Effectiveness of traffic-related elements in tree bark and pollen abortion rates for assessing air pollution exposure on respiratory mortality rates. (February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carvalho-Oliveira, Regiani; Amato-Lourenço, Luís F.; Moreira, Tiana C.L.; Silva, Douglas R. Rocha; Vieira, Bruna D.; Mauad, Thais; Saiki, Mitiko; Saldiva, Paulo H. Nascimento
• Is Part Of: Environment international. Volume 99(2017:Feb.)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 169
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Subjects: Air pollution -- Mortality -- Pollen abortion assay -- Tree barks -- Bioaccumulation and traffic related elements; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental Monitoring -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Protection -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Environnement -- Surveillance -- Périodiques; Environmental health; Environmental monitoring; Environmental protection; Periodicals; 333.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.09.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-4120

Abstract

Abstract: The majority of epidemiological studies correlate the cardiorespiratory effects of air pollution exposure by considering the concentrations of pollutants measured from conventional monitoring networks. The conventional air quality monitoring methods are expensive, and their data are insufficient for providing good spatial resolution. We hypothesized that bioassays using plants could effectively determine pollutant gradients, thus helping to assess the risks associated with air pollution exposure. The study regions were determined from different prevalent respiratory death distributions in the Sao Paulo municipality. Samples of tree flower buds were collected from twelve sites in four regional districts. The genotoxic effects caused by air pollution were tested through a pollen abortion bioassay. Elements derived from vehicular traffic that accumulated in tree barks were determined using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF). Mortality data were collected from the mortality information program of Sao Paulo City. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the concentrations of elements accumulated in tree barks. Pearson correlation and exponential regression were performed considering the elements, pollen abortion rates and mortality data. PCA identified five factors, of which four represented elements related to vehicular traffic. The elements Al, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn showed a strong correlation with mortality rates (R 2 > 0.87) and pollen abortion rates (R 2 > 0.82). These results demonstrate that tree barks and pollen abortion rates allow for correlations between vehicular traffic emissions and associated outcomes such as genotoxic effects and mortality data. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Effectiveness of elements in tree barks to determine air pollution risk was assessed. Effectiveness of pollen abortion to determine air pollution risk was assessed. Strong correlation between mortality rates and pollen abortion was found. Strong correlation between mortality and traffic related elements was found. Strong correlation between pollen abortion and traffic related elements was found.