THE EFFECTS OF PARTICULATE MATTER ON RESPIRATORY TRACT DISEASES IN RESIDENTS OF PESHAWAR CITY

Saima Saeed; Iqbal Haider; Muhammad Osama; Ulfat Nisa

doi:10.46903/gjms/22.01.11366

THE EFFECTS OF PARTICULATE MATTER ON RESPIRATORY TRACT DISEASES IN RESIDENTS OF PESHAWAR CITY

Saima Saeed, Iqbal Haider, Muhammad Osama, Ulfat Nisa

Abstract

Background: Air pollution, a global concern with an annual emission of 600 million tons of pollutants, poses a significant health threat, particularly in cities like Peshawar. Our objectives were to study the nature and distribution of particulate matter (PMs) in the air of fourteen sites in Peshawar city and assess its association with respiratory symptoms and peak flow.

Materials & Methods: This study selected 14 sites in Peshawar for air sampling. Air quality was assessed for PM 1-10, Cadmium, and lead in milligrams/m3 of the air through a device called High volume Air sampling system (PM 10-4200 AFC, HI-Q Environmental Health Services, San Diego, California USA). By systematic random sampling, one hundred and eighteen individuals were questioned on these 14 sites for their demographic details and respiratory symptoms through a structured questionnaire. The researchers measured the peak flow through a portable Mini-Wright peak flow meter. SPSS version 20 conducted the statistical analysis. The chi-square test and Pearson’s correlation test were applied. The criterion standard for the p-value was less than 0.05.

Results: In a study involving 118 individuals from diverse professions in Peshawar, evaluated air pollutant levels, particularly PM1-10, lead, and Cadmium, exceeded WHO recommendations. The active cough was the predominant symptom in 55% (n=66) of the study sample. In contrast, 54% exhibited lower-than-predicted peak flow values, clinical symptoms like cough, impaired exercise tolerance, and exposure to pets correlated with reduced peak flow. Positive correlations were found between peak flow and age and inverse correlations with symptom duration.

Conclusion: Particulate matter in the air of Peshawar city is higher than the upper limits recommended by the WHO. This bad air quality in Peshawar affects its residents through active coughing and low peak flow readings, amongst many other respiratory problems.

Keywords

Particulate matter; Cadmium; lead; Peak flow; Respiration; Breathing; Cough.

Full Text:

PDF

References

Cohen AJ, Brauer M, Burnett R, Anderson HR, Frostad J, Estep K, et al. Estimates and 25-year trends of the global disease burden attributable to ambient air pollution: an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2015. The Lancet 2017;389(10082):1907-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30505-6

World Health Assembly, 69. Health and the environment: draft road map for an enhanced global response to the adverse health effects of air pollution: report by the Secretariat. World Health Organization 2016. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/252673

Le TG, Ngo L, Mehta S, Do V, Thach T, Vu XD, et al. Effects of short-term exposure to air pollution on hospital admissions of young children for acute lower respiratory infections in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Res Rep Health Eff Inst 2012;169:73-83. PMID: 22849236.

Bowatte G, Lodge CJ, Knibbs LD, Lowe AJ, Erbas B, Dennekamp M, et al. Traffic-related air pollution exposure is associated with allergic sensitization, asthma, and poor lung function in middle age. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017;139(1):122-29.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2016.05.008

Janke K. Air pollution, avoidance behavior, and children's respiratory health: evidence from England. J Health Econ 2014; 38:23-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.07.002

Yang Y, Cao Y, Li W, Li R, Wang M, Wu Z, et al. Multi-site time series analysis of acute effects of multiple air pollutants on respiratory mortality: a population-based study in Beijing, China. Sci Total Environ 2015;508:178-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.070

Grossberndt S, Bartonova A, González Ortiz A, Castell N, Guerreiro C. Public awareness and efforts to improve air quality in Europe. Eionet Report-ETC/ATNI 2020; 2: 17-30.

Anjum MS, Ali SM, Subhani MA, Anwar MN, Nizami A-S, Ashraf U, et al. An emerged challenge of air pollution and ever-increasing particulate matter in Pakistan; a critical review. J Hazard Mater 2021;402:123943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123943

Bank PEW. Strategic Country Environmental Assessment: Rising to the challenges. 2006. [Accessed 2022 Mar 20] Available from: http://www.environment.gov.pk/NEW-PDF/Pak-SCEA-May2006.pdf

Ullah S, Ullah N, Rajper SA, Ahmad I, Li Z. Air pollution and associated self-reported effects on the exposed students at Malakand division, Pakistan. Environ Monit Assess 2021;193(11):708. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09484-2

Karakatsani A, Kapitsimadis F, Pipikou M, Chalbot M, Kavouras I, Orphanidou D, et al. Ambient air pollution and respiratory health effects in mail carriers. Environ Res 2010;110(3):278-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2009.11.002

Air quality in Peshawar. Air quality index (AQI) and PM2.5 air pollution in Peshawar. [Accessed 2022 Aug 15]. Available from: https://www.iqair.com/pakistan/khyber-pakhtunkhwa/peshawar

Mini-Wright Standard Peak Flow meter (Clement Clarke Ltd, Harlow, UK). [Accessed 2022 Mar 26] www.medicareplus.co.uk

Akther T, Ahmed M, Shohel M, Ferdousi FK, Salam A. Particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in the indoor environment and association of ultra-fine particulate matters (PM 1) with lung function. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019;26(6):5475-84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-4043-2

Roy S, Zaman SU, Joy KS, Jeba F, Kumar P, Salam A. Impact of fine particulate matter and toxic gases on the health of school children in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Environmental Research Communications 2023;5(2):025004. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/acb90d

Chen CH, Wu CD, Chiang HC, Chu D, Lee KY, Lin WY, et al. The effects of fine and coarse particulate matter on lung function among the elderly. Sci Rep 2019; 9(1):14790. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51307-5

Zeb B, Alam K, Sorooshian A, Blaschke T, Ahmad I, Shahid I. On the morphology and composition of particulate matter in an urban environment. Air Qual Res 2018;18(6):1431-1447. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2017.09.0340

Majid H, Alam K, Madl P, Hofmann W. Exposure assessment and associated lung deposition calculations for vehicular exhaust in four metropolitan cities of Pakistan. Environ Monit Assess 2013;185(6):5265-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2942-0

Alam K, Rahman N, Khan HU, Haq BS, Rahman S. Particulate matter and its source apportionment in Peshawar, Northern Pakistan. Aerosol and Air Quality Research 2015;15(2):634-47. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2014.10.0250

Aslam A, Ibrahim M, Mahmood A, Mubashir M, Sipra HFK, Shahid I, et al. Mitigation of particulate matters and integrated approach for carbon monoxide remediation in an urban environment. J Environ Chem Eng 2021;9(4):105546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105546

Ali Awan M, Hassan Ahmed S, Rizwan Aslam M, Ahmed Qazi I. Determination of total suspended particulate matter and heavy metals in ambient air of four cities of Pakistan. Iranian (Iranica) Journal of Energy & Environment 2011;2(2):128-32.

Colbeck I, Nasir ZA, Ali Z. The state of ambient air quality in Pakistan-A review. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2010;17(1):49-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-009-0217-2

Husain L, Dutkiewicz VA, Khan A, Ghauri BM. Characterization of carbonaceous aerosols in urban air. Atmospheric Environment 2007;41(32):6872-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.04.037

Miller MR, Dickinson SA, Hitchings DJ. The accuracy of portable peak flow meters. Thorax 1+992;47(11):904-9. https://doi.org/10.1136/thx.47.11.904

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46903/gjms/22.01.11366