(Press-News.org) A first-of-its kind study conducted in Canada’s two largest cities by McGill-led researchers has linked about 1,100 premature deaths per year to an unregulated air pollutant.
Ultrafine particles (UFPs) primarily come from vehicle emissions and industrial activities. Canada’s federal and provincial governments have not set concentration limits for UFPs, as they have for larger fine particles known as PM2.5.
“Ultrafine particles are incredibly small, allowing them to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Increasing evidence suggests these pollutants may contribute to heart and lung diseases, as well as certain forms of cancer,” said Principal Investigator Scott Weichenthal, an Associate Professor in McGill’s Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health. “However, until now, studies have not examined the impacts of UFPs on mortality in Canada.”
High-tech tools detect deadly pollution
The research team tracked air-pollution levels from 2001 to 2016 in neighbourhoods in Montreal and Toronto that were home to 1.5 million adults. Using state-of-the-art models that combine machine learning methods with ground-level measurements, land use information and aerial images, the researchers estimated how many of the tiny particles were in the air at various times. Then, they used statistical methods to calculate the connection between exposure and the risk of death.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, associate long-term exposure to UFPs with a 7.3 per cent increase in the risk of non-accidental death. Respiratory deaths saw the highest increase, at 17.4 per cent, followed by a 9.4 per cent rise in deaths from coronary artery disease.
Weichenthal said the size of particles is important when assessing their health impacts.
"Previous studies that did not take particle size into account might have missed or underestimated the serious health risks associated with them,” he added.
A call for clean air
The researchers said environmental regulations have successfully reduced air pollution in North America, but ultrafine particles are slipping through the regulatory cracks. In New York, UFP levels have risen, even as PM2.5 levels dropped.
"Our research shows a clear link between long-term UFP exposures and increased mortality risk, underscoring the urgent need for regulatory actions targeting these particles,” said Weichenthal. “As urban areas continue to grow, addressing air pollution is increasingly crucial for the health and well-being of city dwellers.”
The study, a collaboration between McGill University, the University of Toronto, Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, Health Canada and Statistics Canada, was funded by the United States Health Effects Institute.
END
Ultrafine particles linked to over 1,000 deaths per year in Canada’s two largest cities
Canada’s two largest cities Study points to an urgent public-health need for tighter environmental regulations
2024-08-05
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Physicists develop new method to combine conventional internet with the quantum internet
2024-08-05
Four researchers from the Institute of Photonics at Leibniz University Hannover have developed a new transmitter-receiver concept for transmitting entangled photons over an optical fiber. This breakthrough could enable the next generation of telecommunications technology, the quantum Internet, to be routed via optical fibers. The quantum Internet promises eavesdropping-proof encryption methods that even future quantum computers cannot decrypt, ensuring the security of critical infrastructure.
"To make the quantum Internet a reality, we need to transmit entangled photons via fiber optic networks,” says Prof. Dr. Michael Kues, Head of the Institute ...
Don't drink raw milk. But what about raw milk cheese? (video)
2024-08-05
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2024 — A lot of people on the internet have been telling our host Alex to drink raw milk. This is a bad idea — a particularly bad one actually. So she wanted to make a video about why it’s such a bad idea to consume raw milk, then she realized she’s been eating raw milk without even knowing it via cheese. That’s when things got complicated.
Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to Reactions and follow us on X, formerly Twitter @ACSReactions.
The American Chemical Society ...
Does transparency help or hurt businesses dominated by one-time transactions
2024-08-05
DALLAS (SMU) – It’s a relevant question for business owners with few repeat customers, such as contract workers or real estate agents: Does being transparent about past business transactions change the odds of making a sale that benefits both buyer and seller?
The answer matters because mutually beneficial sales ensure that these kinds of transactions will continue, keeping the economy strong.
A new study published in the journal American Economic Review suggests the answer depends on a variety of factors.
A mutually beneficial sale is defined from two points of view: The seller values the money they receive more than ...
Insufficient evidence to recommend low-dose CT screening in never smokers lung cancer screening: new insights and ongoing debates
2024-08-05
(Denver, Colo.—August 5, 2024) – Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Detecting this disease in its early stages significantly improves survival rates, making low-dose CT screening an essential component in the fight against lung cancer. Recent studies, particularly from Asia, have sparked a debate on whether these screening benefits extend to non-smokers and those with minimal smoking histories.
However, according to an article published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, there is currently insufficient evidence to support ...
Early childhood screen use contexts and cognitive and psychosocial outcomes
2024-08-05
About The Study: The findings of this study show small to moderate effect sizes that highlight the need to consider screen use contexts (i.e., type, content, co-use, and purpose of use) when making recommendations for families, clinicians, and educators beyond screen time limits; including encouraging intentional and productive screen use, age-appropriate content, and co-use with caregivers.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Sumudu Mallawaarachchi, PhD, email sumudu@uow.edu.au.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.2620)
Editor’s ...
COVID-19 pandemic school disruptions and acute mental health in children and adolescents
2024-08-05
About The Study: In this cross-sectional study of 13,000 pediatric emergency department visits at nine university hospitals in Italy, school opening following a COVID-19 pandemic–related school disruption was associated with an increase in acute psychiatric emergencies. The findings of this study suggest that school may be a major source of stress for youths; factors mediating school-associated mental health disturbances in youth should be investigated.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Benedetto Vitiello, ...
Estimated exposure to 6 potentially hepatotoxic botanicals in U.S. adults
2024-08-05
About The Study: In this survey study, an estimated 15.6 million U.S. adults consumed at least one botanical product with liver liability within the past 30 days, comparable with the number of people who consumed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and a commonly prescribed hypolipidemic drug. Turmeric was most frequently reported, followed in order by green tea, ashwagandha, Garcinia cambogia, red yeast rice, and black cohosh products. Given a lack of regulatory oversight on the manufacturing and testing of botanical products, clinicians should be aware of possible adverse events from consumption of ...
Expanding student-journalists' access to EurekAlert!
2024-08-05
In an effort to give aspiring journalists hands-on practice in the science news ecosystem and help prepare them for a successful professional career, EurekAlert! is expanding journalist-memberships to applicants working at student news publications, such as campus newspapers and radio stations.
EurekAlert! has historically granted journalist-memberships to full-time journalism students, interns, and fellowship recipients who work at accredited media outlets under the guidance of experienced members. All approved journalist-members receive the same access to embargoed materials.
"As the advisor to MIT's ...
Planting some tree species may worsen, not improve, NYC air, says new study
2024-08-05
In line with longstanding initiatives to expand its green spaces, New York City is planting tens of thousands of trees each year. They provide shade, lower surface temperatures by releasing moisture, absorb a surprising amount of airborne carbon, scrub out soot and other floating pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat along with just plain beauty. What could go wrong?
Actually, something could go wrong, according to a new study. Oaks and sweetgums, which currently account for a majority of the city’s trees, produce huge amounts of volatile compounds called isoprenes. Harmless by themselves, isoprenes interact rapidly with polluting nitrogen oxides emitted by vehicles, ...
Ben-Gurion University scientist uses state-of-the-art microscopy to discover drug candidates for cancer
2024-08-05
BEER-SHEVA, Israel, August 5, 2024 – Microscopy has been making leaps and bounds in recent years. Science that was inconceivable a few years ago has become a matter of programming state-of-the-art microscopes to process reams of data. Dr. Gabriel Frank quickly realized the potential of cryo-electron microscopy to discover the molecular structures at levels heretofore unobservable. When he joined Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, he pushed for the University to enter the field, culminating in the establishment of the Guzik Center for Advanced Microscopy and the purchase of a new more advanced electron microscope. Using this microscope, Dr. ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Reality check: making indoor smartphone-based augmented reality work
Overthinking what you said? It’s your ‘lizard brain’ talking to newer, advanced parts of your brain
Black men — including transit workers — are targets for aggression on public transportation, study shows
Troubling spike in severe pregnancy-related complications for all ages in Illinois
Alcohol use identified by UTHealth Houston researchers as most common predictor of escalated cannabis vaping among youths in Texas
Need a landing pad for helicopter parenting? Frame tasks as learning
New MUSC Hollings Cancer Center research shows how Golgi stress affects T-cells' tumor-fighting ability
#16to365: New resources for year-round activism to end gender-based violence and strengthen bodily autonomy for all
Earliest fish-trapping facility in Central America discovered in Maya lowlands
São Paulo to host School on Disordered Systems
New insights into sleep uncover key mechanisms related to cognitive function
USC announces strategic collaboration with Autobahn Labs to accelerate drug discovery
Detroit health professionals urge the community to act and address the dangers of antimicrobial resistance
3D-printing advance mitigates three defects simultaneously for failure-free metal parts
Ancient hot water on Mars points to habitable past: Curtin study
In Patagonia, more snow could protect glaciers from melt — but only if we curb greenhouse gas emissions soon
Simplicity is key to understanding and achieving goals
Caste differentiation in ants
Nutrition that aligns with guidelines during pregnancy may be associated with better infant growth outcomes, NIH study finds
New technology points to unexpected uses for snoRNA
Racial and ethnic variation in survival in early-onset colorectal cancer
Disparities by race and urbanicity in online health care facility reviews
Exploring factors affecting workers' acquisition of exercise habits using machine learning approaches
Nano-patterned copper oxide sensor for ultra-low hydrogen detection
Maintaining bridge safer; Digital sensing-based monitoring system
A novel approach for the composition design of high-entropy fluorite oxides with low thermal conductivity
A groundbreaking new approach to treating chronic abdominal pain
ECOG-ACRIN appoints seven researchers to scientific committee leadership positions
New model of neuronal circuit provides insight on eye movement
Cooking up a breakthrough: Penn engineers refine lipid nanoparticles for better mRNA therapies
[Press-News.org] Ultrafine particles linked to over 1,000 deaths per year in Canada’s two largest citiesCanada’s two largest cities Study points to an urgent public-health need for tighter environmental regulations