TY - JOUR
T1 - Personal exposure to particulate matter and heart rate variability among informal electronic waste workers at Agbogbloshie
T2 - a longitudinal study
AU - Amoabeng Nti, Afua A.
AU - Robins, Thomas G.
AU - Mensah, John Arko
AU - Dwomoh, Duah
AU - Kwarteng, Lawrencia
AU - Takyi, Sylvia A.
AU - Acquah, Augustine
AU - Basu, Niladri
AU - Batterman, Stuart
AU - Fobil, Julius N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Background: Informal electronic waste recycling activities are major contributors to ambient air pollution, yet studies assessing the effects or relationship between direct/continuous exposure of informal e-waste workers to particulate matter and cardiovascular function are rare. Methods: Repeated measurements of fractions of PM2.5, PM10–2.5, and PM10 in personal air of informal e-waste workers, (n = 142) and a comparable group (n = 65) were taken over a period of 20 months (March 2017 to November, 2018). Concurrently, 5-min resting electrocardiogram was performed on each participant to assess resting heart rate variability indices. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the association between PM fractions and cardiac function. Results: SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF and LH/HF ratio were all associated with PM. Significant associations were observed for PM2.5 and Mean NN (p = 0.039), PM10 and SDNN (p = 0.035) and PM 10–2.5 and LH/HF (p = 0.039). A 10 μg/m3 increase in the concentrations of PM 2.5, PM10–2.5, and PM10 in personal air was associated with reduced HRV indices and increased resting HR. A 10 μg/m3 per interquartile (IQR) increase in PM10–2.5 and PM10, decreased SDNN by 11% [(95% CI: − 0.002- 0.000); (p = 0.187)] and 34% [(95% CI: − 0.002-0.001); (p = 0.035)] respectively. However, PM2.5 increased SDNN by 34% (95% CI: − 1.32-0.64); (p = 0.493). Also, 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10–2.5 and PM10 decreased RMSSD by 27% [(− 1.34–0.79); (p = 0.620)], 11% [(− 1.73, 0.95); (p = 0.846)] and 0.57% [(− 1.56–0.46); (p = 0.255%)]. Conclusion: Informal e-waste workers are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease from cardiac autonomic dysfunction as seen in reduced HRV and increased heart rate.
AB - Background: Informal electronic waste recycling activities are major contributors to ambient air pollution, yet studies assessing the effects or relationship between direct/continuous exposure of informal e-waste workers to particulate matter and cardiovascular function are rare. Methods: Repeated measurements of fractions of PM2.5, PM10–2.5, and PM10 in personal air of informal e-waste workers, (n = 142) and a comparable group (n = 65) were taken over a period of 20 months (March 2017 to November, 2018). Concurrently, 5-min resting electrocardiogram was performed on each participant to assess resting heart rate variability indices. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the association between PM fractions and cardiac function. Results: SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF and LH/HF ratio were all associated with PM. Significant associations were observed for PM2.5 and Mean NN (p = 0.039), PM10 and SDNN (p = 0.035) and PM 10–2.5 and LH/HF (p = 0.039). A 10 μg/m3 increase in the concentrations of PM 2.5, PM10–2.5, and PM10 in personal air was associated with reduced HRV indices and increased resting HR. A 10 μg/m3 per interquartile (IQR) increase in PM10–2.5 and PM10, decreased SDNN by 11% [(95% CI: − 0.002- 0.000); (p = 0.187)] and 34% [(95% CI: − 0.002-0.001); (p = 0.035)] respectively. However, PM2.5 increased SDNN by 34% (95% CI: − 1.32-0.64); (p = 0.493). Also, 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10–2.5 and PM10 decreased RMSSD by 27% [(− 1.34–0.79); (p = 0.620)], 11% [(− 1.73, 0.95); (p = 0.846)] and 0.57% [(− 1.56–0.46); (p = 0.255%)]. Conclusion: Informal e-waste workers are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease from cardiac autonomic dysfunction as seen in reduced HRV and increased heart rate.
KW - Cardiac function
KW - Heart rate variability, Agbogbloshie, Madina-Zongo
KW - Informal e-waste recycling, PM
KW - PM
KW - PM
KW - Personal particulate matter
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120667492&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-021-12241-2
DO - 10.1186/s12889-021-12241-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 34823492
AN - SCOPUS:85120667492
SN - 1472-698X
VL - 21
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 1
M1 - 2161
ER -