High risk of respiratory diseases in children in the fire period in Western Amazon

• Published in: Revista de saúde pública Vol. 50
• Main Authors: Silva, Pãmela Rodrigues de Souza, Ignotti, Eliane, Oliveira, Beatriz Fátima Alves de, Junger, Washington Leite, Morais, Fernando, Artaxo, Paulo, Hacon, Sandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo 01.01.2016; Universidade de São Paulo
• Subjects: Adolescent; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - toxicity; Air Pollution - adverse effects; Air Pollution - analysis; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Criança; Doenças Respiratórias, epidemiologia; Environmental Exposure; Fatores de Risco; Female; Fires; Humans; Male; Material Particulado, efeitos adversos; Original; Ozone - analysis; Ozone - toxicity; Ozônio, efeitos adversos; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate Matter - toxicity; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Respiratory Tract Diseases - chemically induced; Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology; Risk Assessment; SOCIOLOGY; Particulate Matter, adverse effects; Doenças Respiratórias, epidemiologia; Respiratory Tract Diseases, epidemiology; Material Particulado, efeitos adversos; Risk Factors; Ozone adverse, effects; Ozônio, efeitos adversos; Child; Criança; Fatores de Risco
• ISSN: 0034-8910; 1518-8787; 1518-8787; 0034-8910
• DOI: 10.1590/S1518-8787.2016050005667

To analyze the toxicological risk of exposure to ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) among schoolchildren.. Toxicological risk assessment was used to evaluate the risk of exposure to O3 and PM2.5 from biomass burning among schoolchildren aged six to 14 years, residents of Rio Branco, Acre, Southern Amazon, Brazil. We used Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the potential intake dose of both pollutants. During the slash-and-burn periods, O3 and PM2.5 concentrations reached 119.4 µg/m3 and 51.1 µg/m3, respectively. The schoolchildren incorporated medium potential doses regarding exposure to O3 (2.83 μg/kg.day, 95%CI 2.72-2.94). For exposure to PM2.5, we did not find toxicological risk (0.93 μg/kg.day, 95%CI 0.86-0.99). The toxicological risk for exposure to O3 was greater than 1 for all children (QR = 2.75; 95%CI 2.64-2.86). Schoolchildren were exposed to high doses of O3 during the dry season of the region. This posed a toxicological risk, especially to those who had previous diseases.