Environment air quality and health

Abstract

Introduction: Atmospheric air is considered a basic requirement for human health and well-being [1]. From the industrial revolution, air pollution became a problem for humanity, since, with industrialization and urbanization, it had a very significant increase [2]. Air pollution is currently one of the major public health problems since it affects a large part of the population and has several health effects that have been studied in greater depth in recent years [3–5].

Materials and methods: The study consisted in the evaluation of the air quality in the southern zone of the county of Figueira da Foz namely in Leirosa, Marinha das Ondas, Paião and Lavos during the month of December 2016, these places were chosen due to their geographic location. This study was applied level II (descriptive-correlational), observational type and cross-sectional study. Parallel to this, the following environmental parameters were evaluated: CO₂, CO, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, VOCs, CH₂O, T˚, RH, V.

Results: When we tried to evaluate the variation of atmospheric pollutants and other indicators of air quality in the studied places, we verified that these same parameters did not differ between the different geographic areas (p > 0,05), however it was verified that the average values of PM_2,5 were higher in the locations of Leirosa and Lavos, while mean values of PM₁₀ were higher in Leirosa. VOCs and CO, it was verified that the highest mean values were in Leirosa and Marinha das Ondas. With regard to CO2, the highest mean values were found in Leirosa and Paião. For most of the environmental parameters evaluated, namely PM_2.5, PM₁₀, VOC’s, CO, CO₂, the local with the highest values was Leirosa. With the exception of formaldehyde that was only found in Lavos. we can verify that there was no pattern of association between the different symptoms under study (p > 0.05), the execution of the condition “Chronic Bronchitis”, “Dryness of the Eyes” and “Mucous Irritation”, where in a marginally significant way, there was an association between these phenomena. (Pathologies and symptoms). In terms of chronic bronchitis and eye dryness, it was found that the residents of Lavos were the ones that showed the highest (75%) incidence compared to the rest of the inhabitants of the study sites. As for mucosal irritation, the residents of Lavos, followed by Leirosa and Marinha das Ondas, were the ones who complained the most compared to the habitants of Paião. All the locals presented the same number of symptoms, standing out Paião for having a lower value of symptoms compared to the other places.

Discussion and conclusions: Inhalation takes air into the lungs and, along with it, particles present in the air. Mechanisms such as mucus, eyelashes and special cells called macrophages act to capture particles. When particles enter the lungs, their effects range from coughing, asthma attacks, reduced lung function and life-threatening problems like pneumoconiosis [6,7]. By observing the reported symptoms it was found that Leirosa and Lavos are the locals that hold the highest percentage of manifest symptoms especially asthma and cough which may be related to exposure to suspended particles. In relation to the VOC values, it is also seen that the highest values were found once again in Leirosa, the VOCs originate in the combustion of fossil fuels by motor vehicles. Such values can be justified by the fact that together with this place there is a road with a lot of traffic, not counting the transport traffic associated with the industries. Exposure to this type of material can cause headache, skin allergy, eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, and poor memory [6].