| 1. |
- Carlsen, Hanne Krage, et al.
(författare)
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Indicators of residential traffic exposure: Modelled NOX, traffic proximity, and self-reported exposure in RHINE III
- 2017
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 167, s. 416-425
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Few studies have investigated associations between self-reported and modelled exposure to traffic pollution. The objective of this study was to examine correlations between self-reported traffic exposure and modelled (a) NOX and (b) traffic proximity in seven different northern European cities; Aarhus (Denmark), Bergen (Norway), Gothenburg, Umeå, and Uppsala (Sweden), Reykjavik (Iceland), and Tartu (Estonia). We analysed data from the RHINE III (Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, www.rhine.nu) cohorts of the seven study cities. Traffic proximity (distance to the nearest road with >10,000 vehicles per day) was calculated and vehicle exhaust (NOX) was modelled using dispersion models and land-use regression (LUR) data from 2011. Participants were asked a question about self-reported traffic intensity near bedroom window and another about traffic noise exposure at the residence. The data were analysed using rank correlation (Kendall's tau) and inter-rater agreement (Cohen's Kappa) between tertiles of modelled NOX and traffic proximity tertile and traffic proximity categories (0–150 metres (m), 150–200 m, >300 m) in each centre. Data on variables of interest were available for 50–99% of study participants per each cohort. Mean modelled NOX levels were between 6.5 and 16.0 μg/m3; median traffic intensity was between 303 and 10,750 m in each centre. In each centre, 7.7–18.7% of respondents reported exposure to high traffic intensity and 3.6–16.3% of respondents reported high exposure to traffic noise. Self-reported residential traffic exposure had low or no correlation with modelled exposure and traffic proximity in all centres, although results were statistically significant (tau = 0.057–0.305). Self-reported residential traffic noise correlated weakly (tau = 0.090–0.255), with modelled exposure in all centres except Reykjavik. Modelled NOX had the highest correlations between self-reported and modelled traffic exposure in five of seven centres, traffic noise exposure had the highest correlation with traffic proximity in tertiles in three centres. Self-reported exposure to high traffic intensity and traffic noise at each participant's residence had low or weak although statistically significant correlations with modelled vehicle exhaust pollution levels and traffic proximity. © 2017
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| 2. |
- Beelen, Rob, et al.
(författare)
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Development of NO2 and NOx land use regression models for estimating air pollution exposure in 36 study areas in Europe : the ESCAPE project
- 2013
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 72, s. 10-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Estimating within-city variability in air pollution concentrations is important. Land use regression (LUR) models are able to explain such small-scale within-city variations. Transparency in LUR model development methods is important to facilitate comparison of methods between different studies. We therefore developed LUR models in a standardized way in 36 study areas in Europe for the ESCAPE (European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects) project.Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were measured with Ogawa passive samplers at 40 or 80 sites in each of the 36 study areas. The spatial variation in each area was explained by LUR modeling. Centrally and locally available Geographic Information System (GIS) variables were used as potential predictors. A leave-one out cross-validation procedure was used to evaluate the model performance.There was substantial contrast in annual average NO2 and NOx concentrations within the study areas. The model explained variances (R2) of the LUR models ranged from 55% to 92% (median 82%) for NO2 and from 49% to 91% (median 78%) for NOx. For most areas the cross-validation R2 was less than 10% lower than the model R2. Small-scale traffic and population/household density were the most common predictors. The magnitude of the explained variance depended on the contrast in measured concentrations as well as availability of GIS predictors, especially traffic intensity data were important. In an additional evaluation, models in which local traffic intensity was not offered had 10% lower R2 compared to models in the same areas in which these variables were offered.Within the ESCAPE project it was possible to develop LUR models that explained a large fraction of the spatial variance in measured annual average NO2 and NOx concentrations. These LUR models are being used to estimate outdoor concentrations at the home addresses of participants in over 30 cohort studies.
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| 3. |
- Bohlin, Pernilla, 1976, et al.
(författare)
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Observations on persistent organic pollutants in indoor and outdoor air using passive polyurethane foam samplers
- 2008
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 42:31, s. 7234-7241
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Air quality data of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) indoors and outdoors are sparse or lacking in several parts of the world, often hampered by the cost and inconvenience of active sampling techniques. Cheap and easy passive air sampling techniques are therefore helpful for reconnaissance surveys. As a part of the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) project in Mexico City Metropolitan Area in 2006, a range of POPs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)) were analyzed in polyurethane foam (PUF) disks used as passive samplers in indoor and outdoor air. Results were compared to those from samplers deployed simultaneously in Gothenburg (Sweden) and Lancaster (United Kingdom). Using sampling rates suggested in the literature, the sums of 13 PAHs in the different sites were estimated to be 6.1–180 ng m−3, with phenanthrene as the predominant compound. Indoor PAH levels tended to be higher in Gothenburg and outdoor levels higher in Mexico City. The sum of PCBs ranged 59–2100 ng m−3, and seemed to be highest indoors in Gothenburg and Lancaster. PBDE levels (sum of seven) ranged 0.68–620 ng m−3, with the highest levels found in some indoor locations. OCPs (i.e. DDTs, HCHs, and chlordanes) were widely dispersed both outdoors and indoors at all three studied areas. In Gothenburg all POPs tended to be higher indoors than outdoors, while indoor and outdoor levels in Mexico City were similar. This could be due to the influence of indoor and outdoor sources, air exchange rates, and lifestyle factors. The study demonstrates how passive samplers can provide quick and cheap reconnaissance data simultaneously at many locations which can shed light on sources and other factors influencing POP levels in air, especially for the gaseous fractions.
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| 4. |
- Fridell, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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A modelling study of the impact on air quality and health due to theemissions from E85 and petrol fuelled cars in Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 82, s. 1-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alternative fuels are becoming more and more important for road traffic and one fuel that has been usedfor several years is ethanol (E85). The main discussion points regarding the environmental performancefor ethanol as a fuel are related to the production. However, there are also some notable differences inthe emissions between E85 and petrol fuelled vehicles. This relates to some extent to the emissions ofnitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) but mainly to the composition of the emitted organiccompounds. In the present study two fuel scenarios for passenger cars are investigated for the VästraGötaland Region in Sweden; one where the cars with Otto engines run on petrol and one where they runon E85. Two emission scenarios for 2020 are constructed for the whole Europe and coupled dispersionchemistrymodelling is applied to obtain the population exposure to key pollutants. The differencesobtained from the modelling show decreased levels of NOx, ozone and benzene with E85 and increasedlevels of acetaldehyde in the Västra Götaland Region. For the latter the increase may be up to 80%, whileNOx and ozone show decreases of up to a few per cent and a few tenths of per cent, respectively.Exposure to the different air pollutants is calculated as population-weighted concentrations. The healthrisk assessment, using the calculated exposure and published exposureeresponse functions for therelevant pollutants, shows decreased health risks in the E85 scenario relative the all-petrol scenario, dueto the decreased NOx exposure, correlated with both preterm deaths and asthma. However, NOx (andNO2) may partly be indicators of unmeasured causal exhaust components in the epidemiological studiesand thus the exposureeresponse functions for these may not be applicable in the present case wherethere is a difference in NOx exposure but not a proportional difference in exposure to other exhaustcomponents normally associated with NOx. Smaller effects are expected from the changes in ozone,acetaldehyde, PM2.5 and benzene exposure. The overall difference is about 1.6 preterm deaths per yearfor the Västra Götaland Region, with lower values for the E85 scenario, when the uncertain differencesdue to the differences in NOx exposure are not considered.
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| 5. |
- Tang, L., et al.
(författare)
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Estimation of the long-range transport contribution from secondary inorganic components to urban background PM10 concentrations in south-western Sweden during 1986-2010
- 2014
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 89, s. 93-101
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The contribution of long-range transported (LRT) to urban background PM10 concentrations was investigated from a long-term view from 1986 to 2010. Regional air concentrations of sulphate (SO42-), nitrate (NO3-), and ammonium (NH4+) were used as a sum (C-ion) to investigate the contribution from these ions to the LRT PM10 concentrations at an urban background site in Gothenburg, Sweden. Utilizing backwards trajectory analysis, the LRT contribution from C-ion to the urban background PM10 concentrations (LRTCion) was estimated for six unique transport pathways and related source areas. Air masses transported over eastern Europe, UK/North Sea/Denmark and the vicinity of Scandinavia were associated with high C-ion concentrations observed in Gothenburg. For each pathway, multiple linear models based on the C-ion concentrations were used to estimate LRTCion and PM10 at the urban background site. The performances of the multiple linear models were satisfying with R-2 between estimated and observed annual mean PM10 concentrations of 0.81 during the monitoring years 1990-2010. The models were able to describe the main features of the day-to-day average PM10 concentrations, but underestimated high level values. The annual estimated LRTCion contribution decreased from 7 +/- 2 mu g/m(3) for 1986-2000 to 5 +/- 1 mu g/m(3) for 2001-2010. The higher LRTCion contribution was related to the transport cluster from eastern Europe, UK/North Sea/Denmark and the vicinity of South Scandinavia. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 6. |
- Wierzbicka, Aneta, et al.
(författare)
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Detailed diesel exhaust characteristics including particle surface area and lung deposited dose for better understanding of health effects in human chamber exposure studies
- 2014
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 86, s. 212-219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several diesel exhaust (DE) characteristics, comprising both particle and gas phase, recognized as important when linking with health effects, are not reported in human chamber exposure studies. In order to understand effects of DE on humans there is a need for better characterization of DE when performing exposure studies. The aim of this study was to determine and quantify detailed DE characteristics during human chamber exposure. Additionally to compare to reported DE properties in conducted human exposures. A wide battery of particle and gas phase measurement techniques have been used to provide detailed DE characteristics including the DE particles (DEP) surface area, fraction and dose deposited in the lungs, chemical composition of both particle and gas phase such as NO, NO2, CO, CO2, volatile organic compounds (including aldehydes, benzene, toluene) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Eyes, nose and throat irritation effects were determined. Exposure conditions with PM1 (<1 mu m) mass concentration 280 mu g m(-3), number concentration 4 x 10(5) cm(-3) and elemental to total carbon fraction of 82% were generated from a diesel vehicle at idling. When estimating the lung deposited dose it was found that using the size dependent effective density (in contrast to assuming unity density) reduced the estimated respiratory dose by 132% by mass. Accounting for agglomerated structure of DEP prevented underestimation of lung deposited dose by surface area by 37% in comparison to assuming spherical particles. Comparison of DE characteristics reported in conducted chamber exposures showed that DE properties vary to a great extent under the same DEP mass concentration and engine load. This highlights the need for detailed and standardized approach for measuring and reporting of DE properties. Eyes irritation effects, most probably caused by aldehydes in the gas phase, as well as nose irritation were observed at exposure levels below current occupational exposure limit values given for exhaust fumes. Reporting detailed DE characteristics that include DEP properties (such as mass and number concentration, size resolved information, surface area, chemical composition, lung deposited dose by number, mass and surface) and detailed gas phase including components known for their carcinogenic and irritation effect (e.g. aldehydes, benzene, PAHs) can help in determination of key parameters responsible for observed health effects and comparison of chamber exposure studies. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
- Beko, Gabriel, et al.
(författare)
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Contribution of various microenvironments to the daily personal exposure to ultrafine particles: Personal monitoring coupled with GPS tracking
- 2015
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 110, s. 122-129
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) may have adverse health effects. Central monitoring stations do not represent the personal exposure to UFP accurately. Few studies have previously focused on personal exposure to UFP. Sixty non-smoking residents living in Copenhagen, Denmark were asked to carry a backpack equipped with a portable monitor, continuously recording particle number concentrations (PN), in order to measure the real-time individual exposure over a period of similar to 48 h. A GPS logger was carried along with the particle monitor and allowed us to estimate the contribution of UFP exposure occurring in various microenvironments (residence, during active and passive transport, other indoor and outdoor environments) to the total daily exposure. On average, the fractional contribution of each microenvironment to the daily integrated personal exposure roughly corresponded to the fractions of the day the subjects spent in each microenvironment. The home environment accounted for 50% of the daily personal exposure. Indoor environments other than home or vehicles contributed with similar to 40%. The highest median UFP concentration was obtained during passive transport (vehicles). However, being in transit or outdoors contributed 5% or less to the daily exposure. Additionally, the subjects recorded in a diary the periods when they were at home. With this approach, 66% of the total daily exposure was attributable to the home environment. The subjects spent 28% more time at home according to the diary, compared to the GPS. These results may indicate limitations of using diaries, but also possible inaccuracy and miss-classification in the GPS data. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 8. |
- Cyrys, Josef, et al.
(författare)
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Variation of NO2 and NOx concentrations between and within 36 European study areas : Results from the ESCAPE study
- 2012
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 62, s. 374-390
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ESCAPE study (European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects) investigates long-term effects of exposure to air pollution on human health in Europe. This paper documents the spatial variation of measured NO2 and NOx concentrations between and within 36 ESCAPE study areas across Europe.In all study areas NO2 and NOx were measured using standardized methods between October 2008 and April 2011. On average, 41 sites were selected per study area, including regional and urban background as well as street sites. The measurements were conducted in three different seasons, using Ogawa badges. Average concentrations for each site were calculated after adjustment for temporal variation using data obtained from a routine monitor background site.Substantial spatial variability was found in NO2 and NOx concentrations between and within study areas; 40% of the overall NO2 variance was attributable to the variability between study areas and 60% to variability within study areas. The corresponding values for NOx were 30% and 70%. The within-area spatial variability was mostly determined by differences between street and urban background concentrations. The street/urban background concentration ratio for NO2 varied between 1.09 and 3.16 across areas. The highest median concentrations were observed in Southern Europe, the lowest in Northern Europe.In conclusion, we found significant contrasts in annual average NO2 and NOx concentrations between and especially within 36 study areas across Europe. Epidemiological long-term studies should therefore consider different approaches for better characterization of the intra-urban contrasts, either by increasing of the number of monitors or by modelling.
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| 9. |
- de Almeida, Daniela S., et al.
(författare)
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Genotoxic effects of daily personal exposure to particle mass and number concentrations on buccal cells
- 2018
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 176, s. 148-157
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study is to assess personal exposure to Particle Number Concentrations (PNC) in four size ranges between 0.3 and 10 μm, and particulate matter (PM1; PM2.5; PM4; PM10) in order to evaluate possible genotoxic effects through a comet assay in buccal cells. A convenience cohort of 30 individuals from a Brazilian medium-sized city was selected. These individuals aged between 20 and 61 and worked in typical job categories (i.e., administrative, commerce, education, general services and transport). They were recruited to perform personal exposure measurements during their typical daily routine activities, totaling 240 h of sampling. The 8-h average mass concentrations in air for volunteers ranged from 2.4 to 31.8 μg m−3 for PM1, 4.2–45.1 μg m−3 for PM2.5, 7.9–66.1 μg m−3 for PM4 and from 23.1 to 131.7 μg m−3 for PM10. The highest PNC variation was found for 0.3–0.5 range, between 14 and 181 particles cm−3, 1 to 14 particles cm−3 for the 0.5–1.0 range, 0.2 to 2 particles cm−3 for the 1.0–2.5 range, and 0.06 to 0.7 particles cm−3 for the 2.5–10 range. Volunteers in the ‘education’ category experienced the lowest inhaled dose of PM2.5 as opposed to those involved in ‘commercial‘ activities with the highest doses for PM10 (1.63 μg kg−1 h−1) and PM2.5 (0.61 μg kg−1 h−1). The predominant cause for these high doses was associated with the proximity of the workplace to the street and vehicle traffic. The comet assay performed in buccal cells indicated that the volunteers in ‘commerce’ category experienced the highest damage to their DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) compared with the control category (i.e. ‘education’). These results indicate the variability in personal exposure of the volunteers in different groups, and the potential damage to DNA was much higher for those spending time in close proximity to the vehicle sources (e.g. commercial services) leading to exposure to a higher fraction of fine particles. This study builds understanding on the exposure of people in different job categories, and provide policy makers with useful information to tackle this neglected issue.
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| 10. |
- Deng, Qihong, et al.
(författare)
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Association between prenatal exposure to industrial air pollution and onset of early childhood ear infection in China
- 2017
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 157, s. 18-26
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Otitis media (OM) is a common infection in early childhood with repeated attacks that lead to long-term complications and sequelae, but its etiology still remains unclear. Objective: To examine the association between early life exposure to air pollution and childhood OM, with the purpose of identifying critical windows of exposure and key components of air pollution in the development of OM. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1617 children aged 3-4 years in Changsha, China (2011-2012). The prevalence of OM was assessed by a questionnaire administered by the parents. Individual exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <= 10 gm (PM10) during prenatal, postnatal, and current windows were estimated using the measured concentrations at monitoring stations. We used logistic regression model to examine the OM risk in terms of odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for exposure to different air pollutants during different timing windows, adjusting for covariates, multi-pollutants, and multi windows. Results: Life-time prevalence of doctor-diagnosed OM in preschool children in Changsha was 7.3%. Childhood OM was associated only with prenatal exposure to the industrial air pollution with adjusted OR (95% CI) = 1.44 (1.09-1.88) for a 27 g/m(3) increase in SO2, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. We further found that prenatal SO2 exposure was not associated with the repeated attacks but was associated with the onset of OM, adjusted OR (95% CI) = 1.47 (1.10-1.96). The association between prenatal SO2 exposure and early childhood OM was robust after adjusting for other pollutants and windows. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the association was stronger in females, children with parental atopy, and children living in houses with cockroaches, new redecoration, and condensation on window pane during winter. Conclusion: We provide new evidence that prenatal exposure to industrial air pollution is associated with early childhood OM in China and may contribute to the onset of childhood OM. Our findings are helpful in developing more effective preventative strategies for childhood OM. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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