There’s an air quality alert in Washington, the sky is hazy and it’s February. What’s going on?

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

Ordinarily when air quality alerts are in effect, the air is muggy and oppressive, as if you could cut it with a knife. The overwhelming majority of these alerts happen between June and August.

But Feb. 4, the air was thick with haze, and a Code Orange alert was in effect for the Washington-Baltimore region. This means the air was expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups such as young children, older adults and those with respiratory conditions.

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The Maryland Department of Environment predicted elevated levels of fine-particle pollution, with the worst conditions in urban areas.

If you looked up at the sky Monday, an unseasonably mild day in Washington, the haze was unmistakable.

“As beautiful as the weather is in DC today, it’s weirdly hazy. Can someone explain this to me?” tweeted Laur_Katz.

In its air quality discussion, the Maryland Department of Environment attributed this winter pollution episode to a “stout capping inversion” which trapped a cocktail of air pollutants from wood burning and vehicle emissions near the ground.

Inversions occur when the air temperature warms as it rises. (Normally, the air cools with altitude.) When warmer air sits above a layer of colder air near the ground — which is heavier — pollutants get stuck.

“Any local pollutants emitted were staying nearby and very close to the surface,” said Dan L. Goldberg, an atmospheric scientist specializing in air quality at Argonne National Laboratory, in email.

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Such a capping inversion is strongest during the morning. Into the afternoon, Goldberg explained, the pollutants are able to disperse more as the sun heats up the ground and the inversion erodes.

The conditions that allowed this inversion to develop began with Friday’s snowfall.

“The fresh snow traps cold air near the surface very well,” Joel Dreessen, a meteorologist with Maryland’s Department of Environment, said in an email. “Particles jumped dramatically Saturday (in comparison to Friday) due to the inversion which set up. This very stout near-surface inversion was/is in place through Monday due to ongoing high pressure in the region.”

A Code Orange alert was first issued for the Baltimore region Sunday before it was expanded to the Washington region for Monday. On Sunday, Goldberg and Dreessen said, the observed particle pollution stayed just below Code Orange level in the Baltimore region but exceeded this level in south-central Pennsylvania.

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Dreessen said that ode Orange conditions in winter are “fairly rare” and that the last instance occurred Dec. 4, 2017. In all, there have been three instances of these particle pollution episodes during the winter months since 2014, he said.

These winter particle pollution cases — tied to inversions — are different from typical summer pollution, which is mostly the result of ground-level ozone spurred by hot weather and stagnant air.

The air quality is expected to improve through midweek, as the inversion is expected to weaken by Tuesday morning and then dissipate altogether after a cold front passes.

via There’s an air quality alert in Washington, the sky is hazy and it’s February. What’s going on? – The Washington Post

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Men who live on a main road are more likely to struggle to get an erection

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

Men who live on main roads are more likely to have difficulty getting an erection due to exposure to pollution, a study suggests.

Toxic fumes reduced blood flow to the genitals, tests on rats showed, putting them at risk of developing erectile dysfunction.

Men may also find they get tired quicker during sex, as the fumes can reduce lung capacity, researchers claim.

The study comes amid an array of evidence showing a growing association between polluted air and diseases, as well as fertility.

Men who live on main roads are more likely to have difficulty getting an erection due to exposure to pollution, a Chinese study on rats suggested

The study, at Guangzhou University in China, compared the sexual performance of rats in four different groups, The Sun reports.

The first group inhaled pollutants for two hours of the day for three months, the second for four hours, and the third for six hours.

A ‘significant reduction’ in erectile function was seen in the groups of rats that had inhaled polluted air for four and six hours.

WHAT IS IMPOTENCE?
Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is when a man is unable to get or maintain an erection.

It is more common in the over-40s but affects men of all ages.

Failure to stay erect is usually due to tiredness, stress, anxiety or alcohol, and is not a cause for concern.

However, it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, side effects of medication, or hormonal issues.

Lifestyle factors than can affect the condition include obesity, smoking, cycling too much, drinking too much, and stress.

Source: NHS Choices

Dr Shankun Zhao, who was involved in the study, said: ‘For the first time our study revealed the effect of vehicle exhaust on penile erection.

‘Our results raise concerns about the potential role played by long-term exposure to gasoline vehicle exhaust in the development of erectile dysfunction.’

Previous studies have linked pollution to an increased risk of breast cancer, mouth cancer, autism in children and heart disease.

Scientists at The Chinese University, Hong Kong found men living in areas with high levels of air pollution were found to have distorted sperm.

Experts analysed exposure to sooty particles which are particularly linked to emissions of old diesel cars.

These particles – called PM2.5 – are so fine that they are breathed into the lungs and enter the blood stream.

via Men who live on a main road are more likely to struggle to get an erection

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Bangkok chokes as pollution busting efforts falter

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

The small park in Bangkok’s Rama III district is mostly popular with runners circling its neatly trimmed garden track to the sound of birdsong.

But on Thursday, they were joined by a convoy of fire trucks and half a dozen military drones, drawing dozens of curious onlookers.

After an hour setting up, the drones and water cannon were pumping thick plumes of water into the empty sky above. Speakers blared warnings about the operation and instructed runners to keep their distance.

The odd display was the Thai government’s latest attempt at curbing the alarmingly high levels of pollution that have been plaguing the capital for weeks. The drones, geared with water tanks and fire-fighting sprinklers, were supposed to break up the smog that has been smothering the city of around 10 million people for at least a month.

Initially, Thailand’s authorities said the worsening pollution was being blown over from China, predicting that it would be gone within a week or so. Then, as the smog persisted, they tried cloud seeding. Now, drones and water cannon are their latest salvo.

“Do they actually think this is going to help?” asked Gong, a 50-year-old man who comes to the park often to use its free-weight gym.

“The only thing happening today is that runners are getting wet and they have to watch out for these drones,” he said, drawing laughter from weightlifters nearby.

Toxic air

As amusing as they might have found the scene, Bangkok residents are welcoming any attempts to combat the toxic smog that has forced authorities to close more than 400 schools, advise people to wear a mask when they’re not indoors and limit the time they spend outside.

New research from Thailand’s National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) suggests Bangkok’s air has reached particularly concerning levels of toxicity, with the lingering smog being full of dangerous heavy metals and various carcinogenic compounds.

Professor Siwatt Pongpiachan, director of NIDA and a global leading expert on urban pollution, told Al Jazeera he was concerned to find that Bangkok’s air contained dangerous levels of cadmium, tungsten, arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) inside the fine dust air, known as PM 2.5.

Siwatt explained that their levels are particularly dangerous, based on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) standards for measuring safe air, adding that Bangkok’s pollution was largely coming from within the city itself.

PAHs are toxic carcinogenic compounds that can be sourced to forest fires, car exhausts, cigarette smoke and insecticides, among others.

The Thai capital, meanwhile, has some 10 million registered vehicles, pollutant-pumping factories and numerous daily cremations.

Siwatt said the widespread burning of sugarcane fields in northern provinces is also contributing to the crisis, which makes tackling the problem extremely difficult.

The WHO has been campaigning to decrease toxic pollution around the globe for years,educating the public on the dangers to health and urging governments to prioritise clean air as megacities such as New Delhi and Beijing struggle with debilitating levels of pollution. Its guideline for PM2.5 is for an annual average of no more than 10 micrograms/cubic metre.

‘Sense of urgency’

Bangkok has never seen pollution on this scale, and many residents were shocked at the smog lurking above. On social media, where Thais often go to express their outrage, memes comparing the city to post-apocalyptic backdrops in films such as Bladerunner 2049 and Mad Max have been widely shared.

Many are concerned the government is focusing on the symptoms rather than the cause of the problem.

“I think we need to push the government with a sense of urgency if we want to see positive results,” said Sirima Panyametheekul, an academic in the Department of Environmental Engineering at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University. “We need urgent measures to be implemented, like reducing the density of traffic and cleaning the streets.”

Thailand also needs to adopt more stringent measures for PM2.5, she added.

The density of the microscopic particles can reach 50 micrograms for each cubic metre volume before the government has to act, according to Sirima, who recommends that level be halved.

Currently, air quality is sitting around 61 to 93 micrograms/cubic metre depending on the location.

“I know that’s challenging,” she said. “But it’s important. If not 25, we can at least start at 35 or 30.”

Need for legislation

The government, which dropped a plan to use sugar water that was supposed to “capture” the toxins, stands by its approach to the current air crisis.

“It’s going to work,” said Somjiak Nonthagaew, the director of Bangkok’s Fire and Rescue Department, on deploying drones and fire-fighting equipment to combat the smog.

“It should definitely help, but of course not 100 percent. We would have liked to do more, but we have limited options and resources. But we sprayed at six locations today, and we think it was a success,” added Nonthagaew, between shouting loud updates into his phone as the mist began to descend over the park.

But Siwatt is not convinced.

He says Thailand needs to develop policies that would reduce the toxic compounds in the air, citing neighbouring countries such as Singapore and the Philippines. He’s also urging authorities to introduce a Clean Air Act, like the one the British government rolled out after the deadly 1952 London Smog, which blanketed the UK capital for several days.

Thai authorities say that the current smog should lift in a few days as a result of their tackling operations. According to Somjiak, they plan to deploy water cannons and drones until the air quality improves.

But without major changes, the smog is bound to return.

“It’s going to take a few years before we see any Clean Air Act laws,” Siwatt said. “And before thinking about the timeframe, we need to convince the government and all the future political parties to agree that Thailand really needs clean air.”

via Bangkok chokes as pollution busting efforts falter | News | Al Jazeera

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Children exposed to air pollution at school may be at greater risk of overweight and obesity

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

Exposure to air pollution, particularly at school, could be associated with a higher risk of overweight and obesity during childhood. This is the conclusion of a study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by “la Caixa,” performed with 2,660 children between 7 and 10 years of age from 39 schools in Barcelona.

A few studies have associated exposure to air pollution with a higher risk of child obesity and overweight. However, these studies focused mainly on exposure at home, without considering the school environment.

The study, published in Environment International and performed under the BREATHE project, assessed for the first time the relation between obesity and overweight risk and air pollution levels at school and home, the two microenvironments where schoolchildren spend most of their time.

On one hand, the research team collected data on the children’s weight and height and calculated their body mass index and obesity and overweight status. On the other hand, they used sensors in the schoolyard to measure the levels of outdoor pollution — nitrogen dioxide (NO2), elemental carbon (EC), particle matter (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles -during one week in summer and another week in winter. They also estimated exposure levels to NO2, NOx, PM2.5, PM10 and PMcoarse at the home address.

“We observed that children exposed to medium or high levels of air pollution at school -ultrafine particles, NO2, PM2.5 and EC- had a higher risk of obesity and overweight as compared to those exposed to lower levels,” concludes first author Jeroen de Bont, researcher at ISGlobal and IDIAP Jordi Gol. Exposure to high levels of PM10 at home was also associated with higher risk of obesity or overweight during childhood, although in this case the analysis was done with estimates of exposure levels.

“The study has however some limitations, which means that the results are to be cautiously interpreted,” says Martine Vrijheid, ISGlobal researcher and study coordinator. “Being a cross-sectional study, we only have data at one time-point, and we do not have enough data to establish the nature of the association. To draw more solid conclusions, we need new longitudinal studies that follow the study participants over time,” she adds.

Regarding the mechanisms linking air pollution and overweight, some animal studies suggest that pollution can induce oxidative stress, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation, factors that are known to contribute to obesity,” explains de Bont.

Most children were exposed to air pollution levels above those recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), both at school and home. Specifically, over 75% were exposed to PM2.5 levels above those recommended (10?g/m3) and more than 50% breathed NO2 levels above those considered as safe (40?g/m3).

via Children exposed to air pollution at school may be at greater risk of overweight and obesity — ScienceDaily

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Bangkok schools closed over air pollution concerns

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

More than 400 schools in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, were shut for the rest of the week Wednesday due to increasing concern over dangerously unhealthy air pollution.

Faced with public discontent as well as a possible health crisis, Police Gen. Asawin Kwanmuang, the city’s governor, also declared the city a “pollution control zone,” allowing authorities to take legal measures to combat the threat, including road closings and diversions. Violators of orders to curb pollution, which could include limits on diesel exhaust, outdoor burning and construction activities, could face up to three months in prison.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha directed Asawin to order the closure of 437 schools after officials said the pollution would continue until next Monday. They said still air and heavy traffic are causing a buildup of particles in the air.

The Pollution Control Department said the amount of especially dangerous tiny “PM 2.5” particles has risen in all areas in and around Bangkok since Monday.

“We decided to eliminate the problem by closing down the schools,” Asawin said. “We’re afraid that it can be dangerous for the children.” Technical colleges are included among the closed institutions but universities are still considering what to do.

Mongkolsak Lajina, the father of a 5-year-old student, suggested that closing schools was a token gesture.

“I don’t think it will help much. It helps that students do not have to commute to schools,” he said. “But we need better measures to effectively deal with this problem.”

The Public Health Ministry said people should refrain from outdoor activities and exercise, and look instead for indoor venues. Many commuters and pedestrians have begun wearing face masks.

“These measures will help only temporarily,” said Aek Pongpairoj, a doctor living in Bangkok. “If we want a long-lasting solution, all sectors must be involved, not just government agencies; for example, the private sector involving construction. There are so many construction sites and I can see that preventive measures aren’t enough.”

Pollution levels also rose elsewhere in Thailand, bringing a heavy haze to Chiang Mai and other northern areas well ahead of the annual “smoky season” that normally begins in late February, when farmers burn agricultural waste and dry weather allows airborne particles to accumulate.

Efforts to reduce the pollution level in Bangkok by hosing down roads and spraying water in the air have been criticized as ineffective. People were asked to limit open-air burning of materials, and have even been advised to use shorter incense sticks in upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations.

via Bangkok schools closed over air pollution concerns – Pattaya Mail

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Autism’s connection with air pollution explored in research

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

The view that air pollution contributes to autism is strongly held by a small but growing band of scientists who study pollution and health. They point to links between autism and air pollution uncovered in studies tracking thousands of children.

“We didn’t know much about the effects of air pollution on the brain, say five-10 years ago, but now we are seeing its effects on the development of children’s brains,” says Dr Ebba Malmqvist, epidemiologist at Lund University in Sweden. “This can lead to cognitive dysfunction and studies show a higher risk of autism.” The more air pollution, the more autism, it seems.

We should be worried about the particles coming out of traffic exhaust, because a lot of the studies show these fumes may be quite toxic

Malmqvist is completing a study of 48,000 women who were pregnant between 1999 and 2009 in southern Sweden, having followed the children until 2016. She wants to know what happens when a mother experiences high amounts of air pollution during pregnancy and what happens to a child who continues to breathe such air. Her study relied on mothers’ home addresses and estimated pollution levels to calculate exposure.

It is well accepted that air pollution contributes to illness around the world, especially lung conditions, heart disease and stroke in adults. What is newer is the realisation that the tiny particles cross from the lungs into our bloodstream, and travel into the brain. The particles also permeate and change the placenta; the critical tissue connecting mother and baby.

Research in California this year (and a forthcoming study in Denmark) bolstered the pollution-autism link. We should be worried about the particles coming out of traffic exhaust, because a lot of the studies show these fumes may be quite toxic, says Prof Beate Ritz, an expert on environmental effects on health at the University of California who is involved in the Californian and Danish studies. The fumes could be toxic to young brains especially, he says.

There’s evidence coming from lab studies too. When Prof Deborah Cory-Slechta at University of Rochester medical centre, New York, exposed young mice to polluted air, she detected changes in their brains that resemble what’s seen in the brains of people with autism. “The levels we use are somewhat high, so the sort of thing you’d find on an Los Angeles expressway,” she says. “We find a lot of changes in the mouse brain.” Metals in particular accumulate to unusual levels.

“Genetics alone cannot explain [autism spectrum disorder],” says Cory-Slechta. “That is why people have looked at the environment.” She views air pollution as a contributor to autism and other developmental disorders. “It is like rain droplets in a bucket. Eventually there are enough hits and you trigger something.”

Not everyone agrees. Dr Kevin Mitchell, a geneticist and brain scientist at Trinity College Dublin, views genetics as the main contributor to autism and says the environment may account for less than 5 per cent of its development. Cory-Slechta puts the figures at 70 per cent environment, 30 per cent genetics.

Brain imaging

More studies are needed. A Spanish study is looking at air pollution, autism and brain imaging in European children. It is asking which time windows are especially critical for any effects on a child’s brain.

A previous study led by the Barcelona Institute of Global Health showed primary schoolchildren in highly polluted areas showed slower cognitive development. This group advised on how to protect schoolchildren’s brains from air pollution in the scientific journal Environment International.

Their article recommended that schools be located away from trafficked roads, classrooms not face the busiest roads and air intake come from fresh air furthest away from traffic. Green areas and pedestrian space should be placed around schools, and parents and children should avoid the busiest roads when commuting to school.

A follow-on study, led by Prof Jordi Sunyer at the Barcelona institute, is looking to recruit more than 1,000 pregnant women to scan the brains of their growing foetuses. “This will answer whether traffic air pollutants in urban air are associated with structural changes in the brain during prenatal life,” he explains.

Monitoring of air pollution tracks levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particles measuring between 2.5 and 10 microns (a micron is a millionth of a metre) in diameter. The larger particles stick in our airways, exacerbating respiratory conditions such as asthma. Those smaller particles can travel throughout our body, potentially causing inflammation.

At a time when cases of autism are rising, air pollution does not seem to be visibly worsening. What is not monitored, however, are the ultrafine particles, less than 100 nanometres in diameter (a nanometre is one 1,000th of a micron). It is assumed that by regulating larger particles and NOx gases, you catch these nanoparticles.

Cory-Slechta is sceptical on this point. She suspects the smallest particles are causing harm. They should be monitored and regulated in future, she adds.

via Autism’s connection with air pollution explored in research

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Urgent : Schools in Bangkok close as air pollution worsens

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

The Bangkok governor on Wednesday ordered the suspension of classes at 437 schools under Bangkok Metropolitan Administration for the safety of students after 26 zones in the capital were declared air pollution control areas.

Aswin Kwanmuang said the suspension started at noon today and continue until Friday. The decision followed the Pollution Control Department’s report of unsafe levels of PM2.5 – airborne particulates 2.5 microns or less in diameter – in 39 locales in and around the city, of which 23 were along main roads.  The level hit 141 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic metre of air – nearly three times the safe limit of 50 – on Rama II Road in Muang Samut Sakhon.

via Urgent : Schools in Bangkok close as air pollution worsens

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Hanoi chokes as air pollution increases to unhealthy levels

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Respro® UK Ltd

Air pollution in Ha Noi in recent days has been so severe that health experts have warned people to stay indoors.

The Air Quality Index at various air monitoring stations across the capital showed dangerously high levels on Sunday afternoon. For instance, it was at 240 at Pham Van Dong Street in Bac Tu Liem District.

The index touched 238 on Hang Dau Street, while it was 201 on Tan Mai Street.

A number above 150 is unhealthy for anyone, while anything between 201 and 300 is very unhealthy, according to the US Environment Protection Agency.

The heavy concentration of the particulate matter PM2.5 in the air has also raised health alarms.

The PM2.5 concentration in Ha Noi last Friday was 400 micrograms per cubic metre on Pham Van Dong Street while on My Dinh Street was 300. The World Health Organization safety limit is 25 micrograms per cubic metre.

PM2.5 refers to tiny dust particles that are about 30 times smaller than a human hair. These particles, which can remain longer and spread farther in the air than normal dust, can travel deep into the lungs and the blood.

According to Dr Hoang Duong Tung, head of Viet Nam Environment Administration, the sudden deterioration of air quality in Ha Noi is due to the increase in traffic as Tet (Lunar New Year) approaching.

He advised people to monitor air quality regularly through the Ha Noi City portal (hanoi.gov.vn) or network of the Environment Administration or the US Embassy.

Earlier, at the 2018 year-end review conference of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of Ha Noi People’s Committee, said air pollution was a serious environmental problem for the city. According to the city’s assessment, demolition and transportation has caused serious pollution.

via Hanoi chokes as air pollution increases to unhealthy levels | #AsiaNewsNetwork | Eleven Media Group Co., Ltd

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