scholarly journals Inter- and Intra-Individual Variability of Personal Health Risk of Combined Particle and Gaseous Pollutants across Selected Urban Microenvironments

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 565
Author(s):  
Shakhaoat Hossain ◽  
Wenwei Che ◽  
Alexis Kai-Hon Lau
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Air Quality Measurements ◽  
Residence Location ◽  
Ambient Concentrations

Exposure surrogates, such as air quality measured at a fixed-site monitor (FSM) or residence, are typically used for health estimates. However, people spend various amounts of time in different microenvironments, including the home, office, outdoors and in transit, where they are exposed to different magnitudes of particle and gaseous air pollutants. Health risks caused by air pollution exposure differ among individuals due to differences in activity, microenvironmental concentration, as well as the toxicity of pollutants. We evaluated individual and combined added health risks (AR) of exposure to PM2.5, NO2, and O3 for 21 participants in their daily life based on real-world personal exposure measurements. Exposure errors from using surrogates were quantified. Inter- and intra-individual variability in health risks and key contributors in variations were investigated using linear mixed-effects models and correlation analysis, respectively. Substantial errors were found between personal exposure concentrations and ambient concentrations when using air quality measurements at either FSM or the residence location. The mean exposure errors based on the measurements taken at either the FSM or residence as exposure surrogates was higher for NO2 than PM2.5, because of the larger spatial variability in NO2 concentrations in urban areas. The daily time-integrated AR for the combined PM2.5, NO2, and O3 (TIARcombine) ranged by a factor of 2.5 among participants and by a factor up to 2.5 for a given person across measured days. Inter- and intra-individual variability in TIARcombine is almost equally important. Several factors were identified to be significantly correlated with daily TIARcombine, with the top five factors, including PM2.5, NO2 and O3 concentrations at ‘home indoor’, O3 concentrations at ‘office indoor’ and ambient PM2.5 concentrations. The results on the contributors of variability in the daily TIARcombine could help in targeting interventions to reduce daily health damage related to air pollutants.

Improving the Protection of Children Against Air Pollution Threats in Romania � The RokidAIR Project Approach and Future Perspectives

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 841-846
Author(s):  
Hai-Ying Liu ◽  
Daniel Dunea ◽  
Mihaela Oprea ◽  
Tom Savu ◽  
Stefania Iordache
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Quality Maps

This paper presents the approach used to develop the information chain required to reach the objectives of the EEA Grants� RokidAIR project in two Romanian cities i.e., Targoviste and Ploiesti. It describes the PM2.5 monitoring infrastructure and architecture to the web-based GIS platform, the early warning system and the decision support system, and finally, the linking of air pollution to health effects in children. In addition, it shows the analysis performance of the designed system to process the collected time series from various data sources using the benzene concentrations monitored in Ploiesti. Moreover, this paper suggests that biomarkers, mobile technologies, and Citizens� Observatories are potential perspectives to improve data coverage by the provision of near-real-time air quality maps, and provide personal exposure and health assessment results, enabling the citizens� engagement and behavioural change. This paper also addresses new fields in nature-based solutions to improve air quality, and studies on air pollution and its mental health effects in the urban areas of Romania.

scholarly journals Contribution of Local and Transboundary Air Pollution to the Urban Air Quality of Fukuoka, Japan

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 431
Author(s):  
Ayako Yoshino ◽  
Akinori Takami ◽  
Keiichiro Hara ◽  
Chiharu Nishita-Hara ◽  
Masahiko Hayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Gaseous Species ◽  
Transboundary Air Pollution ◽  
Local Air Pollution ◽  
The City

Transboundary air pollution (TAP) and local air pollution (LAP) influence the air quality of urban areas. Fukuoka, located on the west side of Japan and affected by TAP from the Asian continent, is a unique example for understanding the contribution of LAP and TAP. Gaseous species and particulate matter (PM) were measured for approximately three weeks in Fukuoka in the winter of 2018. We classified two distinctive periods, LAP and TAP, based on wind speed. The classification was supported by variations in the concentration of gaseous species and by backward trajectories. Most air pollutants, including NOx and PM, were high in the LAP period and low in the TAP period. However, ozone was the exception. Therefore, our findings suggest that reducing local emissions is necessary. Ozone was higher in the TAP period, and the variation in ozone concentration was relatively small, indicating that ozone was produced outside of the city and transported to Fukuoka. Thus, air pollutants must also be reduced at a regional scale, including in China.

scholarly journals THE ANALYSE OF AIR ENVIRONMENT QUALITY MONITORING IMPROVEMENT POSSIBILITIES

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 273
Author(s):  
Gotfrīds Noviks ◽  
Andris Skromulis
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Quality Evaluation ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Action Program ◽  
Air Quality Monitoring ◽  
Environment Quality ◽  
Air Quality Measurements ◽  
Quality Measurements

Paper presents the results of air pollution analyses during last 8 years in Rezekne city. There is carried out a research of atmospheric dust particles, found correlations between concentrations of different air pollutants. Is given overview about air quality measurements in other countries, pointed out air ionization importance on air quality evaluation. The aim of the research – to ground the extension of air quality monitoring indicators including parameters of the air ionisation and to work out an action program to improve an air quality in working areas and recreating zones.

scholarly journals Spatial Mapping of a Highly Non-Uniform Distribution of Particle-Bound PAH in a Densely Populated Urban Area

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 496
Author(s):  
Kyung Hwan Kim ◽  
Kyung-Hwan Kwak ◽  
Jae Young Lee ◽  
Sung Ho Woo ◽  
Jong Bum Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Exposure Level ◽  
Traffic Emission ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Monitoring Procedure

In this work, a 2-D gridded air pollution map with a high resolution of 50 × 50 m2 was proposed to help the exposure assessment studies focusing on the association between air pollutants and their health effects. To establish a reliable air pollution map in a 2 × 2 km2 urban area, a mobile monitoring procedure and a data process were developed. Among the various vehicle-related air pollutants, the particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (pPAH) was chosen as a sensitive indicator. The average pPAH concentration on major roads (293.1 ng/m3) was found to be 35 times higher than that at a background location (8.4 ng/m3). Based on the cell-based pPAH concentrations, the 50 × 50 m2 cells in the air pollution map were categorized into five pollution levels. The higher air pollution levels were generally shown by the cells close to the major traffic emission points. The proposed map can be used to make various policies regarding land use and traffic flow control in urban areas. Estimation of the personal exposure level to air pollutants is possible at a reliable location using the highly resolved 2-D gridded air pollution map in exposure assessment studies.

scholarly journals Long-Term Assessment of Air Quality and Identification of Aerosol Sources at Setúbal, Portugal

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Viana Silva ◽  
Cristina M. Oliveira ◽  
Nuno Canha ◽  
Ana Isabel Miranda ◽  
Susana Marta Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Guideline Values ◽  
Health Organization

Understanding air pollution in urban areas is crucial to identify mitigation actions that may improve air quality and, consequently, minimize human exposure to air pollutants and their impact. This study aimed to assess the temporal evolution of the air quality in the city of Setúbal (Portugal) during a time period of 10 years (2003–2012), by evaluating seasonal trends of air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, NO, NO2 and NOx) measured in nine monitoring stations. In order to identify emission sources of particulate matter, PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 were characterized in two different areas (urban traffic and industrial) in winter and summer and, afterwards, source apportionment was performed by means of Positive Matrix Factorization. Overall, the air quality has been improving over the years with a decreasing trend of air pollutant concentration, with the exception of O3. Despite this improvement, levels of PM10, O3 and nitrogen oxides still do not fully comply with the requirements of European legislation, as well as with the guideline values of the World Health Organization (WHO). The main anthropogenic sources contributing to local PM levels were traffic, industry and wood burning, which should be addressed by specific mitigation measures in order to minimize their impact on the local air quality.

Land use regression modelling of ambient air pollutants in Hong Kong

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyuan Li ◽  
Steve Hung Lam Yim ◽  
Kin-Fai Ho
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
High Rise ◽  
Pollutant Concentrations ◽  
Air Quality Measurements ◽  
Air Pollutant Concentrations

<p>Land use regression (LUR) models estimate air pollutant concentrations for areas without air quality measurements, which provides valuable information for exposure assessment and epidemiological studies. In the present study, we developed LUR models for ambient air pollutants in Hong Kong, China, a typical high-density and high-rise city. Air quality measurements at sixteen air quality monitoring stations, operated by the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department, were collected. Moreover, five categories of predictor variables, including population distribution, traffic emissions, land use variables, urban/building morphology, and meteorological parameters, were employed to establish the LUR models of various air pollutants. Then the spatial distribution of air pollutant concentrations at 1 km × 1 km grid cells were plotted. Taking fine particle (PM2.5) as an example, the developed LUR model explained 89% of variability of PM2.5 concentrations, with a leave-one-out-cross-validation R2 of 0.64. LUR modelling results for other air pollutants will be presented. In addition, further improvements on the development of LUR models will be discussed. This study can help to assess long-term exposures to air pollutants for high-density and high-rise urban areas like Hong Kong.</p>

scholarly journals Changes in regional meteorology induced by anthropogenic heat and their impacts on air quality in South China

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (23) ◽  
pp. 15011-15031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Xie ◽  
Kuanguang Zhu ◽  
Tijian Wang ◽  
Wen Feng ◽  
Da Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
South China ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Vertical Movement ◽  
Anthropogenic Heat ◽  
Big Cities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Anthropogenic heat (AH) emissions from human activities can change the urban circulation and thereby affect the air pollution in and around cities. Based on statistic data, the spatial distribution of AH flux in South China is estimated. With the aid of the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF/Chem), in which the AH parameterization is developed to incorporate the gridded AH emissions with temporal variation, simulations for January and July in 2014 are performed over South China. By analyzing the differences between the simulations with and without adding AH, the impact of AH on regional meteorology and air quality is quantified. The results show that the regional annual mean AH fluxes over South China are only 0.87 W m−2, but the values for the urban areas of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region can be close to 60 W m−2. These AH emissions can significantly change the urban heat island and urban-breeze circulations in big cities. In the PRD city cluster, 2 m air temperature rises by 1.1° in January and over 0.5° in July, the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) increases by 120 m in January and 90 m in July, 10 m wind speed is intensified to over 0.35 m s−1 in January and 0.3 m s−1 in July, and accumulative precipitation is enhanced by 20–40 % in July. These changes in meteorological conditions can significantly impact the spatial and vertical distributions of air pollutants. Due to the increases in PBLH, surface wind speed and upward vertical movement, the concentrations of primary air pollutants decrease near the surface and increase in the upper levels. But the vertical changes in O3 concentrations show the different patterns in different seasons. The surface O3 concentrations in big cities increase with maximum values of over 2.5 ppb in January, while O3 is reduced at the lower layers and increases at the upper layers above some megacities in July. This phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that chemical effects can play a significant role in O3 changes over South China in winter, while the vertical movement can be the dominant effect in some big cities in summer. Adding the gridded AH emissions can better describe the heterogeneous impacts of AH on regional meteorology and air quality, suggesting that more studies on AH should be carried out in climate and air quality assessments.

scholarly journals Spatial Variations of Indoor Air Chemicals in an Apartment Unit and Personal Exposure of Residents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11511
Author(s):  
Hironari Sakamoto ◽  
Shigehisa Uchiyama ◽  
Tomohiko Isobe ◽  
Naoki Kunugita ◽  
Hironao Ogura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Formic Acid ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Spatial Variations ◽  
Living Room

Indoor air quality (IAQ) can greatly affect health in people spending much time indoors. However, the influence of IAQ on personal exposure to chemical compounds in Japan remains poorly investigated. Hence, this study aimed to clarify this influence thoroughly within one apartment. We surveyed the concentrations of 61 chemical compounds in the air in nine different spaces within an apartment unit, as well as the personal exposure of two residents in Japan. Using three kinds of diffusive samplers, this study was conducted continuously for 7 days in summer and winter. Health risks were evaluated by calculating the margin of exposure (MOE) using the measured concentrations. Some chemical concentrations showed large spatial variations and the personal exposure concentrations of these compounds also differed among residents. According to the calculated MOE, the chemicals with the highest health risk were acrolein, p-dichlorobenzene, and acetaldehyde in summer and acrolein, nitrogen dioxide, formic acid, p-dichlorobenzene, and benzene in winter. The IAQ of the house could be divided in two, and the IAQ in the space where residents spent much time (i.e., bedroom) highly affected each of the residents’ exposure. Investigating chemical concentrations in multiple spaces (including bedroom and living room) is necessary to understand the effect of IAQ on personal exposure.

scholarly journals LIFE MONZA: project description and actions’ updating

Noise Mapping ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Bartalucci ◽  
Francesco Borchi ◽  
Monica Carfagni ◽  
Rocco Furferi ◽  
Lapo Governi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Low Emission ◽  
Project Description ◽  
Air Quality Improvement ◽  
The City

Abstract The introduction of Low Emission Zones, urban areas subject to road traffic restrictions in order to ensure compliance with the air pollutants limit values set by the European Directive on ambient air quality (2008/50/EC), is a common and well-established action in the administrative government of cities. The impacts on air quality improvement are widely analysed, whereas the effects and benefits concerning the noise have not been addressed in a comprehensive manner. As a consequence, the definition, the criteria for the analysis and the management methods of a Noise Low Emission Zone are not clearly expressed and shared yet. The LIFE MONZA project (Methodologies fOr Noise low emission Zones introduction And management - LIFE15 ENV/IT/000586) addresses these issues. The first objective of the project, co-funded by the European Commission, is to introduce an easy-replicable method for the identification and the management of the Noise Low Emission Zone, an urban area subject to traffic restrictions, whose impacts and benefits regarding noise issues will be analyzed and tested in the pilot area of the city of Monza, located in Northern Italy. Background conditions, structure, objectives of the project and actions’ progress will be discussed in this article.

scholarly journals Computational Tools for Analysing Air Pollutants Dispersion: A Comparative Review

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (23) ◽  
pp. 1408 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Antuña Yudego ◽  
JL. Carús Candás ◽  
E. Álvarez Álvarez ◽  
MJ. Suárez López ◽  
L. García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Pollutant Dispersion ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Simulation Tools ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Pollutants Dispersion

Atmospheric pollution is one of the biggest problems and concerns in modern society, especially in industrial and highly populated areas. Poor air quality can have adverse impact on human health and ecosystems. For this reason, air quality forecasting becomes increasingly important, especially for governments and administrations, which use these predictions to enhance the design of mitigation actions in order to reduce air pollution in urban areas. In this framework, process of pollutant dispersion simulation is the best way to predict the most affected areas by industrial and other kinds of emissions. To carry out these simulations, there is a great number of computational tools currently available. However, not all of them have the same functionalities, nor can they be applied to the same case studies, so it is necessary to establish the advantages and disadvantages of each one of them in order to choose the most suitable tool in each case. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to identify the main available simulation tools and to make a comparative review between them in order to define advantages and disadvantages.

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