Public Health

PARTICULATE MATTER AIR POLLUTION

tmparson@jhsph.edu
410-955-7619
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
National study examines health risks of coarse particle pollution

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
have conducted the largest nationwide study on the acute health
effects of coarse particle pollution. Coarse particles are airborne
pollutants that fall between 2.5 and 10 microns in diameter. These
particles are larger than fine particles (less than 2.5 microns) and
are produced by processes such as mechanical grinding, windblown dust
and agriculture. These particles are of interest from both public
health and regulatory perspectives.

The researchers examined associations between daily changes in
hospital admissions rates for cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes
and daily changes in coarse and fine particulate matter levels for 108
urban U.S. counties, which included approximately 12 million people
enrolled in Medicare during the years 1999 through 2005.

The study, published in the May 14, 2008, edition of JAMA, found no
evidence of an association between daily changes in coarse particles
and the number of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases. The
study found evidence of an association with hospital admissions for
cardiovascular diseases. After taking into account fine particle
levels, the association with coarse particles remained but was no
longer statistically significant. The study also found that the risk
of a cardiovascular hospital admission due to coarse particles was
higher in more urban counties.

"Overall, the evidence was mixed, but the data suggest a link between
cardiovascular admissions and ambient exposure to coarse particulate
matter. This association was not statistically significant when we
adjusted for fine particulate matter," said Roger D. Peng, PhD, lead
author of the study and an assistant professor in the Bloomberg
School's Department of Biostatistics.

"Although the evidence was not conclusive, the benefit of our approach
is that it can be easily replicated when new data become available.
Given that we found an association with coarse particles before taking
into account fine particulate matter, our findings need consideration
when the Environmental Protection Agency's standard for particles in
the air is next reviewed."

The EPA regulates the levels of fine particle pollution, but does not
yet have a standard for coarse particle pollution.

Previous studies by the Hopkins researchers demonstrated a strong link
between fine particulate matter pollution and increased hospital
admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.

"We found continued evidence of an association between fine
particulate matter and risk for hospitalization in this new data set,
an extension by three years of our previous analyses," said senior
author Francesca Dominici, PhD, professor in Biostatistics. "We urge
continued monitoring of the coarse fraction of particulate matter so
that further studies can be carried out."

###

"Coarse Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Hospital Admission for
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases Among Medicare Patients" was
written by Roger D. Peng, PhD; Howard H. Chang, BS; Michelle L. Bell,
PhD; Aidan McDermott, PhD; Scott L. Zeger, PhD; Jonathan M. Samet, MD;
and Francesca Dominici, PhD.
>
> The researchers were funded by grants from the Environmental
> Protection Agency, the National Institute for Environmental Health
> Sciences, the NIEHS Center in Urban Environmental Health and the
> Health Effects Institute.


Alarming Studies - Loss of IQ in Children
Public health and economic consequences of methyl mercury toxicity to the developing brain

Mental retardation and prenatal methylmercury toxicity

The Problem Develops
All forms of mercury are toxic to humans, but methylmercury brings the greatest worry because of the effect on the human neurological system. #1 Very tiny microorganisms, such as bacteria and plankton, pick up the mercury from the environment(air,water, and land), and convert it to methylmercury. As the methylmercury accumulates, it also bioaccumulates, moving up the food chain through fish, birds, other animals, and mammals.#1,5 U.S. Geological Survey reports widespread mercury contamination in streams, wetlands, reservoirs, and lakes across the U.S. with recycling patterns. #1 Mercury comes from a number of sources, but by far, U.S. coal burning power plants are the major contributors. #4

What About Michigan
Every inland lake in Michigan has mercury warnings on fish. The Great Lakes, including Lake Huron carry warnings also. Mercury cannot be cut out of the fish, as the mercury resides in fish muscle and all parts of the particular fish body. #2,3

Fish Advisories and Toxic Timing
Please pay attention to the wording in Michgan Fish Advisories. Instead of focusing on pregnant women, the warnings say women of childbearing age. #2,3 This becomes alarming because the U.S. Geological Survey says it takes 70 days for a woman to rid herself of 1/2 of her bodies mercury. Women of childbearing age get pregnant any time. How would these women or teen moms, who don't feel the effects of methylmercury, know their methylmercury levels during the trimesters? #1,4 Women can be exposed by eating freshly caught fish, or fish or seafood bought at the store from far off places, or other means. #1,5

Mercury Travels
Mercury vapors in the atmosphere settles nearby or travels 500 to thousands of miles away settling in unknown places. Meanwhile the mercury, methylmercury cycles keeps recycling, building up in the landscape and bioaccumulating in a very destructive pattern. #1,5

Insufficient Advisories
Back to the wording in fish advisories in Michigan. These warnings are also for children-birth to age 15. Children's developing nervous system and rates of metabolism are good reasons for warnings. But the authors of the fish warning are totally silent about the specific effects on children. What are th effects on their brains, their behavior, or their health? Unanswered.

Loss of IQ and Retardation Cost
In the meantime, children born with very tiny increases of methylmercury in their umbilical cord blood will suffer intelligence loss. #4 An excess number of retarded children, directly linked to U.S. coal burning power plants (emitting 41% of the U.S. total Mercury)means excess cost of care and services for retarded children. Researchers estimate an annual excess cost of $289 million.#4 This can happen year after year.

What's Missing?
Jean Veselenak, a retired Rogers City teacher, asks an unanswered question. "Who is figuring out the economic, social and personal costs to the loss in brain potential for all these over exposed children of low, average and high intelligence?

Measurements
While mercury emissions are tracked in small amounts-pounds, scientists see mercury's reflection in much tinier grams or nanograms (one billionth of a gram). For instance Alpena's rainwater mercury content is 28 nanograms per liter of rain. #6 Wastewater effluent into Lake Huron with mercury higher than 1.3 nanograms requires a Mercury Reduction Plan in place. #6 Rogers City is in such a situation approaching 3 times that amount. #6 Dr. Trasande's studies of methylmercury in babies cord blood use measurements of micrograms(one millionth of a gram) #4

References
1. United States Geological Survery-Mercury Contamination of Aquatic Systems-http.//water.usgs.gov/wid/FS 216-95 html

2. 2004 Michigan Family Fish Consumption Guide at www.michigan.gov/mdch-toxic

3. Avoid Mercury in Fish & Seafood at www.michigan.gov/mdch-toxic

4. Dr. Leonardo Trasande, Toxicologist and Pediatrician at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine N.Y., N.Y. Mental Retardation and Prenatal Methylmercury Toxicity 2005 and Public Health and Economic Consequences of Methylmercury Toxicity to the Developing Brain-2005

5. Mercury Rising--Time Magazine September 11, 2006

6. Alpena News March 10, 2007 Sara Robinson Alpena, Michigan

In The News

CEI Sues the DEQ
DEQ must follow the law says CEI lawsuit. read the full complaint

Minority Report

Here you can read the Minority Report written by Thomas Harkleroad and Byron DeLong, both Members of Presque Isle County Planning Commission.

Click Here to read the report.