nitrogen-dioxide and Carbon-Monoxide-Poisoning

This article summarises the latest information on the adverse cardiorespiratory effects of exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) in enclosed ice rinks. Sources of CO and NO(2) emissions are identified, current standards for these agents, as well as methods of controlling the emissions, dispersion, and evacuation of these toxic gases are presented. A detailed literature search involving 72 references in English and French from research conducted in North America and Europe was used. Material was from peer reviewed journals and other appropriate sources. Air pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) which are present in enclosed skating facilities, may exacerbate a pre-existing pathogenic condition in those people who spend considerable time in these environments. Considering the popularity of ice hockey, short track speed skating, and figure skating, and the hundreds of hours that a sensitive person may spend each year in these environments, it would seem appropriate to seek more definitive answers to this important health problem. From the findings and conclusions of the research reviewed in this paper, 10 recommendations are listed.

Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Carboxyhemoglobin; Confined Spaces; Heart Diseases; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Public Facilities; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Skating; Ventilation

The effects of air pollution on human health are reviewed. Data from toxicology, epidemiology, clinical and laboratory exposures are presented as a basis for an emerging etiology. Sulfur dioxide, suspended particulates, nitrogen dioxide, photochemical oxidants, and carbon monoxide are examined as stress agents to the cardio-pulmonary system.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Animals; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Carcinogens; Humans; Hydrocarbons; Immunity; Infant, Newborn; Mice; Nitrogen Dioxide; Occupations; Ozone; Photochemistry; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiratory Tract Neoplasms; Sulfur Dioxide; Vehicle Emissions

Topics: Air Pollution; Bacterial Infections; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollution; Humans; Lung; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Pulmonary Emphysema; Respiratory System; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Sulfur Dioxide; Toxicology

Topics: Aerosols; Air Pollution; Aldehydes; Asthma; Atmosphere; Beryllium; Bronchitis; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Carcinogens; Environmental Health; Europe; Formaldehyde; Gases; Humans; Hydrocarbons; Japan; Lead Poisoning; Nitrogen; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Petroleum; Pulmonary Emphysema; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Sulfur; Sulfur Dioxide; Sulfuric Acids; Toxicology; United States

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Beryllium; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Carcinogens; Fluorides; Humans; Lead Poisoning; Nitrogen; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Sulfides; Sulfur; Sulfur Dioxide; Toxicology

Rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) is widely used for thermal and sound insulation owing to their low thermal conductivity and light weight. However, they have serious disadvantages, including flammability and toxic gas generation, which can cause chemical asphyxia during a fire. Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) are representative toxic gases formed by incomplete combustion and HCN, in particular, is closely related to polyurethane product fires. In this study, the risk of inhalation of toxic gases such as CO, HCN and NO

Topics: Asphyxia; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Carboxyhemoglobin; Cyanides; Fires; Gases; Humans; Hydrogen Cyanide; Methemoglobin; Nitrogen Dioxide; Polyurethanes

Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Carbon Monoxide; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Cooking; Cooking and Eating Utensils; Gases; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ventilation

The estimated mortality rate associated with ambient air pollution based on general population studies may not be applicable to certain subgroups.. The objective of the present study was to determine the influence of age, education, employment status and income on the risk of mortality associated with ambient air pollution.. Daily time-series analyses tested the association between daily air pollution and daily mortality in seven Chilean urban centers during the period January 1997-December 2007. Results were adjusted for long-term trends, day-of-the week and humidex.. Interquartile increases in particulate matter (PM(10) and PM(2.5)), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and elemental and organic carbon were associated with a 4-7% increase in mortality among those who did not complete primary school (p<0.05) vs. 0.5-1.5% among university graduates (p>0.05). Among those at least 85 years of age respective estimates were 2-7%. However, among the elderly who did not complete primary school, respective estimates were 11-19% (p<0.05). The degree of effect modification was less for income and employment status than education, and sex did not modify the results.. The socially disadvantaged, especially if elderly appear to be especially susceptible to dying on days of higher air pollution. Concentrations deemed acceptable for the general population would not appear to protect this susceptible subgroup.

Topics: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Air Pollutants; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Chile; Economics; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Male; Mortality; Nitrogen Dioxide; Odds Ratio; Particulate Matter; Sex Factors; Sulfur Dioxide; Urban Population

Maternal exposure to ambient air pollution has increasingly been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The evidence linking this exposure to congenital anomalies is still limited and controversial. This case-control study investigated the association between maternal exposure to ambient particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM(10)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O(3)), and carbon monoxide (CO) and the occurrence of congenital heart disease in the population of Northeast England (1993-2003). Each case and control was assigned weekly average (weeks 3-8 of pregnancy) of pollutant levels measured by the closest monitor to the mother's residential postcode. Using exposure as both continuous and categorical variables, logistic regression models were constructed to quantify the adjusted odds ratios of exposure to air pollutants and the occurrence of each outcome group. We found exposure to CO and NO to be associated with ventricular septal defect and cardiac septa malformations. CO was also associated with congenital pulmonary valve stenosis and NO with pooled cases of congenital heart disease and tetralogy of Fallot. Findings for SO(2), O(3) and PM(10) were less consistent.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Case-Control Studies; England; Female; Heart Defects, Congenital; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Logistic Models; Male; Maternal Exposure; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Socioeconomic Factors; Sulfur Dioxide

Poor indoor air quality and epidemic carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) poisonings due to exhaust emissions from ice resurfacers have been continuously reported from enclosed ice arenas for over 30 years. The health risks in users of Finnish ice arenas were analysed in three ways: (1) evaluation of four cases of epidemic CO poisonings, (2) modelling the association between NO(2) exposure and respiratory symptoms among junior ice hockey players, and (3) estimation of the number of arena users at risk of breathing poor quality air due to non-compliance of ice arenas with recommended abatement measures. The common causes for the CO poisonings involving over 300 subjects were large emissions from propane-fuelled ice resurfacer, small arena volume, negligible ventilation, and very recent opening of the arena. Rhinitis (prevalence 18.3%) and cough (13.7%) during or after training or game were significantly associated with the estimated personal NO(2) exposure of young hockey players (n=793) to average concentrations ranging from 21 to 1176 microg/m(3) in their home arena. During a 6-year follow-up of an intensive information campaign the portion of electric resurfacers increased from 9% to 27%, and that of emission control technology on propane-fuelled resurfacers increased from 13% to 84%. The portion of inadequately ventilated arenas decreased from 34% to 25%. However, 48% of the investigated Finnish ice arenas (n=125) did not fully comply with the non-regulatory recommendations. Consequently, 20000 daily users of ice arenas were estimated to remain in 2001 at risk of breathing poor quality air. Modern small and inadequately ventilated ice arenas pose their users (mostly children and young adults) at risk of breathing poor quality air and suffering from acute adverse health effects. Governmental regulations are needed worldwide to ensure safe sports in enclosed ice arenas.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution, Indoor; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Child; Female; Finland; Humans; Male; Nitrogen Dioxide; Prevalence; Public Facilities; Respiration Disorders; Risk Assessment

This study was undertaken to determine whether there is an association between air pollutants levels and hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Taipei, Taiwan. Hospital admissions for CVD and ambient air pollution data for Taipei were obtained for the period 1997-2001. The relative risk of hospital admission was estimated using a case-crossover approach, controlling for weather variables, day of the week, seasonality, and long-term time trends. For the one-pollutant models, on warm days (>or=20 degrees C) statistically significant positive associations were found between levels of particulate matter <10-microm aerodynamic diameter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3). On cool days (<20 degrees C), all pollutants except O3 and SO2 were significantly associated with CVD admissions. For the two-pollutant models, CO, NO2, and O3 were significant in combination with each of the other four pollutants on warm days. On cool days, PM10 remained statistically significant in all the two-pollutant models. This study provides evidence that higher levels of ambient pollutants increase the risk of hospital admissions for CVD.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Cardiovascular Diseases; Hospitalization; Humans; Humidity; Nitrogen Dioxide; Odds Ratio; Ozone; Sulfur Dioxide; Taiwan; Temperature

The concentration-response relationship between daily ambient inhalable particle (particulate matter less than or equal to 10 micro m; PM(10)) concentrations and daily mortality typically shows no evidence of a threshold concentration below which no relationship is observed. However, the power to assess a relationship at very low concentrations of PM(10) has been limited in studies to date. The concentrations of PM(10) and other air pollutants in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from January 1994 through December 1996 were very low: the 50th and 90th percentiles of daily average PM(10) concentrations were 13 and 23 micro g/m(3), respectively, and 27 and 39 ppb, respectively, for 1-hr maximum ozone. Analyses of 3 years of daily pollution (PM(10), ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide) concentrations and mortality counts showed that the dominant associations were between ozone and total mortality and respiratory and cardiovascular mortality in the summer, and between nitrogen dioxide and total mortality in the winter, although some association with PM(10) may also have been present. We conclude that increases in low concentrations of air pollution are associated with increased daily mortality. These findings may support the notion that no threshold pollutant concentrations are present, but they also raise concern that these effects may not be effects of the measured pollutants themselves, but rather of some other factor(s) present in the air pollution-meteorology mix.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; British Columbia; Carbon Monoxide; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cause of Death; Databases as Topic; Humans; Linear Models; Meteorological Concepts; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particle Size; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Seasons; Sulfur Dioxide; Urban Health

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution, Indoor; Carbon Monoxide; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Coal; Cooking; Fossil Fuels; Heating; Housing; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Oxidants, Photochemical; Smoke; Sulfur Dioxide

Topics: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Diagnostic Errors; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Skating

On February 23, 1992, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) was notified that 11 students from two high schools had been treated in two emergency rooms for acute respiratory symptoms (ARS) (i.e., cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, and dyspnea); two students were hospitalized. All of the students had participated in an indoor ice hockey tournament the previous night.

Topics: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Hockey; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Poisoning; Wisconsin

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Carbon Monoxide; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Child; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Hydrocarbons; Nitrogen Dioxide; United Kingdom; Ventilation

Topics: Aldehydes; Benzopyrenes; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Environmental Pollution; Humans; Mining; Nitrogen Dioxide; Occupational Diseases; Pleural Neoplasms; Sweden

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Child; Child, Preschool; Dexamethasone; Humans; Hypoxia; Infant; Intubation, Intratracheal; Methylprednisolone; Nitrogen Dioxide; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; Pneumonia; Positive-Pressure Respiration; Pulmonary Atelectasis; Pulmonary Edema; Respiration, Artificial; Respiratory Insufficiency; Shock; Smoke; Sulfur Dioxide; Time Factors; Tracheotomy

Topics: Air Pollution; Carbon Monoxide; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Carboxyhemoglobin; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Male; Maximum Allowable Concentration; Nitrogen Dioxide; Occupational Diseases; Quebec; Ships

Topics: Air Pollution; Animals; Bromides; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Chlorides; Erythrocytes; Female; Haplorhini; Kidney; Lead; Lead Poisoning; Levulinic Acids; Macaca; Male; Nitrogen Dioxide; Osmotic Fragility; Porphyrins; Rats; Sulfur Dioxide

Topics: Adolescent; Air Pollution; Carbon Monoxide; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Child; Environmental Exposure; Facility Design and Construction; Female; Humans; Ice; Male; Minnesota; Nitrogen Dioxide; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Medicine; Recreation; Refrigeration; Sports Medicine; Ventilation

Topics: Agricultural Workers' Diseases; Carbon Monoxide; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; Chromatography, Gas; Humans; Lung Diseases; Nitrogen Dioxide; Silo Filler's Disease