Air quality

Nature lovers never think that being in the great outdoors could be detrimental to their health. Poor air quality affects everyone, some more directly than others but even the cyclists and runners come in contact with air pollutants. The leading causes of poor air quality include: high levels of traffic, industrial waste, and secondhand smoking, which lead to health issues like, asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness such as pneumonia or bronchitis. Efforts have been put forth to help increase better air quality by inventions such as all electric cars, smokeless cigarettes, promotions for carpooling, and less industrial waste production.











          

Whats the Problem?

Most normal healthy people have probably never been told that going for a run or bicycle ride is bad for your health. Well it just might be, in the urban areas of Portland, Oregon. The reason that running or bicycle riding could have a negative effect on a person’s health instead of a positive one, are due to harmful substances that are invisible to the naked eye, and the individuals that will find themselves at a higher risk of exposure to these substances are the ones running or cycling outdoors in areas that have a high level of traffic (Brugge, Durant, & Rioux, 2007; National Center for Environmental Health, 2009) Given that these invisible substances are formed by gas powered vehicles during the combustion of fuel that transforms chemical energy into the mechanical energy that powers the car, and releasing the remaining chemicals as exhaust (Spencer, Shields, Sodeman, Toner, & Prather, 2006).

This exhaust which is a major source of air pollution consisting of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen (NOx), sulfur oxides (SO2), hydrocarbons (VOC), and particulate matter such as ultra fine particles(UFP) < 0.1 µm (micrometer) (Kendrick et al., 2011). Within Portland’s urban area’s the increased risk of exposure to these chemicals being pumped out of the vehicles has been found to be much higher along the sidewalks in addition to the bike lanes on the streets that the runners and cyclist are using to perform their exercise (Kendrick et al., 2011; Brugge et al., 2007). This close proximity results in higher concentrations of the chemicals being present in the environment that runners and cyclist are using. This close proximity becomes a problem for them, since their bodies metabolic systems are performing at an increased rate in order to meet the elevated energy needs during aerobic exercise, and the one element that is needed for this increased energy production is oxygen (O2). So the runners and cyclist bodies respond to this need for more O2, by increasing minute ventilation (VE) to draw in more O2, but with this increased VE the runners and cyclist are also breathing in more of the chemicals for the vehicles exhaust (Carlisle & Sharp, 2001).

This exposure to these chemicals can affect the performance of the runners and cyclist workout by reducing the body’s ability to transport O2 to where it is needed, because one of the exhaust chemicals CO is able to diffuse from the lungs into the cardiovascular system where it binds to the hemoglobin of the red blood cell blocking the O2 from being transported (Raub, Mathieu-Nolf, Hampson, & Thom, 2000).  Other studies have found that exposure to UFP < 0.1 µm, can cause oxidative cell damage that may lead to respiratory failure and other negative health effects (Vinzents et al., 2005). With more and more people in Portland nowadays trying to live a healthier lifestyle by getting out and exercising along the roadways, steps need to be taken to reduce their exposure to these toxic chemicals, by building more running / bike paths for people to use.

Effect of Air pollution on Respiratory system

The respiratory system is the primary target of indoor air pollutants' effects because most frequently they enter the human organism through inhalation. Air pollution-related diseases are the most important cause of respiratory morbidity and mortality in adults. There are also indications that these effects are higher for sensitive groups of the population, such as children, women and persons with chronic diseases. According to the study by Chauhan and Johnston (2003), on air pollution and infection in respiratory illnesses, “respiratory health effects, such as infections and asthma, are the illnesses most closely associated with increased absenteeism from work” (p 95-112). The study also shows that, lower respiratory tract infections in children, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and respiratory tract tumors in adults, are the main death-causing pathologies attributable to poor indoor air (IA) quality. In general, Air pollution is a major environment-related health threat to children and a risk factor for both acute and chronic respiratory disease.

Effect of Air Pollution on Asthma

Asthma is a serious condition that causes your airways to swell and become narrow which then leads to having trouble breathing, shortness of breath and wheezing. There are many types of asthma triggers such as pets, mold, dust, and air pollution. Asthma is also related to age, sex, and race/ethnicity (National Center for Environmental Health, 2009).   Air pollution is a problem in Portland due to the amount of activity that creates smog. Exposure to smog can cause asthma attacks, aggravation of chronic lung diseases, emphysema and bronchitis, coughing, chest pain, difficulty breathing deeply, and itchy burning eyes (Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 2014). Asthma has been linked to vehicle emission with higher rates being near highways. The “Portland Tribune” states that according to the picture high asthma rates were found near freeways and truck routes such as Highway 30, and Highway 99 in Southeast Portland. There are many ways to help Portland’s asthma problem and one factor that is highly controllable is the air pollution problem. 

The level of air quality in Portland  is influenced by us and our efforts to be a clean city and being more conscious of our role in limiting air pollution will help make the realization of what kind of impact we leave on earth and its overall health even better. Because the slow transition to better air quality will not only improve the health of bicyclist and runners, but to  also lower the risk for those people who have already developed health issues, and allow them to no longer be affected.

Sally Olea, Jamie Kahl, Boon Parrett, Randin Crecelius, Sefera Garoma

Bibliography

Brugge, D., Durant, J. L., & Rioux, C. (2007). Near-highway pollutants in motor vehicle exhaust:a review of epidemiologic evidence of cardiac and pulmonary health risks. Environmental Health, 6(1), 23.

Carlisle, A. J., & Sharp, N. C. C. (2001). Exercise and outdoor ambient air pollution. British journal of sports medicine, 35(4), 214-222.

Chauhan, A. J., & Johnston, S. L. (2003). Air pollution and infection in respiratory illness. British medical bulletin, 68(1), 95-112.

Kendrick, C. M., Moore, A., Haire, A., Bigazzi, A., Figliozzi, M., Monsere, C. M., & George, L. (2011). Impact of bicycle lane characteristics on exposure of bicyclists to traffic-related particulate matter. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2247(1), 24-32.

National Center for Environmental Health. (2009). Respiratory Health & Air Pollution. Healthy Places.  Atlanta, GA.:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/healthtopics/airpollution.htm

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. (2014). Air Pollution and Health Problems. Retrieved      

from Oregon DEQ: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/advisories/detail.htm

Raub, J. A., Mathieu-Nolf, M., Hampson, N. B., & Thom, S. R. (2000). Carbon monoxide poisoning—a       public health perspective. Toxicology, 145(1), 1-14.

Spencer, M. T., Shields, L. G., Sodeman, D. A., Toner, S. M., & Prather, K. A. (2006). Comparison of oil and fuel particle chemical signatures with particle emissions from heavy and light duty vehicles. Atmospheric Environment, 40(27), 5224-5235.

Vinzents, P. S., Møller, P., Sørensen, M., Knudsen, L. E., Hertel, O., Jensen, F. P., ... & Loft, S. (2005).      Personal exposure to ultrafine particles and oxidative DNA damage. Environmental health perspectives, 1485-1490.