Ontario Air Pollution Study: identification of the causative agent

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.897969· OSTI ID:6079684

Bates, D V; Sizto, R

Previously published data from the Ontario Air Pollution study are reviewed. It has been shown that there is a consistent association in summer between hospital admissions for respiratory disease in Southern Ontario, and daily levels of SO/sub 4/, O/sub 3/, and temperature. No association exists for a group nonrespiratory conditions. Multiple regression analyses are presented that show all environmental variables account for 5.6% of the variability in respiratory admissions and that if temperature is forced into the analysis first, it accounts for 0.89% of the variability only. Distribution plots of standardized residuals are presented. In June of 1983, there were an exceptional number of ozone episodes (defined as occasions when ozone was greater than 82 ppb for 3 or more hours in a calendar day) in this region. A separate analysis of hospital admissions for acute respiratory diseases for the month of June for several years shows no demonstrable excess in June of 1983; previously regional analyses have indicated that ozone is associated with increased levels in July and August over a 9-year period. It has also been found that daily SO/sub 4/ data collected at one monitoring site in the center of the region are not correlated with respiratory admissions, whereas the SO/sub 4/ values collected every sixth day, on different days of the week, at 17 stations in the region had the highest correlation with respiratory admissions.

• Research Organization: Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)
• OSTI ID: 6079684
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 79; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ANIMALS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CANADA
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EPIDEMIOLOGY
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MAMMALS
MAN
NORTH AMERICA
ONTARIO
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RAIN
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOLS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES