Air Pollution by Hydrothermal Volcanism and Human Pulmonary Function

The aim of this study was to assess whether chronic exposure to volcanogenic air pollution by hydrothermal soil diffuse degassing is associated with respiratory defects in humans. This study was carried in the archipelago of the Azores, an area with active volcanism located in the Atlantic Ocean whe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:BioMed research international 2015-01, Vol.2015 (2015), p.1-9
Main Authors: Ferreira, Teresa, Viveiros, Fátima, Garcia, Patrícia Ventura, Linhares, Diana, Rodrigues, Armindo dos Santos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Air pollution
Air Pollution - adverse effects
Asthma
Asthma - chemically induced
Asthma - physiopathology
Azores
Biomedical research
Carbon dioxide
Defects
Degassing
Environmental aspects
Environmental Exposure
Fatigue - chemically induced
Fatigue - physiopathology
Female
Health aspects
Human
Humans
Lung - drug effects
Lung - physiopathology
Male
Middle Aged
Outdoor air quality
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - chemically induced
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology
Respiratory Function Tests
Smoking
Soil (material)
Studies
Volcanic activity
Volcanic Eruptions - adverse effects
Volcanism
Volcanoes
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The aim of this study was to assess whether chronic exposure to volcanogenic air pollution by hydrothermal soil diffuse degassing is associated with respiratory defects in humans. This study was carried in the archipelago of the Azores, an area with active volcanism located in the Atlantic Ocean where Eurasian, African, and American lithospheric plates meet. A cross-sectional study was performed on a study group of 146 individuals inhabiting an area where volcanic activity is marked by active fumarolic fields and soil degassing (hydrothermal area) and a reference group of 359 individuals inhabiting an area without these secondary manifestations of volcanism (nonhydrothermal area). Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adjusted for age, gender, fatigue, asthma, and smoking. The OR for restrictive defects and for exacerbation of obstructive defects (COPD) in the hydrothermal area was 4.4 (95% CI 1.78–10.69) and 3.2 (95% CI 1.82–5.58), respectively. Increased prevalence of restrictions and all COPD severity ranks (mild, moderate, and severe) was observed in the population from the hydrothermal area. These findings may assist health officials in advising and keeping up with these populations to prevent and minimize the risk of respiratory diseases.
ISSN:2314-6133
2314-6141
DOI:10.1155/2015/326794