Bad air causes rise in allergies, study shows

Allergies and asthma are on the rise - and researchers
blame pollution, second-hand smoke and other factors.

Pollution among the factors causing more allergies among children - and figures are set to rise

Three-quarters of parents with at least one child under the age of three report that the child has allergies, a study shows - and researchers warn the figure will grow.

Some 58 per cent of the youngsters had eczema or a skin allergy, 32 per cent had rhinitis or hay fever and 25 per cent airway allergies such as asthma.

Some of the children suffered more than one type of allergy.

The findings of the survey by the Allergy Association, commissioned by the University of Hong Kong, were based on interviews with 511 parents.

Only 30 per cent of the children were believed to have inherited the condition from their parents - meaning the rest might be down to factors such as pollution, exposure to second-hand smoke, Cesarean delivery or not being breastfed exclusively in their first six months.

"We have seen many more allergy cases in this generation than the last," said Dr Marco Ho Hok-kung, chairman of the association.

"I believe the number is only going to rise in the future, in keeping with the global trend. It is vital to understand the risk of allergies and take preventive measures."

Allergies could affect the long-term growth of infants, said Ho. Some research suggests that infants who develop an allergy before the age of two have a 24 per cent increased risk of developing emotional problems later in life.

Families with children suffering from allergies often have to devote a lot of effort to preventing exposure to allergens such as peanuts, milk or seafood in meals and dust mites at home.

According to the World Health Organisation, 40 to 50 per cent of children across the globe are bothered by one or more types of allergy.

Ho said if either parent had an allergy, there was a 30 per cent chance of their child inheriting it. This increased to 50 per cent if both parents were sufferers. And in general, every child has 5 to 15 per cent chance of developing an allergy even if neither parent has the condition.

Paediatrician Dr Alfred Tam Yat-cheung said risks could be attributed to environmental factors such as pollution and exposure to second-hand smoke. They could be reduced by giving birth naturally and feeding the babies only breast milk in their first six months, he said.

Source: South China Morning Post

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Smokeless tobacco also poses health risks, researchers say

Researchers found carcinogens from smokeless
tobacco products in household dust.
Photo by Uffe_Johansson 

Secondhand exposure to tobacco may be possible even when no cigarette smoke is involved, according to a new study.

An analysis of dust samples from six homes with smokeless tobacco users shows that the dust there contains more tobacco-specific carcinogens and alkaloids than dust from non-tobacco-using homes, putting household members, especially children, at risk of indirect exposure

Scientists have long known that cigarette smoke is carcinogenic, whether inhaled by the user, by others as secondhand smoke, or brought into the home on clothing as thirdhand smoke.

But they didn’t know whether indirect exposures could arise with smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco or moist snuff.

Todd P. Whitehead of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health and his colleagues wondered whether smokeless tobacco use at home might taint household dust.

They were already collecting dust samples from homes as part of the California Childhood Leukemia Study, which among other things explores how environmental exposures to contaminants such as cigarette smoke could influence leukemia risks.

Of the households they surveyed and analyzed, six told the researchers that they had users only of smokeless tobacco, six had users only of cigarettes, and 20 had no tobacco users.

Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, researchers analyzed dust samples from these homes for five nitrosamines that are found only in tobacco, as well as five tobacco-only alkaloids such as myosmine. The team also used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure nicotine, the best-known tobacco alkaloid, which is addictive.

The team wanted to distinguish smokeless-tobacco contamination from cigarette-smoke contamination, so they calculated the ratio of myosmine to nicotine. In unburned tobacco, myosmine content is less than 0.5% of the nicotine content. But as tobacco burns, myosmine is produced, increasing the ratio to roughly 7% in tobacco smoke.

Levels of two key carcinogenic nitrosamines—N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)—were roughly five and seven times as high, respectively, in the dust of smokeless-tobacco households as in samples from tobacco-free households.

Moreover, the median myosmine-nicotine ratio was 1.8% in smokeless-tobacco households versus 7.7% in cigarette-user households, confirming that contamination in the smokeless-tobacco homes came primarily from smokeless tobacco.

Whitehead warns that the researchers don’t yet know how much of a risk this dust contamination might pose, or how the smokeless tobacco got into the dust.

But the findings suggest that household members who don’t use smokeless tobacco could be exposed to its known carcinogens.

Young children, who often play on the ground and put their hands in their mouths, can accidentally ingest dust and may be especially vulnerable to exposure, he says.

The contamination could come from activities such as opening a package or dropping small amounts on the floor during use, Whitehead says, which could lead to simple strategies for reducing the risk of contamination.

Hugo Destaillats, an environmental chemist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who wasn’t involved with the work, calls the findings an interesting first step.

The sample size was small, note both Whitehead and Destaillats, and the study didn’t directly measure anyone’s exposures.

Additional research, they suggest, could focus on the amount of tobacco-related compounds that young kids ingest when they live with someone who uses smokeless tobacco, and the resulting health risks. And Destaillats suggests doing future studies to see how dust contamination might vary in other geographical areas.

Source: American Chemical Society. This article has been edited for length.

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Air pollution slows brain development: study

Air pollution takes a double toll on babies' brains

Studies have tied air pollution to a wide range
of problems in children.

A common pollutant in vehicle exhaust, power plant emissions and cigarette smoke can shrink white matter in fetal brains and cause developmental damage during the toddler years, a new study suggests.

In 40 children examined by researchers, prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was correlated with reduced white matter on the left side of children's brains during their early childhood.

Those physical changes in the brain's internal wiring also were correlated with slower cognitive processing and with symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity, according to the study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

“They tend to be fidgety and hyperactive and very impulsive, so they leap before they look,” said Dr. Bradley Peterson, director of the Institute for the Developing Mind at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the lead author of the report.

The researchers had previously tied behavioral and cognitive problems to eight common types of these pollutants, which are a product of incomplete combustion of organic materials.

The new study now suggests those problems have a biological root in the altered architecture of the brain.

The research involved 655 New York City women of Dominican and African American descent who gave birth between 1997 and 2006.

During late pregnancy, the women carried detector backpacks that measured exposure to PAHs over 48 hours. Their children later were tested for exposure and underwent several rounds of cognitive and behavioral testing.

For the JAMA Psychiatry study, Peterson and his colleagues selected a representative sample from the original study group: 20 children whose own PAH readings were below the median and 20 whose PAH levels were above it.

All the children were about 8 years old when they underwent magnetic resonance imagery scans.

Those scans showed that white matter was significantly reduced from normal volumes throughout the left hemisphere, an area that controls language and cognition, among other higher functions.

In fact, the higher their prenatal exposure to PAH was, the more white matter was reduced and the more acute the behavioral and developmental problems were, the study found.

Scientists don’t know why the left side seemed to be affected more, but they suspect the compounds interfere with an early biochemical process that helps the fetal brain divide into slightly asymmetrical hemispheres.

The damage, however, is not isolated to prenatal stages, or to the left hemisphere. Postnatal PAH exposure, measured at age 5, correlated with diminished white matter in areas of the prefrontal cortex of both hemispheres, the study found.

“It’s a double hit,” Peterson said. “They have the abnormality from prenatal life throughout the left hemisphere and then on top of that they have this bilateral frontal hit from exposures around age 5.”

The 40 children were from nonsmoking homes and had little or no exposure to lead or insecticides that likewise have been linked to developmental and behavioral problems, according to the study. All were right-handed.

Although it remains possible that other pollutants could be affecting the results, the researchers said their sampling methods eliminated the major contenders, helping to isolate the effects of the PAH compounds.

Numerous studies have linked air pollution — especially particulate matter — to respiratory and cardiac problems. But over the last decade, researchers have accumulated more evidence that particles and other types of airborne pollution can affect brain development.

A 2012 study using a database of 19,000 nurses found greater cognitive decline among older women exposed to high levels of particulate matter.

A 2011 Boston study involving 680 men showed similar results. A series of studies involving children in Mexico City linked air pollution with the brain inflammation that is typical of diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

“It is worrisome,” Peterson said of the latest findings. “California has gone a long way toward improving and cleaning up the air, but there’s a long way to go. Future generations depend on it.”

Source: LA Times

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Children's exposure to secondhand smoke tied to clogged arteries

Exposure to tobacco smoke can have long-term
effects in cardiovascular health: Researchers

(Reuters Health) – In a Finnish study spanning 26 years, kids exposed to parental smoking were more likely to develop plaque in their carotid arteries as young adults than kids who were not exposed to secondhand smoke.

These findings and others suggest the health effects of passive smoking on children are not limited to respiratory or developmental health, but can have a long-term impact on cardiovascular health, said senior author Costan G. Magnussen of Menzies Research Institute Tasmania in Hobart, Australia.

Researchers used frozen blood samples from more than 1,000 kids ages three to 18 collected in 1980, along with parental reports of smoking status in 1980 and 1983 from a larger group of kids. They also had ultrasounds of the adult children in 2001 and 2007.

They tested the blood samples for levels of cotinine, a byproduct of cigarette smoke exposure, and looked for a buildup of plaque in the carotid arteries, two large blood vessels of the neck, on the adult ultrasounds.

Carotid plaque can cause narrowing of the arteries, increasing blood clot and stroke risk, according to the National Institutes of Health.

About two percent of the grown-up kids had a carotid plaque uncovered by ultrasound at an average age of 36.

More than 84 percent of kids of nonsmokers had no cotinine in their blood, compared to 62 percent of those with one smoking parent and 43 percent when both parents smoked.

The authors assumed that kids with a parent who admitted to smoking who did not have cotinine in their blood had been exposed to less secondhand smoke, possibly because parents had been careful to keep their smoking away from the child.

Compared to kids of nonsmokers, these kids were about one and a half times as likely to have carotid artery plaque as adults. But kids of smokers with poorer “smoking hygiene” that exposed them to more smoke (and resulted in cotinine in their blood) were four times as likely to have carotid artery plaque as those with nonsmoking parents.

“What we were able to do that others have not, is show that parents who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking can still limit the impact of their smoking on their child’s future cardiovascular health by changing their smoking behavior to limit the amount of smoke their child is exposed to,” Magnussen told Reuters Health by email.

Early smoke exposure is dangerous in
many ways, health experts suggest.

Many smoking parents did not smoke inside the home or car, or smoked well away from their children, to the point where there was no evidence for passive smoke exposure in their child’s blood, Magnussen said.

Plaque buildup, or “atherosclerosis,” can begin in childhood so the results are not surprising, according to Karin B. Michels, an epidemiologist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

But only 64 out of more than 2,000 grown subjects did develop plaque, which is a very small number, Michels told Reuters Health by phone.

“I would be a little cautious but overall I think it’s an important study and lends more support to the risk of passive smoking for children,” she said. “I don’t doubt that there is a risk and it could be affecting other things like blood pressure.”

Atherosclerotic plaque is particularly dangerous when it develops at an early age, she said.

This group of kids grew up in a time when smoking was much more ubiquitous, and they would have been exposed to more secondhand and thirdhand smoke, said Melbourne Hovell of San Diego State University, who was not part of the new study.

“Thirdhand smoke” is that which lingers on surfaces or in environments and may combine with other chemicals to create toxic substances over time, Hovell told Reuters Health by phone.

Early smoke exposure may have several deleterious effects other than just plaque buildup in the arteries, including an increased risk of later breast cancer and a predisposition to nicotine addiction, Hovell said.

Plus, children of smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves, triggering a cascade of other health risks.

“It’s pretty much a perfect storm,” Hovel said.

“The other message for the lay public is to not allow any smoking in your home or car,” as it will contaminate the environment indefinitely, he said. “Parents with young children probably should avoid buying a used car that has been smoked in.”

Source: Reuters

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Air pollution affects children's memory, IQ: Study

Exposure to air pollution  can damage the brain,
a new study shows.

City smog lowers children's IQ.

This is among findings from a recent University of Montana study that found children living in cities with significant air pollution are at an increased risk for detrimental impacts to the brain, including short-term memory loss and lower IQ.

Findings by UM Professor Dr. Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas, MA, MD, Ph.D., and her team of researchers reveal that children with lifetime exposures to concentrations of air pollutants above the current U.S. standards, including fine particulate matter, are at an increased risk for brain inflammation and neurodegenerative changes, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Calderón-Garcidueñas' findings are detailed in a paper titled "Decreases in Short-Term Memory, IQ and Altered Brain Metabolic Rations in Urban Apolipoprotein ε4 Children Exposed to Air Pollution," which can be found online here.

The study found that clinically healthy children who live in a polluted environment and who also carry a gene - the apolipoprotein ε4 allele, already known to increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease - demonstrated compromised cognitive responses when compared with children carrying a gene with apolipoprotein ε3 allele.

Urban growth leads to environmental pollution

Metropolitan Mexico City is an example of extreme urban growth and serious environmental pollution, where 8 million children are involuntarily exposed to harmful concentrations of fine particulate matter in the air every day beginning at conception.

The study matched two groups of children living in Mexico City by multiple variables, including age, gender, socioeconomic status and education, among others.

They then compared children carrying the ε4 allele to children carrying the ε3 allele and found that those with the ε4 allele had three significant alterations.

They had short-term memory shortfalls, an IQ that while within the normal limits measured 10 points less, and changes in key metabolites in the brain that mirror those of people with Alzheimer's disease.

"The results add to growing data suggesting ε4 carriers could have a higher risk of developing early Alzheimer's disease if they reside in a polluted urban environment," Calderón-Garcidueñas said.

She said the study also raises concerns about important educational issues. Since Mexico City children mostly attend underprovided public schools, children do not build cognitive reserves that serve as a defense to pollution impacts.

"A IQ difference of 10 points will likely have a negative impact on academic and social issues, including bullying and teen delinquency," she said.

A serious public health issue

The authors argue that sustained exposures to urban air pollution result in cognitive underperformance and metabolic brain changes that could lead to an acceleration of neurodegenerative changes.

Air pollution is a serious public health issue, and exposures to concentrations of air pollutants at or above the current standards have been linked to neuroinflammation and neuropathology.

In the U.S. alone, 200 million people live in areas where pollutants such as ozone and fine particulate matter exceed the standards.

There are significant associations between exposures to particulate matter and increased mortality due to stroke, cardiovascular disease and respiratory events. The problem in children living in megacities like Mexico City is much worse.

"There is an urgent need to have a broader focus on APOE ε4 and air pollution interactions impacting children's brains, and their responses could provide new avenues toward the unprecedented opportunity for Alzheimer's disease prevention," Calderón-Garcidueñas said.

"We have a 50-year window of opportunity between the time urban children experience the detrimental effects we are describing here and when they will present with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. We need support for studying the current pediatric clinical and imaging evidence in highly exposed urban children. Our efforts should be aimed to identify and mitigate environmental factors influencing Alzheimer's disease."

Source: Press release via EurekAlert

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Air pollution and genetics combine to increase risk for autism

Exposure to air pollution appears to increase the risk for autism among people who carry a genetic disposition for the neurodevelopmental disorder, according to newly published research led by scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

“Our research shows that children with both the risk genotype and exposure to high air pollutant levels were at increased risk of autism spectrum disorder compared to those without the risk genotype and lower air pollution exposure,” said the study’s first author, Heather E. Volk, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of research in preventive medicine and pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and principal investigator at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability characterized by problems with social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 88 children in the United States has an ASD.

ASD is highly heritable, suggesting that genetics are an important contributing factor, but many questions about its causes remain. There currently is no cure for the disorder.

“Although gene-environment interactions are widely believed to contribute to autism risk, this is the first demonstration of a specific interaction between a well-established genetic risk factor and an environmental factor that independently contribute to autism risk,” said Daniel B. Campbell, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and the behavioral sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the study’s senior author. “The MET gene variant has been associated with autism in multiple studies, controls expression of MET protein in both the brain and the immune system, and predicts altered brain structure and function. It will be important to replicate this finding and to determine the mechanisms by which these genetic and environmental factors interact to increase the risk for autism.”

Independent studies by Volk and Campbell have previously reported associations between autism and air pollution exposure and between autism and a variant in the MET gene. The current study suggests that air pollution exposure and the genetic variant interact to augment the risk of ASD.

Campbell and Volk’s team studied 408 children between 2 and 5 years of age from the Childhood Autism Risks From Genetics and the Environment Study, a population-based, case-control study of preschool children from California. Of those, 252 met the criteria for autism or autism spectrum disorder. Air pollution exposure was determined based on the past residences of the children and their mothers, local traffic-related sources, and regional air quality measures. MET genotype was determined through blood sampling.

Maternal obesity increases the risk of frequent wheezing in offspring

A new study concludes that the children of mothers obese before falling pregnant are four times more likely to have frequent wheezing, which is one of the symptoms of asthma, compared to the children of mothers weighing a normal weight.

Researchers from the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) assessed whether obesity in mothers increases the risk of their children having frequent wheezing, a symptom associated with susceptibility to asthma during infancy that manifests as sharp, whistling sounds when breathing.

During an asthma attack, the muscles surrounding the airways tense up and their lining becomes inflamed. The passage of air is then reduced. One of the symptoms is wheezing which as a general rule begins subtly and can then worsen during the night or the first few hours of the day when breathing in cold air or even during exercise.

Published in the 'Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology', the study confirms that on average the risk of wheezing during the first 14 months of life is four times greater in the children of mothers with obesity compared to the children of mothers with a normal weight.

"We are basing this on the assumption that obesity in mothers can be a potential intergenerational risk factor for asthma," as explained to SINC by Stefano Guerra, lead author of the study. "Our proposal was to determine whether maternal obesity is associated with a greater risk of early wheezing phenotypes in children."

Therefore, the experts analysed the data of 1,107 pairs of mother and child from a Spanish study on infancy and environment (INMA project). The results confirmed the association between maternal obesity and wheezing regardless of the weight of the child and other factors such as the education of the mother, her age, whether she is a smoker, etc.

"The independent relationship of obesity before pregnancy with the increased risk of frequent wheezing in children adds more evidence to the effects of foetal exposure and its consequences on asthma-related phenotypes," states Guerra, suggesting "possible preventative benefits of loosing excess weight."

The search for the cause of asthma in infants

The experts have spent years searching for the key to asthma in infants as it is an illness that affects more than 300 million people worldwide. Of these, 52% are not diagnosed and 47% do not have a good control over the disease.

According to the latest figures from the Spanish Guide to Handling Asthma (GEMA), although the mortality rate of this illness has reduced since 1960 to 2.22 for every 100,000 (based on data from 2005), prevalence in Spain has increased during the same period.

Study: Preschoolers found to be at high risk for exposure to pesticides and toxins linked to cancer and developmental problems

Photo: Freedigitalphotos.net

In a sobering study published in the journal Environmental Health, researchers measured food-borne toxin exposure in children and adults by pinpointing foods with high levels of toxic compounds and determining how much of these foods were eaten.

The researchers found that family members in the study, and preschool children in particular, are at high risk for exposure to arsenic, dieldrin, DDE (a DDT metabolite), dioxins and acrylamide. These compounds have been linked to cancer, developmental disabilities, birth defects and other conditions.

"Contaminants get into our food in a variety of ways," said study principal investigator Irva Hertz-Picciotto, professor and chief of the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health at UC Davis. "They can be chemicals that have nothing to do with the food or byproducts from processing. We wanted to understand the dietary pathway pesticides, metals and other toxins take to get into the body."

Researchers assessed risk by comparing toxin consumption to established benchmarks for cancer risk and non-cancer health risks. All 364 children in the study (207 preschool children between two and seven and 157 school-age children between five and seven) exceeded cancer benchmarks for arsenic, dieldrin, DDE and dioxins. In addition, more than 95 percent of preschool children exceeded non-cancer risk levels for acrylamide, a cooking byproduct often found in processed foods like potato and tortilla chips. Pesticide exposure was particularly high in tomatoes, peaches, apples, peppers, grapes, lettuce, broccoli, strawberries, spinach, dairy, pears, green beans and celery.

"We focused on children because early exposure can have long-term effects on disease outcomes," said Rainbow Vogt, lead author of the study. "Currently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency only measures risk based on exposures of individual contaminants. We wanted to understand the cumulative risk from dietary contaminants. The results of this study demonstrate a need to prevent exposure to multiple toxins in young children to lower their cancer risk."

Perhaps most disturbing, preschool-age children had higher exposure to more than half the toxic compounds being measured. Even relatively low exposures can greatly increase the risk of cancer or neurological impairment.

"We need to be especially careful about children, because they tend to be more vulnerable to many of these chemicals and their effects on the developing brain," says Hertz-Picciotto.

Though these results are cause for concern, the study also outlines strategies to lower family exposure. For example, organic produce has lower pesticide levels. In addition, toxin types vary in different foods. Certain pesticides may be found in lettuce and broccoli, while others affect peaches and apples.

"Varying our diet and our children's diet could help reduce exposure," said Hertz-Picciotto. "Because different foods are treated differently at the source, dietary variation can help protect us from accumulating too much of any one toxin."

Families also can reduce their consumption of animal meat and fats, which may contain high levels of DDE and other persistent organic pollutants, and switch to organic milk. While mercury is most often found in fish, accumulation varies greatly by species. Smaller fish, lower on the food chain, generally have lower mercury levels. In addition, acrilomides are relatively easy to remove from the diet.

"Acrilomides come from chips and other processed grains, said co-author Deborah Bennett, associate professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at UC Davis. "Even if we set aside the potential toxins in these foods, we probably shouldn't be eating large amounts of them anyway. However, we should be eating fruits, vegetables and fish, which are generally healthy foods. We just need to be more careful in how we approach them."

The study also highlights a number of policy issues, such as how we grow our food and the approval process for potentially toxic compounds. Though the pesticide DDT was banned 40 years ago, the study showed significant risk of DDE exposure.

"Given the significant exposure to legacy pollutants, society should be concerned about the persistence of compounds we are currently introducing into the environment," said Bennett. "If we later discover a chemical has significant health risks, it will be decades before it's completely removed from the ecosystem."

While the study has profound implications for dietary habits, more work needs to be done to quantify risk. Specifically, researchers need to determine how these food-borne toxins interact collectively in the body.

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Protect children from thirdhand smoke: Pediatrician

No smoke is good smoke when it comes to children.

It’s not enough to go outside to smoke when there are young children in the home, experts warn.

According to pediatricians, even after a cigarette is extinguished and the secondhand smoke has disappeared, smoke chemicals and particles linger on surfaces, materials, clothing and hair.

This “thirdhand” smoke poses a significant risk to children and pets.

Recently released information from the Philip Morris Company presented clear evidence that a highly toxic and cancer-causing substance known as 4-(methylnitrosamino)-I-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) is present for hours after a cigarette has been smoked.

The chemicals and particles remain in the air as well as on surfaces and in household dust, where they can be inhaled or ingested by infants and young children.

A recent study revealed that 18 percent of children (32 million children) are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. When children were tested for cotinine, a by-product of nicotine exposure from secondhand or thirdhand smoke exposure, more than half (54%) of children had detectable levels.

Health effects of secondhand and thirdhand smoke exposure

Tobacco smoke can be extremely detrimental to children’s health. Secondhand smoke exposure has been linked to

• Asthma
• Sudden infant death syndrome
• Dental cavities
• Ear, sinus and lung infections
• Developmental delays
• Sleep problems
• Poor school performance
• Higher risk of becoming a smoker, too

Most parents know that their smoking is harmful to their children, but it can be very difficult to quit. Experts recommend taking advantage of all the help there is, including talking to your doctors, leaning on supportive family members, quit lines and more.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

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Flame retardants under scrutiny

EPA yields to public outcry over research identifying health concerns over the toxic chemicals

Children are especially at risk from exposure to
flame retardants in furniture and other products.

When major news outlets like the Chicago Tribune published in-depth reports about the questionable record of flame retardants, it spawned a huge reaction from the public and lawmakers demanding more information and possibly action.

Now the United States Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it will conduct a broad investigation of the chemicals that are used in a wide range of household products, including upholstered furniture (one sofa can contain up to 2 pounds of flame retardants in the foam cushions) and baby products such as mattresses and pajamas.

The paper’s article series outlined a campaign by tobacco and chemical industries to promote flame retardants by utilizing the public’s fear of fires, distorted science and phony associations.

The problems with flame retardants

However, recent research has shown that flame retardants don’t really protect from fires and that exposure to the chemicals can lead to cancer, neurological deficits, developmental problems and fertility problems.

Experts partly blame the outdated Toxic Substances Control Act from 1976, which allows companies to introduce new products without having to prove that they are safe and which makes it difficult to ban certain substances after they have been shown to affect people’s health.

The EPA’s investigation will target a larger group of flame retardants that has been linked to the most health problems.

Instead of putting flame retardants in the furniture itself, new industry standards may involve the upholstery itself to resist smoldering cigarettes, one of the most common causes of fires in homes.

Exposure to flame retardants

Studies show that flame retardant chemicals have become widespread and can often be detected in common household dust, which is inhaled, ingested and touched by all household members, especially children.

Even small doses may trigger obesity, anxiety and developmental problems, studies have found.

Source: Chicago Tribune

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Children’s asthma connected to fine particles inside homes

Children's asthma was more common in homes with
higher levels of fine particulate matter, study shows.

A new study found that homes in neighborhoods where more kids have asthma usually also have elevated levels of black carbon indoors.

The homes may be located close to major truck routes, or the buildings may be using low-quality fuel oil, the researchers found.

Black carbon is a major contributor to air pollution known as fine particulate matter. It is formed when fossil fuels and wood are being burned.

Fine particulate matter is a health concern because the small particles can penetrate deeply into the lungs and affect the heart and respiratory system.

Outdoor air affects indoor air quality

If there is a lot of air pollution outside, the indoor air quality in nearby homes often suffers as well, the researchers say, and this study adds to the bulk of research warning about the respiratory effects of air pollution on children.

The study involved 240 children from middle-income families in New York City, who lived in neighborhoods that were either classified as low asthma prevalence or high asthma prevalence.

The researchers also measured other types of indoor air contaminants that may trigger asthma, including dust mite allergens and evidence of dogs, cats, mice or cockroaches in the home.

The study appeared in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.

Source: Environmental Health News

Air purifiers for cleaner indoor air

Indoor air pollution plays a major role in the development and control of asthma symptoms in children (and adults).

The AirMedic air purifiers clean the air with
activated carbon and HEPA filters as well as
a 360-degree air intake.

Fewer airborne triggers help avoid asthma attacks, studies have shown. For the cleanest indoor air possible, homeowners need to limit products and activities that may lead to poor indoor air quality, ensure that there is good ventilation and make the best use of an air purifier.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for asthma and allergies combine the most effective and longest lasting air filters to provide relief from indoor air pollutants such as fine particles and dust, allergens, chemicals, fumes, odors, bacteria, viruses and mold spores.

The air filtration system contains a deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals and VOCs, a medical-grade HEPA filter for the particles and optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants.

AllerAir’s most popular air purifiers for asthma include the AirMedic Exec and other units from the AirMedic or AirMedic+ Series.

Contact AllerAir for more information.
  

Cleaning out the garage? Keep child safety in mind

An organized garage is safer and healthier.

The garage is a place where a lot of “stuff” accumulates.

Old paint cans, windshield wiper fluid, recreational equipment, tools, and so many other things can easily take over any semblance of organization or functionality.

But because of the the type of products often stored there, which include a lot of chemical and health hazards, organization and functionality are important to make sure the garage is safe – especially for households with children.

Cleaning out the garage regularly is a great way to prevent clutter, according to professional organizers, and homeowners should keep three bins in the garage at all time, labeled “sell”, “recycle” and “throw away.”

By going through the items in the garage every few months and emptying the bin once they get full, you can keep the clutter at bay.

Locking up hazardous materials or chemicals will keep children safe, and it might be a good idea to divide the garage into kid and adult zones as well as gardening, household supplies and auto care sections (or whatever other sections are needed) to make it easier to find things and to keep everything organized.

Keep things that need to be moved regularly (garbage bins, bikes) near the garage door.

Here are some other tips:

• Get rid of toxic and hazardous materials if you can. Instead, look for non-toxic or alternative products such as low or zero VOC paints, non toxic household supplies and greener fertilizers.
• Check expiration dates and drop off hazardous household items at drop-off spots or drives.
• Reorganize the garage so that dangerous tools and products are out of reach of children.
• Attach cabinets and shelves safely to the walls.

When it comes to paint cans, solvents, chemicals and similar products, the fumes can not only be a hazard in the garage, but they can become a health threat if they make their way into the home.

Making sure that connecting doors are safe and shut tight should be a priority.

Source: The Oregonian

Cleaner air in the home and the garage

Indoor air quality is important, whether it’s in the garage or in the home.

A portable air purifier with activated carbon and HEPA can help remove those airborne chemicals, odors, fumes, particles, allergens, dust, bacteria, viruses and molds that are floating around in the ambient air.

AllerAir has developed highly efficient air purifiers for general purpose air cleaning as well as for specialized IAQ concerns, including mold, allergy and asthma and heavy chemical and odor control.

Contact AllerAir for more information and options.
 

Specific bacteria tied to mold, indoor water damage

Mold-infested homes can expose inhabitants to
specific strains of bacteria, researchers found.

Water infiltration in buildings often leads to bacterial contamination, which can cause health problems such as infection, respiratory conditions, aggravated asthma and more.

New research by University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers has identified which specific bacteria are responsible for the health problems, potentially opening the doors for health officials to develop the right tools for treatment.

The UC environmental health research team identified two specific strains of bacteria (Stenotrophomonas and Mycobacterium) in indoor mold from water damage.

Part of the researchers’ mandate is to shed some light on role of indoor bacteria on human health to protect children and other vulnerable groups from the health effects.

It has been very difficult for scientists to determine which types of bacteria are growing in homes, so any advancement will be a step in the right direction.

The researchers analyzed samples from 42 homes from the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study, a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences-funded project examining the long-term effects of environmental exposures on respiratory health and allergy development in children.

The homes with higher levels of mold also had higher levels of the two strains of bacteria.

Stenotrophomonas is a multidrug-resistant microorganism that poses an inhalation hazard to homeowners and family members.

Source: University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center

Air purifiers for mold and microorganisms

Mold, bacteria, viruses – together with other indoor air pollutants, these microorganisms can have a major impact on people’s health and well-being.

Ultraviolet rays help neutralize
biological contaminants.

While the source of the water infiltration problem needs to be addressed, an air purifier with the right types of air purification systems can help provide cleaner and healthier air in homes and offices.

AllerAir has developed a range of air purifiers for mold as well as air purifiers for allergies and asthma.

For best results, these air purifiers should be equipped with UV germicidal filtration lamps to neutralize mold spores, bacteria and viruses, a medical-grade HEPA filter to remove biological particles as well as other fine particles and a deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals, gases and odors as well as mold mycotoxins.

Contact AllerAir for more information and options.

Please note: The information contained herein is not meant to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat or cure a disease or condition. It may be necessary to consult a physician.

Household chemicals: Protect your child with these 5 swaps

Children are more susceptible to chemical
exposure than adults, experts warn.

In the first few years of their lives, children grow like weeds, and their developing systems make them especially vulnerable to environmental pollutants.

Common chemicals and toxins in the home may affect them more because they tend to play closer to the floor, put more things into their mouths and inhale more air than adults in proportion to their body weight.

Parents can limit their children’s exposure to potentially harmful pollutants by making a few changes:

1. Swap “antibacterial” products for soap and water. Antibacterial hand soaps, gels and body washes contain the chemical triclosan, which can interfere with thyroid function and contribute to the resistance to antibiotics. Soap and water are more than enough to get things clean, according to health authorities like the EPA and Health Canada.
     
2. Choose organic cotton over flame-retardant materials. Flame retardant chemicals found in children’s clothing and mattresses have been linked to a wide range of health issues, including delayed brain development, reproductive problems and cancer. Organic cotton clothing is a much better choice and if you can afford it, so is a child’s mattress made from organic cotton or natural latex.  Or, let the mattress off-gas as much as possible and cover it with organic cotton protectors and sheets.
     
3. Use natural products instead of pesticides. Pesticides generally use harsh chemicals to manage household pests, but these can be harmful to children – the EPA says most pesticides can block absorption of nutrients and cause biological changes. Studies have linked pesticide exposure with childhood leukemia and birth defects. Natural products that work against pests such as ants and roaches are vinegar sprayed around doors, windows and countertops, borax and sugar to kill roaches, and diatomaceous earth (careful, some of these natural products can also be hazardous if ingested).
     
4. Ditch the air fresheners for actual clean air. Air freshening products contribute to indoor air pollution with hormone disrupting phthalates and VOCs, including formaldehyde (a known carcinogen). Open windows to increase ventilation and let some fresh air in. Use an air purifier with activated carbon (for chemicals and odors) and HEPA (for particles and dust) and opt for soy-based candles over petroleum-based ones.
      
5. Swap chemical cleaning products with natural alternatives. Most commercially available cleaning products from the store contain harsh chemicals that can cause or aggravate respiratory problems. Natural cleaning agents include vinegar, baking soda and plain old soap and warm water. The vinegar has antibacterial properties and can be used on almost any surface in the home. The smell disappears after a few minutes. And baking soda makes a great natural scrubbing paste.

Source: The Kansas City Star

Cleaner air for a healthier home

AllerAir's air purifiers come in
different sizes and styles.

Sometimes, it’s not so easy to keep indoor air at its cleanest – homeowners may want to keep windows and doors closed to keep cooled or heated air inside and conserve energy. But indoor air pollution can be harmful to children as well as other family members.

AllerAir has developed portable and powerful air purifiers for the home and office that can remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants.

The proven and safe air filtration system includes a deep-bed activated carbon filter for airborne chemicals, gases and odors as well as HEPA for particles and dust and optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and mold.

With special units for allergies and asthma, mold, multiple chemical sensitivities, smoke and even volcanic smog, AllerAir’s extensive product line promises the right air purifier for virtually any indoor air concern.

Contact AllerAir for more information or a personalized recommendation.

Dog house dust linked to lower risk of asthma

Homes with dogs may protect children from
developing childhood asthma.

Dogs are often called man’s best friend – but they may also protect children from developing asthma.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, showed that house dust from homes with dogs appears to protect against infection with a common respiratory virus that has been linked to the development of asthma in children.

For the study, the scientists fed mice with house dust from homes with dogs, which made them less vulnerable to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common childhood airway infectious agent.

They compared this group with mice that were infected with RSV without exposure to the dust and a control group of mice not infected with RSV.

Many children develop mild to severe symptoms from RSV infection, but severe infection in infancy is associated with a higher risk of developing childhood asthma, the researchers say.

Pets in the home beneficial to health

However, exposure to the dog house dust gave the mice a distinct gastrointestinal bacterial composition that appears to protect them from the symptoms associated with RSV infection, including inflammation and mucus production.

The researchers showed in a previous study that house dust in homes with pets such as dogs or cats features different bacterial communities than house dust in homes with no pets.

This research was presented as part of the 2012 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology this month.

Source: American Society for Microbiology

Air purifiers for the home and children’s rooms

While inhalation and ingestion of a little bit of house dust is unavoidable, too much house dust may be harmful. Studies show that house dust can contain pollutants such as chemicals and toxins that may be harmful to human health – especially to the developing bodies and immune systems of children.

Regular cleaning, use of non-toxic products and air cleaning can help reduce those risks.

AllerAir has developed portable and powerful air purifiers for the home and office that feature the most complete filtration system with activated carbon, HEPA, pre-filters and optional UV germicidal filtration.

For nurseries and baby’s rooms, the AirTube series provide reliable protection from airborne chemicals, gases, odors, particles, dust and biological contaminants.

For more information, contact AllerAir.

Infants take up chemicals in PVC floors: Study

Children absorb phthalates, a softening agent in PVC floors, through ingestion, inhalation and contact with skin, researchers warn

Infants can absorb chemicals through
house dust and other sources.

PVC floors tend to be a popular choice in many households because of perceived durability, resistance and affordability. But the chemicals in the flooring materials may be absorbed by our bodies and they may pose a significant risk to children in particular, researchers say.

A new study at the Karlstad University in Sweden shows that children can ingest the softening agents with food, by breathing and through the skin.

Phthalates are suspected of disrupting hormones and causing asthma and allergies as well as other chronic diseases in children.

Flooring materials using softened PVC are a major source of phthalates in indoor dust, but phthalates can also be found in construction materials, toys, cleaning solvents, packaging and other sources.

The researchers examined urine samples from 83 randomly selected children between the ages of two and six months in western Sweden.

They measured the prevalence of four types of phthalates in the urine and collected data on the home, the flooring materials, family lifestyle and individual factors for each infant.

The study shows that the uptake of banned chemicals is dependent on a variety of factors, not only food, which should be taken into account when examining toxicity or health effects.

Source: Swedish Research Council

Air purifiers for cleaner air

Young children are part of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to indoor air pollution – and chemicals as well as their possible cumulative health effects over time have become a major concern for health professionals and researchers alike.

Parents can help reduce exposure by choosing more natural and greener products and materials, cleaning regularly (with non-toxic cleaning products), ensuring adequate ventilation and providing cleaner and healthier air throughout the home.


AllerAir has developed air purifiers for the home and office that can remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants, including airborne chemicals, gases, odors, fumes, particles and biological pollutants with a proven activated carbon + HEPA filtration system.

The air purifiers can be stand-alone units or attached to existing ventilation systems (whole home air purifiers).

Contact AllerAir for more information and options.
 

Children exposed to mothball chemicals at risk of cancer

Chromosomal damage shown after exposure to common pollutant naphthalene

Children may be exposed to naphthalene through traffic
exhaust, mothball fumes, smoke, paint and more.

Naphthalene is a common air pollutant that may have damaging effects in children.

Exposure to high levels of naphthalene is linked to a higher risk for chromosomal aberrations (CAs), which in turn have been associated with cancer, according to researchers from the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) and other scientists.

One of the primary sources of naphthalene is from household mothball fumes, but children may also be exposed through automotive exhaust and tobacco smoke. Even paint fumes, cooking and heating have been identified as sources.

Naphthalene belongs to a class of air pollutants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and has been classified as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Cancer Research.

The researchers followed 113 five-year-old children that are participating in a larger cohort study in New York City and assessed their exposure to naphthalene from urine samples.

They also measured chromosomal aberrations and translocations in the children. The researchers will keep following the children to get a better sense of the long-term consequences of naphthalene exposure.

However, the study already shows how vulnerable children are to carcinogenic air pollutants, the senior author says.

The study’s findings are published in the journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Source: Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health

Air purifiers for cleaner, healthier indoor air

AllerAir's activated carbon + HEPA
air purifiers.

When it comes to young children and other vulnerable groups, a clean indoor environment will go a long way in reducing exposure to harmful pollutants and carcinogens.

We all spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors, yet many indoor environments are still marred by indoor air pollution.

Choosing healthier and more natural products and materials, making sure that the home is well ventilated and the right type of air purification will help provide cleaner and healthier air.

AllerAir offers portable and powerful air purifiers for the home and office that feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter and HEPA filtration as well as optional UV germicidal lamps to remove airborne chemicals, gases, odors, fumes, particles, dust, allergens, mold, bacteria and viruses.

With one of the most extensive product lines on the market, AllerAir has a personalized and specialized unit for virtually any indoor air concern.

From general purpose units to whole home air purifiers and chemical and odor air purifiers with specialized types of carbon, contact AllerAir to find the right unit for your needs.
  

Some toddlers more exposed than others to flame retardants

Furniture is a common source of exposure
to flame retardants, researchers say.

Does race and socioeconomic status play a role in a child’s exposure to chemicals?

A study of North Caroline toddlers shows that non-white toddlers are more exposed to flame-retardant chemicals than white toddlers.

Exposure may be higher in toddlers whose fathers do not have a college degree, which serves as a proxy measure of lower socioeconomic background.

The toddlers are usually exposed through hand-to-mouth activity or factors related to age and duration of breastfeeding, the researchers say.

The study examined the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in 83 toddlers between 12 and 36 months of age.

Sources of chemical exposure

PBDEs are a class of long-lasting chemicals, which were widely used as flame retardant additives in consumer products such as polyurethane foam padding, electronics, mattresses and furniture.

Toddlers (and adults) can inhale or ingest these chemicals, which can accumulate in the body and may be linked to disrupted endocrine activity and thyroid regulation, low birth weight and developmental problems.

House dust is a big source of exposure for toddlers, the study shows.

But dust can’t be the reason why there was such a big difference in exposure between nonwhite and white toddlers: white toddlers averaged 32 parts per billion of PBDE chemicals in their blood, while nonwhite toddlers averaged 60 parts per billion.

According to the researchers, the best ways to reduce exposure include:

• Frequent hand-washing
• Researching household products to find out which, if any, flame retardants are being used

 The study appeared in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Source: Duke University

Air purifiers to battle dust, particles, airborne chemicals

Source control is a great way to reduce chemical exposures in the home, but so many products that are already there may be off-gassing chemicals and contribute to contaminated dust and other exposures.

The AirMedics are effective dust,
particle and chemical busters.

That is why ventilation and air purification also play a major role in mitigating the risks of exposure to environmental pollution.

AllerAir has designed powerful portable air purifiers for the home and office that can remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants, including airborne chemicals and odors, particles and dust, even bacteria, viruses and mold.

Air purifiers of the 5000 Series, the 6000 Series or the AirMedic and AirMedic + Series come with many options and customization to guarantee the right level of air purification for your individual concerns.

Find out more by contacting AllerAir.
  

Asthma rates at all-time high, authorities warn

Some asthma triggers are difficult
to avoid, but air purifiers can help
remove them.

A growing number of U.S. residents are suffering from asthma, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

From 2001 to 2010, the rates increased from 7.3% to 8.4%, marking the highest level ever recorded.

In 2010, one in every 10 Americans had the chronic condition, which affects an estimated 18.7 million adults and 7 million children.

Childhood diagnoses of asthma are sometimes outgrown, otherwise these numbers would be even higher.

Asthma describes a chronic airway disorder caused by inflammation. Attacks can be triggered by exercise, infections, allergies, occupational exposures and airborne irritants, including tobacco smoke and chemicals.

Symptoms may include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.

There is no known cure to asthma, although it may be controlled with a variety of drugs.

Asthma has a large impact on the United States healthcare system and associated costs.

Source: LA Times

Control asthma triggers with room air purifiers

Irritants in the ambient air can become health risks for those affected by asthma or allergies.

Source control and ventilation help reduce exposure, but a room air purifier with the right air filters can actively remove those triggers.

AllerAir has designed air purifiers for allergy and asthma that feature a smart airflow configuration, medical-grade HEPA and a deep-bed activated carbon filter to remove irritating particles, chemicals, odors, fumes, pathogens and other triggers.

Air purifiers like the AirMedic+ Exec can provide cleaner air 24/7 on the lowest setting, and they have been shown to be extremely beneficial when used in bedrooms, for example.

Contact AllerAir for more information and options.