Air pollution: A threat to the health of our children

Abstract

Medical doctors have a responsibility to know the facts and to advise their patients. Doctors when visiting their patients' homes should be aware of the possibly grave impact of the indoor environment for the respiratory health of their patients. They should recognize and advise the parents on problems associated with environmental tobacco smoke, poor ventilation, mould growth, and maintenance of heating installations. With regard to outdoor air pollution, doctors could serve as role models and also advise their patients and parents on environmentally friendly behaviour. Such behaviour not only calls for personal commitment but also for the right infrastructure to be provided (e.g. public transport, district heating). Doctors should be proactive in the community and in their country as advocates for a healthier environment for our children.

Traffic-related Air Pollution and Lung Function in Children at 8 Years of Age

“…16 Most of the NO x (sum of NO and NO 2 ) is emitted as nitrogen monoxide (NO) which is rapidly oxidised in the atmosphere by reaction with ozone (O 3 ) to nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ). 17 The relative amounts of NO and NO 2 therefore, depend on the ozone level and also on incoming solar radiation and air temperature. Ground-level ozone results from the effect of ultraviolet light on volatile organic compounds and NO 2 .…”

Prenatal allergen and diesel exhaust exposure and their effects on allergy in adult offspring mice

“…In humans, prenatal exposures to air pollutants such as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been shown to be associated with asthma-related outcomes in young children [1,3,4]. In mice, prenatal exposure to residual oil fly ash was associated with increased airway hyperresponsiveness, allergic inflammation, and elevated immunoglobulin (Ig) E and IgG 1 in the ovalbumin (OVA) sensitized offspring by age 16-37 days [2].…”

PM10 and CO Dispersion Modeling of Emissions from the Four Thermal Power Plants in Mashhad-Iran

“…More than %60 of the world population will live in metropolitan areas by 2050 [1]. Rapid urbanization and industrialization in developing country associated with increases in air pollution [2][3][4][5][6]. In fact, air pollution crisis becoming a humanitarian catastrophe due to poor city planning.…”