Antibiotics are among the most successful drugs used for human therapy.

However, since
they can challenge microbial populations, they must be considered as important pollutants
as well. Besides being used for human therapy, antibiotics are extensively used for animal
farming and for agricultural purposes. Residues from human environments and from farms
may contain antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes that can contaminate natural
environments. The clearest consequence of antibiotic release in natural environments is the
selection of resistant bacteria. The same resistance genes found at clinical settings are
currently disseminated among pristine ecosystems without any record of antibiotic
contamination. Nevertheless, the effect of antibiotics on the biosphere is wider than this and
can impact the structure and activity of environmental microbiota. Along the article, we
review the impact that pollution by antibiotics or by antibiotic resistance genes may have for
both human health and for the evolution of environmental microbial populations.
Air pollution contains small particles, and particles smaller than 10 m can generate free
radicals when inhaled. In addition, various free radicals may also be present in polluted air.
In general, the air quality of urban areas is poorer than that of rural areas. Industrial smoke
also contains free radicals and small particles. Breathing polluted air for a long period of
time may induce oxidative stress in the body, causing various illnesses including chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Sunlight contains UV radiation, and
prolonged exposure to sunlight or sunbathing without application of sunscreen may cause
sunburn, skin damage, and even skin cancer including melanoma, which is linked to
oxidative stress. During the summer months when the UV index is high, exposure to sunlight
should be reduced or protective clothing should be worn. Moreover, use of sunglasses is
recommended because UV light can induce oxidative stress in eyes, causing cataract
formation and other eye diseases such as macular degeneration.

Abstract
Background
Many studies have investigated the effects of air pollutants on disease and mortality.
However, the results remain inconsistent and inconclusive. We thought that the impact of
different seasons or ages of people may explain these differences.

Methods
Measurement of the five pollutants (particulate matter <10 m in aerodynamic diameter
(PM10), SO2, NO2, O3, and CO) was monitored by automated measuring units at five different
stations. Monitoring stations were provided by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) from 1997 to 1999. The subjects in the study were classified in two groups: those 65
years of age and older, and those of all ages (including the subjects in the 65 group). Data
on daily mortality caused by respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and all other
causes including the two aforementioned was collected by the Taiwan Department of Health
(DOH). A time-series regression model was used to analyze the relative risk of respiratory
and cardiovascular diseases due to air pollution in the summer and winter seasons.

Results
Risk of death from all causes and mortality from cardiovascular diseases during winter was
significantly positively correlated with levels of SO 2, CO, and NO2 for both groups of subjects
and additionally with PM10for the elderly (65 years old) group. There were significant
positive correlations with respiratory diseases and levels of O 3 for both groups. However, the
only significant positive correlation was with O 3 (RR=1.283) for the elderly group during
summer. No other parameters showed significance for either group.

Conclusion
Our findings contribute to the evidence of an association between SO 2, CO, NO2, and PM10 and
mortality from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, especially among elderly people
during the winter season

This article describes indoor air pollution, its potential health impacts, and their control and
mitigation in developed and developing countries. In developed countries, sources of indoor
air contaminants include combustion by-products such as particulate matter, nitrogen
dioxide, carbon monoxide, and environmental tobacco smoke. Construction materials,
furniture, and consumer products can lead to exposures to volatile and semivolatile
compounds such as formaldehyde and other aldehydes, benzene, acrolein, naphthalene,
trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene. Radon can emanate from the soil and penetrate
houses through cracks and expose building occupants to its radioactive progeny. Biological
agents, infectious agents, allergens, and immunologic agents are other causes for human
health impacts from indoor air contamination. Dampness and moisture in buildings are major
conditions for populations of biological agents to thrive and grow. Complex mixtures of
microorganisms, particles, and gases can lead to a spectrum of nonspecific health
complaints from various buildings, including schools, hospitals, and modern offices.
In contrast, the use of solid fuels on open stoves for cooking and heating plays the major
role in developing countries and some countries in transition. Indoor air pollution is
responsible for approximately 2 million premature deaths annually in Sub-Saharan Africa and
Asia. Strong interventions of a technological and behavioral kind are needed to mitigate
exposure and corresponding health impacts of indoor air pollution.

Keywords