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Effect of exposures to ambient ozone on ventilatory lung function in children
I T Higgins1, J B D'Arcy, D I Gibbons
1Epidemiology Branch, American Health Foundation, New York, New York.
Insights
High ozone levels negatively impact children's lung function, specifically reducing forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). These effects are reversible when ozone concentrations decrease.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Air Quality Research
Background:
- Ambient ozone is a significant air pollutant with potential respiratory health implications.
- Children's developing respiratory systems may be particularly vulnerable to environmental exposures.
- Previous research suggests a link between air pollution and reduced lung function, but specific effects of ozone on children's daily ventilatory capacity require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between hourly ambient ozone concentrations and the ventilatory capacity of children during daily activities.
- To quantify the impact of ozone exposure on lung function parameters such as FEV1 and FVC in a pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 43 children at a summer camp over three weeks in 1987.
- Spirometry (FEV1, FVC) performed up to three times daily, with continuous monitoring of ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, temperature, and humidity.
- Statistical regression analysis was used to assess the association between ozone levels and lung function, controlling for environmental factors and comparing data based on National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) exceedances.
Main Results:
- Hourly ozone concentrations ranged from 20 to 245 ppb.
- Significant negative associations were found between ozone levels and both FEV1 (average coefficient -0.39 ml/ppb) and FVC (average coefficient -0.44 ml/ppb).
- Lung function decrements were more pronounced during periods exceeding the NAAQS for ozone, indicating a clear negative impact on ventilatory capacity.
Conclusions:
- Daily variations in ambient ozone levels are negatively correlated with children's lung function (FEV1 and FVC).
- The observed reductions in lung function are statistically significant, even after accounting for temperature and humidity.
- These ozone-induced lung function changes are reversible, diminishing as ozone levels decrease, highlighting the dynamic impact of air quality on pediatric respiratory health.
Abstract:
This study was undertaken to determine if the ventilatory capacity of children is affected by hourly concentrations of ozone inhaled during their daily activity. Over a 3-wk period (June-July 1987) children who were attending a summer camp in the San Bernardino mountains of California performed spirometry up to three times per day during their stay at the camp. A total of 43 children were tested a total of 461 times. Ozone, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, temperature, and relative humidity were measured continuously. Daily average measurements of total suspended particulate and the PM10 particulate fraction (less than or equal to 10 microns) were also made. Hourly ozone concentrations at the time of testing varied between 20 and 245 ppb. Regressions of each individual's FEV1 and FVC supported the view that high ozone levels reduced these lung function parameters. The average regression coefficient for FEV1 on ozone was -0.39 ml/ppb (SEM = 0.12) and for FVC -0.44 ml/ppb (SEM = 0.15), both of which were significantly different from zero. Statistical allowance for temperature and humidity increased the magnitude of these slopes. Nitrogen dioxide never exceeded 40 ppb during the time of testing and averaged 13 ppb. Sulfur dioxide's highest measurement was 8 ppb and often was at the limit of detection. Neither NO2 nor SO2 was considered in the statistical modeling. Data were divided based on whether each subject had been exposed to levels of ozone in excess of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) during the several hours previous to being tested. Exposures exceeding the NAAQS indicated a significant negative relationship between ozone and FEV1, FVC, and PEFR. Data for nonexceedance periods did not indicate this negative relationship for any of the three lung function parameters, but it could not be determined if this was due to an absence of an ozone effect or to a combination of the increased variability and decreased size of this data subset. These data indicate that lung function changes on a daily basis relate in a negative fashion to ambient ozone levels. The magnitude of the changes are small and are reversed as ambient ozone decreases.
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