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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021) | Viewed by 42671

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ioar Rivas

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Guest Editor

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: air quality in schools; indoor air quality; air pollution personal exposure; source apportionment; traffic-related air pollutants; environmental epidemiology

Dr. Maribel Casas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: child health; endocrine-disrupting chemicals; respiratory health; epidemiology; human biomonitoring; air pollution
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the Special Issue entitled “Air pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph). IJERPH is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes manuscripts in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health.

The Special Issue will cover exposure to air pollution and the associated health effects of vulnerable groups of people. We would like to invite researchers to submit high-quality papers (original research or comprehensive review papers) involving the participation of vulnerable people (e.g., children, elder, socio-economically deprived, illiterate, ethnic minorities, disabled, refugees, people with limited access to healthcare). The severity of health outcomes associated with exposure to air pollutants differs within populations. Inequalities on air pollution exposure have been found among different socioeconomic groups, with poorer or ethnic minorities being exposed to higher air pollutant concentrations. Inequalities have also been associated with air-pollution-related health outcomes. The associations between exposure to air pollution and health outcomes may also be modified by variables related to vulnerability.

A better understanding of the air-pollution-associated risks of vulnerable populations can provide insight and help in developing policies towards protecting health and reducing inequalities.

Dr. Ioar Rivas
Dr. Maribel Casas Sanahuja
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

air pollution
vulnerable groups
environmental epidemiology
inequality
children
elder
minorities
deprived people
poor
socioeconomic status

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genotoxic Activity of Particulate Matter and In Vivo Tests in Children Exposed to Air Pollution

by Claudia Zani, Francesco Donato, Elisabetta Ceretti, Roberta Pedrazzani, Ilaria Zerbini, Umberto Gelatti and Donatella Feretti

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5345; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105345 - 17 May 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1768

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to investigate the relationship between micronuclei and DNA damage in children’s buccal mucosa cells and the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of the different sized fractions of particulate matter as well as the concentration of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and metals in particulate matter. Air particulate matter was collected by high volume samplers located near the schools attended by the children on the same days of biological samplings. The mutagenic activity was assessed in different cells in in vitro tests (Ames test on bacteria and comet test on leukocytes). Our study showed weak positive correlations between (a) the mutagenicity of the PM_0.5 fraction and PAHs and (b) the micronuclei test of children’s buccal cells and PAHs detected in PM_0.5 and PM_0.5–3 fractions. A positive correlation was also found between in vitro comet test on leukocytes and PAHs in the PM_3–10 fraction. No correlation was observed for metal concentrations in each PM fraction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups)

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15 pages, 802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Systemic Inflammation (C-Reactive Protein) in Older Chinese Adults Is Associated with Long-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution

by Mona Elbarbary, Artem Oganesyan, Trenton Honda, Geoffrey Morgan, Yuming Guo, Yanfei Guo and Joel Negin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(6), 3258; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063258 - 22 Mar 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3057

Abstract

There is an established association between air pollution and cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is likely to be mediated by systemic inflammation. The present study evaluated links between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) in an older Chinese adult cohort (n = 7915) enrolled in the World Health Organization (WHO) study on global aging and adult health (SAGE) China Wave 1 in 2008–2010. Multilevel linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) on log-transformed hs-CRP levels and odds ratios of CVD risk derived from CRP levels adjusted for confounders. A satellite-based spatial statistical model was applied to estimate the average community exposure to outdoor air pollutants (PM with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM₁₀), 2.5 μm or less (PM_2.5), and 1 μm or less (PM₁) and NO₂) for each participant of the study. hs-CRP levels were drawn from dried blood spots of each participant. Each 10 μg/m³ increment in PM₁₀, PM_2.5, PM₁, and NO₂ was associated with 12.8% (95% confidence interval; (CI): 9.1, 16.6), 15.7% (95% CI: 10.9, 20.8), 10.2% (95% CI: 7.3, 13.2), and 11.8% (95% CI: 7.9, 15.8) higher serum levels of hs-CRP, respectively. Our findings suggest that air pollution may be an important factor in increasing systemic inflammation in older Chinese adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups)

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11 pages, 1642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Winter Air Pollution from Domestic Coal Fired Heating in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Is Strongly Associated with a Major Seasonal Cyclic Decrease in Successful Fecundity

by Jargalsaikhan Badarch, James Harding, Emma Dickinson-Craig, Colleen Azen, Hilary Ong, Samantha Hunter, Pia S. Pannaraj, Brigitta Szepesi, Tegshjargal Sereenendorj, Sumiya Davaa, Chimedsuren Ochir, David Warburton and Carol Readhead

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2750; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052750 - 09 Mar 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3630

Abstract

Pollution of the environment is increasing and threatens the health and wellbeing of adults and children around the globe. The impact of air pollution on pulmonary and cardiovascular disease has been well documented, but it also has a deleterious effect on reproductive health. Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, has one of the highest levels of air pollution in the world. During the extreme winters when temperatures routinely fall below −20 °C the level of air pollution can reach 80 times the WHO recommended safe levels. Heating mainly comes from coal, which is burned both in power stations, and in stoves in the traditional Ger housing. We studied the impact of air pollution on conception rates and birth outcomes in Ulaanbaatar using a retrospective analysis of health data collected from the Urguu Maternity hospital in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Daily levels of SO₂, NO₂, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5 were collected from the government Air Quality Monitoring Stations in Ulaanbaatar for the same period as the study. In January, the month of highest pollution, there is a 3.2-fold decrease in conceptions that lead to the successfully delivered infants compared to October. The seasonal variations in conceptions resulting in live births in this study in Ulaanbaatar are shown to be 2.03 ± 0.20 (10-sigma) times greater than those in the Denmark/North America study of Wesselink et al., 2020. The two obvious differences between Ulaanbaatar and Europe/North America are pollution and temperature both of which are extreme in Ulaanbaatar. The extreme low temperature is mitigated by burning coal, which is the main source of domestic heat especially in the ger districts. This drives the level of pollution so the two are inextricably linked. Infants conceived in the months of June-October had the greatest cumulative PM_2.5 pollution exposure over total gestation, yet these were also the pregnancies with the lowest PM_2.5 exposure for the month of conception and three months prior to conception. The delivered-infant conception rate shows a markedly negative association with exposure to PM_2.5 prior to and during the first month of pregnancy. This overall reduction in fecundity of the population of Ulaanbaatar is therefore a preventable health risk. It is of great consequence that the air pollution in Ulaanbaatar affects health over an entire lifespan including reproductive health. This could be remedied with a clean source of heating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups)

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19 pages, 3549 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Opening a Large Delivery Service Warehouse in the South Bronx: Impacts on Traffic, Air Pollution, and Noise

by Jenni A. Shearston, A. Mychal Johnson, Arce Domingo-Relloso, Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Diana Hernández, James Ross, Steven N. Chillrud and Markus Hilpert

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3208; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093208 - 05 May 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 8122

Abstract

Mott Haven, a low-income neighborhood in New York City, suffers from increased air pollution and accommodates several industrial facilities and interstates. In 2018, a large delivery service warehouse opened. Our objectives are to characterize black carbon (BC), fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), and noise in the community; model changes in traffic due to the facility opening; and estimate associated BC and noise changes. BC, PM_2.5, and noise were measured at eight sites pre-opening, and traffic counted continuously at two sites (June 2017–May 2019). An interrupted time series model was used to determine facility-related changes in traffic. Post-opening changes in traffic-related BC/noise were estimated from regressions of BC/noise with traffic flow. Mean (SD) pre-warehouse measures of BC and PM_2.5 were 1.33 µg/m³ (0.41) and 7.88 µg/m³ (1.24), respectively. At four sites, equivalent sound levels exceeded the EPA’s recommended 70 dBA limit. After the warehouse opening, traffic increased significantly, predominantly at night. At one site, the greatest change for trucks occurred 9PM-12AM: 31.7% (95%CI [23.4%, 40.6%]). Increased traffic translated into mean predicted increases of 0.003 µg/m³ (BC) and 0.06 dBA (noise). Though small, they negate the substantial decrease the community seeks. Our findings can help communities and policymakers better understand impacts of traffic-intensive facilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups)

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18 pages, 4551 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Urbanization on PM_2.5-Related Health and Economic Loss in China 338 Cities

by Beidi Diao, Lei Ding, Qiong Zhang, Junli Na and Jinhua Cheng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(3), 990; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030990 - 05 Feb 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4016

Abstract

According to the requirements of the Healthy China Program, reasonable assessment of residents’ health risks and economic loss caused by urban air pollution is of great significance for environmental health policy planning. Based on the data of PM_2.5 concentration, population density, and urbanization level of 338 Chinese cities in the year of 2015, the epidemiological relative risk (RR) was adopted to estimate the negative health effects caused by exposure to PM_2.5. Meanwhile, the Value of Statistical Life (VSL) and Cost of Illness (COI) methods were used to calculate economic loss. The results show that PM_2.5 pollution remains serious in 2015, which brings about many people suffering from all kinds of fearful health problems especially premature death and related diseases. The mortality and morbidity increase dramatically, and the total direct economic loss related to PM_2.5 pollution in 2015 was 1.846 trillion yuan, accounting for 2.73% of total annual GDP. In addition, there was a strong correlation between urbanization level and health risks as well as economic loss, which implies that people who live in highly urbanized cities may face more severe health and economic losses. Furthermore, 338 cities were divided into four categories based on urbanization level and economic loss, of which the key areas (type D) were the regions where an increase in monitoring and governance is most needed. In the process of urbanization, policy makers should pay more attention to health costs and regional differentiated management, as well as promote the construction of healthy cities more widely. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups)

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Review

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20 pages, 1235 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Narrative Review of Occupational Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Farmworkers

by Kayan Clarke, Andres Manrique, Tara Sabo-Attwood and Eric S. Coker

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4097; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084097 - 13 Apr 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5229

Abstract

The agricultural crop sector in the United States depends on migrant, seasonal, and immigrant farmworkers. As an ethnic minority group in the U.S. with little access to health care and a high level of poverty, farmworkers face a combination of adverse living and workplace conditions, such as exposure to high levels of air pollution, that can place them at a higher risk for adverse health outcomes including respiratory infections. This narrative review summarizes peer-reviewed original epidemiology research articles (2000–2020) focused on respirable dust exposures in the workplace and respiratory illnesses among farmworkers. We found studies (n = 12) that assessed both air pollution and respiratory illnesses in farmworkers. Results showed that various air pollutants and respiratory illnesses have been assessed using appropriate methods (e.g., personal filter samplers and spirometry) and a consistent pattern of increased respiratory illness in relation to agricultural dust exposure. There were several gaps in the literature; most notably, no study coupled occupational air exposure and respiratory infection among migrant, seasonal and immigrant farmworkers in the United States. This review provides an important update to the literature regarding recent epidemiological findings on the links between occupational air pollution exposures and respiratory health among vulnerable farmworker populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups)

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10 pages, 915 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impact of Environmental Injustice on Children’s Health—Interaction between Air Pollution and Socioeconomic Status

by Sahana Mathiarasan and Anke Hüls

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(2), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020795 - 19 Jan 2021

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 15674

Abstract

Air pollution disproportionately affects marginalized populations of lower socioeconomic status. There is little literature on how socioeconomic status affects the risk of exposure to air pollution and associated health outcomes, particularly for children’s health. The objective of this article was to review the existing literature on air pollution and children’s health and discern how socioeconomic status affects this association. The concept of environmental injustice recognizes how underserved communities often suffer from higher air pollution concentrations in addition to other underlying risk factors for impaired health. This exposure then exerts larger effects on their health than it does in the average population, affecting the whole body, including the lungs and the brain. Children, whose organs and mind are still developing and who do not have the means of protecting themselves or creating change, are the most vulnerable to the detrimental effects of air pollution and environmental injustice. The adverse health effects of air pollution and environmental injustice can harm children well into adulthood and may even have transgenerational effects. There is an urgent need for action in order to ensure the health and safety of future generations, as social disparities are continuously increasing, due to social discrimination and climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution Exposure and Health of Vulnerable Groups)

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