scholarly journals Effects of AIR pollution on cardiopuLmonary disEaSe in urban and peri-urban reSidents in Beijing: protocol for the AIRLESS study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiqun Han ◽  
Wu Chen ◽  
Lia Chatzidiakou ◽  
Li Yan ◽  
Hanbin Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Susceptible Population ◽  
Cardiopulmonary Disease ◽  
Outdoor Environments ◽  
Detailed Assessment ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor Environments

Abstract. Beijing, as a representative megacity in China, is experiencing some of the most severe air pollution in the world, and its fast urbanization has led to a substantial urban and peri-urban disparities in both health status and air quality. Uncertainties remain regarding the possible causal links between individual air pollutants and health outcomes, with spatial comparative investigations of these links lacking, particularly in developing megacities. In light of this challenge, Effects of AIR pollution on cardiopuLmonary disEaSe in urban and peri-urban reSidents in Beijing (AIRLESS) was initiated with the aim of addressing the complex issue of multipollutant exposures on cardiopulmonary outcomes. The two panel studies deployed included urban and peri-urban elderly Beijing residents recruited from two established cohorts. The project was strengthened further through the measurement of an extensive range of ambient and indoor pollutants during two intensive monitoring campaigns undertaken simultaneously with the collection of health data from the panel participants. This paper presents the novel elements and methodology deployed in the AIRLESS project that addressed gaps in current understanding: namely (1) contrast of the exposure to air pollution in peri-urban and urban areas in a developing megacity, (2) a nested case (hypertensive) – control (healthy) study design to identify potential susceptible population, (3) the detailed assessments of personal exposure to air pollution in diverse indoor and outdoor environments using miniaturised portable platforms; (4) detailed assessment of the chemical composition of particulate matter; and (5) a rich collection of biological markers to understand the underlying mechanisms of health responses to air pollution.

scholarly journals Effects of AIR pollution on cardiopuLmonary disEaSe in urban and peri-urban reSidents in Beijing: protocol for the AIRLESS study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (24) ◽  
pp. 15775-15792
Author(s):  
Yiqun Han ◽  
Wu Chen ◽  
Lia Chatzidiakou ◽  
Anika Krause ◽  
Li Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Cardiopulmonary Disease ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Large Scale Field

Abstract. Beijing, as a representative megacity in China, is experiencing some of the most severe air pollution episodes in the world, and its fast urbanization has led to substantial urban and peri-urban disparities in both health status and air quality. Uncertainties remain regarding the possible causal links between individual air pollutants and health outcomes, with spatial comparative investigations of these links lacking, particularly in developing megacities. In light of this challenge, Effects of AIR pollution on cardiopuLmonary disEaSe in urban and peri-urban reSidents in Beijing (AIRLESS) was initiated, with the aim of addressing the complex issue of relating multi-pollutant exposure to cardiopulmonary outcomes. This paper presents the novel methodological framework employed in the project, namely (1) the deployment of two panel studies from established cohorts in urban and peri-urban Beijing, with different exposure settings regarding pollution levels and diverse sources; (2) the collection of detailed measurements and biomarkers of participants from a nested case (hypertensive) and control (healthy) study setting; (3) the assessment of indoor and personal exposure to multiple gaseous pollutants and particulate matter at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution with validated novel sensor technologies; (4) the assessment of ambient air pollution levels in a large-scale field campaign, particularly the chemical composition of particulate matter. Preliminary results showed that there is a large difference between ambient and personal air pollution levels, and the differences varied between seasons and locations. These large differences were reflected on the different health responses between the two panels.

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 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 Spatiotemporal Evolution and the Driving Forces of the Coupling Coordination Degree between Urbanization and Urban Residents’ Livelihood Level in Mongolia

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Cui ◽  
Honghong Liu ◽  
Ye Xiao ◽  
Nana Cui ◽  
Jingjing Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Spatiotemporal Evolution ◽  
Central Regions ◽  
Detailed Assessment ◽  
Secondary Industry ◽  
Coordination Degree

Rapid expansion in Mongolia has resulted in an inequality in livelihood, growing air pollution, and unevenly distributed social goods, which implies that the urbanization of Mongolia is experiencing a chronic imbalance. Using 21 Aimags and 1 capital in Mongolia as the research object, this paper provides a detailed assessment of the coupling coordination degree (CCD) to analyze the coupling and coordination relationship between urbanization and urban residents’ livelihood level. The results suggest that there is a serious imbalance in the coordination of urban development and urban residents’ livelihood among the Aimags of Mongolia. The high CCD values were mainly concentrated in the central regions of Mongolia, while the low values were clustered in the western and eastern areas. The spatial Durbin model was employed to analyze the driving forces of the CCD, and the results imply that the secondary industry share and the number of registered enterprises play significant roles in promoting coordination between urbanization and urban residents’ livelihood level. Here, we present an overview of how our analysis can provide useful insights for policymakers and decision makers.

scholarly journals Synergies between environmental pressures in the urban climate: combined air quality and noise exposure assessment in Thessaloniki, Greece

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-217 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Heavy Traffic ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
Environmental Pressures ◽  
Pollution Levels

This study offers a combined analysis of personal exposure to noise and air pollution within the metropolitan centre of Thessaloniki, Greece. The area is selected on the grounds that it is considered as one of the most polluted cities in Europe, especially with respect to air pollution. An extensive survey has been designed to provide detailed information on CO and VOC concentrations and noise pollution levels in the main modes of transport and along heavy traffic routes inside the core of the urban area under consideration. Air pollution and noise measurements were performed simultaneously along several commuting routes, during morning and evening rush hours. Personal portable devices were used. The results highlight the magnitude of air and noise urban scale personal exposure, since they depict a considerable environmental burden for the citizens of Thessaloniki, especially for VOCs and noise pollution levels. Furthermore, they provide, for the first time, a combined exposure assessment to these environmental pollutants for Thessaloniki and in this sense they are of importance for local public authorities and decision makers. The material herein points out the importance of micro-environmental monitoring and the necessity of considering environmental pollution in urban areas in a more holistic way.

scholarly journals Characterising low-cost sensors in highly portable platforms to quantify personal exposure in diverse environments

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Chatzidiakou ◽  
Anika Krause ◽  
Olalekan A. M. Popoola ◽  
Andrea Di Antonio ◽  
Mike Kellaway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Health Studies ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Exposure Metrics ◽  
Standard Instrumentation

Abstract. The inaccurate quantification of personal exposure to air pollution introduces error and bias in health estimations, severely limiting causal inference in epidemiological research worldwide. Rapid advancements in affordable, miniaturised air pollution sensor technologies offer the potential to address this limitation by capturing the high variability of personal exposure during daily life in large-scale studies with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. However, concerns remain regarding the suitability of novel sensing technologies for scientific and policy purposes. In this paper we characterise the performance of a portable personal air quality monitor (PAM) that integrates multiple miniaturised sensors for nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM) measurements along with temperature, relative humidity, acceleration, noise and GPS sensors. Overall, the air pollution sensors showed excellent agreement with standard instrumentation in outdoor, indoor and commuting microenvironments across seasons and different geographical settings. An important outcome of this study is that the error of the PAM is significantly smaller than the error introduced when estimating personal exposure based on sparsely distributed outdoor fixed monitoring stations. Hence, novel sensing technologies as the ones demonstrated here can revolutionise health studies by providing highly resolved reliable exposure metrics at large scale to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the effects of air pollution on health.

scholarly journals Volatile Organic Compound Composition of Urban Air in Nairobi, Kenya and Lagos, Nigeria

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1329
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Cordell ◽  
Rikesh Panchal ◽  
Emmanuel Bernard ◽  
Michael Gatari ◽  
Ezekiel Waiguru ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Tropospheric Chemistry ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Large Cities ◽  
Particulate Pollution ◽  
Sub Saharan

Sub-Saharan Africa is seeing rapid urbanization, with the population of cities such as Lagos and Nairobi growing at a rate of 3–4% a year. The region is extremely under-sampled for all air pollutants, particularly VOCs, which are useful markers for source apportionment as well as toxic in their own right. There are many contributors to air pollution in the region, and studies examining fine particulate pollution implicate traffic as the primary source in urban areas. In this pilot study, VOCs were analysed at a selection of roadside and urban background locations in Nairobi and Lagos, and 74 VOCs were quantified. GC×GC–MS/FID analysis revealed all locations were dominated by hydrocarbons typical of vehicle emissions, with the aromatic hydrocarbons benzene and toluene among the most abundant VOCs. Typical personal exposure scenarios for citizens of the cities were calculated to far exceed those of a resident in a city in Europe/US. Finally, the calculated ozone forming potential of the VOCs measured was found to be similarly high to other large cities studied with similar air pollution problems. Further study is therefore essential to determine the full extent of VOC pollution in the region and its impact on tropospheric chemistry.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Quality of Life and Pollution among China's Urban Middle Class: The Case of Smog in Tangshan

2017 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 340-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyue Li ◽  
Bryan Tilt
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Urban Residents

AbstractAfter decades of rapid economic development, China is facing severe environmental problems. In particular, smog in urban areas has recently attracted a great deal of scientific and media attention both domestically and internationally. Our focus in this article is on public perceptions of smog in the northern city of Tangshan, which is routinely ranked as one of the urban areas with the worst air quality in the nation. In this article, we present the results of qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys with 341 urban residents. We examine how these residents perceive and weigh the importance of various aspects related to quality of life, including their experience with air pollution. Study participants considered environmental quality an issue of lower priority than many others; however, they surprisingly ranked it over economic concerns such as jobs and income. Their responses suggest that, for many urban residents, environmental problems like smog are fundamentally linked to basic quality of life concerns such as physical health and family well-being. We interpret our findings in the context of literature on the rise of China's middle class, the rise of environmental consciousness, and the role of gender in mediating perceptions of pollution and family health. We also consider the implications of these findings for the control and remediation of air pollution in China today.

Health Effects of Air Pollution in Urban Environment

2019 ◽  
pp. 96-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Banwari Dandotiya
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Environment Exposure

In the last few decades, urban development and growing industrialization has caused air pollution to become a major issue in urban areas of developing and developed countries. Urban area is more susceptible compare to other because of higher exposure time of urban residents, due to unbound interference of air pollutants in indoor environment. Exposure to air pollutants has been associated with increased mortality and hospital admissions due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This chapter focused on sources and health effects of air pollution in urban areas in India. Most of the urban areas of India are suffering from higher concentrations of air pollutants including gaseous and particulates.

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