Environmental Health
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Environmental Health
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25 Ways to Create a Green and Healthy Home
Acute coronary events decreased after public smoking ban in Italy “The researchers said the health benefits seen in this study probably result from a significant reduction in exposure to passive smoking. In addition, a smoking-free environment makes it easier for smokers to stop smoking.”
Air Pollution Causing Widespread And Serious Impacts To Ecosystems In Eastern United States
Air Pollution Shrinks Fetus Size, Study Suggests
Bad Bacteria Lurk In Highway Rest Stops “Researchers collected swab samples from places people normally touch in public bathrooms, such as restroom door handles, toilet stall handles, toilet flush handles, sink handles, towel dispenser handles, and blow dryer handles, at travel and rest stops along major interstate highways in the Southwest. Their results showed the presence of many different bacteria, such as staph bacteria and E. coli. MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a difficult to treat type of staph that can cause potentially life-threatening infection, was found in 10 of the 47 samples taken”
Bad Lyme Bug Spreading: Virulent Strain of Lyme Disease Spreading in U.S., Europe“Qiu and Luft note that the rise of a more virulent Lyme spirochete isn't the whole story. People get the infection from the bite of a deer tick. As suburbs encroach on rural areas, and as more homes are built near forests, more people are at risk of tick bites. Increased exposure to ticks accounts for most of the increase in Lyme disease. Qiu and colleagues found that the ospC type A strain is the most widespread strain in the U.S. It's also widespread in Europe. That was a surprise, as Lyme disease spirochetes in Europe are spread by different ticks and harbored by different animal hosts than in the U.S.“
Bad New Air Pollutant Found “Free radicals are highly reactive compounds that can damage human cells. Scientists have long known that free radicals spew into the air during the burning of fuels or in the same photochemical processes that produce ozone. But they thought they all disappeared in less than a second.”
Carbon Dioxide Tied To Air Pollution Mortality
Cardiovascular Effects of Air Pollution, Even in the Comfort of Home
Chernobyl Fallout? Plutonium Found In Swedish Soil “When a reactor in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded in 1986 in what was then the Soviet republic of Ukraine, radioactive elements were released in the air and dispersed over the Soviet Union, Europe and even eastern portions of North America.”
Chronic lead poisoning from urban soils“"These national numbers for chronic lead poisoning are staggering but the percentage of affected children in older urban areas is much much higher than in rural areas or newer cities. The blowing soil and dust young children ingest contains large amount of lead from lead paint and leaded gasoline deposited decades ago, and from industrial contamination. In Indianapolis, we found high levels of soil contamination. Many older urban centers, have lead poisoning rates that are 5 to10 times the national average." said Filippelli, who is a biogeochemist studying environmental contamination of heavy metals and its effects on children's health. Going into neighborhoods where yards are dirt rather than grass-covered and spraying clean water with high power shower systems when tests show that soil moisture is low (usually mid-July to mid-September in Indianapolis, for example), would significantly decrease the chronic lead poisoning in children, according to Filippelli. Since contaminated dirt blows from one property to another, this cannot be done on a house by house basis but must be carried out on a regional basis. … Young children, especially those who crawl, put objects in their mouth, eat dirt, or are exposed to blowing dirt, and can consume a significant amount of lead. Children's developing digestive systems are very susceptible to lead poisoning. To a child's body, lead looks like calcium because they both have same ionic charge and size. As their neurons develop, the nervous system tries to use lead in place of calcium and the child's neural systems fail to form correctly. This impairs neural function leading to irreversibly decreased IQ and increased attention deficient issues.“
Common Insecticide Can Decimate Tadpole Populations “The latest findings of a University of Pittsburgh-based project to determine the environmental impact of routine pesticide use suggests that malathion—the most popular insecticide in the United States—can decimate tadpole populations by altering their food chain, according to research published in the Oct. 1 edition of Ecological Applications.”
Diesel Emissions Posing Alarming Cancer Threat “The biggest problem areas are around the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors, where the industry of shipping and moving goods relies on diesel to fuel trucks, trains and ships. High levels of toxic air contamination were also found throughout the transportation corridor of South Los Angeles as well as in the Burbank and Fontana regions -- where heavy car and truck traffic spew toxic emissions. “
Diesel Exhaust Exposure Early in Life Doubles Asthma Risk “Infants younger than 1 year who live within 400 m of a source of diesel exhaust have double the risk for persistent allergic wheeze by the age of 3 years than infants who live farther away. If the living environment also has a high risk for indoor allergens, this risk is more than 4-fold higher.”
Diesel Exhaust Inhalation Stresses Your Brain “Previous studies have already suggested that very small particles, called nanoparticles, breathed in from polluted air can end up in the brain. But this is the first time that scientists have demonstrated that inhalation actually alters brain activity.“
Environmental Toxins Linked To Early Onset Puberty In Girls, Study Suggests
Even Low Levels Of Air Pollution May Pose Stroke Risk “These findings support the hypotheses that recent exposure to fine particulate matter may increase the risk of ischemic cerebrovascular events specifically. There is experimental evidence that particulate air pollution is associated with acute artery vasoconstriction and with increases in plasma viscosity (thickening of the blood) which may enhance the potential for blood clots, although this requires further study.”
Exposure To Bad Air Raises Blood Pressure, Study Shows
Fragrances May Emit Potential Toxins “Fragranced laundry products and air fresheners emit dozens of different chemicals, including some regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal law, according to a new study. Yet none of the potentially toxic chemicals is listed on the product labels, according to researcher Anne C. Steinemann, PhD, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and public affairs at the University of Washington, Seattle. She says consumers should be given more information about such products. … "I didn't find a brand that didn't emit at least one toxic chemical," says Steinemann, who analyzed six different products. But her research drew protests from representatives of the industry that markets fragranced products; industry spokespeople say the products are safe when used as directed and that the chemicals are present in amounts not known to cause problems.”
Granite Countertops A Health Threat? “ If you have granite countertops in your home, you might consider testing them for the amounts of radon gas they give off, experts say, due to the potential that those amounts are above levels considered safe. But marble manufacturers say flat-out that, "Radiation in granite is not dangerous." “
Homeowners beware - kitchen countertop could be radioactive.
Green Cleaning Spruces Up Environment
Harmful chemical wafts off your TV
Health Effects of Indoor Air Pollution From Biomass Cooking Stoves (Medscape Public Health & Prevention. 2008)
Home radon may have tie to childhood leukemia “Children who live in homes with high radon levels may be at increased risk for acute lymphoblastic leukemia during childhood, but not other childhood cancers, research from Denmark suggests. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of infection-fighting white blood cells. Outside of fetal exposure to X-rays and genetic conditions, the causes or risk factors associated with childhood ALL are poorly understood. Higher rates of childhood cancer, and particularly leukemia, have been observed in geographic regions with higher levels of radon -- a natural radioactive gas that emanates from soils and can concentrate inside houses.”
Irish people exposed to higher level of radiation “Radon, which is the second biggest cause of lung cancer in Ireland after smoking, accounts for more than 56 per cent of radiation exposure in general and 95 per cent of radiation exposure in the workplace. This naturally-occurring radioactive gas can become trapped in pockets under buildings and seep inside through cracks in the foundations.”
Link Between Ozone Air Pollution And Premature Death Confirmed
Low Exposure To Asbestos-like Mineral From Montana Vermiculite May Up Lung Disease Risk
Man-Made Chemicals May Put Strain on FishMethylmercury Warning “Recent studies hint that exposure to the toxic chemicals, such as methylmercury can cause harm at levels previously considered safe. A new analysis of the epidemiological evidence in the International Journal of Environment and Health, suggests that we should take a precautionary approach to this and similar compounds to protect unborn children from irreversible brain damage.”
Pesticide Poses Risk to Humans “Scholz and his colleagues found that salmon died when exposed to combinations of pesticides that were not deadly by themselves. Not only could the findings have important implications for salmon populations, the research could also point to the need for more study of how combinations of pesticides found on fruits and vegetables may be affecting humans.”
One In Five Rooms Is 'Highly Contaminated' With Hidden Mold “They report that almost one in five rooms studied with no visible mould was in fact “highly contaminated” by fungus which could aggravate conditions such as asthma. The study also found that bedrooms and living rooms were no less contaminated than bathrooms and kitchens – “hidden” fungus was not only airborne but found in carpets and soft furnishings, and behind wallpaper, and was often colourless and odourless. … The researchers found that significant factors in levels of contamination were structure, such as lack of ventilation or a ground floor apartment, or accidental damage, such as water damage.”
Penguins Setting Off Sirens Over Health Of World's Oceans “Oil pollution, depletion of fisheries and rampant coastline development that threatens breeding habitat for many penguin species, along with Earth's warming climate, are leading to rapid population declines among penguins, said Dee Boersma, a University of Washington biology professor and an authority on the flightless birds.”
Pesticides May Be Responsible For Reproductive Abnormalities “Internally, the more agricultural the sites, the more feminized the males' reproductive organs. Many had both ovaries and testes. Not only that, both the impacted males and the intersex frogs had less of the male hormone testosterone than normal males, suggesting diminished reproductive capabilities, Guillette said. Guillette and McCoy said the study's results may have important implications not only for other wild species, but also for people. "What we are finding in Bufo marinus might also occur in other animals, including other amphibian species and humans," McCoy said. "In fact, reproductive abnormalities are increasing in humans and these increases could partially be due to exposure to pesticides." “
Pesticides Persist In Ground Water
Pneumonia 'linked' to pollution “High levels of pollution may have contributed to the deaths of thousands of people in England from pneumonia in recent years, a study suggests.”
Pollution 'hinders heart pacing' “Air pollution from traffic hinders the heart's ability to conduct electrical signals, a study has suggested. Exposure to small particulates - tiny chemicals caused by burning fossil fuels - caused worrying changes on the heart traces of 48 heart patients. Particulate pollution is already known to increase heart attack risk. The Circulation study appears to back this up and the heart trace changes seen were characteristic of poor oxygen supply to the heart. The electrocardiograms of the 48 patients studied, who had recently been hospitalised for heart attack, unstable angina or worsening symptoms of coronary heart disease, showed unusual changes called ST-segment depression. “
Pollution linked to appendicitis “Previous studies have shown that air pollution may promote other disease states through inflammation, and the researchers said this was the most likely explanation for their finding. Lead researcher Dr Gilaad Kaplan said: "If the relationship between air pollution and appendicitis is confirmed, then improving air quality may prevent the occurrence of appendicitis in some individuals." Dr Anton Emmanuel, medical director of the digestive disorders charity Core, said it was possible that air pollution had an impact on blood flow in the gut which in theory could make obstruction of the neck of the appendix more likely. “
Potentially Toxic Substance Found In Chicago Air
Some Wood Floor Finishes Are A Likely Source Of PCB Exposure “The likely source of the PCBs was brought to light when a resident reported using a particular floor finish, Fabulon, in the home in the 1950s and 1960s. Researchers learned that this product contained PCBs in the past from a reference book series "Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products" which was published at that time. The researchers point out that many buildings, including schools and public buildings, from this period may harbor PCB-containing floor finishes or other products. "Our findings suggest that the exposure potential posed by historic use of PCBs in building materials may be significantly underestimated," the researchers said. “
Smog Probably Kills, Advisory Panel Tells US Government “Short-term exposure to ozone as a component of smog, at concentrations typical of many regions of the US, "is likely to contribute to premature deaths," especially among people with chronic lung or heart disease or other risk factors, concludes an analysis [1] by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies, a private agency that advises the US government.”
Study Links Chronic Illness To Coal Mining Pollution
Tiny Air Pollution Particles Hurt Heart: Study: The Smallest Air Pollutants May Increase Atherosclerosis More Than Bigger Particles “The tiniest air pollution particles may be particularly bad for heart health. A new study links ultrafine particulates from traffic to worse atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) in mice. Ultrafine particulates "may constitute a significant cardiovascular risk factor," write Jesus Araujo, MD, PhD, of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and colleagues.“
Waterborne Disease Risk Upped In Great Lakes
What Are The Health Effects Of Wireless Communication Devices?
What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?
Why Diesel Particulates Cause Cardiovascular Disease
ARTICLES:
6 toxins that lurk in your home
Ask Annie - What is the Safest Paint?
Bad Bugs Pictures Slideshow: Identify Bugs and Their Bites
Do You Know What Plastic Recycling Symbols Mean?
What you should know about household mold (video)
JOURNAL ARTICLES:
A pilot study associating urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites and semen quality. (Syst Biol Reprod Med. 2008) “Results suggest that ambient phthalate metabolite concentrations may adversely affect human semen quality.”
A pilot study to isolate Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus from environmental surfaces in the home. (Am J Infect Control. 2008) “MRSA was isolated from 9 of 35 homes (26%) and was found on a variety of household surfaces, including the kitchen and bathroom sinks, countertops, kitchen faucet handle, kitchen drain, dish sponge/cloth, dish towel, tub, infant high chair tray, and pet food dish. A positive correlation was indicated for the presence of a cat and the isolation of MRSA from surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown the presence of MRSA at hand-contact surfaces in healthy homes. This provides further evidence for the potential for infection transmission via inanimate surfaces and underscores the need for good hygiene practice in the home.”
Air Pollution and Heart Rate Variability: Effect Modification by Chronic Lead Exposure. (Epidemiology. 2008) “CONCLUSIONS:: People with long-term exposure to higher levels of lead may be more sensitive to cardiac autonomic dysfunction on high air pollution days. Efforts to understand how environmental exposures affect the health of an aging population should consider both current levels of pollution and history of lead exposure as susceptibility factors.”
Air Pollution Threatens the Health of Children in China (PEDIATRICS 2008) “China relies on coal for 70% to 75% of its energy needs, consuming 1.9 billion tons of coal each year. In addition to CO2, the major greenhouse gas, coal burning in China emits vast quantities of particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, arsenic, and mercury. Automobiles emit nitrogen dioxide and benzene in addition to particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Seventy percent of Chinese households burn coal or biomass for cooking and heating, which contaminates indoor air. Adverse effects of combustion-related air pollution include reduced fetal and child growth, pulmonary disease including asthma, developmental impairment, and increased risk of cancer.”
Cardiovascular effects of air pollution. (Clin Sci (Lond). 2008) “Evidence from cellular/toxicological experiments, controlled animal and human exposures and human panel studies have demonstrated several mechanisms by which particle exposure may both trigger acute events as well as prompt the chronic development of cardiovascular diseases. PM inhaled into the pulmonary tree may instigate remote cardiovascular health effects via three general pathways: instigation of systemic inflammation and/or oxidative stress, alterations in autonomic balance, and potentially by direct actions upon the vasculature of particle constituents capable of reaching the systemic circulation. In turn, these responses have been shown to trigger acute arterial vasoconstriction, endothelial dysfunction, arrhythmias and pro-coagulant/thrombotic actions. Finally, long-term exposure has been shown to enhance the chronic genesis of atherosclerosis. Although the risk to one individual at any single time point is small, given the prodigious number of people continuously exposed, PM air pollution imparts a tremendous burden to the global public health, ranking it as the 13th leading cause of morality (approx. 800,000 annual deaths).”
Chronic Particulate Exposure, Mortality, and Coronary Heart Disease in the Nurses’ Health Study (American Journal of Epidemiology 2008) “In this population, increases in such exposures were associated with increases in all-cause and CHD mortality. Never smokers with higher body mass indexes were at greatest risk of fatal CHD.”
Diesel particulate matter, lung cancer, and asthma incidences along major traffic corridors in MA, USA: A GIS analysis. (Health Place. 2008)
Dietary exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in The Netherlands anno 2004. (Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2008)
DNA damage in workers occupationally exposed to pesticide mixtures. (J Appl Toxicol. 2008)
Exposure to indoor mould and children's respiratory health in the PATY study. (J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008) “CONCLUSION: Indoor mould exposure was consistently associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes in children living in these diverse countries.”
Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution and Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (Arch Intern Med. 2008) “Conclusions Long-term exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with altered coagulation function and DVT risk. Other risk factors for DVT may modulate the effect of particulate air pollution.”
Human semen quality and sperm DNA damage in relation to urinary metabolites of pyrethroid insecticides. (Hum Reprod. 2008) “CONCLUSIONS We found evidence for reduced semen quality and increased sperm DNA damage in relation to urinary metabolites of pyrethroid insecticides. These findings may be of concern due to increased pyrethroid use and prevalent human exposure.”
Identification of mold and dampness-associated respiratory morbidity in 2 schools: comparison of questionnaire survey responses to national data. (J Sch Health. 2008) “Results: Employees from both schools had excess work-related throat and lower respiratory symptoms, as well as eye, nasal, sinus, and wheezing symptoms. School B employees also had excess physician-diagnosed asthma and work-related fatigue, headache, and skin irritation. Employees in sections of the school buildings that were categorized as having greater dampness and mold contamination had more frequent upper and lower respiratory symptoms than employees working in other building sections.”
Long-Term Effects of Traffic-Related Air Pollution on Mortality in a Dutch Cohort (NLCS-AIR Study). (Environ Health Perspect. 2008) “These results add to the evidence that long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with increased mortality.”
Low level of exposure to pesticides leads to lung dysfunction in occupationally exposed subjects. (Inhal Toxicol. 2008)
Occupational Exposure to Pesticides and Risk of Adult Brain Tumors (American Journal of Epidemiology 2008) “Women who reported ever using herbicides had a significantly increased risk for meningioma compared with women who never used herbicides (odds ratio = 2.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.4, 4.3), and there were significant trends of increasing risk with increasing years of herbicide exposure (p = 0.01) and increasing cumulative exposure (p = 0.01). There was no association between meningioma and herbicide or insecticide exposure among men. These findings highlight the need to go beyond job title to elucidate potential carcinogenic exposures within different occupations.”
Outdoor ozone and building-related symptoms in the BASE study. (Indoor Air. 2008)
Potential developmental neurotoxicity of pesticides used in Europe. (Environ Health. 2008) “Laboratory experimental studies using model compounds suggest that many pesticides currently used in Europe – including organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, ethylenebisdithiocarbamates, and chlorophenoxy herbicides – can cause neurodevelopmental toxicity. Adverse effects on brain development can be severe and irreversible. Prevention should therefore be a public health priority. The occurrence of residues in food and other types of human exposures should be prevented with regard to the pesticide groups that are known to be neurotoxic. For other substances, given their widespread use and the unique vulnerability of the developing brain, the general lack of data on developmental neurotoxicity calls for investment in targeted research. While awaiting more definite evidence, existing uncertainties should be considered in light of the need for precautionary action to protect brain development.”
Quality of indoor residential air and health. (CMAJ. 2008) “About 90% of our time is spent indoors where we are exposed to chemical and biological contaminants and possibly to carcinogens. These agents may influence the risk of developing nonspecific respiratory and neurologic symptoms, allergies, asthma and lung cancer. We review the sources, health effects and control strategies for several of these agents. There are conflicting data about indoor allergens. Early exposure may increase or may decrease the risk of future sensitization. Reports of indoor moulds or dampness or both are consistently associated with increased respiratory symptoms but causality has not been established. After cigarette smoking, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and radon are the most common causes of lung cancer. Homeowners can improve the air quality in their homes, often with relatively simple measures, which should provide health benefits.”
Residence Near Power Lines and Mortality From Neurodegenerative Diseases: Longitudinal Study of the Swiss Population. (Am J Epidemiol. 2008)
Road traffic noise and cardiovascular risk. (Noise Health. 2008)
The Association between Phthalates in Dust and Allergic Diseases among Bulgarian Children. (Environ Health Perspect. 2008) “Conclusions. This study shows an association between concentration of DEHP in indoor dust and wheezing among preschool children in Bulgaria.”
Toxic causes of mental illness are overlooked. (Neurotoxicology. 2008)
Who is More Vulnerable to Die From Ozone Air Pollution? (Epidemiology. 2008)
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