Traffic-related air pollution: exposure and health effects in Copenhagen street cleaners and cemetery workers.
This questionnaire-based study found a significantly higher prevalence of chronic bronchitis, asthma, and several other symptoms in 116 Copenhagen street cleaners who were exposed to traffic-related air pollution at levels that were slightly lower than the 1987 World Health Organization-recommended threshold values, compared with 115 Copenhagen cemetery workers exposed to lower pollution levels. Logistic regression analysis, controlling for age and smoking, was conducted, and odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to be 2.5 for chronic bronchitis (95% confidence interval = 1.2-5.1), 2.3 for asthma (95% confidence interval = 1.0-5.1), and 1.8-7.9 for other symptoms (95% confidence interval = 1.0-28.2). Except for exposure to air pollution, the two groups were comparable, i.e., they had similar terms of employment and working conditions. The exposure ranges during an 8-h work day, averaged from readings taken at five monitored street positions, were: 41-257 ppb nitric oxide (1-h max: 865 ppb); 23-43 ppb nitrogen dioxide (1-h max: 208 ppb); 1.0-4.3 ppm carbon monoxide (8-h max: 7.1 ppm); 14-28 ppb sulfur dioxide (1-h max: 112 ppb); and 10-38 ppb ozone (1-h max: 72 ppb).
Raaschou-Nielsen
O
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Occupational Health Service Center of the Municipality of Copehnhagen, Denmark.
Nielsen
M L
ML
Gehl
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003371:Cough / Q000139:chemically induced; D003718:Denmark; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D009790:Occupations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis; D012907:Smoking; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide