Smoke and sulfur dioxide (mg/m )
–3
Deaths
Deaths
Sulfur dioxide
Smoke
Figure 5 Deaths related to
sulfur dioxide and smoke
concentration in the
London smog, December
1952
threshold to PM-associated health effects exists it may be reasonable to expect
that reductions in PM
and PM
will result in improvements in peoples health.
Oxides of nitrogen are associated with increased incidence of lower respiratory
tract infection in children and decreased airway responsiveness in asthmatics.
It has proved difficult to disentangle the impact of outdoor NO
V
impacts from
indoor, and from the presence of other pollutants, but published estimates
suggest respiratory effects in children at annual average NO
concentrations in
the range 50—75 g m\ or higher.
Ozone-related health effects include changes in lung capacity, flow resistance,
epithelial permeability and reactivity to bronchoactive challenges. Short term
effects on lung function can be observed a few hours after the exposure and may
persist for hours or days after the exposure ceases. These effects are apparently
reversible, but repeated exposure can exacerbate or prolong these effects,
although the current knowledge of the chronic health effects are much less
complete. Field studies also show decreased athletic performance and increased
incidence of asthma attacks and respiratory symptoms in asthmatics.
There has been a steady improvement in air quality in cities of Europe since the
1970s due to policies that reduce pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and
particulates, and excess death rates have fallen. In Asia, some urban areas seem to
be following the same pollution trajectory as cities such as London up until the
E. T. Wilkins, Air pollution and aspects of the London fog of December 1952, Quart J. R. Met. Soc.,
1954, 80, 267.
M. Lippman, Air Pollution and Health — Studies in North America and Europe, in Health and Air
Pollution in Developing Countries, ed. G. McGranahan and F. Murray, Stockholm Environment
Institute, York, 1999, pp. 29—41.
L. J. Folinsbee, Human health effects of air pollution, Environ. Health Perspect., 1992, 100, 45—56.
WHO, Updating and Revision of the Air Quality Guidelines for Europe, Reports of WHO Working
Groups, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, 1995.
J. C. I. Kuylenstierna, W. K. Hicks and M. J. Chadwick
28
–3
Deaths
Deaths
Sulfur dioxide
Smoke
Figure 5 Deaths related to
sulfur dioxide and smoke
concentration in the
London smog, December
1952
threshold to PM-associated health effects exists it may be reasonable to expect
that reductions in PM
and PM
will result in improvements in peoples health.
Oxides of nitrogen are associated with increased incidence of lower respiratory
tract infection in children and decreased airway responsiveness in asthmatics.
It has proved difficult to disentangle the impact of outdoor NO
V
impacts from
indoor, and from the presence of other pollutants, but published estimates
suggest respiratory effects in children at annual average NO
concentrations in
the range 50—75 g m\ or higher.
Ozone-related health effects include changes in lung capacity, flow resistance,
epithelial permeability and reactivity to bronchoactive challenges. Short term
effects on lung function can be observed a few hours after the exposure and may
persist for hours or days after the exposure ceases. These effects are apparently
reversible, but repeated exposure can exacerbate or prolong these effects,
although the current knowledge of the chronic health effects are much less
complete. Field studies also show decreased athletic performance and increased
incidence of asthma attacks and respiratory symptoms in asthmatics.
There has been a steady improvement in air quality in cities of Europe since the
1970s due to policies that reduce pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and
particulates, and excess death rates have fallen. In Asia, some urban areas seem to
be following the same pollution trajectory as cities such as London up until the
E. T. Wilkins, Air pollution and aspects of the London fog of December 1952, Quart J. R. Met. Soc.,
1954, 80, 267.
M. Lippman, Air Pollution and Health — Studies in North America and Europe, in Health and Air
Pollution in Developing Countries, ed. G. McGranahan and F. Murray, Stockholm Environment
Institute, York, 1999, pp. 29—41.
L. J. Folinsbee, Human health effects of air pollution, Environ. Health Perspect., 1992, 100, 45—56.
WHO, Updating and Revision of the Air Quality Guidelines for Europe, Reports of WHO Working
Groups, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, 1995.
J. C. I. Kuylenstierna, W. K. Hicks and M. J. Chadwick
28