Global review of national ambient air quality standards for PM10 and SO2 (24 h)

Vahlsing, Candace; Smith, Kirk R.

doi:10.1007/s11869-010-0131-2

Cited by 69 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Since 1987, World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines for air quality are reviewed periodically (91,92) . Similar guidelines, some with differences in items monitored or cut-off levels are provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from the USA and other national or continental agencies (Table 5).…”

Section: Environment Monitoring Toolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is dry eye an environmental disease?

Alves¹,

Novaes²,

Morraye³

et al. 2014

Arquivos Brasileiros De Oftalmologia

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Previous studies have revealed that eye contact with either air pollutants or adverse indoor and/or outdoor environmental conditions can affect tear film composition and ocular surface components. These effects are mediated by selective binding of the environmental agents to ocular surface membrane receptors, leading to activation of pro inflammatory signaling pathways. The aim of the current review was to examine the published evidence associated with environmental factors and ocular surface disease and dry eye. Specifically, the reader will appreciate why it is possible to refer to them as mediators of Environmental Dry Eye Disease (EDED), a singular clinical entity inside DED context, directly caused by pollutants and/ or adverse climatic conditions. The indicators and clinical findings are described along with EDE differential diagnosis in its acute and the chronic phases. Based on strong existing evidence of clinical reports and epidemiological observations regarding DED and environmental factors we conclude that there is a straight cause-and-effect relationship between ambient stresses and DED. International standards and web-based tools are described for monitoring worldwide environmental conditions referring localities and populations susceptible to EDED. This information is beneficial to health providers to pinpoint the individuals and predisposed groups afflicted with DED. Such insights may not only improve the understanding and treatment of DED but also help to identify the contributing factors and lower the frequency and progression of EDED. of DED has been studied and confirmed in animal models of human DED (13)(14)(15) . KeywordsAs indicated, a healthy and pain-free ocular surface depends on identifying and eliminating factors that cause ambient humidity, airflow and purity, and temperature to intolerable levels. Such an undertaking is needed to preserve tear film qualities commensurate with ocular surface health. This is essential to sustain sufficient corneal refractive power, visual acuity, and ocular comfort (5,16,17) . A desiccating environment can lead to increase in tear film evaporation and/or decline in its turn over and clearance. These initial events lead to exposure of the ocular surface to hazardous environmental elements that trigger or exacerbate EDED symptoms. Clinical findings have shown that increased numbers of people are affected by EDED because of exposure to environmental factors ( Figure 2).Our purpose herein is to provide a critical appraisal of the clinical and epidemiological evidence indicating that DED is influenced by environmental factors. Secondly, we delineate EDED as a single clinical entity with a unique set of symptoms and clinical findings different from that of either DED or other diseases, such as Sjögren's syndrome, diabetes mellitus or drug induced, allergic conjunctivitis, toxic or irritative conjunctivitis, and actinic keratitis. Moreover, we will describe standard tools used to monitor environmental conditions and discuss their relevance in EDED ep...

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Section: Environment Monitoring Toolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is dry eye an environmental disease?

Alves¹,

Novaes²,

Morraye³

et al. 2014

Arquivos Brasileiros De Oftalmologia

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show abstract

“…In a previous study, we showed that high local knowledge production in the field of air pollution was correlated with better local air quality at the national level (Fajersztajn, et al, 2013). Nawrot and colleagues (2011) showed that air pollution is an important trigger of myocardial infarction, similar in magnitude to other well-accepted risk factors (e.g., physical exertion and alcohol consumption), but the stringency of national air quality standards remains greatly different among countries (Vahlsing & Smith 2012). Scientists began to associate tobacco with severe health impacts in the early 50s (Doll & Hill, 1954), but important health-related polices were not implemented in some cities for a long time or were not implemented at all in other cities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

How can ecological urbanism promote human health?

Fajersztajn

Alves

Coelho³

et al. 2015

urbe, Rev. Bras. Gest. Urbana

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This special issue of URBE dedicated to Ecological Urbanism focuses on the role architects, landscape designers and urban planners can play in promoting healthier cities in Latin America. In this paper, we survey some of the empirical evidence that links the built environment with particular health outcomes. For many centuries, urban settlements were associated with adverse health outcomes, especially related to untreatable epidemics. As the science of disease transmission developed throughout the nineteenth century, the infrastructure of cities was transformed to promote improved public health. Significant gains were made, but in much of the world -Latin America included -urban health still remains a major challenge, all the more so as drug resistant strains of disease have become more prevalent. We believe Ecological Urbanism offers a promising framework for addressing these challenges. Distinguished by its integrated, multi-disciplinary foundation, Ecological Urbanism directly links both population and habitat health. This creates a natural opportunity for the design professions to play a more consequential role in shaping the health of urban settlements and, by extension, the regions they center.

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“…A disadvantage of current efforts to apply a standardised interpretation of data is that data from monitoring networks set up to achieve similar goals are often interpreted in different ways, making comparison between networks difficult. For example, differences in air quality standards between two monitoring networks make interpretation of the relative air quality situation in each country difficult [24,175]. Additionally, standard analyses of data across multiple monitoring sites generally either focus on the quantification of a particular impact or comparison with air quality targets [113,152,173], or on spatial and temporal variation in atmospheric constituents generally [160,176], rather than a holistic characterisation of both an impact of atmospheric composition, and the conditions producing it.…”

Section: Current State Of Monitoring Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, many countries have policies aimed at reducing emissions of air pollutants associated with poor air quality [23,24], whereas increasing urbanisation, especially in developing nations, could increase air pollution [25]. Climate change will also change atmospheric composition [26,27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights from a Chronology of the Development of Atmospheric Composition Monitoring Networks Since the 1800s

2016

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Abstract:Ground-based monitoring networks for evaluating atmospheric composition relevant to impacts on human health and the environment now exist worldwide (according to the United Nations Environment Programme, 48% of countries have an air quality monitoring system). Of course, this has not always been the case. Here, we analyse for the first time the key developments in network coordination and standardisation over the last 150 years that underpin the current implementations of city-scale to global monitoring networks for atmospheric composition. Examples include improvements in respect of site type and site representativeness, measurement methods, quality assurance, and data archiving. From the 1950s, these developments have progressed through two distinct types of network: those designed for the protection of human health, and those designed to increase scientific understanding of atmospheric composition and its interaction with the terrestrial environment. The step changes in network coordination and standardisation have increased confidence in the comparability of measurements made at different sites. Acknowledged limitations in the current state of monitoring networks include a sole focus on compliance monitoring. In the context of the unprecedented volumes of atmospheric composition data now being collected, we suggest the next developments in network standardisation should include more integrated analyses of monitor and other relevant data within "chemical climatology" frameworks that seek to more directly link the impacts, state and drivers of atmospheric composition. These approaches would also enhance the role of monitoring networks in the development and evaluation of air pollution mitigation strategies.

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Global review of national ambient air quality standards for PM10 and SO2 (24 h)

Cited by 69 publications

References 2 publications

Is dry eye an environmental disease?

Is dry eye an environmental disease?

How can ecological urbanism promote human health?

Insights from a Chronology of the Development of Atmospheric Composition Monitoring Networks Since the 1800s

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