| 1. |
- Ahlberg, Erik, et al.
(author)
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"Vi klimatforskare stödjer Greta och skolungdomarna"
- 2019
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In: Dagens nyheter (DN debatt). - 1101-2447.
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Journal article (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- DN DEBATT 15/3. Sedan industrialiseringens början har vi använt omkring fyra femtedelar av den mängd fossilt kol som får förbrännas för att vi ska klara Parisavtalet. Vi har bara en femtedel kvar och det är bråttom att kraftigt reducera utsläppen. Det har Greta Thunberg och de strejkande ungdomarna förstått. Därför stödjer vi deras krav, skriver 270 klimatforskare.
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| 2. |
- Kjellberg Jensen, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Quantifying the influence of urban biotic and abiotic environmental factors on great tit nestling physiology
- 2023
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 859
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a long history of avian studies investigating the impacts of urbanization. While differences in several life-history traits have been documented, either between urban and rural populations or across generalized urbanization gradients, a detailed understanding of which specific environmental variables cause these phenotypic differences is still lacking. Here, we quantified several local environmental variables coupled to urbanization (air pollution, tree composition, ambient temperature, and artificial light at night [ALAN]) within territories of breeding great tits (Parus major). We linked the environmental variables to physiological measures of the nestlings (circulating fatty acid composition [FA], antioxidant capacity and an oxidative damage marker [malondialdehyde; MDA]), to garner a mechanistic understanding of the impact of urbanization. We found that the antioxidant capacity of nestlings decreased with higher numbers of oak trees and levels of PM2.5 (airborne particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 μm). Furthermore, the ratio of ω6:ω3 polyunsaturated FAs, important for immune function, was positively correlated with PM2.5 concentration, while being negatively associated with ambient temperature and number of non-native trees in the territory. Body mass and wing length both increased with the number of local oak trees. We also show, through a principal component analysis, that while the environmental variables fall into an urbanization gradient, this gradient is insufficient to explain the observed physiological responses. Therefore, accounting for individual environmental variables in parallel, and thus allowing for interactions between these, is crucial to fully understand of the urban ecosystem. © 2022 The Authors
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| 3. |
- Isaxon, Christina, et al.
(author)
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Contribution of indoor-generated particles to residential exposure
- 2015
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In: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 106, s. 458-466
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The majority of airborne particles in residences, when expressed as number concentrations, are generated by the residents themselves, through combustion/thermal related activities. These particles have a considerably smaller diameter than 2.5 mu m and, due to the combination of their small size, chemical composition (e.g. soot) and intermittently very high concentrations, should be regarded as having potential to cause adverse health effects. In this study, time resolved airborne particle measurements were conducted for seven consecutive days in 22 randomly selected homes in the urban area of Lund in southern Sweden. The main purpose of the study was to analyze the influence of human activities on the concentration of particles in indoor air. Focus was on number concentrations of particles with diameters <300 nm generated by indoor activities, and how these contribute to the integrated daily residential exposure. Correlations between these particles and soot mass concentration in total dust were also investigated. It was found that candle burning and activities related to cooking (using a frying pan, oven, toaster, and their combinations) were the major particle sources. The frequency of occurrence of a given concentration indoors and outdoors was compared for ultrafine particles. Indoor data was sorted into non-occupancy and occupancy time, and the occupancy time was further divided into non-activity and activity influenced time. It was found that high levels (above 10(4) cm(-3)) indoors mainly occur during active periods of occupancy, while the concentration during non-activity influenced time differs very little from non-occupancy time. Total integrated daily residential exposure of ultrafine particles was calculated for 22 homes, the contribution from known activities was 66%, from unknown activities 20%, and from background/non-activity 14%. The collected data also allowed for estimates of particle source strengths for specific activities, and for some activities it was possible to estimate correlations between the number concentration of ultrafine particles and the mass concentration of soot in total dust in 10 homes. Particle source strengths (for 7 specific activities) ranged from 1.6.10(12) to 4.5.10(12) min(-1). The correlation between ultrafine particles and mass concentration of soot in total dust varied between 0.37 and 0.85, with an average of 0.56 (Pearson correlation coefficient). This study clearly shows that due to the importance of indoor sources, residential exposure to ultrafine particles cannot be characterized by ambient measurements alone. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
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| 4. |
- Odnevall, Inger, 1965-, et al.
(author)
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Characterization and Toxic Potency of Airborne Particles Formed upon Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste Recycling : A Case Study
- 2023
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In: ACS ENVIRONMENTAL AU. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2694-2518. ; 3:6, s. 370-382
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Manual dismantling, shredding, and mechanical grinding of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at recycling facilities inevitably lead to the accidental formation and release of both coarse and fine particle aerosols, primarily into the ambient air. Since diffuse emissions to air of such WEEE particles are not regulated, their dispersion from the recycling plants into the adjacent environment is possible. The aim of this interdisciplinary project was to collect and characterize airborne WEEE particles smaller than 1 mu m generated at a Nordic open waste recycling facility from a particle concentration, shape, and bulk and surface composition perspective. Since dispersed airborne particles eventually may reach rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans, the aim was also to assess whether such particles may pose any adverse effects on aquatic organisms. The results show that WEEE particles only exerted a weak tendency toward cytotoxic effects on fish gill cell lines, although the exposure resulted in ROS formation that may induce adverse effects. On the contrary, the WEEE particles were toxic toward the crustacean zooplankter Daphnia magna, showing strong effects on survival of the animals in a concentration-dependent way.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Abera, Asmamaw, et al.
(author)
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Measurements of nox and development of land use regression models in an east-African city
- 2021
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In: Atmosphere. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4433. ; 12:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Air pollution causes premature mortality and morbidity globally, but these adverse health effects occur over proportionately in low-and middle-income countries. Lack of both air pollution data and knowledge of its spatial distribution in African countries have been suggested to lead to an underestimation of health effects from air pollution. This study aims to measure nitrogen oxides (NOx), as well as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), to develop Land Use Regression (LUR) models in the city of Adama, Ethiopia. NOx and NO2 was measured at over 40 sites during six days in both the wet and dry seasons. Throughout the city, measured mean levels of NOx and NO2 were 29.0 µg/m3 and 13.1 µg/m3, respectively. The developed LUR models explained 68% of the NOx variances and 75% of the NO2. Both models included similar geographical predictor variables (related to roads, industries, and transportation administration areas) as those included in prior LUR models. The models were validated by using leave-one-out cross-validation and tested for spatial autocorrelation and multicollinearity. The performance of the models was good, and they are feasible to use to predict variance in annual average NOx and NO2 concentrations. The models developed will be used in future epidemiological and health impact assessment studies. Such studies may potentially support mitigation action and improve public health.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Bredberg, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Analysis of manganese and iron in exhaled endogenous particles
- 2014
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In: Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry. - 0267-9477 .- 1364-5544. ; 29, s. 730-735
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Many full-time welders experience some sort of respiratory disorder e.g., asthma, bronchitis and metal fume fever. Thus, welding aerosols are thought to cause airway inflammation. There is a need for markers of welding aerosols in exposure assessments, and as most welding aerosols contain manganese and iron, these metals may possibly be used as an indicator. We have previously developed a novel non-invasive technique to collect endogenous particles in exhaled air (PEx). This study is designed to i) develop a method for analysis of manganese and iron in PEx and ii) investigate whether the manganese and/or iron content of PEx changes after exposure to welding aerosols. Methods: Nine individuals were experimentally exposed to welding fumes. PEx was collected at three time points for each individual; before, after and 24 hour after exposure. Analyses of PEx samples were performed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: Four out of nine individuals showed an increase in manganese and iron levels after exposure to welding aerosols. The mean manganese and iron concentration increased from,
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| 9. |
- Hagerman, Inger, et al.
(author)
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Effects on heart rate variability by artificially generated indoor nano-sized particles in a chamber study
- 2014
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In: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 88, s. 165-171
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Airborne particles are associated with increased morbidity and mortality due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in polluted areas. There is a growing interest in nano-sized particles with diameter < 100 nm and their potential health effects. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive method for cardiovascular risk prediction in high prevalent groups. Aim of study: The aim was to evaluate the impact of nano-sized indoor air particles on HRV for healthy and adult females. Methods: All exposures were performed as controlled chamber experiments with particle exposure from burning candles, terpene + ozone reactions or filtered air in a double-blind cross over design. Twenty-two healthy females were investigated during 10 min periods at different exposures and the reactivity in high frequency (HF) spectral band of HRV were computed. Results: Heart rate was unchanged from baseline values in all groups during all experimental settings. HF power of HRV tended to increase during exposure to particles from burning candle while particles from terpene + ozone reactions tended to decrease HF power. Conclusions: Exposure to nano-sized particles of burning candles or terpene + ozone reactions results in different patterns of heart rate variability, with signs of altered autonomic cardiovascular control. Practical implications: This study indicates that the HRV method may be used for information on physiological responses of exposure to different nano-sized particles and contribute to the understanding of mechanisms behind health effects of particle exposures. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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| 10. |
- Isaxon, Christina, et al.
(author)
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A call for action : Air Pollution, a serious health and economic hazard suffocating Africa
- 2022
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In: Clean Air Journal. - 1017-1703. ; 32:2
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Air pollution research has been conducted in Europe and North America as well as in Asia and South America for decades, but there has, so far, only been a limited amount of studies on air pollution and its health effects conducted in Africa. Until recently, global inventories of pollutants from North America Europe and Asia have been used for air quality and climate change modelling in Africa (Bond et al., 2004, Streets et al., 2004, Bond et al., 2007, Klimont et al., 2009, Klimont et al., 2013, Lamarque et al., 2010). Research in air pollution has, however, been lagging far behind in African countries, despite the increasing health and economic impact associated with air pollution in these nations, since systematic monitoring in Africa is often lacking. The health impact of air pollution in African cities has only been sparsely studied: a review from 2018 (Coker and Kizito, 2018) found only 3 studies outside South Africa. Earlier last year, a study showed that air pollution was responsible for 1.1 million deaths across Africa in 2019, with household air pollution—driven largely by solid biofuel used in indoor cook stoves—accounting for 697 000 fatalities (64% of the total), while increased outdoor air pollution claimed 394 000 lives (36% of the total) (Fisher et al., 2021).
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