LET´S PROTECT OUR CHILDREN

LET’S CLEAN THE AIR


Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA)

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Inter-American Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering (AIDIS)

Organization of American States (OAS)

Pan American Health Organization

World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)

United Nations Environment Program

Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNEP/ROLAC)

AreaofSustainableDevelopmentandEnvironmentalHealth,PAHO/WHO

PanAmericanCenterforSanitaryEngineeringandEnvironmentalSciences, CEPIS/PAHO,2003

CEPISDirector: Dr.MauricioPardónOjeda

Materialpreparedby: Dr.MarceloKorc

Mrs.LourdesMindreau

PRINTED AT CEPIS/PAHO:

Los Pinos 259, Urbanización Camacho, Lima 12, Peru

P.O. Box 4337 - Lima 100, Peru

Telephone: (51 1) 437 1077

Fax: (51 1) 437 8289

cepis@cepis.ops-oms.org

http://www.cepis.ops-oms.org

Introduction

M

!

ore than 30 million children in Latin America and the Caribbean breathe

unhealthy air. If you live or work in a polluted area or environment, you might know a

child affected by dirty air. Common symptoms are soreness in the chest, tearful eyes,

coughing,andheadaches.

According to health professionals, children are more susceptible to air pollution

thanadultsbecause:

Children take in more air in proportion to their

bodyweight and lungsizeandspendmoretimeoutdoorsthanadultsdo.

Children's bodies are developing and are more

susceptibletoirritationsandillnesses.

Some studies have shown that children living in polluted areas or environments

are more susceptible to respiratory infections. Although symptoms may not be

apparent,theyhavehigher probabilityof suffering damages that maycauselossesin lung

function,increasingtheriskofrespiratorydiseasesinadulthood.

The Inter-American Air Quality Day, celebrated on 8 August 2003, is an

opportunity to promotehealthyairforchildren,showingthehazardsofairpollutionand

their impact on children's health, and simple measurestoreduceoreliminate them.We

welcomeyourparticipation inthisinitiative

They are more exposed:

They are more vulnerable:

Let´s protect our children 3

Let´s clean the air

1. Poor airquality. Why?

The air we breathe is mainly composed of nitrogen and oxygen. It contains also

small quantities of other gases such as carbon dioxide, argon, neon, helium, hydrogen,

and methane,andavariableamountofwatervapor.

Air composition is modified

by particles and gases generated by

human activities, primarily the

burning of fossil fuels, such as

petroleum, and the industrialization

of chemical products. When the

changes reach levels that are

hazardous to human health, other

aspects of well-being, and the

environment, we are confronted

with . The most

common pollutants released into

the air or formed within it are

carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur

dioxide (SO ), nitrogen oxides

(NO ), volatile organic compounds

(VOC), ground-level ozone (O ),

and solid and liquid suspended

particles, including heavy metals

such as lead

air pollution

2

x

3

.

Carbonmonoxide (CO)

Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

COis a colorlessandodorless gas. The mainhuman activity that generates COis

the incomplete burning of fossil fuels, such as gasoline. It can be especially hazardous in

cities where the use of old and poorly maintained vehicles, intense traffic, and vehicle

congestion are prevalent. This gas may also be hazardous in enclosed environments that

arepoorlyventilated

SO is a colorless gas generated by the burning of sulfur. The main activities that

generate SO are the burning of fossil fuels and the smelting of minerals with high sulfur

content.

.

2

2

4 Inter-American Air Quality Day

Let´s protect our children 5

Nitrogen oxides (NOx)

3

Volatileorganiccompounds (COV)

Ground-level ozone (O )

Suspendedparticles

The main human activity that generates NO is fuel burningathightemperatures.

Major NO sources include the exhaust pipes of motor vehicles in circulation and the

stacksoffossil-fueledpowerplantsinoperation.

VOC are organic substances, such as benzene and acetaldehyde, which readily

evaporate at temperatures lower than their boiling points. Major VOCsources include

the burning and evaporation of fossil fuels and organic solvents and the emissions

generatedbychemicalproductmanufacturing.

Ground-level ozone is a secondary pollutant formed by a complex series of

chemical reactions of NO and VOC in the presence of sunlight. The variations of O

concentrations in a particular location depend on several factors including the

concentrationsofNO and VOCintheair,intensity of sunlight,weatherconditions, and

topography.

Suspended particles such as ash and dust are usuallyclassified according to their

size. Coarse particles are generated by mechanical means and are typically fragments of

some larger solid particles, whereas fine particles are generated by physicochemical

processes, such as condensation and chemical transformation of gases. In homes, the

main activity that generates suspended particles is the burning of wood, coal, dung, and

kerosene forcookingorheating.

x

x

x 3

x

Lead

2. Howdoes air pollutionaffect children´s health?

Lead is a heavy metal usually released into the air as particles. One of its main

sources istheuseofleadedgasolineinmotorvehicles.

Threeconditionsshouldbeconsideredtoanswerthisquestion:

(1) general healthconditions;

(2) pollutanttypeandconcentration;and

(3) exposure time to contaminated air.

Lungs are very complex

organs containing more than 40

different kinds of cells. Air

pollution can change the cells in

the lung by damaging those that

are most susceptible. If the cells

that are damaged are important in

the development of new

functional parts of the lung, then

the lung may not achieve its full

growth and function as a child

maturestoadulthood.

The incidence of asthma and

other respiratory diseases in

children such as allergic reactions,

bronchitis, and acute respiratory

infections have increased

significantly in the past years. Air

pollution may be one of the

causes.

6 Inter-American Air Quality Day

Eachpollutanthasdifferenteffectsonchildren'shealth

When inhaled, COreacts very rapidly with hemoglobin in the blood and forms

carboxyhemoglobin, decreasing the oxygen delivery to vital organs such as the

heartandthebrain

:

Carbon monoxide(CO)

.

The severity of symptoms depends on the percentage of hemoglobin that

converts to carboxyhemoglobin. After exposures that convert 5 to 10% of the

hemoglobin to carboxyhemoglobin, the child may react more slowly to external

stimuli. At 10 to 30 percent carboxyhemoglobin, nausea, headaches,

unconsciousness and sometimes death can result. Carbon monoxide may also

have prenatal effects.Pregnantwomenwho are exposedtohighlevelsofCOare

at increasedriskofhavinglowbirth-weightbabies.

SO is a very water-soluble gas and therefore most of the SO that is inhaled is

absorbed in the upper respiratory tract provoking nose and throat irritation.

However, small quantities of SO in the alveoli (the deepestpart ofthelungs)can

provokeimportanthealtheffects,primarilyinchildrenwithasthma.

Sulfurdioxide (SO2)

3

2 2

2

Ozone (O )

O is an oxidantthatcan penetratethedeepestregions oftherespiratorysystem

provokingthefollowingsymptoms:

Noseandthroatirritation.

Increased productionofmucousandatendencytocough.

Eyeirritationandheadaches.

During severe pollution episodes, soreness in the chest and difficulty to

breathe indeeplywithoutcoughing

3

.

Let´s protect our children 7

Nitrogenoxides (NO )

Volatileorganiccompounds (VOCs)

Suspendedparticles

Lead

x

Nitrogen dioxide is the most important NO compound withrespect to adverse

health effects. Under most chemical conditions it is an oxidant, as is ozone.

However,itdiffersfromozoneinthatitsuppressesthe immunesystemtoamuch

greaterdegree.

Several studies have shown that children under 5 years of age exposed to high

levels of nitrogen dioxide are more susceptible to respiratory infections and

allergicdisorders.

VOCs may cause different adverse health effects in children. For example several

VOCs, such as benzene, are carcinogenic. Others, such as acetaldehyde, may

irritatethe respiratorytract.

In general, it is difficult to assign a quantitative risk associated with particulate

matter because nearly all studies of its health effects find the presence of other

pollutants that may account for several of the effects. However, the exposure to

this contaminanthasbeen associated withthefollowingoutcomes:

Increased hospitaladmissionsofchildrenwithacuterespiratorysymptoms.

Increased schoolsandkindergartenabsences.

Increased medicationusein childrenwith asthma.

According to several research studies,children with asthma living in a community

with high particle concentrations may have suppressed lung growth. After

children moved into cleaner cities their lung growth returned tothenormal rate,

buttheydidnotrecoverthelostpotentialgrowth.

Lead causes kidney and nerve damage and impairs the body ability to produce

hemoglobin. Lead is often measured in children's blood as an index of

environmental exposure. Several studies have shown that even lowlevels of lead

in the blood of children aged 6-7 years old are linked to measurable decreases in

intelligence quotient.

x

8 Inter-American Air Quality Day

3. Howcanwe protect our children?

Helpour childrentobreathe clean air

To protect our children, we should be aware of the air quality in our community

and considerthefollowingsuggestions:

Don't smoke and don't let

others smoke in your

homeorcar.

Keep your home as clean

as possible. Dust, mold,

certain household pests,

secondhand smoke, and

pet dander can trigger

asthma attacks and

allergies.

Prevent children from

being in closed environments

where kitchens or

stoves are inuse.

Limit outdoor activity on

alert days when air

pollution is especially

harmful.

Walk, use bicycles, join or

form carpools, and take

publictransportation.

Limitmotorvehicleidling.

Avoid openburning.

Getkidstestedforleadbytheirdoctororhealthcareprovider.

Protect our childrenfromleadpoisoning

Let´s protect our children 9

Washchildren'shandsbeforetheyeat;washbottles,pacifiers,andtoysoften.

Wash floors and window sills to protect kids from dust and peeling paint

contaminatedwithlead,especiallyinolderhomes.

Use baitsandtrapswhenyoucan;placebaitsandtrapswherekidscan'tgetthem.

Havefuel-burningappliances,furnaceflues,andchimneyscheckedonceayear.

Neverusegasovens or burnersforheat;neverusebarbecuesorgrills indoors or

inthegarage.

Neversleep inroomswithun-ventedgasorkerosenespaceheaters.

Don't run carsinthegarage.

Avoidusing aerosols

Protect our children from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning

10 Inter-American Air Quality Day

4. Frequentlyaskedquestions

What is the compositionof air?

Whendowe say thatthe air is polluted?

Why are children one of the most sensible populations to

polluted air?

What are the most common air pollutants and how are they

produced?

Theairwebreatheismainlycomposedofnitrogen(78%)andoxygen(21%).Italso

contains small quantitiesofcarbondioxide,othergases,andwatervapor.

Wesaythattheairispollutedwhenits compositionhasbeenalteredand reaches

levels hazardous to human health, other aspects of human well-being, and the

environment.

They are more sensible because they have greater exposure and vulnerability.

They take in more air in relation to their bodyweight and lung size. Besides, they spend

more time outdoors, their bodies are still developing, and are more susceptible to

irritationsandillnesses.

Carbon monoxide (CO); sulfur dioxide (SO ); nitrogen oxides (NO ); volatile

organic compounds (VOCs); ground-level ozone (O ); and suspended particles,

2 x

3

Let´s protect our children 11

including heavy metals as lead, are the most common air pollutants. They are generated

mainlybytheburningoffossilfuelsandtheproductiontochemicalproducts.

Health effects will depend on general health conditions, pollutant type and

concentration,and exposuretime.Pollutants may irritate theskin, eyes,andrespiratory

tract; cause kidney and nerve damage; reduce oxygen intake capacity; and produce

cancer.

Let´sbeinformed.

Let´stakepreventiveactions.

Let´sfollowthetipsincludedinthisguide.

How do air pollutants affect children´s health?

What can we do to protect our children from air pollution?

12