João Vicente de Assunção

Efeitos das queimadas na saúde humana

dos efeitos das queimadas para a saude humana sao muitoescassos, tanto no Brasil quanto no exterior, em que pese quase toda aliteratura que trata das emissoes atmosfericas produzidas por queima debiomassa mencionar que elas causam efeitos deleterios a saude. Tal fato se deveem grande parte a variedade de aspectos envolvidos e a dificuldade em se separarcausas isoladas de um determinado efeito. Pesquisas em saude ambiental saobastante complexas a medida em que a saude humana depende de uma teia defatores interligados: exogenos (bioticos e abioticos), endogenos (fisiologicos eanatomicos), comportamentais (psicologicos, sociais e culturais) e da densidadedemografica (Audy,

Dioxinas e furanos: origens e riscos

Apresenta-se uma atualizacao bibliografica com o objetivo de relatar a origem e os riscos a saude publica das dioxinas e furanos e possibilitar o conhecimento de algumas areas de pesquisa sobre esses compostos. Foram selecionadas 16 referencias bibliograficas, cobrindo aproximadamente doze anos (1986 a 1997). Pela analise feita concluiu-se que: a) Esses compostos sao de origem nao natural, considerados altamente toxicos, extremamente persistentes, tendo sido detectados em todas as matrizes ambientais como: solo, sedimentos, ar, agua, animais e vegetais; b) emissoes desses compostos para a atmosfera ocorrem principalmente nos processos de combustao; c) dispersao atmosferica, deposicao e subsequente acumulacao na cadeia alimentar tem sido a principal rota de exposicao da populacao em geral; d) devido a natureza lipofilica e persistencia, estes se acumulam em tecidos gordurosos, sendo os alimentos de origem animal os que apresentaram maiores concentracoes; e) no Brasil, os poucos estudos realizados, com medidas de concentracoes desses compostos no meio ambiente, apresentaram alguns niveis comparaveis aos da Alemanha. Recomenda-se a continuidade de pesquisas no Brasil, sobre esses compostos, em especial sua acumulacao em alimentos e no tecido humano.

The impact of atmospheric particulate matter on cancer incidence and mortality in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

This study aimed to verify the impact of inhalable particulate matter (PM(10)) on cancer incidence and mortality in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Statistical techniques were used to investigate the relationship between PM(10) on cancer incidence and mortality in selected districts. For some types of cancer (skin, lung, thyroid, larynx, and bladder) and some periods, the correlation coefficients ranged from 0.60 to 0.80 for incidence. Lung cancer mortality showed more correlations during the overall period. Spatial analysis showed that districts distant from the city center showed higher than expected relative risk, depending on the type of cancer. According to the study, urban PM(10) can contribute to increased incidence of some cancers and may also contribute to increased cancer mortality. The results highlight the need to adopt measures to reduce atmospheric PM(10) levels and the importance of their continuous monitoring.

Characterization of Metal and Trace Element Contents of Particulate Matter (PM10) Emitted by Vehicles Running on Brazilian Fuels—Hydrated Ethanol and Gasoline with 22% of Anhydrous Ethanol

Emission of fine particles by mobile sources has been a matter of great concern due to its potential risk both to human health and the environment. Although there is no evidence that one sole component may be responsible for the adverse health outcomes, it is postulated that the metal particle content is one of the most important factors, mainly in relation to oxidative stress. Data concerning the amount and type of metal particles emitted by automotive vehicles using Brazilian fuels are limited. The aim of this study was to identify inhalable particles (PM10) and their trace metal content in two light-duty vehicles where one was fueled with ethanol while the other was fueled with gasoline mixed with 22% of anhydrous ethanol (gasohol); these engines were tested on a chassis dynamometer. The elementary composition of the samples was evaluated by the particle-induced x-ray emission technique. The experiment showed that total emission factors ranged from 2.5 to 11.8 mg/km in the gasohol vehicle, and from 1.2 to 3 mg/km in the ethanol vehicle. The majority of particles emitted were in the fine fraction (PM2.5), in which Al, Si, Ca, and Fe corresponded to 80% of the total weight. PM10 emissions from the ethanol vehicle were about threefold lower than those of gasohol. The elevated amount of fine particulate matter is an aggravating factor, considering that these particles, and consequently associated metals, readily penetrate deeply into the respiratory tract, producing damage to lungs and other tissues.

Influence of Air Pollution on the Incidence of Respiratory Tract Neoplasm

Abstract To evaluate the possible influence of air pollutants on the incidence of respiratory tract neoplasm we studied 12 São Paulo City districts where air pollution is observed. We collected data on pollutants from 1981–1990 and correlated it with the incidence of larynx and lung neoplasms in 1997. Ozone was the pollutant that best correlated with the incidence of neoplasm. The correlation coefficients were 0.7234 (p = 0.277) and 0.9929 (p = 0.007) for lung and larynx cancer, respectively. There may be a relationship between air pollution and the incidence of respiratory tract neoplasm. This study, however, does not allow us to conclude that there is a causal relationship.

Caracterização das emissões de aldeídos de veículos do ciclo diesel

OBJECTIVE To characterize acetaldehyde and formaldehyde emissions, which are harmful gases to human health and not yet regulated for diesel engines. METHODS Standardized tests were performed in four diesel light duty commercial vehicles, using a frame dynamometer and test procedure FTP-75. The pollutants were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS Results have shown acetaldehyde emission ranged from 5.9 to 45.4 mg/km, and formaldehyde emission from 16.5 to 115.2 mg/km. The average emission for aldehyde sum was 58.7 mg/km, ranging from 22.4 to 160.6 mg/km. The proportion between the two substances remained constant, close to 74% for formaldehydes and 26% for acetaldehydes. CONCLUSIONS The emission of diesel vehicle aldehydes was significant when compared with actual spark ignition vehicle emissions, or with the foresee limit for Otto cycle vehicles in Brazilian legislation. Establishing emission limits for these substances also in diesel vehicles is imperative in the light of the vehicle fleet growth, toxicity of these compounds, and their contribution as precursors in ozone gas formation reactions in low troposphere.OBJETIVO: Caracterizar as emissoes de acetaldeido e formaldeido, substâncias nocivas para a saude das pessoas e cujas emissoes dos veiculos a diesel ainda nao estao regulamentadas. METODOS: Testes padronizados foram realizados em quatro veiculos leves comerciais do ciclo diesel, testados num dinamometro de chassis, usando o procedimento de teste FTP-75. Os poluentes foram analisados por cromatografia liquida de alta eficiencia. RESULTADOS: Os resultados mostraram que a emissao de acetaldeido variou de 5,9 a 45,4 mg/km e a de formaldeido variou de 16,5 a 115,2 mg/km. A emissao media para a soma dos aldeidos foi de 58,7 mg/km, variando de 22,5 mg/km a 160 mg/km. A proporcao entre os dois se manteve constante, proximo de 74% de formaldeido e 26% de acetaldeido. CONCLUSOES: A emissao de aldeidos provenientes de veiculos movidos a diesel foi significativa quando comparada com as emissoes reais dos veiculos de ignicao por centelha ou com o limite previsto para os veiculos do ciclo Otto na legislacao brasileira. O estabelecimento de limites de emissao para essas substâncias para veiculos a diesel mostra-se importante, considerando o crescimento da frota de veiculos a diesel, a toxicidade desses compostos e sua participacao como precursores nas reacoes de formacao de gas ozonio na baixa troposfera.

Urban, traffic- related particles and lung tumors in urethane treated mice.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of urban, traffic-related, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on mice lung tumorigenesis under controlled exposure conditions. METHODS: Four groups of female Swiss mice were treated with intraperitonial injections of urethane and saline solution. Urethane was used to start the carcinogenesis process. The animals were housed in two chambers receiving filtered and polluted air. In the polluted air chamber, pollutant levels were low. After two months of exposure, the animals were euthanized and lung tumoral nodules were counted. RESULTS: Saline-treated animals showed no nodules. Urethane-treated animals showed 2.0+2.0 and 4.0+3.0 nodules respectively, in the filtered and non-filtered chambers (p = 0.02), thus showing experimental evidence of increased carcinogenic-induced lung cancer with increasing PM2.5 exposure. CONCLUSION: Our data support the concept that low levels of PM2.5 may increase the risk of developing lung tumors.

Comparison of Emission of Dioxins and Furans from Gasohol- and Ethanol-Powered Vehicles.

ABSTRACT The exhaust emissions of 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were investigated in two spark-ignition light-duty vehicles, one gasohol-fueled and a flexible-fuel one fueled with hydrated ethanol. Gasohol is a mixture of gasoline and 22% ethanol. The influence of fuel type and quality, lubricant oil type, and use of fuel additives on the formation of these compounds was tested using standardized U.S. Federal Test Procedure (FTP)-75 cycle tests. The sampling of the PCDD/Fs followed the recommendations of a modified U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 23 (http://www.epa.gov/ttn/emc/promgate/m-23.pdf) and the analysis basically followed the U.S. EPA Method 8290 (http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/testmethods/sw846/pdfs/8290a.pdf). Results showed that emission factors of PCDD/Fs for the gasohol vehicle varied from undetected to 0.068 pg international toxic equivalency (I-TEQ) km−1 (average of 0.0294 pg I-TEQ km−1), whereas in the ethanol vehicle they varied from 0.004 to 0.157 pg (I-TEQ) km−1 (average of 0.031 pg I-TEQ km−1). In the gasohol-powered vehicle, the use of fuel additive diminished the emission of Octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) significantly, whereas in the ethanol vehicle no significant associations were observed between the investigated variables and the emissions. IMPLICATIONS The objective of this work was to analyze differences in emissions from a traditional fossil fuel (gasoline) and an alternative renewable fuel (ethanol from sugarcane), and the influence of fuel additives and lubricant oils on the formation of chlorinated dioxins and furans in spark-ignition light-duty gasohol and ethanol vehicles. Renewable fuels are very important in terms of climate change but the risk to the populations health must not increase. Thus the results of this work could help in the development of environmental impact studies as well as orienting policy-makers in formulating strategies for air pollution control.

Percepção de risco: um campo de interesse para a interface ambiente, saúde e sustentabilidade

Neste artigo, os autores discutem o complexo campo da percepcao, em particular da percepcao de risco, a partir de um ensaio de natureza teorica e metodologica que busca destacar a sua relevância em pesquisas que dialogam com a interface ambiente, saude e sustentabilidade. Reconhecendo que fatores sociais e culturais influenciam direta e indiretamente as percepcoes que os individuos tem sobre diferentes riscos, os autores sinalizam que estudos nesse campo podem evidenciar os interesses, os valores e os pontos de conflitos existentes nas arenas e oferecer insights que ajudariam os tomadores de decisao a aperfeicoar processos decisorios com maior envolvimento da sociedade. Para alem da percepcao de risco, o artigo discute tambem exemplos de investigacoes conduzidas pelos autores com enfoque sobre percepcao ambiental. Buscando uma perspectiva critica para tratar o tema, reconhecem a necessidade de compreender nos processos ambientais e em contextos sociais a configuracao dos riscos socioambientais e suas percepcoes.

Airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a medium-sized city affected by preharvest sugarcane burning and inhalation risk for human health

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air were measured in a municipality where sugarcane plantations are extensive, at three sites, one in the city center and two in rural localities. Twenty-four-hour sampling was done using PS1 PUF samplers from Andersen Instruments Inc., at least 1 day per month per site, from June 2009 to October 2009. The chemical analyses were performed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for the 16 most toxic PAHs. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILTR) by inhalation was determined by the Monte Carlo method for the urban population using Crystal Ball software. The total concentration of the 16 PAHs at all sites varied from 6.2 to 65.7 ng m−3, with an average of 25.9 ± 18.2 ng m−3. The average concentrations per site were 14.1 ± 13.0 ng m−3 at rural site B, 20.7 ± 11.5 ng m−3 at rural site A, and 36.1 ± 22.7 ng m−3 at the central site. The cancer risk for infants, children, and adults was approximately 14%, 25%, and 61% of the total IRLT, respectively. The mean (95% upper probability limit [95% UPL]) values were 1.2 × 10−7 (2.2 × 10−7) for infants, 2.2 × 10−7 (4.1 × 10−7) for children, and 8.9 × 10−7 (1.1 × 10−6) for adults. Although the three most abundant PAHs found were phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene, the three most important contributions to the incremental risk of cancer came from benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and naphthalene. Compared with the risks in big cities such as São Paulo, this would be low, but not negligible. Analysis of ratios of PAHs according to the literature showed that vehicle exhaust and biomass burning, including sugarcane burning, seem to be the most important contributors to PAH concentrations in the central area of Araraquara City. Implications: The growth of biofuel use worldwide, especially ethanol, together with preharvesting burning practice, is cause of concern with regard to possible health effects, due to increased air pollution levels in cities in regions where sugarcane plantation and processing are intensive. This paper shows that the risk of cancer from PAH inhalation in an urban area surrounded by sugarcane agriculture was of the same order of magnitude as the tolerable risk value of 10−6. As other classical and hazardous pollutants are also present, care should be taken to keep pollution as low as possible to protect human health.