risk for ASD — such as the mother’s age, education and smoking during pregnancy. This risk estimate is in agreement with several other recent investigations of PM2.5 and autism.

A previous Pitt Public Health analysis of the study population revealed an association between ASD and increased levels of air toxics, including chromium and styrene. Studies by other institutions using different populations also have associated pollutants with ASD.

“Air pollution levels have been declining since the 1990s; however, we know that pockets of increased levels of air pollution remain throughout our region and other areas,” said Dr. Talbott. “Our study builds on previous work in other regions showing that pollution exposures may be involved in ASD. Going forward, I would like to see studies that explore the biological mechanisms that may underlie this association.”

via Fine particulate air pollution associated with increased risk of childhood autism | EurekAlert! Science News.

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Tracy fire continues to impact air quality in three counties

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

A biomass fire near Tracy continues to produce significant smoke impacts, affecting the air quality in three counties.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District said the smoke from the fire is being sent to San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties.

Smoke from the blaze can emit fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can cause health issues such as asthma attacks, lung disease and increase the risk of heart attacks, according to the air district. Potentially vulnerable are those with respiratory conditions and older adults and children.

Firefighters extinguished the large fire that burned for several days, leading air officials to issue the health advisory.

Air district officials urge residents in these counties to avoid any prolonged exposure or heavy exertion, depending on local conditions, and to follow any orders relating to fire emissions given by their doctors.

via Tracy fire continues to impact air quality in three counties.

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Air pollution risk: beyond breathing problems

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Respro® UK Ltd

Swiss and German researchers have found that air pollution may impair cognitive function directly – independently of respiratory effects.

Scientists already know that air pollution can harm lungs, and that breathing problems, in turn, can cause cognitive deficits. But if people exposed to air pollution develop cognitive deficits, is this a direct result of impaired breathing? Or could pollutants harm the nervous system in some other way?

In a study of over 800 older women, researchers from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel and the Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF) in Düsseldorf, Germany found evidence supporting the latter theory: air pollution appeared to harm the subjects’ cognition independently of lung function.

Specifically, the subjects’ visuo-spatial cognition – their ability to process information about the nature and position of objects – was impaired. To determine this, the researchers administered a battery of tests typically used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.

According to IUF researcher Tamara Schikowski, one possible explanation for these results could be that particulate matter and other pollutants enter the central nervous system through the nose.

“This is the first time this research has been done, and the first time these results have been shown,” Schikowski told swissinfo.ch from Denver, Colorado, where she is presenting the findings at the 2015 American Thoracic Society meeting. “Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to validate our results.”

via Air pollution risk: beyond breathing problems – SWI swissinfo.ch.

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