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Background and Aim: Woodsmoke from household fireplaces contributes significantly to outdoor air pollution in the Netherlands. The current understanding of the respiratory health effects of exposure to smoke from residential wood burning is limited. This study investigated the association between short-term changes in outdoor woodsmoke exposure and lung function, respiratory symptoms, and medication use in adults in the Netherlands., Methods: This study was co-created with citizen scientists and other relevant stakeholders. A panel study was conducted with repeated observations in 46 adults between February and May 2021 in four Dutch towns. Participants recorded their symptoms and medication use in daily diaries, and conducted morning and evening home spirometry measurements. Woodsmoke exposure was characterized by measuring levoglucosan (most specific marker for woodsmoke exposure), black/brown carbon, fine and ultrafine particulate matter at central monitoring sites. Individual woodsmoke perception (smell) was recorded in daily diaries. Linear and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between respiratory health and woodsmoke exposure. Models were adjusted for time-varying confounders and accounted for repeated observations within participants., Results: Consistent positive associations were found between levoglucosan and shortness of breath (SOB) during rest and extra respiratory medication use. Odds ratios for current day exposure to levoglucosan were 1.12 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.30) for SOB during rest and 1.19 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.33) for extra medication use, expressed per interquartile range of levoglucosan concentrations (69.16 ng/m 3 ). Positive non-significant associations were found between levoglucosan and nasal symptoms, cough and waking up with SOB. No consistent association was found between levoglucosan and lung function. Associations found between woodsmoke markers, SOB during rest and extra medication use remained after the inclusion of PM 2.5 and UFP in two-pollutant models., Conclusions: Adults experienced more SOB during rest, nasal symptoms and used more medication to treat respiratory symptoms on days with higher levels of outdoor woodsmoke concentrations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aviation has been shown to cause high particle number concentrations (PNC) in areas surrounding major airports. Particle size distribution and composition differ from motorized traffic. The objective was to study short-term effects of aviation-related UFP on respiratory health in children. In 2017-2018 a study was conducted in a school panel of 7-11 year old children (n = 161) living North and South of Schiphol Airport. Weekly supervised spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) measurements were executed. The school panel, and an additional group of asthmatic children (n = 19), performed daily spirometry tests at home and recorded respiratory symptoms. Hourly concentrations of various size fractions of PNC and black carbon (BC) were measured at three school yards. Concentrations of aviation-related particles were estimated at the residential addresses using a dispersion model. Linear and logistic mixed models were used to investigate associations between daily air pollutant concentrations and respiratory health. PNC20, a proxy for aviation-related UFP, was virtually uncorrelated with BC and PNC50-100 (reflecting primarily motorized traffic), supporting the feasibility of separating PNC from aviation and other combustion sources. No consistent associations were found between various pollutants and supervised spirometry and eNO. Major air pollutants were significantly associated with an increase in various respiratory symptoms. Odds Ratios for previous day PNC20 per 3,598pt/cm 3 were 1.13 (95%CI 1.02; 1.24) for bronchodilator use and 1.14 (95%CI 1.03; 1.26) for wheeze. Modelled aviation-related UFP at the residential addresses was also positively associated with these symptoms, corroborating the PNC20 findings. PNC20 was not associated with daily lung function, but PNC50-100 and BC were negatively associated with FEV1. PNC of different sizes indicative of aviation and other combustion sources were independently associated with an increase of respiratory symptoms and bronchodilator use in children living near a major airport. No consistent associations between aviation-related UFP with lung function was observed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Epidemiological studies have associated biomass combustion with (respiratory) morbidity and mortality, primarily in indoor settings. Barbecuing results in high outdoor air pollution exposures, but the health effects are unknown., Objective: The objective was to investigate short-term changes in respiratory health in healthy adults, associated with exposure to barbecue fumes., Methods: 16 healthy, adult volunteers were exposed to barbecue smoke in outdoor air in rest during 1.5 h, using a repeated-measures design. Major air pollutants were monitored on-site, including particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ), particle number concentrations (PNC) and black- and brown carbon. At the same place and time-of-day, subjects participated in a control session, during which they were not exposed to barbecue smoke. Before and immediately after all sessions lung function was measured. Before, immediately after, 4- and 18 h post-sessions nasal expression levels of interleukin (IL)-8, IL6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNFα) were determined in nasal swabs, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Associations between major air pollutants, lung function and inflammatory markers were assessed using mixed linear regression models., Results: High PM 2.5 levels and PNCs were observed during barbecue sessions, with averages ranging from 553 to 1062 μg/m 3 and 109,000-463,000 pt/cm 3 , respectively. Average black- and brown carbon levels ranged between 4.1-13.0 and 5.0-16.2 μg/m 3 . A 1000 μg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 was associated with 2.37 (0.97, 4.67) and 2.21 (0.98, 5.00) times higher expression of IL8, immediately- and 18 h after exposure. No associations were found between air pollutants and lung function, or the expression of IL6 or TNFα., Discussion: Short-term exposure to air pollutants emitted from barbecuing was associated with a mild respiratory response in healthy young adults, including prolonged increase in nasal IL8 without a change in lung function and other measured inflammatory markers. The results might indicate prolonged respiratory inflammation, due to short-term exposure to barbecue fumes., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Green space, air pollution, and traffic noise exposure may be associated with stress levels in children. A flattened diurnal cortisol slope (the decline in cortisol concentrations from awakening to evening) is an indicator of chronic stress. We examined associations of green space, ambient air pollution, and traffic noise with the diurnal cortisol slope in children 12 years of age., Methods: At age 12 years, 1,027 participants of the Dutch PIAMA birth cohort collected three saliva samples during 1 day. We estimated residential exposure to green space (i.e., the average Normalized Difference Vegetation Index [NDVI] and percentages of green space in circular buffers of 300 m and 3,000 m), air pollution, and traffic noise. Associations of these exposures with the diurnal cortisol slope (in nmol/L per hour) were assessed by multiple linear regression, adjusting for potential confounders., Results: Higher average NDVI and total percentage of green space in a 3,000 m buffer were associated with a larger diurnal decrease in cortisol levels (adjusted difference [95% confidence interval] = -0.11 nmol/L/hr [-0.21, 0.00 nmol/L/hr] per interquartile range increase in the average NDVI; -0.13 nmol/L/hr [-0.26, 0.00 nmol/L/hr] per interquartile range increase in the total percentage of green space). These associations were largely driven by associations with the percentage of agricultural green space and by associations in children living in nonurban areas. We observed no relationships between air pollution or traffic noise and the diurnal cortisol slope., Conclusions: Residential exposure to green space in a buffer of 3,000 m may be associated with lower stress levels in children 12 years of age., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with regard to the content of this report.The data underlying the findings presented in this article are available on request. Requests can be submitted to the PIAMA Principal Investigators. Their names and e-mail addresses are listed on the PIAMA website (http://piama.iras.uu.nl/index-en.php#collaboration). The PIAMA data are not freely accessible in the public domain, because this would be in conflict with the agreement between the PIAMA study team and the PIAMA participants. The information participants received at the start of the study (in 1996–1997) included the statement “the information that we receive from you will only be used for the PIAMA project” and participants gave written informed consent based on this information., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The Environmental Epidemiology. All rights reserved.)

Living close to livestock farms has been associated with increased symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The causes of these effects are still poorly understood. This panel study attempts to assess the acute effects of livestock-related air pollution in patients with COPD living in an area with intensive livestock farming in the Netherlands. Between February 2015 and July 2016, 82 participants took spirometry measurements twice daily (morning and evening) during a 3-month period, resulting in 12,672 FEV 1 and PEF records. Participants also kept a diary on respiratory symptoms as well as livestock-related odor annoyance. Daily average ammonia (NH 3 ) (a proxy for livestock-related air pollution) and fine particulate matter (PM 10 ) levels were collected from monitoring stations in the area. Lung function was analyzed as decrements of >10% and >20% from their median as well as absolute values. Self-reported odor annoyance was analyzed as a dichotomous variable. All analyses were done using generalized estimated equations. We adjusted for humidity, temperature, linear trend, and took multiple testing into account. We found an odds ratio of 1.14 95%CI [1.05; 1.25] for decrements >20% in morning FEV 1 per interquartile range (12 µg/m 3 ) increase in NH 3 concentration (lag 2). Odor annoyance was negatively associated with evening PEF (-4.46 l/min 95%CI [-7.59; -1.33]). Sensitivity analyses showed a stronger effect in participants with worse baseline lung function. No associations with symptoms were found. Our results show acute effects of livestock-related air pollution on lung function in COPD patients living in close proximity to livestock farms., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Spirometric lung function measurements have been proven to be excellent objective markers of respiratory morbidity. The use of different types of spirometers in epidemiological and clinical studies may present systematically different results affecting interpretation and implication of results. We aimed to explore considerations in the use of different spirometers in epidemiological studies by comparing forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC) measurements between the Masterscreen pneumotachograph and EasyOne spirometers. We also provide a correction equation for correcting systematic differences using regression calibration., Methods: Forty-nine volunteers had lung function measured on two different spirometers in random order with at least three attempts on each spirometer. Data were analysed using correlation plots, Bland and Altman plots and formal paired t-tests. We used regression calibration to provide a correction equation., Results: The mean (SD) FEV 1 and FVC was 3.78 (0.63) L and 4.78 (0.63) L for the Masterscreen pneumotachograph and 3.54 (0.60) L and 4.41 (0.83) L for the EasyOne spirometer. The mean FEV 1 difference of 0.24 L and mean FVC difference of 0.37 L between the spirometers (corresponding to 6.3 and 8.4% difference, respectively) were statistically significant and consistent between younger (< 30 years) and older volunteers (> 30 years) and between males and females. Regression calibration indicated that an increase of 1 L in the EasyOne measurements corresponded to an average increase of 1.032 L in FEV 1 and 1.005 L in FVC in the Masterscreen measurements., Conclusion: Use of different types of spirometers may result in significant systematic differences in lung function values. Epidemiological researchers need to be aware of these potential systematic differences and correct for them in analyses using methods such as regression calibration.

Evidence for the effects of air pollution exposure on lung function growth into adolescence is scarce. We investigated associations of air pollution exposure with lung function and lung function growth until age 16.We conducted both longitudinal (n=915) and cross-sectional (n=721) analyses of associations of air pollution exposure with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC) growth from ages eight to 16 and FEV 1 and FVC at age 16. We estimated residential concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), "soot" and particulate matter (PM x , where x is the 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter in µm) with diameters of <2.5 µm (PM 2.5 ), <10 µm (PM 10 ) and 2.5-10 µm (PM coarse ) during the preschool, primary school and secondary school time windows by land use regression models. Associations with (growth in) FEV 1 and FVC were analysed by linear (mixed effects) regression.Higher air pollution exposure was associated with reduced FEV 1 growth ( e.g. adjusted difference -0.26% (95% CI -0.49 to -0.03%) per interquartile range increase in secondary school PM 2.5 ) and lower FEV 1 (adjusted difference -2.36% (95% CI -3.76 to -0.94%)), but was not adversely associated with FVC. Associations with FEV 1 were stronger in boys than girls and were not modified by asthma status.Higher air pollution exposure may lead to increased airway obstruction, but not reduced lung volume in adolescence., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: G.H. Koppelman reports grants from the Lung Foundation of the Netherlands, during the conduct of the study; grants from the Lung Foundation of the Netherlands, the Ubbo Emmius Foundation, the TETRI Foundation and TEVA Netherlands, outside the submitted work. All funds were paid to G.H. Koppelman's institution., (Copyright ©ERS 2018.)