Author(s)

Karla Yohannessen Vásquez¹, Sergio Alvarado Orellana^1,2,3, Stephanie Mesías Monsalve¹, José Klarián Vergara⁴, Claudio Silva Zamora¹, Daniella Vidal Muñoz¹, Dante D. Cáceres Lillo^1,2*

¹Programa de Salud Ambiental, Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
²Grups de Recerca d’América i AfricaLlatines, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Espana.
³Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile.
⁴Departamento de Prevención de Riesgos y Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Santiago, Chile.

There is much literature on the effects of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) on respiratory and cardiovascular health. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of PM_2.5 on a population living in the vicinity of a massive deposit of mine tailings. A longitudinal panel study was performed to evaluate the association between exposure to PM_2.5 and acute effects on lung function in schoolchildren from November 2012 to May 2013. Ambient levels of PM_2.5 and its metal composition were measured. Lung function was evaluated using spirometric testing. Associations were quantified using GEE multilevel analysis controlling for confounders by using different lag time periods. The chemical characterization of PM_2.5 had high levels of S > Na > Cl > Ca > Si > Fe > Al > Mg > K > Cu > Ti > and Zn, which would be associated with metals present in tailings. We found a negative association between the temporal variation of PM_2.5 and changes in lung function specifically on forced vital capacity. Our results suggest that schoolchildren exposed to fine particulate matter from tailings deposited in the bay of Chanaral have their forced vital capacity decreased, which would affect their present and future lung development, increasing the risk of developing chronic respiratory diseases.

Mine Tailings, Fine Particulate Matter, Heavy Metals, Lung Function, Schoolchildren

Vásquez, K. , Orellana, S. , Monsalve, S. , Vergara, J. , Zamora, C. , Muñoz, D. and Lillo, D. (2015) Exposure to Fine Particles by Mine Tailing and Lung Function Effects in a Panel of Schoolchildren, Chañaral, Chile. Journal of Environmental Protection, 6, 118-128. doi: 10.4236/jep.2015.62014.