1.Health impacts of environmental contamination of micro- and nanoplastics: a review.
Baorong JIANG ; Alexandra E KAUFFMAN ; Lei LI ; Wayne MCFEE ; Bo CAI ; John WEINSTEIN ; Jamie R LEAD ; Saurabh CHATTERJEE ; Geoffrey I SCOTT ; Shuo XIAO
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 2020;25(1):29-29
Plastics are extensively used in our daily life. However, a significant amount of plastic waste is discharged to the environment directly or via improper reuse or recycling. Degradation of plastic waste generates micro- or nano-sized plastic particles that are defined as micro- or nanoplastics (MNPs). Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles with a diameter less than 5 mm, while nanoplastics (NPs) range in diameter from 1 to 100 or 1000 nm. In the current review, we first briefly summarized the environmental contamination of MNPs and then discussed their health impacts based on existing MNP research. Our review indicates that MNPs can be detected in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide and be ingested and accumulated by animals along the food chain. Evidence has suggested the harmful health impacts of MNPs on marine and freshwater animals. Recent studies found MPs in human stool samples, suggesting that humans are exposed to MPs through food and/or drinking water. However, the effect of MNPs on human health is scarcely researched. In addition to the MNPs themselves, these tiny plastic particles can release plastic additives and/or adsorb other environmental chemicals, many of which have been shown to exhibit endocrine disrupting and other toxic effects. In summary, we conclude that more studies are necessary to provide a comprehensive understanding of MNP pollution hazards and also provide a basis for the subsequent pollution management and control.
Environmental Exposure
;
Environmental Monitoring
;
Microplastics
;
adverse effects
;
analysis
;
Water Pollutants
;
adverse effects
;
analysis
10.Living near a Major Road in Beijing: Association with Lower Lung Function, Airway Acidification, and Chronic Cough.
Zhan-Wei HU ; Yan-Ni ZHAO ; Yuan CHENG ; Cui-Yan GUO ; Xi WANG ; Nan LI ; Jun-Qing LIU ; Hui KANG ; Guo-Guang XIA ; Ping HU ; Ping-Ji ZHANG ; Jing MA ; Ying LIU ; Cheng ZHANG ; Li SU ; Guang-Fa WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2016;129(18):2184-2190
BACKGROUNDThe effects of near-road pollution on lung function in China have not been well studied. We aimed to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution on lung function, airway inflammation, and respiratory symptoms.
METHODSWe enrolled 1003 residents aged 57.96 ± 8.99 years living in the Shichahai Community in Beijing. Distances between home addresses and the nearest major roads were measured to calculate home-road distance. We used the distance categories 1, 2, and 3, representing <100 m, 100-200 m, and >200 m, respectively, as the dose indicator for traffic-related air pollution exposure. Lung function, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH, and interleukin 6 levels were measured. As a follow-up, 398 participants had a second lung function assessment about 3 years later, and lung function decline was also examined as an outcome. We used regression analysis to assess the impacts of home-road distance on lung function and respiratory symptoms. As the EBC biomarker data were not normally distributed, we performed correlation analysis between home-road distance categories and EBC biomarkers.
RESULTSParticipants living a shorter distance from major roads had lower percentage of predicted value of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1% -1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.20 to -2.89). The odds ratio for chronic cough was 2.54 (95% CI: 1.57-4.10) for category 1 and 1.97 (95% CI: 1.16-3.37) for category 2, compared with category 3. EBC pH was positively correlated with road distance (rank correlation coefficient of Spearman [rs] = 0.176, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONSLong-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution in people who live near major roads in Beijing is associated with lower lung function, airway acidification, and a higher prevalence of chronic cough. EBC pH is a potential useful biomarker for evaluating air pollution exposure.
Aged ; Air Pollution ; adverse effects ; Beijing ; Cough ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Middle Aged