Decline in Children’s Pulmonary Function during an Air Pollution Episode

Pulmonary function was measured in 163 primary school children before, during and after an air pollution episode. During the episode, TSP, RSP and SO₂ concentrations were each in the range of 200-250 μg/m³, whereas during the baseline measurements, they were generally below 100 μg/m³. During the episode, pulmonary functions were significantly lower by 3-5 percent compared to the baseline measurements. The decline was still observed 16 days after the episode, but not 25 days after the episode. Differences in pulmonary function technician, pulmonary function test appliance and in the prevalence of colds between baseline and follow-up measurement were not able to explain the findings. These results suggest that an air pollution episode of a few days, with 24-hour average TSP, RSP and SO₂ concentrations in the range of 200-250 μg/m³, was associated with a decrease in pulmonary function of primary school children.     

Change in Pulmonary Function in Children Associated with Air Pollution Episodes

Pulmonary function of approximately 200 school children in Steubenville, OH was measured before and immediately following air pollution alerts in the fall of 1978 and 1979. TSP concentrations exceeded the National Primary Ambient Air Quality 24 h standards in 1978. SO₂ exceeded the standard in 1979. The children were then reexamined in three weekly visits following each alert. Estimated mean Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) was approximately 2% lower following each alert, although the lowest means were observed one to two weeks after the episodes. Forced Expired Volume in 0.75 sec (FEV_0.75) did not change during the 1978 study, but was 4% lower immediately following the 1979 alert. The children were measured again in five weekly examinations in the spring and fall of 1980. Air pollution levels did not exceed the standards on either occasion. In the spring of 1980, estimated mean FVC and FEV_0.75 showed a decline similar to that observed following the alerts in 1978 and 1979. In the fall of 1980, there were no significant differences in the estimated mean FVC or FEV_0.75 between the examinations. A total of 335 children were tested in the four studies, including 194 who participated in more than one study. The evidence for each child from all the studies was combined in a regression analysis of pulmonary function on TSP and SO₂ average concentrations in the previous 24 h. The distribution of the individual regression coefficients was centered significantly below zero, implying a decrease in pulmonary function with increasing TSP and SO₂ concentrations. The magnitude of the median change was less than 1% of the mean FVC and FEV_0.75 over the range of TSP and SO₂ concentrations observed.     

Effect of the Pittsburgh Air Pollution Episode upon Pulmonary Function in School Children

Due to increasing atmospheric concentrations of participates, five of Allegheny County’s seven monitoring areas were placed on first stage air pollution alert by November 18,1975. The Liberty Borough area reached second stage alert, and then emergency stage the morning of November 19. An investigation was mounted to determine whether these emergency levels of par-ticulates had an effect upon the pulmonary function of school children sufficiently severe that it would require several days for pulmonary function to return to normal. Beginning November 20 in two schools and November 21 in four additional schools, the three-quarter second forced expiratory volume (FEV.75) and the forced vital capacity (FVC) of approximately 270 parochial school children in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades were tested daily through November 26. Two schools, approximately 80 children, were in control areas; the remaining children were exposed to high or very high levels of particulate air pollution with significant levels of sulfur oxides. If a severe effect of pollution on pulmonary function occurred, one would expect daily measurements to tend upward in children in the four schools in polluted areas and to remain more or less steady in the two control areas. Analyses of the data yielded no indications of such an effect of air pollution upon the lung function of the school children studied. Pulmonary function values declined very slightly in all six schools over the study period. Unexplained variability over a weekend was observed.     

Chemistry and Meteorology in an Air Pollution Episode

Strikingly sharp vertical boundaries occasionally develop between marine air polluted with photochemical smog and clean, dry air. Records of a particular incident which occurred in Riverside, Calif., shed some light on the role of wind and temperature structure in creating this unusual condition.     

Some Air Pollution Problems Associated with Agriculture in Texas

A report of some experiences with air pollution problems associated with the cotton ginning industry and the application of agricultural insecticides and herbicides.     

1987 Market Outlook for Air Pollution Control and Hazardous Waste Management

Change has characterized nearly all aspects of the air pollution control industry during the last year. The supplier companies are changing due to mergers and increased activity from foreign suppliers. Both the products and the markets are changing due to developing technologies and a changing regulatory picture. Waste-to energy and VOC control are seen as growth industries in the U.S., and a resurgence is expected in the FGD and utility particulate control arenas over the next ten years. Expansion of air pollution control companies into hazardous     

Infrared Photography as an Air Pollution Surveillance Instrument

Remote sensing is an extremely new science which developed from World War II technology. At that time, infrared sensitive film (false color) was used to detect such things as troop movements and camouflaged war materials. In essence, the film displayed a color contrast between the artificial and organic vegetation.     

Air Pollution Control of an Electric Furnace Steelmaking Shop

The body of information presented in this paper is directed to design engineers, operating management and others who may be concerned with the prevention of atmospheric emissions from electric arc steelmaking furnaces. Inland Steel Co. has recently begun operating its first electric furnace shop. Air pollution control equipment for the shop was installed to meet or exceed the legal requirements of applicable air pollution ordinances and regulations. General shop production requirements were established at 100 tons of steel per hour (maximum) to meet sales forecasts and intermediate production facility requirements. Conventional swing roof furnace design was selected for the pair of furnaces in the shop.     

Eye Irritation as an Effect of Photochemical Air Pollution

One of the most annoying aspects of photochemical air pollution, particularly in the Southern California Air Basin, has been eye irritation. The most aggravating combination of driving in heavy traffic in Los Angeles, suffering from tearing and burning of the eyes together with very limited visibility, was a strong motivation for the public to demand that effective control actions be taken.     

Air Particulates Associated with the Ash Whitefly

Unusual air particulates are linked to recent heavy infestations of the ash whitefly in California using high-performance liquid chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, optical and infrared microscopy, ion chromatography and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The unusual particles apparently are microdroplets of ash whitefly honeydew. Most of the suspended honeydew is in microdroplets with diameters between about two and twenty microns. The microdroplets were found to contain substantial amounts of sugars, primarily the oligosaccharides stachyose and raffinose. They also contain about 1 percent potassium, mainly as K⁺ The unusual microdroplets have been found in samples of air particulates taken in many areas of California after 1988.

Using a receptor model, the suspended honeydew was calculated to add as much as 40 microgm/M³ to PM₁₀ mass. The highest levels of suspended honeydew occurred between late August and early November.     

Careers in Air Pollution Control

Abstract

The destruction of parts per million (ppm) levels of volatile organic compounds in a dry air stream by high–energy electron–beam irradiation has been investigated in a pilot plant at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, Tennessee. In a series of experiments, dry air contaminated with various VOCs in the concentration range of 50–1000 ppm were treated in the UTSI pilot plant to determine the extent of destruction at various electronbeam dose levels.

The destruction removal efficiency was determined as a function of the electron beam irradiation dose. The results suggest a charge transfer reaction as the major decomposition mechanism. A theoretical foundation of the process, along with a simple first–generation reaction kinetics model, a summary of the results from the pilot plant flow reactor, and a preliminary cost analysis for a fullscale detoxification plant using currently available electronbeam gun technology are presented in this paper.