• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제55권6호
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• pp.185-192
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• 2012

The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased worldwide, a phenomenon that can be largely attributed to environmental effects. Among environmental factors, air pollution due to traffic is thought to be a major threat to childhood health. Residing near busy roadways is associated with increased asthma hospitalization, decreased lung function, and increased prevalence and severity of wheezing and allergic rhinitis. Recently, prospective cohort studies using more accurate measurements of individual exposure to air pollution have been conducted and have provided definitive evidence of the impact of air pollution on allergic diseases. Particulate matter and ground-level ozone are the most frequent air pollutants that cause harmful effects, and the mechanisms underlying these effects may be related to oxidative stress. The reactive oxidative species produced in response to air pollutants can overwhelm the redox system and damage the cell wall, lipids, proteins, and DNA, leading to airway inflammation and hyper-reactivity. Pollutants may also cause harmful effects via epigenetic mechanisms, which control the expression of genes without changing the DNA sequence itself. These mechanisms are likely to be a target for the prevention of allergies. Further studies are necessary to identify children at risk and understand how these mechanisms regulate gene-environment interactions. This review provides an update of the current understanding on the impact of air pollution on allergic diseases in children and facilitates the integration of issues regarding air pollution and allergies into pediatric practices, with the goal of improving pediatric health.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.244-254
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• 2018

Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is subject to high levels of atmospheric pollution during winter, which severely threatens the health of the population. By analyzing surface meteorological data, ground-based LIDAR data, and radiosonde data collected from 2008 to 2016, we studied seasonal variations in particulate matter (PM) concentration, visibility, relative humidity, temperature inversion layer thickness, and temperature inversion intensity. PM concentrations started to exceed the 24-h average standard ($50{\mu}g/m^3$) in mid-October and peaked from December to January. Visibility showed a significant negative correlation with PM concentration. Relative humidity was within the range of 60-80% when there were high PM concentrations. Both temperature inversion layer thickness and intensity reached maxima in January and showed similar seasonal variations with respect to PM concentration. The monthly average temperature inversion intensity showed a strong positive correlation with the monthly average $PM_{2.5}$ concentration. Furthermore, the temperature inversion layer thickness exceeded 500 m in midwinter and overlaid the weak mixed layer during daytime. Radiative cooling enhanced by the basin-like terrain led to a stable urban atmosphere, which strengthened particulate air pollution.

• 한국대기환경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국대기환경학회 2006년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.318-319
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• 2006

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.109-118
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• 2001

우리는 이 글에서 대기오염의 건강영향, 특히 사망에 대한 역학 연구 결과를 해석하는데 논란이 되고 있는 쟁점들을 고찰하였다. 과거 런던스모그 때와 같은 극심한 대기오염 사건 때는 그로 인한 건강영향도 매우 자명하여 별다른 논란의 소지가 없었다. 그러나 오늘날 우리가 경험하는 수준의 대기오염은 눈에 바로 띨 정도의 건강영향을 초래하지는 않기 때문에 많은 연구에서 관찰되는 통계적 유의성이 인과적 관련성을 의미하는지에 대한 많은 논란이 있다. Hill의 인과성기준에 비추어 대기오염에 관한 역학 연구 결과들을 평가해보면 각 기준 별로 부합되는 소견과 그렇지 않은 소견이 같이 존재하지만 전체적으로는 인과적인 관련성을 지지하는 증거들이 많은 편이다. 특히 세계 여러 지역에서 수행된 연구들에서 공통된 결과들이 나오는 것이 인과성을 지지해주는 강력한 근거라고 할 수 있다. 대기오염이 사망을 증가시킨다고 가정할때 구체적으로 어떤 병태 생리적인 기전을 통해서 증가시키는지는 아직 충분히 밝혀져 있지 않다. 현재까지의 역학연구 결과들과 동물실험 결과들을 종합해보면 대기오염 물질이 일차적으로 폐포에 염증을 유발하고 이에 따라 이차적으로 혈장의 응고성이 증가하거나, 심장에 대한 자율신경조절에 이상이 생겨서 사망위험이 증가한다는 가설이 가장 폭넓은 지지를 받고 있다. 시계열분석에서 나타나는 대기오염에 의한 초과사망자들이 어떤 특성을 가지고 있는지에 대한 논란도 많다. 대기오염이 아니더라도 곧 사망할 사람들이 대기오염 때문에 몇 일 앞당겨 사망한다는, 즉 추수효과에 의한 것이라는 것이 상식적인 판단이지만 최근의 연구들은 추수효과 외에도 대기오염에 의해 실질적인 수명의 감소가 있다는 증거들을 제시하고 있다. 대기오염 물질과 사망의 양-반응 관계가 어떤 모양일지, 그리고 문턱값이 존재하는지의 여부도 중요한 관심사이다. 특히 문턱값의 존재 여부는 대기오염 관리 대책과도 밀접한 관계가 있다. 대기환경 기준을 정해서 대기오염 수준을 관리하는 현재의 대책은 문턱간의 존재를 전제하고 있기 때문이다. 그러나 현재까지의 증거를 종합해보면 대기오염과 사망의 관련성은 문턱값이 없는 선형적 관계일 가능성이 높다. 따라서 향후 대기오염 관리대책에서는 대기오염 물질의 평균농도를 낮추려는 노력을 병행하여야 할 것을 생각한다.

• 한국대기환경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국대기환경학회 2008년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.50-51
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• 2008

• 한국대기환경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국대기환경학회 2008년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.53-56
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• 2008

• 한국대기환경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국대기환경학회 2004년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.220-221
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• 2004

• 대기
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.213-218
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• 2019

A valuation of air pollution is critical for relevant policy-making for the public and research direction. This study conducted a willingness-to-pay (WTP) survey using contingent valuation method (CVM) in Seoul Korea. In detail, this study puts an emphasis on its temporal changes referred on two surveys conducted in 2014 and 2019. In reference to the previous studies in 2002, our survey indicated that the public awareness of air pollution and interests on its sources and solutions increased noticeably. Our survey showed that WTP increased significantly from 2588 to 4827 and 8240 Korean Won $month^{-1}$ in 2002, 2014, and 2019, respectively. Moreover, the percentage of respondents to pay the WTP also increased from 48% to 68% and 79% in 2002, 2014, and 2019, respectively. Our analysis based on the number of Google search on particulate matters (PMs) strongly suggests that such the noticeable increases of the public attention to air pollution is well accorded with the moment of the announcement of a standard for ultra-fine particles and the start of PM prediction in late 2013. But the Google search rate grew about 16.7 times in 2009 compared to 2014, which is much larger than the growth rate of interest and WTP between 2014 and 2019. Our results shed light on policy decision for the right person in the right place on the right time in the era of air pollution.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.71-75
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• 2014

Ambient air pollution (AAP) and particulate matters (PM) have been closely associated with adverse health effects such as respiratory disease and cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies have examined the adverse health effects associated with short- and long-term exposure to AAP and outdoor PM on respiratory disease. However, the effect of PM size ($PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$) on cardiovascular disease has not been well studied. Thus, it remains unclear how the size of the inhalable particles (coarse, fine, or ultrafine) affects mortality and morbidity. Airborne PM concentrations are commonly used for ambient air quality management worldwide, owing to the known effects on cardiorespiratory health. In this article, we assess the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and PM, with a particular focus on PM size. We discuss the association of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$, nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$), and elemental carbon with mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and altered blood pressure, based on epidemiological studies. In addition, we provide evidence that the adverse health effects of AAP and PM are more pronounced among the elderly, children, and people with preexisting cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Finally, we critically summarize the literature pertaining to cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and stroke, and introduce potential studies to better understand the health significance of AAP and PM on cardiovascular disease.

• 대한의사협회지
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• 제61권12호
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• pp.749-755
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• 2018

Particulate matter is an air pollutant emitted from both natural and anthropogenic sources, and its adverse health effects have been well documented in time-series analyses and cohort studies. The effect size of particulate matter exposure-a roughly 0.5% increase in mortality for each $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increment of short-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ${\leq}10{\mu}m$ and approximately a 10% increase for each $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increment of long-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ${\leq}2.5{\mu}m$-is small compared to other risk factors, but the exposure is involuntary and affects the entire population, which makes particulate matter pollution an important public health issue. The World Health Organization and Korean government have both established guidelines for particulate matter concentrations, but the Korean guideline is less stringent than that of the World Health Organization. The annual mean concentration of particulate matter in Korea is decreasing, but the trend seems to be slowing. In addition to policy efforts to reduce particulate matter emission, personal approaches such as the use of face masks and air purifiers have been recommended. Personal approaches may not solve the fundamental problem, but can provide temporary mitigation until efforts to reduce emission make progress.