Division of Pediatric Pulmonary, Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Environ Health Perspect. 2021 Sep;129(9):97005. doi: 10.1289/EHP8985. Epub 2021 Sep 8.
Schools are often located near traffic sources, leading to high levels of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, including black carbon (BC). Thus, the school environment could play in a significant role in the adverse respiratory health of children.
Our objective was to determine associations between personal BC levels at school and airway inflammation [i.e., fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO)] in school-age children. We hypothesized that higher school BC (SBC) would be associated with higher FeNO.
Children 9-14 years of age in New York City (NYC) () wore BC monitors for two 24-h periods over a 6-d sampling period, repeated 6 months later. SBC was defined as the average personal BC concentrations measured during NYC school hours (i.e., 0830-1430 hours). FeNO was measured following each 24-h BC monitoring period. Multivariable linear regression in generalized estimating equation models were used to examine associations between SBC and FeNO. Results are presented as percentage difference (PD) in FeNO.
Personal BC at school was associated with higher FeNO ( higher FeNO per BC (95% CI: 1.31, 13.9), ]. Compared with BC exposure during school, a smaller PD in FeNO was observed in association with BC exposure while commuting to and from school [ (95% CI: 0.70, 13.3), ]. Personal BC in non-school environments and residential BC were not associated with FeNO (). A significant association between personal BC at school and FeNO was observed among children with seroatopy who did not have asthma [ (95% CI: 4.81, 40.9), ].
Schools may be important sources of BC exposure that contribute to airway inflammation in school-age children. Our results provide rationale for interventions that target improved air quality in urban schools and classrooms. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8985.
学校通常位于交通源附近，导致儿童接触交通相关空气污染物（包括黑碳）的水平较高。因此，学校环境可能在儿童不良呼吸健康方面发挥重要作用。
我们的目的是确定学校个人黑碳（SBC）水平与气道炎症（即呼出气一氧化氮分数）之间的关联。我们假设更高的 SBC 与更高的 FeNO 相关。
纽约市（NYC）的 9-14 岁儿童在 6 个月重复进行 6 天采样期间佩戴了两个 24 小时的 BC 监测器。SBC 定义为 NYC 学校时间（即 0830-1430 小时）内测量的个人 BC 浓度平均值。在每次 24 小时 BC 监测期后测量 FeNO。使用广义估计方程模型中的多变量线性回归来检查 SBC 与 FeNO 之间的关联。结果表示为 FeNO 的百分比差异（PD）。
学校的个人 BC 与更高的 FeNO 相关（每增加 1μg/m³BC，FeNO 增加 1.31%（95%CI：1.31，13.9））。与上学和放学期间的 BC 暴露相比，在与上学和放学期间的 BC 暴露相关的情况下，FeNO 的 PD 较小[（95%CI：0.70，13.3）]。非学校环境中的个人 BC 和住宅 BC 与 FeNO 无关（）。在没有哮喘的过敏儿童中，观察到 SBC 与 FeNO 之间存在显著关联[（95%CI：4.81，40.9）]。
学校可能是导致学龄儿童气道炎症的 BC 暴露的重要来源。我们的研究结果为针对城市学校和教室改善空气质量的干预措施提供了依据。
