Mining and mineral processing is still a vital source of income in Serbia, due to mineral abundance in copper, lead, zinc, antimony. Copper mining and metal-processing

IntroductionIndoor air quality (IAQ) is rated as a serious public health issue. Knowing children are accounted as more vulnerable to environmental health hazards, data are needed on air quality in schools.MethodsA project was conducted from 2007 until 2009 (SEARCH, School Environment and Respiratory Health of Children), aiming to verify links between IAQ and children’s respiratory health. Study was conducted in ten primary schools on 735 children, in 44 classrooms. Children were randomly selected. Research tools and indicators used for children’s exposure to school environment were indoor and outdoor pollutants, two standardized questionnaires for school and classroom characteristics. In both classroom air and ambient air in front of them we measured, during a 5-day exposure period for continuous 24h measuring: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, indoor air temperature, relative humidity, and PM10 during classes.ResultsPM10 concentrations were significantly most frequent in an interval of ≥80.1μg/m3, that is, in the interval above 50μg/m3. Mean PM10 value was 82.24±42.43 μg/m3, ranging from 32.00μg/m3 to of 197.00μg/m3.ConclusionThe increase of outdoor PM10 concentration significantly affects the increase of indoor PM10. A statistically significant difference exists for average IAQ PM10 concentrations vs. indicators of indoor thermal comfort zone (p<0.0001); they are lower in the classrooms with indicators within the comfort zone. Moreover, dominant factors for the increase of PM10 are: high occupancy rate in the classroom (<2m2 of space per child), high relative humidity (>75%), and indoor temperature beyond 23°C, as well as bad ventilation habits (keeping windows shut most of the time).

Objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine blood lead concentrations in children

Objective. Aim of this paper was to correlate exposure to household second-hand smoke and respiratory symptoms in participating school children, who are attending ten primary schools in Belgrade, Serbia.Method. In order to determine correlation between second-hand smoke exposure at home and respiratory symptoms in primary school pupils, a comparative cross-sectional study has been conducted. The study was conducted in ten primary schools on 735 children, in 44 classrooms in Belgrade, Serbia. A standardized questionnaire was distributed to parents/caregivers, on child's respiratory health, socioeconomic status and parents' lifestyle habits, primarily cigarette smoking.Results. 78% of all exposed children have parents smoking up to 20 cigarettes/day, while more than 22% are exposed to parents´ household second-hand smoke of more than 21 cigarettes per day (p<0.0001). Respiratory disorders appear in 45.9% of children exposed to domestic second-hand smoke (CI 1.04-1.89), asthmatic symptoms in 33.5% (CI 0.94-1.78), while the least incidence of disorders is reported for continuous cough, which have lasted for 3 months (3.3%, CI 0.44-2.36), wheezing after exercise (4.5%, CI 0.38-1.41) and being awaken by wheezing in last 12 months (7.4%, CI 0.89-3.28).Conclusion. Univariate logistic regression analysis proved that parental smoking exposure is a statistically significant predictor for childhood respiratory simptoms' manifestation.Key words: tobacco smoke pollution; child; signs and symptoms, respiratory. APSTRAKTCilj. Cilj ovog rada je uspostavljanje korelacije između izloženosti pasivnom pušenju u kućnom okruženju i pojave respiratornih simptoma kod dece koja pohađaju deset osnovnih škola u Beogradu, Srbija.Metod. Istraživanje je sprovedeno po tipu komparativne studije preseka, u deset osnovnih škola, na uzorku od 735 dece, u 44 učionice, u Beogradu, Srbija. Roditeljima/starateljima distribuiran je standardizovani upitnik, sa pitanjima o respiratornom zdravlju dece, socio-ekonomskom statusu i navikama roditelja, pre svega o pušenju cigareta.Rezultati. 78% dece koja su izložena duvanskom dimu ima roditelje koji puše do 20 cigareta/dan, dok je više od 22% izloženo duvanskom dimu od popušenih preko 21 cigareta/dan, od strane roditelja (p<0,0001). Respiratorni poremećaji prisutni su kod 45,9% dece izložene pasivnom pušenju u kućnom okruženju (CI 1.04-1.89), astmatični simptomi kod 33,5% (CI 0,94-1.,78), dok je najniža incidenca ovih poremećaja prijavljena u slučaju hroničnog kašlja, u trajanju od 3 meseca (3,3%, CI 0,44-2,36), vizinga nakon fizičke aktivnosti (4,5%, CI 0,38-1,41), kao i za slučaj buđenja usled viziga u poslednjih 12 meseci (7,4%, CI 0,89-3,28).Zaključak. Univarijantnom logističkom regresionom analizom dokazano je da je izloženost roditeljskom pušenju duvana statistički značajan prediktor za pojavu respiratornih simptoma kod dece.Ključne reči: zagadjenje duvanskim dimom; dete; znaci i simptomi, respiratorni.