In a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists find long-term exposure to fine particle pollution to be associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death.  This particular study compared exposures of nearly 2,000 older women in 36 urban areas to find also that intra-city differences in risk exceeded inter-city differences.  In a separate editorial, the NEJM editors advocate tighter regulation and controls: 

High hourly levels of particulate matter have been linked to a doubling of the rate of hemorrhagic stroke, according to a study soon to be published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 

"To help prevent stroke-related death due to air pollution, air quality standards for particulate matter should be based not only on 24-hour mean concentrations, but also on hourly data," the researchers concluded.

Policymakers here should be particularly concerned about these results.  First, the Houston region is perilously close to exceeding national standards for particulates.  Second, national air quality standards tend to look at time periods longer than an hour.  For example, EPA has decided to move away from controlling ozone on an hourly basis to an 8-hour basis.  As indicated by this research, and as GHASP has argued before, the one-hour standard may be more protective of human health. 

As reported in Forbes (!) today, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have found higher lung cancer rates in Texas counties with higher emissions, specifically of zinc, chromium and copper.

"It's disturbing that there might be something in the environment causing the problem," said study author Dr. Yvonne Coyle.

If you want to read the study in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, it's found here. You won't find any report of the study in the Houston Chronicle or Dallas Morning News, though.