No abstract available.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Inhalation* ; Nitrogen Dioxide* ; Nitrogen*

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between air pollution exposure and mortality in Seoul for the years of 1991-1995. METHODS: Daily counts of death were analyzed by general additive Poisson model, with adjustment for effects of secular trend, seasonal factor, day of the week, heat wave, temperature, and humidity. Pollution variables were ozone, nitrogen dioxide, total suspended particles(TSP), and sulfur dioxide. RESULTS: Daily death counts were associated with ozone(1 day before), nitrogen dioxide(1 day before), TSP(2 days before), sulfur dioxide(2 days before). The association with ozone was most statistically significant and independent of other air pollutants. Increase of 100 ppb in ozone was associated with 6%(95% CI= 2%-10%) increase in the daily number of death. This effect was greater in persons aged 65 and older. The relative risks of death from respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease were greater than for all-cause mortality in each pollutant. After ozone level exceeds 25 ppb, the dose-response relationship between mortality and ozone was almost linear. However, the effect of TSP, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide on mortality might be confounded with each other. CONCLUSION: Daily variations in air pollution within the range currently occurring in Seoul might have an adverse effect on daily mortality.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; Humidity ; Infrared Rays ; Mortality* ; Nitrogen ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; Ozone ; Seasons ; Seoul* ; Sulfur ; Sulfur Dioxide

This survey was carried out from October 16 through October 27, 1989 to evaluate the working environment of expressway tollgate. We measured and analyzed 9 parameters such as total dust, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead in the air together with climatic conditions and traffic volumes at 10 major highway tollgates. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The concentrations of air pollutants at inside and outside of toll booth were 0.7824 and 1.5460 mg/m3 for total dust, 0.034 and 0.094 ppm for sulfur dioxide, 2.2 and 4.3 ppm for carbon monoxide, 0.031 and 0.068 ppm for nitrogen dioxide, 0.0018 and 0.0027 mg/m3 for lead, respectiveively. 2. All air pollutants showed significant association each other except lead and nitrogen dioxide. 3. No relation was observed between air pollutants and traffic volume. 4. Generally speaking, climatic conditions showed no effect on the value of air pollutants both at inside and outside of toll booth. The exceptions were humidity that was related with carbon monoixide outside and air current that was related with lead outside.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution* ; Carbon ; Carbon Monoxide ; Dust ; Humidity ; Korea* ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; Sulfur Dioxide

A 68 year-old male was admitted with complaint of dyspnea and nonproductive cough which developed 6 hours after accidental inhalation of nitrogen dioxide. On admission, acute pulmonary edema and severe hypoxemia were found. With oxygen and bronchodilator therapy, diffuse alveolar consolitation and his dyspnea were improved from the following day. He was discharged at 8th hospital day with prednisolone 30mg daily for prevention of bronchiolitis obliteraus. During 6 weeks of follow up, there was no evidence of bronchiolitis obliterans.
Aged ; Anoxia ; Bronchiolitis ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Male ; Nitrogen Dioxide* ; Nitrogen* ; Oxygen ; Prednisolone ; Pulmonary Edema*

OBJECTIVES: In order to evaluate the relationship between daily mortality and air pollution in Deagu for the period by the data from January 1993 to December 1997. METHODS: Deaths from accident(International Classification of Disease, Revision 9; 800-999 and Revision 10; V01- Y89) were excluded, Daily counts of deaths were analysed by general additive poisson model on the current day to 5 days before death, with controlling for effects of year, season, weather, weekday and holiday. The air pollutants examined included total suspended particulate (TSP), sulfur dioxide (SO,), nitrogen dioxide (NO,), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (03). RESULTS: Mortality was associated with NO, SO and CO in the air. Total mortality was estimated to increase by 1. 6 % (95 % CI 0. 3-3 %) with each 10 ppb rise in NOy on the current day and the preceding 1 day, 9. 4 % (95 % CI 7 13 %) with each 100 ppb rise in SOy and 2. 7 % (95 % CI 0. 1 5 %) with each 1 ppm rise in CO on the current day. The NO was more evident for the elderly who were 65 years and more. Cardiovascular-specific mortality was associated with the levels of CO on the current day. Respiratory-specific mortality was associated with the levels of TSP and NO 5 days before death. Excess mortality risk is clearly evident in the upper range of NO levels and increased monotonically with NO. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the air pollution status below the current Korean ambient air quality standard might have an adverse effect on daily mortality. Then, it is impertive that the strategy for control of the air pollution-related daily mortality should be developed.
Aged ; Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution* ; Carbon Monoxide ; Classification ; Daegu* ; Holidays ; Humans ; Mortality* ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; Ozone ; Seasons ; Sulfur Dioxide ; Weather

OBJECTIVEThe study was designed to compare the combustion products of coal gas, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas in relation to indoor air pollution.

METHODSRegular pollutants including B(a)P were monitored and 1-hydroxy pyrene were tested in urine of the enrolled subjects. Radon concentrations and their changes in four seasons were also monitored in the city natural gas from its source plant and transfer stations to final users. To analyze organic components of coal gas, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas, a high-flow sampling device specially designed was used to collect their combustion products, and semi-volatile organic compounds contained in the particles were detected by gas chromatograph-mass spectrograph (GC/MS).

RESULTSFindings in the study showed that the regular indoor air pollutants particles and CO were all above the standard in winter when heating facilities were operated in the city, but they were lowest in kitchens using natural gas; furthermore, although NO2 and CO2 were slightly higher in natural gas, B(a)P concentration was lower in this group and 1-hydroxy pyrene was lowest in urine of the subjects exposed to natural gas. Organic compounds were more complicated in coal gas and liquefied petroleum gas than in natural gas. The concentration of radon in natural gas accounted for less than 1% of its effective dose contributing to indoor air pollution in Beijing households.

CONCLUSIONCompared to traditional fuels, gases are deemed as clean ones, and natural gas is shown to be cleaner than the other two gases.

Air Pollution, Indoor ; analysis ; Carbon Dioxide ; analysis ; Coal ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Incineration ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; analysis ; Petroleum ; Radon ; analysis ; Volatilization

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution has a negative effect on many diseases, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Recent studies have reported a relationship between air pollution and renal function, but the results were limited to exposure to particulate matter (PM). This study was to identify associations between various air pollutants and renal function among Korean adults. METHODS: Nationwide survey data for a total of 24,407 adults were analyzed. We calculated the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for each individual to assess their renal function and used this to categorize those with chronic kidney disease (CKD). To evaluate exposure to ambient air pollution, we used the annual mean concentrations of four ambient air pollutants: PM with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). RESULTS: We identified significant inverse relationships between the air pollutants PM10 and NO2 and eGFR in all statistical adjustment models (all p < 0.05). In the full covariate model, interquartile range increases in the annual mean concentrations of PM10 and NO2 were associated with decreases in eGFR levels of 0.46 (95% CI = − 0.87, − 0.04) and 0.85 (95% CI = − 1.40, − 0.30), respectively. Three of the ambient air pollutants were significantly related to an increased risk of CKD in the unadjusted model (p < 0.0001), but all significant associations disappeared after adjusting for covariates (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Exposures to PM10 and NO2 were significantly associated with decreases in eGFR levels, but not CKD, in Korean adults.
Adult ; Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution ; Carbon Monoxide ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; Particulate Matter ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Sulfur Dioxide

Lung Volumes and alveolorespiratory function were studied in 30 cases of pure or predominat mitral stenosis in slightly to moderately compromized state, and the results were compared with those in the normal controls. In patients with mitral stenosis, there was a singnificant reduction in the vital capcity and the total lung capacity, whereas the residual volume and its ratio to the total lung capacity were significantly increased. The distribution of inspired gas was uneven as reflected by increase in the lung clearnace index and in the slope of phase III of the single breath nitrogen washout curve. The alvelolar arterial oxygen tension gradient and the physiological dead space were singinificantly increased despite a singinificant decrease in the arterial carbon dioxide tension. The diffusing capacity was also reduced in some cases.
Carbon Dioxide ; Humans ; Lung* ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Nitrogen ; Oxygen ; Residual Volume ; Total Lung Capacity

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the method for collecting NO2 in workplace air using a solid adsorbent and determining the concentration of NO2 by ion-exchange chromatography.

METHODSNO2 in workplace air was collected using sampling tubes filled with 13X molecular sieve soaked with triethanolamine, and the samples were desorbed with a certain concentration of triethanolamine solution to obtain NO2(-). NO2(-) was separated with an anion exchange chromatography column and quantified by a conductivity detector. The concentration of NO2 was determined based on the conversion coefficient of NO2 and NO2(-).

RESULTSDifferent concentrations of NO2 (standard gas) was collected using the sampling tubes at different time points, and the sampling efficiency and desorption efficiency could reach more than 90%. The penetrating capacity of sampling tubes was more than 1.1 mg. The comparative test shows that there was no significant difference between the new method and national standard method (solution absorption) (P > 0.05). The samples could be stored at room temperature for more than 16 days. The calibration curve plotted in the new method was linear in the range of 0.1∼20.0 µg/ml, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9998; the detection limit was 0.01 µg/ml; the minimum detectable concentration was 0.05 mg/m(3) (V0 = 3.0 L).

CONCLUSIONThis determination method meets the requirements of Guide for establishing occupational heath standards-Part 4 Determination methods of air chemicals in workplace (GBZ/T 210.4-2008) and shows obvious advantages for determination of NO2 in workplace air.

Air ; analysis ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; methods ; Nitrogen Dioxide ; analysis ; Workplace

In 1910 Scholler introduced the use of low temperatures in the field of ophthalmology. The report of cryoextraction of cataract by Krwawicz in 1961 acted as a catalyst; ophthalmologist all over the world saw the value of the cryosurgery in reducing the number of unintentional capsular ruptures. There are several types of cryogenic instruments. The most commonly used cryogens in ocular surgery are solid carbon dioxide, halogenated hydrocarbons (Freons) and liquid nitrogen. The major advantage of cryoextraction over the forceps and erisophake technics is the reduction of unintentional breakage of the lens capsule with the resulting decrease in the formation of secondary membranous cataracts and in the onset of postoperative inflammations. The applications of cryoextraction on the intumescent cataract, lens witb torn capsule, luxated lens and planned extracapsular method are briefly described.
Carbon Dioxide ; Cataract* ; Cryosurgery ; Hydrocarbons, Halogenated ; Inflammation ; Nitrogen ; Ophthalmology ; Rupture ; Surgical Instruments