Association between the Occurrence of Primary Hypothyroidism and the Exposure of the Population Near to Industrial Pollutants in São Paulo State, Brazil

Maria Angela Zaccarelli-Marino, Rudá Alessi, Thalles Zaccarelli Balderi and Marco Antonio Garcia Martins
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Maria Angela Zaccarelli-Marino: Internal Medicine Department, Endocrinology Service, ABC Medical School, Foundation, Santo André, SP 09060-870, Brazil
Rudá Alessi: Internal Medicine Department, ABC Medical School Foundation, Santo André, SP 09060-870, Brazil
Thalles Zaccarelli Balderi: Internal Medicine Service, Santa Paula Hospital, São Paulo, SP 04556-100, Brazil
Marco Antonio Garcia Martins: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Environmental agents interfere with thyroid function at multiple levels. This study was to investigate the association between pollutant concentrations and the primary hypothyroidism (PH) occurrence odds in residents living in the Capuava Petrochemical Complex (CPC) influence area. Methods: This area was evaluated with the combination of the AERMOD dispersion model with the Weather Research Forecast (WRF) meteorological model (2016). The concentration of atmospheric pollutants were analyzed in 2017 using meteorological data on the period from 2005 to 2009, correlating this data with the research done in 2003 to 2005. A home-based questionnaire was applied to evaluate 2004 residents, of both sexes, aged from 8 to 72 years, based on their proximity to the industrial areas; were select residents with PH. Results: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) concentrations presented the highest correlations between the PH odds and pollutant concentrations. Conclusion: Air pollution associated with the presence of the CPC is an important environmental factor contributing to the development of PH in the nearby population. As the first study showing this association in Brazil, research should be continued to better understand the mechanisms and to find ways to compensate for or remedy to avoid health impacts in future populations.

Keywords: primary hypothyroidism; petrochemical complex; industrial pollutants; São Paulo state; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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