Effects of atmospheric fine particulate pollution on the lung function of primary school students

Abstract

Objective To study the effects of atmospheric fine particulate pollution on the lung function of primary school students before and after heating during the winter in Zhengzhou. Methods In Zhengzhou, two areas with low and high level of PM2. 5 pollution(A and B), were selected as monitoring points from 2016 to 2018. Each monitoring station selected one elementary school within around 1 km and used a cluster random sampling method to extract students from grades 3 to 5 as the research subjects. Lung function tests were conducted before and after heating in winter, and mass concentration of PM2. 5 were recorded daily and compared to those recorded one month prior. Results The average daily mass concentration of PM2. 5 were 74 μg/m3 and 92 μg/m3 in the light pollution monitoring points A and the heavy pollution monitoring points B, which exceeded the standard for 97 and 126 days, respectively. The FVC and FEV1.0 indexes for the first test of male students before heating were higher than those for the second test from 2016-2018 (P<0.05). Except in 2016, the FVC and FEV1.0 indexes for the first test of female students were also higher than those for the second test (P<0.05). After stratified by sex, multivariate linear regression showed that PM2. 5 was associated with lung function as measured by the FEV1.0, PEF, FEF25 and FEF75 values of the students were negatively correlated (B = - 0. 13-0. 07, -0.13-0.08, P<0.05). Conclusion Fine particulate air pollution before and after heating during the winter in Zhengzhou had different effects on the lung function of primary school students. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the respiratory health protection of primary school students in winter to protect their health.