Effects of exposure to rice-crop residue burning smoke on pulmonary functions and oxygen saturation level of human beings in Patiala (India)

Abstract

Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) like Force Vital Capacity (FVC), Force Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV₁), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and Force Expiratory Flow between 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF(25-75%)) and Oxygen Saturation (SpO₂) level of 50 healthy inhabitants with respect to rice crop residue burning were investigated for three rice cultivation periods from 2007 to 2009. The subjects were residents of five sampling sites selected in Patiala city. Concentration of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), Sulfur dioxide (SO₂), Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and Particulate Matter (PM) of size less than 10 and 2.5 μm (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅) were measured by using High Volume Sampler (HVS) and Cascade Anderson Impactor. Results show that rice crop residue burning increases the pollution level in the ambient air, and PFTs undergo a significant decrease in their respective values. No significant change was seen in SpO₂ level during rice crop residue burning. In 2008, an increase of 10 μg m⁻³ in PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, SPM and NO₂ was associated significantly with decrease in FVC in percentages predicted -1.541, -1.002, -1.178, -0.232%, respectively. The decrease in air quality due to open rice crop residue burning has sub acute effect on pulmonary functions of healthy subjects and that SO₂ and NO₂ have less adverse effects on pulmonary functions than with different size Particulate Matter.