Traffic noise and cardiovascular health in Sweden: The roadside study

Long-term exposure to traffic noise has been suggested to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, few studies have been performed in the general population and on railway noise. This study aimed to investigate the cardiovascular effects of living near noisy roads and railways. This cross-sectional study comprised 25,851 men and women, aged 18-80 years, who had resided in Sweden for at least 5 years. All subjects participated in a National Environmental Health Survey, performed in 2007, in which they reported on health, annoyance reactions and environmental factors. Questionnaire data on self-reported doctor′s diagnosis of hypertension and/or CVD were used as outcomes. Exposure was assessed as Traffic Load (millions of vehicle kilometres per year) within 500 m around each participant′s residential address. For a sub-population (n = 2498), we also assessed road traffic and railway noise in L den at the dwelling façade. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess Prevalence Odds Ratios (POR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). No statistically significant associations were found between Traffic Load and self-reported hypertension or CVD. In the sub-population, there was no association between road traffic noise and the outcomes; however, an increased risk of CVD was suggested among subjects exposed to railway noise ≥50 dB(A); POR 1.55 (95% CI 1.00-2.40). Neither Traffic Load nor road traffic noise was, in this study, associated with self-reported cardiovascular outcomes. However, there was a borderline-significant association between railway noise and CVD. The lack of association for road traffic may be due to methodological limitations

Risk of Air Pollution in Relation to Cancer in the Nordic Countries

Seventeen pollutants (particles, heavy metals, inorganic gasses and organic compounds) are for the first time analyzed in a screening of the carcinogenic risk at very high resolution and large scale in ambient air in the Nordic countries. Modelled 2010 annual mean air concentrations show no exceedances of the EU air quality values. The only exceedance of US-EPA 1:100,000 cancer risk concentrations occurs for the PAH BaP in Denmark. However, the EU target value threshold for BaP is not exceeded. No emission data for BaP are available for the other countries and important uncertainties are still related to the Danish emissions. Long-range transport is significant except for BaP that originates mostly from residential wood combustion. It is recommended to monitor the influence from residential wood combustion more extensively, and to analyze longer time trends for long-term human exposure

Emissions and exposure of carcinogens and co-carcinogens in Nordic countries

This project (KoL 12-08) was performed for the Climate and Air Quality Group (KlimaogLuftgruppen, KoL), Nordic Council of Ministers by atmospheric emission, exposureand epidemiology experts from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Emission inventory methods and exposure models were presented. A list of carcinogenic andco-carcinogenic pollutants (particles, heavy metals and organic compounds) emittedfrom energy production, industrial activities, road transport, navigation, agriculture, residential heating and product use was compiled. Pollutant emissions levels for 2010and trends for 1990 to 2010 were compiled and discussed, and modelled andmeasured atmospheric concentrations for 2010 were compiled on regional, urbanand local scales. Nordic maps of emissions and air concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NOx,NMVOC, benzene, BaP, dioxin, cadmium and nickel were compiled for allaggregated main sources, traffic and residential wood combustion. An overview of local studies on exposure for cities or communities with emphasis on wood combustion and traffic and a discussion of existing epidemiological studies on cancer and environment were given

An integrated assessment of the impacts of PM2.5 and black carbon particles on the air quality of a large Brazilian city

Data on airborne fine particle (PM2.5) emissions and concentrations in cities are valuable for traffic and air quality managers, urban planners, health practitioners, researchers, and ultimately for legislators and decision makers. Emissions and ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and black carbon (BC) were assessed in the city of Curitiba, southern Brazil. The methodology combined a month-long monitoring campaign with both fixed and mobile instruments, development of emission inventories, and dispersion model simulations on different scales. The mean urban background PM2.5 concentrations during the campaign were 7.3 mu g m(-3) in Curitiba city center, but three- to fourfold higher (25.3 mu g m(-3)) in a residential area on the city's outskirts, indicating the presence of local sources, possibly linked to biomass combustion. BC concentrations seemed to be more uniformly distributed over the city, with mean urban background concentrations around 2 mu g m(-3), half of which due to local traffic emissions. Higher mean BC concentrations (3-5 mu g m(-3)) were found along busy roads. The dispersion modeling also showed high PM2.5 and BC concentrations along the heavily transited ring road. However, the lack of in situ data over these peripheral areas prevented the verification of the model output. The vehicular emission factors for PM2.5 and BC from the literature were found not to be suitable for Curitiba's fleet and needed to be adjusted. The integrated approach of this study can be implemented in other cities, as long as an open data policy and a close cooperation among regional, municipal authorities and academia can be achieved