Lung function reductions associated with motor vehicle density in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle-related air pollution can potentially impair lung function. The effect of pollution in people with compromised pulmonary function such as in COPD has not been previously investigated. To examine the association of lung function with motor vehicle density in people with spirometrically determined COPD in a cross-sectional study. METHODS: In 2004-06, The North West Adelaide Health Study (NWAHS), a biomedical cohort of adults assessed pre and post-bronchodilator spirometry (n = 3,103). Traffic density, obtained from the motor vehicle inventory maintained by the South Australian Environment Protection Authority, was expressed as the daily numbers of vehicles travelling within a 200 m diameter zone around participants' geocoded residences. RESULTS: In subjects with COPD (FEV1/FVC <0.7, n = 221, 7.1 %), increasing daily vehicle density was associated with statistically significant decreases in lung function parameters after adjustment for smoking and socio-economic variables. Mean (95 % CI) post-bronchodilator % predicted FEV1 was 81 % (76-87) in the low (≤7179/day) compared with 71 % (67-75) in the high (≥15,270/day) vehicle exposure group (p < 0.05). Linear regression analysis in all subjects with COPD showed significant decrements in post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio and % predicted FEV1 of 0.03 and 0.05 % respectively per daily increase in 1000 vehicles. In men with COPD (n = 150), the corresponding reductions were 0.03 and 0.06 %. Smaller, non-significant decrements were seen in females. No difference was seen in those without COPD. CONCLUSIONS: Vehicle traffic density was associated with significant reductions in lung function in people with COPD. Urban planning should consider the health impacts for those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Arsenic speciation and phytoavailability in contaminated soils using a sequential extraction procedure and XANES spectroscopy.

In this study, a sequential extraction procedure (SEP) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy were used to determine the solid-phase speciation and phytoavailability of arsenic (As) of historically contaminated soils from As containing pesticides and herbicides and soils spiked with As in the laboratory. Brassica juncea was grown in the contaminated soils to measure plant available As in a glasshouse experiment. Arsenic associated with amorphous Fe oxides was found to be the dominant phase using both SEP and XANES spectroscopy. Arsenic predominantly existed in arsenate (As(V)) form in the soils; in a few samples As was also present in arsenite (As(III)) form or in scorodite mineral. Arsenic concentration in shoots showed significant (p < 0.001-0.05) correlations with the exchangeable As (r = 0.85), and amorphous Fe oxides associated As evaluated by the SEP (r = 0.67), and As associated with amorphous Fe oxides as determined by XANES spectroscopy (r = 0.51). The results show that As in both fractions was readily available for plant uptake and may pose a potential risk to the environment. The combination of SEP and XANES spectroscopy allowed us the quantitative speciation of As in the contaminated soils and the identification of valence and mineral forms of As. Such detailed knowledge on As speciation and availability is vital for management and rehabilitation of As-contaminated soils.

Traffic-related air pollution and health co-benefits of alternative transport in Adelaide, South Australia.

BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle emissions contribute nearly a quarter of the world's energy-related greenhouse gases and cause non-negligible air pollution, primarily in urban areas. Changing people's travel behaviour towards alternative transport is an efficient approach to mitigate harmful environmental impacts caused by a large number of vehicles. Such a strategy also provides an opportunity to gain health co-benefits of improved air quality and enhanced physical activities. This study aimed at quantifying co-benefit effects of alternative transport use in Adelaide, South Australia. METHOD: We made projections for a business-as-usual scenario for 2030 with alternative transport scenarios. Separate models including air pollution models and comparative risk assessment health models were developed to link alternative transport scenarios with possible environmental and health benefits. RESULTS: In the study region with an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2030, by shifting 40% of vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) by passenger vehicles to alternative transport, annual average urban PM2.5 would decline by approximately 0.4µg/m(3) compared to business-as-usual, resulting in net health benefits of an estimated 13deaths/year prevented and 118 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) prevented per year due to improved air quality. Further health benefits would be obtained from improved physical fitness through active transport (508deaths/year prevented, 6569DALYs/year prevented), and changes in traffic injuries (21 deaths and, 960 DALYs prevented). CONCLUSION: Although uncertainties remain, our findings suggest that significant environmental and health benefits are possible if alternative transport replaces even a relatively small portion of car trips. The results may provide assistance to various government organisations and relevant service providers and promote collaboration in policy-making, city planning and infrastructure establishment.

Cobenefits of replacing car trips with alternative transportation: a review of evidence and methodological issues.

It has been reported that motor vehicle emissions contribute nearly a quarter of world energy-related greenhouse gases and cause nonnegligible air pollution primarily in urban areas. Reducing car use and increasing ecofriendly alternative transport, such as public and active transport, are efficient approaches to mitigate harmful environmental impacts caused by a large amount of vehicle use. Besides the environmental benefits of promoting alternative transport, it can also induce other health and economic benefits. At present, a number of studies have been conducted to evaluate cobenefits from greenhouse gas mitigation policies. However, relatively few have focused specifically on the transport sector. A comprehensive understanding of the multiple benefits of alternative transport could assist with policy making in the areas of transport, health, and environment. However, there is no straightforward method which could estimate cobenefits effect at one time. In this paper, the links between vehicle emissions and air quality, as well as the health and economic benefits from alternative transport use, are considered, and methodological issues relating to the modelling of these cobenefits are discussed.

Properties of oil and char derived from slow pyrolysis of Tetraselmis chui.

Pyrolysis of biomass is a means to industrially manufacture renewable oil and gas, in addition to biochar for soil amendment and long-term carbon fixation. In this work, oil and char derived from the slow pyrolysis of the unicellular marine diatom Tetraselmis chui are analysed using a variety of techniques. The pyrolytic oil fraction exhibits a wide variety of fatty acids, alkanes, alkenes, amides, aldehydes, terpenes, pyrrolidinines, phytol and phenols, with a high heating value (HHV) of 28 MJ/kg. The biochar produced has a HHV of 14.5 MJ/kg and reveals a number of properties that are potentially valuable from an agronomic point of view, including high cation exchange capacity (CEC), large concentration of N, and a low C:N ratio. The quantity of C in T. chui biochar that can be expected to stabilise in soil amounts to approximately 9%/wt of the original feedstock, leading to a potential net reduction in atmospheric CO(2).