Air pollution and PEF measurements of children in the vicinity of a steel works

The effects of short-term changes in particulate air pollution on the respiratory health of symptomatic children living near a steel works at Raahe, Finland, were assessed to determine whether particulate air pollution is associated with adverse respiratory effects, and whether specific sources of air pollution are responsible for these effects. A screening questionnaire on respiratory symptoms was distributed to 1355 primary school children during the winter, asking about lower respiratory symptoms (wheezing, attacks of wheezing, dry cough, asthma). 56 symptomatic children (34 with asthma and 16 with dry cough) were followed up for four months with measurements of daily peak expiratory flow (PEF). The acute effects of inhalable particles (PM 10 ), fine particles (PM 2.5 ), elements (Al, K, Cu, Zn, S0 4 2- ) and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) were estimated by linear first-order autoregressive model. Mean daily PM 2.5 concentrations were 10 μg m -3 . Most regression coefficients between air pollution and morning and evening PEF were negative but not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant association between particulate air pollution and respiratory health among these symptomatic children. The only significant association was between Cu lag 3 (three days before) and morning PEF, it is difficult to assess, the meaning of this association, because the other variables related to Cu had no significant associations with morning or evening PEF. The significance of this observation therefore requires confirmation and further investigation.