Pasi Penttinen - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Pasi Penttinen

Mortality and air pollution in metropolitan Helsinki, 1988--1996

Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 2004

The daily respiratory, cardiovascular, and total mortality of the population in the subarctic cli... more The daily respiratory, cardiovascular, and total mortality of the population in the subarctic climate of the Helsinki metropolitan area was analyzed for associations with daily variations in concentrations of common ambient-air pollutants. The associations between daily mortality and the ambient-air concentrations of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), total suspended particulate matter (TSP), and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 microm (PM10) in 1988--1996 were analyzed with Poisson regression in a generalized linear model. Specifically, the differences for combustion and noncombustion particulate matter were determined using the blackness of the TSP filters as a surrogate for mostly traffic-derived combustion particles. Total mortality was analyzed according to three age groups (15-64, 65-74, > or =75 years) of the population. Significant associations consistent across lag times and age groups were found betwe...

Source-Specific Fine Particles in Urban Air and Respiratory Function Among Adult Asthmatics

Inhalation Toxicology, 2006

Fine and ultrafine particles in ambient air are more consistently associated with severe adverse ... more Fine and ultrafine particles in ambient air are more consistently associated with severe adverse health effects than coarse particles. We assessed whether the effects of PM(2.5) on peak expiratory flow (PEF) and respiratory symptoms in asthma patients differ by the source or the chemical properties of particles. A panel of 57 adult asthmatics was followed for 181 days from November 1996 to April 1997 with 3 daily PEF measurements and diaries. Air quality, including elemental analyses of PM(2.5) filters every 2 days (n= 83), was monitored at a central site. Daily concentrations of PM(2.5) from different sources were estimated using principal component analysis and multiple linear regression. Associations of PM(2.5) from different sources with respiratory endpoints were examined using a generalized least squares autoregressive model after adjustment for covariates. PM(2.5) attributable to local combustion was consistently negatively associated with all measurements of PEF. One interquartile increase (1.3 microg/m(3)) in 5-day average concentrations of PM(2.5) attributable to local combustion was associated with an average 1.14 L/min decline in evening PEF (95% CI: -1.95 to -0.33 L/min). We also observed that PM(2.5) attributable to long-range transport was positively, and soil-derived PM(2.5) negatively, associated with PEF. No consistent associations were observed between source-specific PM(2.5) and respiratory symptoms or between individual chemical elements and any respiratory endpoints. Our results suggest that the negative effects of PM(2.5) on PEF in adult asthmatics are mainly mediated by particles related to local combustion sources.

European Respiratory Journal, 2001

Airborne particles are associated with adverse health effects and contribute to excess mortality ... more Airborne particles are associated with adverse health effects and contribute to excess mortality in epidemiological studies. A recent hypothesis proposes that the high numbers of ultrafine (v0.1 mm diameter) particles in ambient air might provoke alveolar inflammation and subsequently cause exacerbations in pre-existing cardiopulmonary diseases. To test the hypothesis adult asthmatics were followed with daily peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements and symptom and medication diaries for six months, while simultaneously monitoring particulate pollution in ambient air. The associations between daily health endpoints of 57 asthmatics and indicators of air pollution were examined by multivariate regression models. Daily mean number concentration of particles, but not particle mass (PM10 (particle mass v10 mm), PM2.5-10, PM2.5, PM1), was negatively associated with daily PEF deviations. The strongest effects were seen for particles in the ultrafine range. However, the effect of ultrafine particles could not definitely be separated from other traffic generated pollutants, namely nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. No associations were observed with respiratory symptoms or medication use. Particle mass measurements can be strongly influenced by mechanically produced, soil-derived particles, which may not be associated with adverse health effects. Therefore, air quality monitoring should include particle number concentrations, which mainly reflect ultrafine particles.

Environmental Health Perspectives, 2001

Daily variations in ambient particulate air pollution are associated with variations in respirato... more Daily variations in ambient particulate air pollution are associated with variations in respiratory lung function. It has been suggested that the effects of particulate matter may be due to particles in the ultrafine (0.01-0.1 µm) size range. Because previous studies on ultrafine particles only used self-monitored peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), we assessed the associations between particle mass and number concentrations in several size ranges measured at a central site and measured (biweekly) spirometric lung function among a group of 54 adult asthmatics (n = 495 measurements). We also compared results to daily morning, afternoon, and evening PEFR measurements done at home (n = 7,672-8,110 measurements). The median (maximum) 24 hr number concentrations were 14,500/cm 3 (46,500/cm 3) ultrafine particles and 800/cm 3 (2,800/cm 3) accumulation mode (0.1-1 µm) particles. The median (maximum) mass concentration of PM 2.5 (particulate matter < 2.5 µm) and PM 10 (particulate matter < 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter) were 8.4 µg/m 3 (38.3 µg/m 3) and 13.5 µg/m 3 (73.7 µg/m 3) , respectively. The number of accumulation mode particles was consistently inversely associated with PEFR in spirometry. Inverse, but nonsignificant, associations were observed with ultrafine particles, and no associations were observed with large particles (PM 10). Compared to the effect estimates for self-monitored PEFR, the effect estimates for spirometric PEFR tended to be larger. The standard errors were also larger, probably due to the lower number of spirometric measurements. The present results support the need to monitor the particle number and size distributions in urban air in addition to mass.

Atmospheric Environment, 2000

We measured the re#ectance of 174 TSP "lters from an air quality study to determine whether the b... more We measured the re#ectance of 174 TSP "lters from an air quality study to determine whether the blackness of the "lters (an indication of incomplete combustion) could be used as an additional measure of particulate air pollution in retrospective health studies. It is important in health studies to di!erentiate soil-derived coarse particles from combustion-derived particles. Re#ectance was measured with a monochromatic re#ectometer and absorption coe$cients were derived from the re#ectance values using the ISO formula for black smoke absorption coe$cients. In the urban setting, the absorption coe$cients for TSP "lters were associated with black carbon (r"0.89), black smoke absorption coe$cients (r"0.9), and gaseous, tra$c-related pollutants (r for NO "0.84), which were measured recently at the same location. Measuring the re#ectance of TSP "lters is a useful method to estimate the relative concentration of combustion-derived particulate matter in a subarctic winter climate. This method could be useful in retrospective health studies.

Mortality and air pollution in metropolitan Helsinki, 1988--1996

Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 2004

The daily respiratory, cardiovascular, and total mortality of the population in the subarctic cli... more The daily respiratory, cardiovascular, and total mortality of the population in the subarctic climate of the Helsinki metropolitan area was analyzed for associations with daily variations in concentrations of common ambient-air pollutants. The associations between daily mortality and the ambient-air concentrations of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), total suspended particulate matter (TSP), and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 microm (PM10) in 1988--1996 were analyzed with Poisson regression in a generalized linear model. Specifically, the differences for combustion and noncombustion particulate matter were determined using the blackness of the TSP filters as a surrogate for mostly traffic-derived combustion particles. Total mortality was analyzed according to three age groups (15-64, 65-74, > or =75 years) of the population. Significant associations consistent across lag times and age groups were found betwe...

Source-Specific Fine Particles in Urban Air and Respiratory Function Among Adult Asthmatics

Inhalation Toxicology, 2006

Fine and ultrafine particles in ambient air are more consistently associated with severe adverse ... more Fine and ultrafine particles in ambient air are more consistently associated with severe adverse health effects than coarse particles. We assessed whether the effects of PM(2.5) on peak expiratory flow (PEF) and respiratory symptoms in asthma patients differ by the source or the chemical properties of particles. A panel of 57 adult asthmatics was followed for 181 days from November 1996 to April 1997 with 3 daily PEF measurements and diaries. Air quality, including elemental analyses of PM(2.5) filters every 2 days (n= 83), was monitored at a central site. Daily concentrations of PM(2.5) from different sources were estimated using principal component analysis and multiple linear regression. Associations of PM(2.5) from different sources with respiratory endpoints were examined using a generalized least squares autoregressive model after adjustment for covariates. PM(2.5) attributable to local combustion was consistently negatively associated with all measurements of PEF. One interquartile increase (1.3 microg/m(3)) in 5-day average concentrations of PM(2.5) attributable to local combustion was associated with an average 1.14 L/min decline in evening PEF (95% CI: -1.95 to -0.33 L/min). We also observed that PM(2.5) attributable to long-range transport was positively, and soil-derived PM(2.5) negatively, associated with PEF. No consistent associations were observed between source-specific PM(2.5) and respiratory symptoms or between individual chemical elements and any respiratory endpoints. Our results suggest that the negative effects of PM(2.5) on PEF in adult asthmatics are mainly mediated by particles related to local combustion sources.

European Respiratory Journal, 2001

Airborne particles are associated with adverse health effects and contribute to excess mortality ... more Airborne particles are associated with adverse health effects and contribute to excess mortality in epidemiological studies. A recent hypothesis proposes that the high numbers of ultrafine (v0.1 mm diameter) particles in ambient air might provoke alveolar inflammation and subsequently cause exacerbations in pre-existing cardiopulmonary diseases. To test the hypothesis adult asthmatics were followed with daily peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements and symptom and medication diaries for six months, while simultaneously monitoring particulate pollution in ambient air. The associations between daily health endpoints of 57 asthmatics and indicators of air pollution were examined by multivariate regression models. Daily mean number concentration of particles, but not particle mass (PM10 (particle mass v10 mm), PM2.5-10, PM2.5, PM1), was negatively associated with daily PEF deviations. The strongest effects were seen for particles in the ultrafine range. However, the effect of ultrafine particles could not definitely be separated from other traffic generated pollutants, namely nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. No associations were observed with respiratory symptoms or medication use. Particle mass measurements can be strongly influenced by mechanically produced, soil-derived particles, which may not be associated with adverse health effects. Therefore, air quality monitoring should include particle number concentrations, which mainly reflect ultrafine particles.

Environmental Health Perspectives, 2001

Daily variations in ambient particulate air pollution are associated with variations in respirato... more Daily variations in ambient particulate air pollution are associated with variations in respiratory lung function. It has been suggested that the effects of particulate matter may be due to particles in the ultrafine (0.01-0.1 µm) size range. Because previous studies on ultrafine particles only used self-monitored peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), we assessed the associations between particle mass and number concentrations in several size ranges measured at a central site and measured (biweekly) spirometric lung function among a group of 54 adult asthmatics (n = 495 measurements). We also compared results to daily morning, afternoon, and evening PEFR measurements done at home (n = 7,672-8,110 measurements). The median (maximum) 24 hr number concentrations were 14,500/cm 3 (46,500/cm 3) ultrafine particles and 800/cm 3 (2,800/cm 3) accumulation mode (0.1-1 µm) particles. The median (maximum) mass concentration of PM 2.5 (particulate matter < 2.5 µm) and PM 10 (particulate matter < 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter) were 8.4 µg/m 3 (38.3 µg/m 3) and 13.5 µg/m 3 (73.7 µg/m 3) , respectively. The number of accumulation mode particles was consistently inversely associated with PEFR in spirometry. Inverse, but nonsignificant, associations were observed with ultrafine particles, and no associations were observed with large particles (PM 10). Compared to the effect estimates for self-monitored PEFR, the effect estimates for spirometric PEFR tended to be larger. The standard errors were also larger, probably due to the lower number of spirometric measurements. The present results support the need to monitor the particle number and size distributions in urban air in addition to mass.

Atmospheric Environment, 2000

We measured the re#ectance of 174 TSP "lters from an air quality study to determine whether the b... more We measured the re#ectance of 174 TSP "lters from an air quality study to determine whether the blackness of the "lters (an indication of incomplete combustion) could be used as an additional measure of particulate air pollution in retrospective health studies. It is important in health studies to di!erentiate soil-derived coarse particles from combustion-derived particles. Re#ectance was measured with a monochromatic re#ectometer and absorption coe$cients were derived from the re#ectance values using the ISO formula for black smoke absorption coe$cients. In the urban setting, the absorption coe$cients for TSP "lters were associated with black carbon (r"0.89), black smoke absorption coe$cients (r"0.9), and gaseous, tra$c-related pollutants (r for NO "0.84), which were measured recently at the same location. Measuring the re#ectance of TSP "lters is a useful method to estimate the relative concentration of combustion-derived particulate matter in a subarctic winter climate. This method could be useful in retrospective health studies.