Effects of Air Pollutants on Childhood Asthma

Abstract

Epidemiologic studies have suggested the association between environmental exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the increased risk of incurring asthma. Yet there is little data regarding the relationship between personal exposure to air pollution and the incidence of asthma in children. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of exposure to air pollution on children with asthma by using exposure biomarkers. We assessed the exposure level to VOCs by measuring urinary concentrations of hippuric acid and muconic acid, and PAHs by 1-OH pyrene and 2-naphthol in 30 children with asthma and 30 children without asthma (control). The mean level of hippuric acid was 0.158 ± 0.169 µmol/mol creatinine in the asthma group and 0.148 ± 0.249 µmol/mol creatinine in the control group, with no statistical significance noted (p=0.30). The mean concentration of muconic acid was higher in the asthma group than in the control group (7.630 ± 8.915 µmol/mol creatinine vs. 3.390 ± 4.526 µmol/mol creatinine p=0.01). The mean level of urinary 1-OHP was higher in the asthma group (0.430 ± 0.343 µmol/mol creatinine) than the control group (0.239 ± 0.175 µmol/mol creatinine), which was statistically significant (p=0.03). There was no difference in the mean concentration of 2-NAP between the two groups (9.864 ± 10.037 µmol/mol in the asthma group vs. 9.157 ± 9.640 µmol/mol in the control group, p=0.96). In conclusion, this study suggests that VOCs and PAHs have some role in asthma.

Predictors of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and internal dose in inner city Baltimore children

“…GM and median urinary 1-OHPG levels in our study were also higher than in most international studies in children. It should be noted that the international studies that reported higher 1-OHPG levels were conducted mostly in regions with major industrial activities (e.g., steel mills, coal-fired power plants, and oil refineries) 41,42,56,57 or high vehicular traffic volume. 58 Although our study comprised mostly asthmatic children, we found no differences in 1-OHPG concentration by asthma status, likely because of similar environmental PAH exposure profiles for children with and without asthma.…”

Comparison of air pollution and the prevalence of allergy-related diseases in Incheon and Jeju City

“…From a study of 368 middle school students, we found that PM 10 had adverse effects on forced expiratory volume in one second. By measuring the levels of biomarkers such as muconic acid and 1-OH pyrene, we also found that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) play a role in the presentation of asthma9,10).…”

Biomarker analysis of rat livers exposed to different toxic pollutants (VOCs and PAHs) using an antibody array

“…Some studies have shown that VOCs have harmful effects on the environment. They can also affect the human body, creating a higher risk for the development of allergies, asthma, or cancer 5,6 .…”