Short-Term Effects Of Air Pollution Levels On Pulmonary Function Of Young Adults

Abstract

Sixty-six young healthy persons repeatedly underwent spirometry after having spent five hours at school located close to a polluted environment. Changes in NO 2, CO and black smoke concentrations were found to be negatively associated with FVC, FEV 1 and PEF, but only the associations of NO 2 and CO with PEF, and CO with FEV 1 reached the nominal level of statistical significance. Changes in O 3 concentration were found to be negatively associated only with PEF but not to a statistically significant degree. Thus, an increase 10 �og/m3 in NO 2 concentrations was associated with a reduction of 0,04 l/min in PEF and an increase of 1 mg/m3 in CO was associated with a reduction of 0,14 ml/sec in FEV 1 and 0,16 l/min of PEF. These results provide evidence that the increased levels of air pollution in Athens have detectable effects on the pulmonary function tests of healthy young individuals.