| 1. |
- Fantke, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Building a European exposure science strategy
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1559-0631 .- 1559-064X. ; 30:6, s. 917-924
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Exposure information is a critical element in various regulatory and non-regulatory frameworks in Europe and elsewhere. Exposure science supports to ensure safe environments, reduce human health risks, and foster a sustainable future. However, increasing diversity in regulations and the lack of a professional identity as exposure scientists currently hamper developing the field and uptake into European policy. In response, we discuss trends, and identify three key needs for advancing and harmonizing exposure science and its application in Europe. We provide overarching building blocks and define six long-term activities to address the identified key needs, and to iteratively improve guidelines, tools, data, and education. More specifically, we propose creating European networks to maximize synergies with adjacent fields and identify funding opportunities, building common exposure assessment approaches across regulations, providing tiered education and training programmes, developing an aligned and integrated exposure assessment framework, offering best practices guidance, and launching an exposure information exchange platform. Dedicated working groups will further specify these activities in a consistent action plan. Together, these elements form the foundation for establishing goals and an action roadmap for successfully developing and implementing a 'European Exposure Science Strategy' 2020-2030, which is aligned with advances in science and technology.
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| 4. |
- Hänninen, Otto, et al.
(författare)
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Seasonal patterns of outdoor PM infiltration into indoor environments: review and meta-analysis of available studies from different climatological zones in Europe
- 2011
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Ingår i: Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1873-9318 .- 1873-9326. ; 4:3-4, s. 221-233
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Epidemiologists have observed higher risks for exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) in the summer than in other seasons. This increased risk may be partly due to seasonal behaviour and higher exposures to indoor PM in the summer in relation to outdoor pollutant levels during winter when windows are kept closed and less time is spent outdoors. In this report, we analyse data from six European studies, based on three different methods of estimating outdoor to indoor infiltration factors, with the aim of characterizing the geographical and seasonal patterns of PM infiltration. The highest infiltration levels were observed for the summer in both a European combined dataset consisting of 382 observations of the average PM2.5 infiltration factor for 1 day to 2weeks in regional data sets for Northern, Central and Southern Europe as well as for all ten cities individually. Th lowest values were observed for the winter, with spring and autumn displaying intermediate values. In all datasets and cities, the variability between residences and days within each season was much higher than the seasonal trend. PM10 data were available from two studies, revealing that the PM10 infiltration factors ranged from 70 to 92% of the corresponding PM2.5 values. Some differences between the studies may be associated with the study designs and applied methods of determining the infiltration factor. The ratio of summer to winter PM2.5 infiltration ranged from 1.3 in Rome to 2.3 in Helsinki, and the corresponding regional ratio ranged from 1.5 in Central Europe to 1.8 in Northern and Southern Europe. It is suggested that similar differences can be expected in epidemiological concentration–response relationships due to the modification in seasonal exposure associated with buildings and time spent indoors.
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| 5. |
- Koivisto, Antti Joonas, et al.
(författare)
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Source specific exposure and risk assessment for indoor aerosols
- 2019
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697. ; 668, s. 13-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Poor air quality is a leading contributor to the global disease burden and total number of deaths worldwide. Humans spend most of their time in built environments where the majority of the inhalation exposure occurs. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is challenged by outdoor air pollution entering indoors through ventilation and infiltration and by indoor emission sources. The aim of this study was to understand the current knowledge level and gaps regarding effective approaches to improve IAQ. Emission regulations currently focus on outdoor emissions, whereas quantitative understanding of emissions from indoor sources is generally lacking. Therefore, specific indoor sources need to be identified, characterized, and quantified according to their environmental and human health impact. The emission sources should be stored in terms of relevant metrics and statistics in an easily accessible format that is applicable for source specific exposure assessment by using mathematical mass balance modelings. This forms a foundation for comprehensive risk assessment and efficient interventions. For such a general exposure assessment model we need 1) systematic methods for indoor aerosol emission source assessment, 2) source emission documentation in terms of relevant a) aerosol metrics and b) biological metrics, 3) default model parameterization for predictive exposure modeling, 4) other needs related to aerosol characterization techniques and modeling methods. Such a general exposure assessment model can be applicable for private, public, and occupational indoor exposure assessment, making it a valuable tool for public health professionals, product safety designers, industrial hygienists, building scientists, and environmental consultants working in the field of IAQ and health.
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| 6. |
- Morawska, L., et al.
(författare)
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Airborne particles in indoor environment of homes, schools, offices and aged care facilities : The main routes of exposure
- 2017
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-4120. ; 108, s. 75-83
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- It has been shown that the exposure to airborne particulate matter is one of the most significant environmental risks people face. Since indoor environment is where people spend the majority of time, in order to protect against this risk, the origin of the particles needs to be understood: do they come from indoor, outdoor sources or both? Further, this question needs to be answered separately for each of the PM mass/number size fractions, as they originate from different sources. Numerous studies have been conducted for specific indoor environments or under specific setting. Here our aim was to go beyond the specifics of individual studies, and to explore, based on pooled data from the literature, whether there are generalizable trends in routes of exposure at homes, schools and day cares, offices and aged care facilities. To do this, we quantified the overall 24 h and occupancy weighted means of PM10, PM2.5 and PN - particle number concentration. Based on this, we developed a summary of the indoor versus outdoor origin of indoor particles and compared the means to the WHO guidelines (for PM10 and PM2.5) and to the typical levels reported for urban environments (PN). We showed that the main origins of particle metrics differ from one type of indoor environment to another. For homes, outdoor air is the main origin of PM10 and PM2.5 but PN originate from indoor sources; for schools and day cares, outdoor air is the source of PN while PM10 and PM2.5 have indoor sources; and for offices, outdoor air is the source of all three particle size fractions. While each individual building is different, leading to differences in exposure and ideally necessitating its own assessment (which is very rarely done), our findings point to the existence of generalizable trends for the main types of indoor environments where people spend time, and therefore to the type of prevention measures which need to be considered in general for these environments.
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| 7. |
- Raza, Wasif, 1971-
(författare)
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Impacts of Active Transport on Health : with a focus on physical activity, air pollution, and cardiovascular disease
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: There are increasing number of health impact assessment studies investigating the health effects by transferring trips made by motorised transport to active commuting; however, air pollution exposure during active commuting and its impact on health has been less thoroughly assessed. It is furthermore uncertain whether there is any interaction effect between air pollution and physical activity for the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The overall aim of the thesis was to improve the knowledge base for assessments of the total impact on health of a mode shift resulting in both increased physical activity and increased air pollution exposure, especially regarding combined effects on cardiovascular risks.Methods: The thesis is based on four studies. In Study I, methodological issues related to the assessment of air pollution in previous studies on the health impact of changes in transport mode were critically reviewed. In Study II, the effect of leisure time and active commuting physical activity, on chronic diseases was quantified by conducting a random-effect meta-analysis. In two prospective cohort studies, participants of the Västerbotten Intervention Programme living in the Umeå region were studied to assess the impact as well as interaction effect of physical activity and air pollution on the incidence (Study III) and recurrence (Study IV) of cardiovascular diseases.Results: In previous studies on the health impact of changes in transport mode, there was a large methodological discrepancy between studies due to different assumptions for air pollution exposure assessments in general populations and commuters as well as methods for estimation of impacts. Randomeffect meta-analyses showed a beneficial effect of leisure time physical activity and active commuting on morbidity among individuals performing these activities at the minimum level of physical activity recommended by WHO, equivalent to 11.25 MET-hours per week. Beneficial effects of exercise on firstincident ischemic heart disease (IHD) were observed among individuals with high residential PM10/PM2.5 concentrations, but not among individuals with low concentrations. Adverse effects associated with high residential PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were only observed among the individuals whom less frequently exercised. A statistically significant interaction effect was found between air pollution and exercise in training clothes for first-incident IHD but not for recurrence of IHD/stroke.Conclusions: The results in this thesis strengthen the public health message that physical activity is beneficial for cardiovascular health, even in areas with air pollution. Therefore, public health and transport policies should be designed to improve population health through promotion of active transport and mitigation of air pollution.
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