| Title: | Biological monitoring and personal exposure to traffic-related air pollutants of elementary school-age children living in a metropolitan area |
| Author(s): | Boniardi L; Campo L; Olgiati L; Longhi F; Scuffi C; Fustinoni S; |
| Address: | "EPIGET - Epidemiology, Epigenetics, and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy. EPIGET - Epidemiology, Epigenetics, and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy. Electronic address: laura.campo@unimi.it. Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit, Milan, Italy. EPIGET - Epidemiology, Epigenetics, and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy; Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit, Milan, Italy" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159654 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1026 (Electronic) 0048-9697 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "An ever-growing burden of scientific evidence links air pollution to different aspects of human health even at very low concentrations; the impact increases for those living in urban environments, especially the youngest and the elderly. This study investigated the exposure to air pollution of urban school children of Milan, Italy, by personal and biological monitoring, in the frame of the MAPS-MI project. A total of 128 primary school children (7-11 years) were involved in a two-season monitoring campaign during spring 2018 and winter 2019. Personal exposure to airborne VOCs and eBC, and biological monitoring of urinary benzene (BEN-U) and methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE-U) were performed. Time-activity patterns, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), spatial, and meteorological information were evaluated as determinants in mixed effects regression analysis. Children personal exposure was mostly quantifiable with median (5th-95th percentile) levels 1.9 (0.8-7.5) mug/m(3) for eBC, and 1.1 (<0.6-3.4) and 0.8 (0.3-1.8) mug/m(3) for benzene and MTBE, respectively; with values 2-3-fold higher in winter than in spring. In urine, median (5th-95th) BEN-U and MTBE-U levels were 44.9 (25.7-98.6) and 11.5 (5.0-35.5) ng/L, respectively. Mixed effect regression models explained from 72 to 93 % of the total variability for air pollutants, and from 58 to 61 % for biomarkers. Major contributors of personal exposure were season, wind speed, mobility- or traffic-related variables; biomarkers were mostly predicted by airborne exposure and ETS. Our results suggest that traffic-mitigation actions, together with parents' educational interventions on ETS and commuting mode, should be undertaken to lower children exposure to air pollution" |
| Keywords: | Child Humans Aged *Vehicle Emissions/analysis Benzene/analysis Biological Monitoring Environmental Monitoring/methods *Air Pollutants/analysis Biomarkers/analysis Environmental Exposure/analysis Btex Children Passive smoke Personal exposure Traffic-relate; |
| Notes: | "MedlineBoniardi, Luca Campo, Laura Olgiati, Luca Longhi, Francesca Scuffi, Chiara Fustinoni, Silvia eng Netherlands 2022/10/25 Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jan 20; 857(Pt 3):159654. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159654. Epub 2022 Oct 21" |
