Health Effects of Aerosols - Aerosols: Measurement, Dosimetry, and Health Effects - page 588

TABLE 23.8
Findings from Selected Studies on the Relationship between Exposure to Trafic Sources of PM Aerosol and Health Outcomes

Location of Study/Year
Subjects (References)

Marker for Exposure to Trafic Source Health Outcomes Results Comments

Munich/1993/fourth
grade children [279]

Trafic counts per 24 h in school districts/
distance ≤2 km

Lung function
Respiratory symptoms

(<1% decrease in peak low and
mid-expiratory low)/25,000
vehicles per 24 h

Semiindividual study [280]; effect size very
small—questionable meaning for health

Birmingham, United
Kingdom/1994/children
<5 years [281]

Nearness (200 m cutoff) to roads with
>24,000 vehicles/24 h

Hospitalization for
asthma

4%-13% increase in odds of
hospitalization

Case-control study with hospital and
community controls; effects most closely
related to density than distance from
roadway

Netherlands/1996/adults
and children [282]

Air pollution model based on type-speciic
number of vehicles, fuel source, mean
trafic density, emission rates for speciic
engine types, local topography (e.g.,
street canyons), regional meteorology

Respiratory symptoms by
mailed questionnaire

4-15-fold increased odds of
wheeze, shortness of breath only
for girls 0-15 years. Weak
association with shortness of
breath for adults

Comparison of subjects living along busy
roads versus quiet roads. Adjusted for
confounders that included SHS 1 , indoor
heating, moisture. Data consistent with
studies of SHS that show a female
predominant effect best trafic-related
exposure data of any study

Austria/1997/irst and
second grade children
[124]

Eight communities without industrial
sources of PM aerosol and differing
levels of diesel trafic

Respiratory symptoms;
NO 2 from ixed monitor
as marker

Respiratory symptoms associated
only with community level NO 2
(no O 3 or SO 2 ) Association of
“ever asthma” with community-
level diesel trafic and tire dust
(tons/year)

Semiindividual study
Effects adjusted for indoor sources and SHS a
Correlation between ambient NO 2 and diesel

Netherlands/1997/
schools and children
7-12 years [122] b

Six areas with different trafic density Lung function 1%-6% decrease in lows at low

lung volumes

Effects adjusted for indoor sources, parental
respiratory history, SHS, pets, home
moisture effects: girls > boys effects on
small airways similar to that seen for SHS

Distance from roadway
Density of truck/auto trafic

Effects largest for truck density
and black smoke effects larger for
children living <300 m from
roadway

Indoor black smoke; NO 2 ; wind direction
at schools

San Diego County/1999/
childhood (<14 years)
asthma from Medical c
database [283]

Average daily trafic low near home
by GIS

Number of claims for
asthma-related medical
visit

Increased occurrence of >2 visits
for care for children with asthma
for those living near high trafic
low (41,000 cars/day)

Case (asthma)-control (any other diagnosis)
study
Health implications of outcome not clear