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Use of outpatient clinics as a health indicator for communities around a coal-fired power plant
Environmental Pollution, Vol. 97, No. 1-2, pp. 193-194, 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain 0269-7491/97 $17.00+0.00 ELSEVIER
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY As a service to its readers, Environmental Pollution will provide a Selected Bibliography in alternate issues. C o m p l e t e abstracts for eight papers o f special merit or interest will be presented for articles f r o m o t h e r j o u r n a l s t h a t are related to various aspects o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l pollution. Section 46, Environmental Health and Pollution Control, o f Excerpta M e d i c a will be used as the source for the papers cited in the Selected Bibliography. It is b e c o m i n g increasingly difficult to keep u p with the literature t h a t relates to the m a n y aspects o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l pollution. It is h o p e d t h a t the Selected Bibliography will be very useful to o u r readers in keeping abreast o f the literature.
Tree-ring growth in a chronically gamma-irrndiated forest. Amiro B. D. and Laverock M. J. Environmental Science Branch, AECL Research, Whiteshell Laboratories, Pinawa, Man. ROE 1L0, Canada. J. Environ. Radioact., 1996, 31/1 (71-85). Summ. in Engl.
Use of outpatient clinics as a health indicator for communities around a coal-fired power plant. Goren A. I., Hellmann S. and Glaser E.D. Institute for Environmental Research, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel. Environ. Health Perspect., 1995, 103/12 (1110-1115). Summ. in Engl.
Annual tree-ring growth was measured in populations of trees exposed to chronic gamma radiation at a field site in the Canadian boreal forest. Cores from balsam fir, black spruce, jack pine and white birch were collected and ring widths measured during the pre-irradiation period, the irradiation period from 1973 to 1986 and the post-irradiation period until 1992. Cores were collected from various sites with dose rates ranging from background control levels to a maximum of 7.1 mGy h--J. Intercomparisons among different irradiation treatments and among different periods showed some statistical differences, but these could not be consistently attributed to an impact caused by the irradiation. Dose rates less than 2 mGy h -~ did not cause an impact on tree-ring growth for any of the tree species.
The permit to operate the first coal-fired power plant in Israel was issued with the condition that a comprehensive network to monitor its effects on the environment, health, and agriculture must be installed and operated around the plant. The health monitoring system consists of four studies, which started 1 year prior to the operation of the plant and were carried out for 10 years. In the framework of the health monitoring system, a study of requests for health services was carried out. In this survey, 8 clinics of the Sick Fund, served by 16 physicians, were followed up. The clinics were located as near as possible to air pollution monitoring stations and represent expected different levels of pollution. A health recorder summarized each day's visits to each physician and tabulated the total visits for each day and the visits due to respiratory tract complaints. Multivariate stepwise regressions on total as well as on respiratory complaints were carded out. The independent variables in the regressions were sulfur dioxide, meteorological parameters (such as temperature and humidity), and flu epidemics. Temperature was almost always significantly correlated with respiratory complaints, but less correlated with total visits among adults and children. Sulfur dioxide, most meteorological parameters, and flu epidemics were not meaningful explanatory factors in the regressions. Ambient air pollution levels did not exceed the Israeli air quality standards or the more stringent local air quality standards; the monthly and annual average sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides values were very low.
Air pollution and daily mortality in London: 1987-92. Anderson H. R., De Leon A. P., Bland J. M. et al. Department of Public Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SWl 7 ORE. Br. Med. J. 1996, 312/7032 (665-669). Suture. in Engl.
Objective--To investigate whether outdoor air pollution levels in London influence daily mortality. Design--Poisson regression analysis of daily counts of deaths, with adjustment for effects of secular trend, seasonal and other cyclical factors, day of the week, holidays, influenza epidemic, temperature, humidity, and autocorrelation, from April 1987 to March 1992. Pollution variables were particles (black smoke), sulphur dioxide, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide, lagged 0-3 days. Setting---Greater London. Outcome measures---Relative risk of death from all causes (excluding accidents), respiratory disease, and cardiovascular disease. Results-qDzone levels (same day) were associated with a significant increase in all cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality; the effects were greater in the warm season (April to September) and were independent of the effects of other pollutants. In the warm season an increase of the eight hour ozone concentration from the 10th to the 90th centile of the seasonal range (7-36 ppb) was associated with an increase of 3.5% (95% confidence interval 1.7 to 5.3), 3.6% (1.04 to 6.1), and 5.4% (0.4 to 10.7) in all cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality respectively. Black smoke concentrations on the previous day were significantly associated with all cause mortality, and this effect was also greater in the warm season and was independent of the effects of other pollutants. For black smoke an increase from the 10th to 90th centile in the warm season (719 #g/m 3) was associated with an increase of 2.5% (0.9 to 4.1) in all cause mortality. Significant but smaller and less consistent effects were also observed for nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. Conclusion-Daily variations in air pollution within the range currently occurring in London may have an adverse effect on daily mortality.
Biological indicators used to map organotin contamination in Cork Harbour, Ireland. Minchin D., Stroben E., Oehlmann J. et al. Fisheries Research Centre, Department of the Marine, Abbotstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 1996, 32/2 (188-195). Suture. in Engl.
In 1993 TBT contamination in areas of aquaculture and small boat activity about Ireland was found to have improved significantly since 1987, but in areas of shipping, contamination remained. Cork Harbour, a sea inlet with heavy shipping traffic, was examined in 1994 to determine the extent of contamination, using imposex and intersex in two prosobranch snails. Both Nucella lapillus (dogwhelk) and Littorina littorea (periwinkle) provided data on the varying levels of TBT contamination throughout Cork Harbour. N. lapillus is particularly sensitive to TBT and has become extinct in some areas of the harbour since 1968. Littorina littorea tolerates lower salinities, is less affected by TBT, and so can be used to monitor in more brackish and heavily contaminated areas, lntersex is used for the first time to map areas of TBT contamination. Shell thickness in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, from 1985-1987 and 1994 was also compared. All three indicator species are consistent in terms of the pattern of TBT contamination in Cork Harbour. TBT contamination in the western side is greater than in the eastern side of the harbour, reflecting the inputs. Contamination levels generally decline with increased distance from the harbour. 193
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY As a service to its readers, Environmental Pollution will provide a Selected Bibliography in alternate issues. C o m p l e t e abstracts for eight papers o f special merit or interest will be presented for articles f r o m o t h e r j o u r n a l s t h a t are related to various aspects o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l pollution. Section 46, Environmental Health and Pollution Control, o f Excerpta M e d i c a will be used as the source for the papers cited in the Selected Bibliography. It is b e c o m i n g increasingly difficult to keep u p with the literature t h a t relates to the m a n y aspects o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l pollution. It is h o p e d t h a t the Selected Bibliography will be very useful to o u r readers in keeping abreast o f the literature.
Tree-ring growth in a chronically gamma-irrndiated forest. Amiro B. D. and Laverock M. J. Environmental Science Branch, AECL Research, Whiteshell Laboratories, Pinawa, Man. ROE 1L0, Canada. J. Environ. Radioact., 1996, 31/1 (71-85). Summ. in Engl.
Use of outpatient clinics as a health indicator for communities around a coal-fired power plant. Goren A. I., Hellmann S. and Glaser E.D. Institute for Environmental Research, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel. Environ. Health Perspect., 1995, 103/12 (1110-1115). Summ. in Engl.
Annual tree-ring growth was measured in populations of trees exposed to chronic gamma radiation at a field site in the Canadian boreal forest. Cores from balsam fir, black spruce, jack pine and white birch were collected and ring widths measured during the pre-irradiation period, the irradiation period from 1973 to 1986 and the post-irradiation period until 1992. Cores were collected from various sites with dose rates ranging from background control levels to a maximum of 7.1 mGy h--J. Intercomparisons among different irradiation treatments and among different periods showed some statistical differences, but these could not be consistently attributed to an impact caused by the irradiation. Dose rates less than 2 mGy h -~ did not cause an impact on tree-ring growth for any of the tree species.
The permit to operate the first coal-fired power plant in Israel was issued with the condition that a comprehensive network to monitor its effects on the environment, health, and agriculture must be installed and operated around the plant. The health monitoring system consists of four studies, which started 1 year prior to the operation of the plant and were carried out for 10 years. In the framework of the health monitoring system, a study of requests for health services was carried out. In this survey, 8 clinics of the Sick Fund, served by 16 physicians, were followed up. The clinics were located as near as possible to air pollution monitoring stations and represent expected different levels of pollution. A health recorder summarized each day's visits to each physician and tabulated the total visits for each day and the visits due to respiratory tract complaints. Multivariate stepwise regressions on total as well as on respiratory complaints were carded out. The independent variables in the regressions were sulfur dioxide, meteorological parameters (such as temperature and humidity), and flu epidemics. Temperature was almost always significantly correlated with respiratory complaints, but less correlated with total visits among adults and children. Sulfur dioxide, most meteorological parameters, and flu epidemics were not meaningful explanatory factors in the regressions. Ambient air pollution levels did not exceed the Israeli air quality standards or the more stringent local air quality standards; the monthly and annual average sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides values were very low.
Air pollution and daily mortality in London: 1987-92. Anderson H. R., De Leon A. P., Bland J. M. et al. Department of Public Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SWl 7 ORE. Br. Med. J. 1996, 312/7032 (665-669). Suture. in Engl.
Objective--To investigate whether outdoor air pollution levels in London influence daily mortality. Design--Poisson regression analysis of daily counts of deaths, with adjustment for effects of secular trend, seasonal and other cyclical factors, day of the week, holidays, influenza epidemic, temperature, humidity, and autocorrelation, from April 1987 to March 1992. Pollution variables were particles (black smoke), sulphur dioxide, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide, lagged 0-3 days. Setting---Greater London. Outcome measures---Relative risk of death from all causes (excluding accidents), respiratory disease, and cardiovascular disease. Results-qDzone levels (same day) were associated with a significant increase in all cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality; the effects were greater in the warm season (April to September) and were independent of the effects of other pollutants. In the warm season an increase of the eight hour ozone concentration from the 10th to the 90th centile of the seasonal range (7-36 ppb) was associated with an increase of 3.5% (95% confidence interval 1.7 to 5.3), 3.6% (1.04 to 6.1), and 5.4% (0.4 to 10.7) in all cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality respectively. Black smoke concentrations on the previous day were significantly associated with all cause mortality, and this effect was also greater in the warm season and was independent of the effects of other pollutants. For black smoke an increase from the 10th to 90th centile in the warm season (719 #g/m 3) was associated with an increase of 2.5% (0.9 to 4.1) in all cause mortality. Significant but smaller and less consistent effects were also observed for nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. Conclusion-Daily variations in air pollution within the range currently occurring in London may have an adverse effect on daily mortality.
Biological indicators used to map organotin contamination in Cork Harbour, Ireland. Minchin D., Stroben E., Oehlmann J. et al. Fisheries Research Centre, Department of the Marine, Abbotstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 1996, 32/2 (188-195). Suture. in Engl.
In 1993 TBT contamination in areas of aquaculture and small boat activity about Ireland was found to have improved significantly since 1987, but in areas of shipping, contamination remained. Cork Harbour, a sea inlet with heavy shipping traffic, was examined in 1994 to determine the extent of contamination, using imposex and intersex in two prosobranch snails. Both Nucella lapillus (dogwhelk) and Littorina littorea (periwinkle) provided data on the varying levels of TBT contamination throughout Cork Harbour. N. lapillus is particularly sensitive to TBT and has become extinct in some areas of the harbour since 1968. Littorina littorea tolerates lower salinities, is less affected by TBT, and so can be used to monitor in more brackish and heavily contaminated areas, lntersex is used for the first time to map areas of TBT contamination. Shell thickness in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, from 1985-1987 and 1994 was also compared. All three indicator species are consistent in terms of the pattern of TBT contamination in Cork Harbour. TBT contamination in the western side is greater than in the eastern side of the harbour, reflecting the inputs. Contamination levels generally decline with increased distance from the harbour. 193