Time Spent in Car Accounts For Almost One Third of Air Pollution Exposure
October 30, 2007
The daily commute may be taking more of a toll than people realize. A new study by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and the California Air Resources Board found that up to half of Los Angeles residents’ total exposure to harmful air pollutants occurs while people are traveling in their vehicles.
Although the average Los Angeles driver spends about six percent (1.5 hours) of his or her day on the road, that period of time accounts for 33 to 45 percent of total exposure to diesel and ultrafine particles (UFP), according to the study published this month in the journal Atmospheric Environment and available online. On freeways, diesel-fueled trucks are the source of the highest concentrations of harmful pollutants.
“If you have otherwise healthy habits and don’t smoke, driving to work is probably the most unhealthy part of your day,” says Scott Fruin, D.Env., assistant professor of environmental health at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Urban dwellers with long commutes are probably getting most of their UFP exposure while driving.”
High air exchange rates that occur when a vehicle is moving make roadways a major source of exposure. Ultrafine particles are of particular concern because, unlike larger particles, they can penetrate cell walls and disperse throughout the body, Fruin says. Particulate matter has been linked to cardiovascular disease, but the ultrafine fraction on roadways appears to be more toxic than larger sizes.
Driving with the windows closed and recirculating air settings can modestly reduce the particle pollution exposures but does not reduce most gaseous pollutants. Driving at speeds lower than 20 miles-per-hour can also reduce exposure, but none of these measures are as effective as simply cutting back on driving time, he says.
“Shortening your commute and spending less time in the car will significantly reduce your total body burden of harmful pollutants,” Fruin says.
Saint Louis University Scientists Identify Chemical That Triggers Parkinson’s Disease
October 30, 2007
Researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have discovered the key brain chemical that causes Parkinson’s disease - a breakthrough finding that could pave the way for new, far more effective therapies to treat one of the most common and debilitating neurological disorders.
Currently, the main approach for treating Parkinson’s disease, which afflicts more than 1.5 million Americans, is to replace dopamine that’s lost when the cells that produce it die off and cause the disorder. With this new research, however, scientists can better work toward ‘neuroprotective’ therapies - those that actually block dopamine cells from dying off in the first place.
“We believe this work represents a very significant breakthrough in understanding the complicated chemical process that results in Parkinson’s disease,” said William J. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the study’s lead author.
“For the first time, we’ve identified the chemical that triggers the events in the brain that cause this disorder,” Burke added. “We believe these findings can be used to develop therapies that can actually stop or slow this process.”
“This is very exciting,” Burke said. “This is the first time that anyone has ever established that it is a naturally occurring byproduct of dopamine that causes alpha-synuclein to aggregate, or clump together. It’s actually DOPAL that kicks this whole process off and results in Parkinson’s disease.”
Armor for Sleep’s Latest CD — “Smile for Them” — Out Today
October 30, 2007
“Smile for Them,” the new album from Sire recording artists Armor for Sleep, will hit stores today! The New Jersey-based quartet, which is comprised of members Ben Jorgensen (Vocals/Guitar), PJ DeCicco (Guitar), Anthony Dilonno (Bass), and Nash Breen (Drums), joined forces with renowned producer Machine (Lamb of God, Every Time I Die, Cobra Starship) at Machine Shop in Weehawken, NJ, for “Smile for Them” — the band’s third studio album and their major-label debut.
According to Alternative Press Magazine, who awarded the album four stars, Armor has created “sprawling slow-burners” and “infectious anthems,” backed by “sophisticated guitar-rock epics.”
“Smile for Them” has already been building a buzz around Armor for Sleep. The band appeared on MTV’s “TRL” on October 29th for the premiere of the video for “Williamsburg,” their first single, and can also be seen on MTV2, MTVU, and MTV.com. The video will also air on MTV2’s “The Drop” on November 3rd. The band will be playing the MTV2 Dew Circuit Break Out after-party, and will be featured in the promos for the repeats.
Having played shows with the likes of Against Me!, Taking Back Sunday, All-American Rejects and Underoath, the band is currently on the road with The Academy Is. One of the most talked about tours this fall, they have already played sold-out shows in Los Angeles and New York.
The Canadian Government Offers $360,000 to Help Promote Food Safety
October 30, 2007
The Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today announced nearly $360,000 in funding for the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) to train store owners and managers on a new food safety system, and to help small producers and processors promote their products to grocery retailers. Read more
10,000 Possibly Toxic Chemicals Need to be Retested for Human Safety
October 30, 2007
Approximately 10,000 chemicals currently on the market need to be retested for possible toxicity, according to a study published in the journal Science.The study authors warn that approximately one-third of carbon-based chemicals currently in commercial use may need to be retested, based on limitations of the tests previously used to determine toxicity.
The danger rests on a class of chemicals referred to as “bio-accumulative,” or “persistent organic pollutants,” which concentrate in the bodies of animals. The concentrations of these pollutants tend to increase higher up in the food chain, as animals absorb the toxins stored in the body of their prey. Because of the health and ecological danger posed by persistent organic pollutants, 12 varieties have been globally banned under the Stockholm Convention, including DDT, dioxins and PCBs.
In the current study, researchers warn that many chemicals currently classified as safe may actually be persistent organic pollutants.
The accumulation test most often used, KOW, measures how soluble a chemical is in fat as compared with water. Chemicals with a high fat-to-water ratio are presumed to be bio-accumulative. Another test, KOA, measures how efficiently a chemical can cross lung membranes. The researchers hypothesized that KOA will be a better measure of accumulation in air-breathing animals and that KOW will be a better measure for gill-breathers.
The scientists also tested the accumulation of two different chemicals — PCB-153 and beta-HCH — in three different food chains: plankton to fish; lichen to caribou to wolves; and plankton to fish to marine mammals. They found that PCB-153, with a high KOW, accumulated in all three food chains. Beta-HCH, which has a low KOW and high KOA, accumulated only along the two air-breathing food chains and not among fish.
Due to their results, the researchers warned that many chemicals should be re-tested.
“They won’t all be bio-accumulative, but they all have the potential,” said Frank Gobas of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.
Chief Palestinian Negotiator: Talks With Israel Must Include Timetable for Statehood
October 30, 2007
The chief Palestinian negotiator says peace talks with Israel must include a timetable for establishing Palestinian statehood. Read more
