Martina Rehwagen

Effects of indoor painting and smoking on airway symptoms in atopy risk children in the first year of life results of the LARS-study

INTRODUCTION The Leipzig Allergy High-Risk Children Study (LARS) is a prospective nested cohort control study about the influence of chemical indoor exposure in dwellings on the health outcome of atopy-risk children during the first years of life. DESIGN AND METHODS 475 premature children and children with allergic risk factors have been selected out of the 1995/1996 birth cohort in the city of Leipzig. Twenty-five volatile organic compounds (VOC) were measured in the infants bedrooms using passive sampling systems for 4 weeks after birth. The babies underwent a medical examination at the age of six weeks and 1 year. The parents answered a questionnaire. RESULTS Correlations between VOC exposures and infections were calculated by multiple logistic regression. Selected VOC show a direct association to actually painted dwellings (OR = 2.4; 95% Cl 1.1-5.3). An increase of risk of pulmonary infections was observed in infants aged 6 weeks if restoration (painting OR 5.6; 95% Cl 1.3-24.0) or flooring connected with painting had occurred during the pregnancy period. Higher concentration of styrene (> 2.0 micrograms/m3, indicator for flooring) elevated the risk of pulmonary infections in six-week-old infants (OR = 2.1; 95% Cl 1.1-4.2). Environmental benzene > 5.6 micrograms/m3 increased the risk of airway infections in six-week-old babies (OR = 2.4; 95% Cl 1.28-4.48). Smoking in the dwelling (OR = 2.0; 95% Cl 1.1-3.5) as well as restoration (OR = 1.9; 95% Cl 1.1-3.5) are also risk factors of the development of wheezing in the one-year-old child. CONCLUSIONS The data give indications in order to prevent allergies and chronic lung diseases in atopy risk children exposure to chemicals from indoor air should be minimised from birth on.

Redecoration of apartments promotes obstructive bronchitis in atopy risk infants – Results of the LARS study

Abstract Findings by other authors indicate that exposure to chemical emissions from indoor paint is related to asthma symptoms in adults. In their first years of life children are receptive to obstructive airway diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of redecoration of the apartment on airway symptoms in infants during the first two years of life. The Leipzig Allergy Risk Children Study (LARS) is a birth cohort study with the following inclusion criteria: double positive family atopy anamnesis, cord blood IgE>0.9 kU/l, or low birth weight between 1500 – 2500 g. Within the context of LARS, 186 parents of risk children completed a questionnaire on the respiratory symptoms of their children and the redecoration of their apartment at the end of the first and second year of life. A total 22% of the children suffered from obstructive bronchitis once or more during their first year, and 11% experienced this condition during their second year of life. Redecoration of the apartment had a significant influence on the appearance of obstructive bronchitis in the first (OR 4.1 95%CI 1.4 – 11.9) and in the second year of life (OR 4.2 95%CI 1.4 – 12.9). (The OR are adjusted for cord blood-IgE >0.9 kU/l, birth weight ≤2500 g, male sex and double positive parental atopy anamnesis, dampness, smoking or pet in the apartment). Simultaneous contamination from redecoration activities and additional exposures such as smoking, a pet or dampness in the apartment increased the risk for obstructive bronchitis in the first year (OR 9.1; 95% CI 2.3 – 34.8) as well as in the second year (OR 5.1; 95%CI 1.6 – 15.6). Our data suggest that redecoration of the apartment is associated with the development of acute inflammations, but not with a chronic influence on the airways in atopy risk infants. At an exposure to more than one environmental factor, pronounced effects were seen.

Passive smoking, excretion of metabolites, and health effects: results of the Leipzig's Allergy Risk Study (LARS).

Abstract Over a 5-yr period, the Leipzigs Allergy Risk Study (LARS) investigated the influence of typical indoor-contaminant burdens on the development of allergies and upper respiratory tract infections in allergy-prone children. Typical indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and excretion of certain VOC metabolites in urine were measured in children 3 yr of age. Data analyses were based on parent-completed questionnaires, exposure measurements, and medical examinations. Evaluation of passive smoking was of special interest. Generally, residences with a high burden of passive smoking had higher benzene concentrations than residences inhabited by nonsmokers. Obstructive bronchitis was observed more frequently in children exposed to increased concentrations of benzene, as well as toluene, styrene, and m,p-xylene. In addition, atopic symptoms were associated with excretion of certain VOC metabolites. For example, the authors found an association between eczema and exposure to toluene and between eczema and increased excretion of the toluene metabolite S-benzylmercapturic acid. The results suggest that if an association with certain health effects is to be demonstrated, evaluation of external exposures should be supplemented with evaluations of internal exposure.

Pollution profiles at different kindergarten sites in Leipzig, Germany

Between Jan. and Dec. 1994, the outdoor air quality of the city of Leipzig, Germany, was examined at 13 kindergartens. SO2, CO, NOX, O3, total suspended particles, sedimentation dust and volatile organic compounds were measured. Although each monitoring site appears to have its own individual pollutant profile, two general pollution profiles could be identified using principal component analysis. These profiles are largely attributable to two dominant emission sources, domestic heating and traffic. Indicator components were identified for both pollution profiles. Benzene was found to be the indicator component for traffic and SO2 for domestic heating. The predominating types of pollution are reflected in the prevalences of respiratory diseases among 311 children investigated based on parent‐completed questionnaires. High traffic pollution was found to be associated with an increased occurrence of asthma and allergies and domestic heating with bronchitis. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 14: 321–327, 1999

Ozone-Monitoring in Mendoza, Argentina: Initial Results

A series of continuous ambient tropospheric ozone measurements were taken in Mendoza, Argentina, for a period of one year starting in November 1995. The data obtained were analyzed in terms of diurnal and annual variation. Indications were found of the strong impact of the mountain-valley circulation system, which ventilates and considerably cleans the air in Mendoza. The data are discussed in comparison with air pollution in the German city of Leipzig. In Mendoza, the high concentration of precursors and the strong solar radiation contribute to high levels of ozone. In fact, monitoring reveals considerably lower concentrations than in Leipzig, owing to the diluting effect of local meteorology. The low-level jet is mainly active during the summer. It lowers the peak mid-day ozone concentration and produces a temporary concentration increase at night. The Environmental Protection Agency standard of a maximum one-hour mean concentration of 0.250 mg ozone/m3 (125 ppb) is never reached, and the World Health Organization standard of 0.113 mg ozone/m3 (56.5 ppb) is only rarely exceeded during winter.

The influence of localized emittants on the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the ambient air measured close to ground level

As part of an investigation into the relationship of volatile organic compounds in ambient air and a nearby refinery, a risk assessment was performed as well as an analysis of the attribution of each source contributing to the emission of pollutants. The compounds under consideration being the alkanes, chlorinated hydrocarbons, aromatics, and aldehydes. Taking into account the sources (refinery and/or traffic) and the possible source-attributable pollutant combinations, locally dependent pollution profiles were observed. While aromatics and aldehydes were distributed relatively uniformly, the combination aromatics and alkanes at several localities pointed clearly to the refinery as the source of the pollution. An analysis of the indoor measurements at a school close to the refinery demonstrated the necessity of identifying the source of the pollutants in order to be able to bring about environmental conditions acceptable to human health.

Different immunomodulatory effects associated with sub-micrometer particles in ambient air from rural, urban and industrial areas

Immunomodulatory effects of chemicals adsorbed to particles with aerodynamic diameter below 0.49 microm (PM(0.5)) collected in winter 2001 at three sampling points (industrial area [LPIn], traffic-influenced urban area [LPCi], and control area [LPCo]) of La Plata, Argentina, were investigated. The sampling of particulate matter was carried out with high-volume collectors using cascade impactors. PM(0.5)-adsorbed compounds were hexane-extracted by accelerated solvent extraction. For immunological investigations, human peripheral blood lymphocytes were activated by phytohemagglutinin and exposed to dimethyl-sulfoxide dilutions of PM(0.5)-extracts for 24h. Vitality/proliferation was quantified using MTT, released interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) by ELISA. Cytokine production but not vitality/proliferation was significantly suppressed by all of the highest extract concentrations. Generally, suppression of IFN-gamma by PM(0.5)-extracts was stronger than those of IL-4. Based on administered mass of PM(0.5), all extracts suppressed IFN-gamma production nearly uniform. Contrary, LPCi-extracts exerted maximum IFN-gamma suppression based either on air volume or regarding PM(0.5)-adsorbed PAH. Also the ranking of PM(0.5)-associated effects on IL-4 production differs in dependence of the chosen reference points, either mass or [microg/ml] or air volume [m(3)/ml] related dust quantities in cell culture. Based on the corresponding air volume, LPCi-extracts inhibited IL-4 production to the maximum extend, whereas suppression of IL-4 was comparable based on concentrations. This indicates that not only the disparate PM(0.5)-masses in air cause varying impacts, but also that disparities in PM(0.5)-adsorbed chemicals provoke different effects on immune responses and shifts in the regulatory balance that might have implications for allergy and cancer development.

Noninvasive methods in environmental medicine – biomonitoring

The concept of biomonitoring comprises the one-off or repeated systemic measurement of concentrations of hazardous substances and their metabolites in biological materials. If the materials are from a human biological source, the concept of human-biomonitoring is usual. In contrast to determining exposure to the human environment (e.g. air quality, food contamination), biomonitoring has the advantage of reflecting the actual, individual exposure of a human organism (e.g. in the form of biomarker). This enables an individual health risk concerning systemic effects to be better described than by solely measuring exposure. Benzene and toluene are volatile organic compounds (VOC). Their ubiquity means they are found in all indoor air. Due to their toxic potential (benzene—carcinogenic, toluene—neurotoxic) and the quantities in which toluene is found, sometimes actual exposure to toluene must be measured. One way is to test urine for specific metabolites to monitor the internal burden and dosage. S-phenyl- and S-benzylmercapturic acid (SPMA and SBMA) were selected and their concentrations determined in urine samples from Leipzig children. The results were correlated with the benzene and toluene concentrations of indoor air. Whereas a correlation was found between benzene and SPMA, no connection was established between toluene and SBMA. One of the next targets is to find a correlation between the measuring results and information concerning ailments given in response to questionnaires on the children’s health. >>Copyright

Detecting exposure-dependent changes of liver detoxification capacity of children in a formerly high-loaded industrial area with a 15N-labelled diagnostic tool

The effect of remediation activities in formerly high-loaded industrial areas is measured conventionally in terms of decreased toxic loads. It is more difficult to investigate the effect on physiological parameters of the people living there. A non-invasive 15N-based organ function test, the [15N]methacetin urine test, was adapted to environmental-medical purposes for the detection of small deviations from the norm-range hepatic detoxification capacity. Parallel to the measurement of region-specific external exposure (especially by tri- and tetrachloro ethylene) and of the corresponding internal load (urinary trichloro acetic acid), the hepatic mono oxygenation capacity was determined. The study cohort consisted of 35 kindergarten children who were 3.3 + −0.5 years old at the beginning of the study. They lived in a high-polluted industrial village (n = 23) and in a non-polluted control village close by (n = 12), respectively. Children living in the polluted area were exposed a 2.3 times higher load and showed detoxification capacities 6% lower than the children in the control area. Improvement of the environmental situation led to exposure data decreasing by 70%, which is also reflected in smaller internal load and improved liver detoxification of the children in the polluted area. Then, between loaded and control area the mean hepatic detoxification was no longer significantly different (0.6%). The study shows that chronic low-dose exposure can disturb a hepatic function and that thereafter the capacity is recovered quickly in children. The stable isotope-based test is suited to characterize a health effect of multicomponent exposure by bioeffect monitoring within the framework of screening and testing the remediation efficiency.