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Bekbulat B, Agrawal P, Allen RW, Baum M, Boldbaatar B, Clark LP, Galsuren J, Hystad P, L’Orange C, Vakacherla S, Volckens J, Marshall JD. Application of an Ultra-Low-Cost Passive Sampler for Light-Absorbing Carbon in Mongolia. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:8977. [PMID: 37960676 PMCID: PMC10647794 DOI: 10.3390/s23218977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost, long-term measures of air pollution concentrations are often needed for epidemiological studies and policy analyses of household air pollution. The Washington passive sampler (WPS), an ultra-low-cost method for measuring the long-term average levels of light-absorbing carbon (LAC) air pollution, uses digital images to measure the changes in the reflectance of a passively exposed paper filter. A prior publication on WPS reported high precision and reproducibility. Here, we deployed three methods to each of 10 households in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: one PurpleAir for PM2.5; two ultrasonic personal aerosol samplers (UPAS) with quartz filters for the thermal-optical analysis of elemental carbon (EC); and two WPS for LAC. We compared multiple rounds of 4-week-average measurements. The analyses calibrating the LAC to the elemental carbon measurement suggest that 1 µg of EC/m3 corresponds to 62 PI/month (R2 = 0.83). The EC-LAC calibration curve indicates an accuracy (root-mean-square error) of 3.1 µg of EC/m3, or ~21% of the average elemental carbon concentration. The RMSE values observed here for the WPS are comparable to the reported accuracy levels for other methods, including reference methods. Based on the precision and accuracy results shown here, as well as the increased simplicity of deployment, the WPS may merit further consideration for studying air quality in homes that use solid fuels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bujin Bekbulat
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (B.B.); (L.P.C.)
| | - Pratyush Agrawal
- Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy, Bengaluru 560095, Karnataka, India; (P.A.); (S.V.)
| | - Ryan W. Allen
- Department of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada;
| | | | - Buyantushig Boldbaatar
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia; (B.B.); (J.G.)
| | - Lara P. Clark
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (B.B.); (L.P.C.)
| | - Jargalsaikhan Galsuren
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia; (B.B.); (J.G.)
| | - Perry Hystad
- Department of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Christian L’Orange
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (C.L.); (J.V.)
| | - Sreekanth Vakacherla
- Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy, Bengaluru 560095, Karnataka, India; (P.A.); (S.V.)
| | - John Volckens
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (C.L.); (J.V.)
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (B.B.); (L.P.C.)
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Alli AS, Clark SN, Wang J, Bennett J, Hughes AF, Ezzati M, Brauer M, Nimo J, Bedford-Moses J, Baah S, Cavanaugh A, Agyei-Mensah S, Owusu G, Baumgartner J, Arku RE. High-resolution patterns and inequalities in ambient fine particle mass (PM 2.5) and black carbon (BC) in the Greater Accra Metropolis, Ghana. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 875:162582. [PMID: 36870487 PMCID: PMC10131145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experience high levels of ambient air pollution. However, sparse long-term city-wide air pollution exposure data limits policy mitigation efforts and assessment of the health and climate effects. In the first study of its kind in West Africa, we developed high resolution spatiotemporal land use regression (LUR) models to map fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) concentrations in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), one of the fastest sprawling metropolises in SSA. We conducted a one-year measurement campaign covering 146 sites and combined these data with geospatial and meteorological predictors to develop separate Harmattan and non-Harmattan season PM2.5 and BC models at 100 m resolution. The final models were selected with a forward stepwise procedure and performance was evaluated with 10-fold cross-validation. Model predictions were overlayed with the most recent census data to estimate the population distribution of exposure and socioeconomic inequalities in exposure at the census enumeration area level. The fixed effects components of the models explained 48-69 % and 63-71 % of the variance in PM2.5 and BC concentrations, respectively. Spatial variables related to road traffic and vegetation explained the most variability in the non-Harmattan models, while temporal variables were dominant in the Harmattan models. The entire GAMA population is exposed to PM2.5 levels above the World Health Organization guideline, including even the Interim Target 3 (15 μg/m3), with the highest exposures in poorer neighborhoods. The models can be used to support air pollution mitigation policies, health, and climate impact assessments. The measurement and modelling approach used in this study can be adapted to other African cities to bridge the air pollution data gap in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abosede S Alli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - Sierra N Clark
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jiayuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - James Bennett
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Majid Ezzati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - James Nimo
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Solomon Baah
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Samuel Agyei-Mensah
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - George Owusu
- Institute of Statistical, Social & Economic Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Raphael E Arku
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA.
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3
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Kizhakke Puliyakote AS, Stapleton EM, Durairaj K, Karuppusamy K, Kathiresan GB, Shanmugam K, Abdul Rahim S, Navaneethakrishnan S, Bilas M, Huang R, Metwali N, Jeronimo M, Chan KS, Guo J, Nagpal P, Peters TM, Thorne PS, Comellas AP, Hoffman EA. Imaging-based assessment of lung function in a population cooking indoors with biomass fuel: a pilot study. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2023; 134:710-721. [PMID: 36759166 PMCID: PMC10027118 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00286.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomass fuels (wood) are commonly used indoors in underventilated environments for cooking in the developing world, but the impact on lung physiology is poorly understood. Quantitative computed tomography (qCT) can provide sensitive metrics to compare the lungs of women cooking with wood vs. liquified petroleum gas (LPG). We prospectively assessed (qCT and spirometry) 23 primary female cooks (18 biomass, 5 LPG) with no history of cardiopulmonary disease in Thanjavur, India. CT was obtained at coached total lung capacity (TLC) and residual volume (RV). qCT assessment included texture-derived ground glass opacity [GGO: Adaptive Multiple Feature Method (AMFM)], air-trapping (expiratory voxels ≤ -856HU) and image registration-based assessment [Disease Probability Measure (DPM)] of emphysema, functional small airways disease (%AirTrapDPM), and regional lung mechanics. In addition, within-kitchen exposure assessments included particulate matter <2.5 μm(PM2.5), black carbon, β-(1, 3)-d-glucan (surrogate for fungi), and endotoxin. Air-trapping went undetected at RV via the threshold-based measure (voxels ≤ -856HU), possibly due to density shifts in the presence of inflammation. However, DPM, utilizing image-matching, demonstrated significant air-trapping in biomass vs. LPG cooks (P = 0.049). A subset of biomass cooks (6/18), identified using k-means clustering, had markedly altered DPM-metrics: greater air-trapping (P < 0.001), lower TLC-RV volume change (P < 0.001), a lower mean anisotropic deformation index (ADI; P < 0.001), and elevated % GGO (P < 0.02). Across all subjects, a texture measure of bronchovascular bundles was correlated to the log-transformed β-(1, 3)-d-glucan concentration (P = 0.026, R = 0.46), and black carbon (P = 0.04, R = 0.44). This pilot study identified environmental links with qCT-based lung pathologies and a cluster of biomass cooks (33%) with significant small airways disease.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Quantitative computed tomography has identified a cluster of women (33%) cooking with biomass fuels (wood) with image-based markers of functional small airways disease and associated alterations in regional lung mechanics. Texture and image registration-based metrics of lung function may allow for early detection of potential inflammatory processes that may arise in response to inhaled biomass smoke, and help identify phenotypes of chronic lung disease prevalent in nonsmoking women in the developing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilash S Kizhakke Puliyakote
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Emma M Stapleton
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Kumar Durairaj
- Department of Physics, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, India
| | - Kesavan Karuppusamy
- Department of Physics, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, India
| | - Geetha B Kathiresan
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, India
| | - Kumaran Shanmugam
- Department of Biotechnology, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, India
| | | | | | - Monalisa Bilas
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Rui Huang
- School of Economics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Nervana Metwali
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Matthew Jeronimo
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kung-Sik Chan
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Junfeng Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Prashant Nagpal
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Thomas M Peters
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Peter S Thorne
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Alejandro P Comellas
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Eric A Hoffman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
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Wang Y, Shupler M, Birch A, Chu YL, Jeronimo M, Rangarajan S, Mustaha M, Heenan L, Seron P, Saavedra N, Oliveros MJ, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Camacho PA, Otero J, Perez-Mayorga M, Yeates K, West N, Ncube T, Ncube B, Chifamba J, Yusuf R, Khan A, Liu Z, Cheng X, Wei L, Tse LA, Mohan D, Kumar P, Gupta R, Mohan I, Jayachitra KG, Mony PK, Rammohan K, Nair S, Lakshmi PVM, Sagar V, Khawaja R, Iqbal R, Kazmi K, Yusuf S, Brauer M, Hystad P. Personal and household PM 2.5 and black carbon exposure measures and respiratory symptoms in 8 low- and middle-income countries. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113430. [PMID: 35526584 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Household air pollution (HAP) from cooking with solid fuels has been associated with adverse respiratory effects, but most studies use surveys of fuel use to define HAP exposure, rather than on actual air pollution exposure measurements. OBJECTIVE To examine associations between household and personal fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) measures and respiratory symptoms. METHODS As part of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology Air Pollution study, we analyzed 48-h household and personal PM2.5 and BC measurements for 870 individuals using different cooking fuels from 62 communities in 8 countries (Bangladesh, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe). Self-reported respiratory symptoms were collected after monitoring. Associations between PM2.5 and BC exposures and respiratory symptoms were examined using logistic regression models, controlling for individual, household, and community covariates. RESULTS The median (interquartile range) of household and personal PM2.5 was 73.5 (119.1) and 65.3 (91.5) μg/m3, and for household and personal BC was 3.4 (8.3) and 2.5 (4.9) x10-5 m-1, respectively. We observed associations between household PM2.5 and wheeze (OR: 1.25; 95%CI: 1.07, 1.46), cough (OR: 1.22; 95%CI: 1.06, 1.39), and sputum (OR: 1.26; 95%CI: 1.10, 1.44), as well as exposure to household BC and wheeze (OR: 1.20; 95%CI: 1.03, 1.39) and sputum (OR: 1.20; 95%CI: 1.05, 1.36), per IQR increase. We observed associations between personal PM2.5 and wheeze (OR: 1.23; 95%CI: 1.00, 1.50) and sputum (OR: 1.19; 95%CI: 1.00, 1.41). For household PM2.5 and BC, associations were generally stronger for females compared to males. Models using an indicator variable of solid versus clean fuels resulted in larger OR estimates with less precision. CONCLUSIONS We used measurements of household and personal air pollution for individuals using different cooking fuels and documented strong associations with respiratory symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Matthew Shupler
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron Birch
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yen Li Chu
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Matthew Jeronimo
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sumathy Rangarajan
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maha Mustaha
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura Heenan
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Paul A Camacho
- Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander (FOSCAL), Floridablanca, Colombia
| | - Johnna Otero
- Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander (FOSCAL), Floridablanca, Colombia
| | | | - Karen Yeates
- Pamoja Tunaweza Research Centre, Moshi, Tanzania; Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicola West
- Pamoja Tunaweza Research Centre, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Tatenda Ncube
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Brian Ncube
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Jephat Chifamba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Rita Yusuf
- School of Life Sciences, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Afreen Khan
- School of Life Sciences, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zhiguang Liu
- Beijing An Zhen Hospital of the Capital University of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Xiaoru Cheng
- Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Li Wei
- Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - L A Tse
- Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, China
| | - Deepa Mohan
- Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India
| | | | - Rajeev Gupta
- Eternal Heart Care Centre & Research Institute, Jaipur, India
| | - Indu Mohan
- Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, India
| | - K G Jayachitra
- St. John's Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Prem K Mony
- St. John's Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Kamala Rammohan
- Health Action By People, Government Medical College, Trivandrum, India
| | - Sanjeev Nair
- Health Action By People, Government Medical College, Trivandrum, India
| | - P V M Lakshmi
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Vivek Sagar
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rehman Khawaja
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Romaina Iqbal
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Khawar Kazmi
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Salim Yusuf
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Perry Hystad
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States.
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5
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Wang Y, Shupler M, Birch A, Chu YL, Jeronimo M, Rangarajan S, Mustaha M, Heenan L, Seron P, Lanas F, Salazar L, Saavedra N, Oliveros MJ, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Camacho PA, Otero J, Perez-Mayorga M, Yeates K, West N, Ncube T, Ncube B, Chifamba J, Yusuf R, Khan A, Liu Z, Bo H, Wei L, Tse LA, Mohan D, Kumar P, Gupta R, Mohan I, Jayachitra KG, Mony PK, Rammohan K, Nair S, Lakshmi PVM, Sagar V, Khawaja R, Iqbal R, Kazmi K, Yusuf S, Brauer M, Hystad P. Measuring and predicting personal and household Black Carbon levels from 88 communities in eight countries. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 818:151849. [PMID: 34822894 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Black Carbon (BC) is an important component of household air pollution (HAP) in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), but levels and drivers of exposure are poorly understood. As part of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study, we analyzed 48-hour BC measurements for 1187 individual and 2242 household samples from 88 communities in 8 LMICs (Bangladesh, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe). Light absorbance (10-5 m-1) of collected PM2.5 filters, a proxy for BC concentrations, was calculated via an image-based reflectance method. Surveys of household/personal characteristics and behaviors were collected after monitoring. The geometric mean (GM) of personal and household BC measures was 2.4 (3.3) and 3.5 (3.9)·10-5 m-1, respectively. The correlation between BC and PM2.5 was r = 0.76 for personal and r = 0.82 for household measures. A gradient of increasing BC concentrations was observed for cooking fuels: BC increased 53% (95%CI: 30, 79) for coal, 142% (95%CI: 117, 169) for wood, and 190% (95%CI: 149, 238) for other biomass, compared to gas. Each hour of cooking was associated with an increase in household (5%, 95%CI: 3, 7) and personal (5%, 95%CI: 2, 8) BC; having a window in the kitchen was associated with a decrease in household (-38%, 95%CI: -45, -30) and personal (-31%, 95%CI: -44, -15) BC; and cooking on a mud stove, compared to a clean stove, was associated with an increase in household (125%, 95%CI: 96, 160) and personal (117%, 95%CI: 71, 117) BC. Male participants only had slightly lower personal BC (-0.6%, 95%CI: -1, 0.0) compared to females. In multivariate models, we were able to explain 46-60% of household BC variation and 33-54% of personal BC variation. These data and models provide new information on exposure to BC in LMICs, which can be incorporated into future exposure assessments, health research, and policy surrounding HAP and BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Matthew Shupler
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron Birch
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yen Li Chu
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Matthew Jeronimo
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sumathy Rangarajan
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maha Mustaha
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura Heenan
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Paul A Camacho
- Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander (FOSCAL), Floridablanca, Colombia
| | - Johnna Otero
- Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander (FOSCAL), Floridablanca, Colombia
| | - Maritza Perez-Mayorga
- Facultad de Medicina Universidad Militar Nueva Granada and Clinica de Marly, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Karen Yeates
- Pamoja Tunaweza Research Centre, Moshi, Tanzania; Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicola West
- Pamoja Tunaweza Research Centre, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Tatenda Ncube
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Brian Ncube
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Jephat Chifamba
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Rita Yusuf
- School of Life Sciences, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Afreen Khan
- School of Life Sciences, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zhiguang Liu
- Beijing An Zhen Hospital of the Capital University of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Hu Bo
- Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - Li Wei
- Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China
| | - L A Tse
- Jockey Club School of Public health and Primary Care, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, China
| | - Deepa Mohan
- Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India
| | | | - Rajeev Gupta
- Eternal Heart Care Centre & Research Institute, Jaipur, India
| | - Indu Mohan
- Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, India
| | - K G Jayachitra
- St. John's Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Prem K Mony
- St. John's Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Kamala Rammohan
- Health Action By People, Government Medical College, Trivandrum, India
| | - Sanjeev Nair
- Health Action By People, Government Medical College, Trivandrum, India
| | - P V M Lakshmi
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Vivek Sagar
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rehman Khawaja
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Romaina Iqbal
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Khawar Kazmi
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Salim Yusuf
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Perry Hystad
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States.
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6
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Alli AS, Clark SN, Hughes A, Nimo J, Bedford-Moses J, Baah S, Wang J, Vallarino J, Agyemang E, Barratt B, Beddows A, Kelly F, Owusu G, Baumgartner J, Brauer M, Ezzati M, Agyei-Mensah S, Arku RE. Spatial-temporal patterns of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and black carbon (BC) pollution in Accra. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2021; 16:074013. [PMID: 34239599 PMCID: PMC8227509 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac074a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is rapidly urbanizing, and ambient air pollution has emerged as a major environmental health concern in growing cities. Yet, effective air quality management is hindered by limited data. We deployed robust, low-cost and low-power devices in a large-scale measurement campaign and characterized within-city variations in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) pollution in Accra, Ghana. Between April 2019 and June 2020, we measured weekly gravimetric (filter-based) and minute-by-minute PM2.5 concentrations at 146 unique locations, comprising of 10 fixed (∼1 year) and 136 rotating (7 day) sites covering a range of land-use and source influences. Filters were weighed for mass, and light absorbance (10-5m-1) of the filters was used as proxy for BC concentration. Year-long data at four fixed sites that were monitored in a previous study (2006-2007) were compared to assess changes in PM2.5 concentrations. The mean annual PM2.5 across the fixed sites ranged from 26 μg m-3 at a peri-urban site to 43 μg m-3 at a commercial, business, and industrial (CBI) site. CBI areas had the highest PM2.5 levels (mean: 37 μg m-3), followed by high-density residential neighborhoods (mean: 36 μg m-3), while peri-urban areas recorded the lowest (mean: 26 μg m-3). Both PM2.5 and BC levels were highest during the dry dusty Harmattan period (mean PM2.5: 89 μg m-3) compared to non-Harmattan season (mean PM2.5: 23 μg m-3). PM2.5 at all sites peaked at dawn and dusk, coinciding with morning and evening heavy traffic. We found about a 50% reduction (71 vs 37 μg m-3) in mean annual PM2.5 concentrations when compared to measurements in 2006-2007 in Accra. Ambient PM2.5 concentrations in Accra may have plateaued at levels lower than those seen in large Asian megacities. However, levels are still 2- to 4-fold higher than the WHO guideline. Effective and equitable policies are needed to reduce pollution levels and protect public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abosede S Alli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Sierra N Clark
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Allison Hughes
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - James Nimo
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Solomon Baah
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Jiayuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Jose Vallarino
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Ernest Agyemang
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Benjamin Barratt
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Beddows
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Kelly
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - George Owusu
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Majid Ezzati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Samuel Agyei-Mensah
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Raphael E Arku
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
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Shupler M, Hystad P, Birch A, Miller-Lionberg D, Jeronimo M, Arku RE, Chu YL, Mushtaha M, Heenan L, Rangarajan S, Seron P, Lanas F, Cazor F, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Camacho PA, Perez M, Yeates K, West N, Ncube T, Ncube B, Chifamba J, Yusuf R, Khan A, Hu B, Liu X, Wei L, Tse LA, Mohan D, Kumar P, Gupta R, Mohan I, Jayachitra KG, Mony PK, Rammohan K, Nair S, Lakshmi PVM, Sagar V, Khawaja R, Iqbal R, Kazmi K, Yusuf S, Brauer M. Household and personal air pollution exposure measurements from 120 communities in eight countries: results from the PURE-AIR study. Lancet Planet Health 2020; 4:e451-e462. [PMID: 33038319 PMCID: PMC7591267 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(20)30197-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 2·8 billion people are exposed to household air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels. Few monitoring studies have systematically measured health-damaging air pollutant (ie, fine particulate matter [PM2·5] and black carbon) concentrations from a wide range of cooking fuels across diverse populations. This multinational study aimed to assess the magnitude of kitchen concentrations and personal exposures to PM2·5 and black carbon in rural communities with a wide range of cooking environments. METHODS As part of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) cohort, the PURE-AIR study was done in 120 rural communities in eight countries (Bangladesh, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe). Data were collected from 2541 households and from 998 individuals (442 men and 556 women). Gravimetric (or filter-based) 48 h kitchen and personal PM2·5 measurements were collected. Light absorbance (10-5m-1) of the PM2·5 filters, a proxy for black carbon concentrations, was calculated via an image-based reflectance method. Surveys of household characteristics and cooking patterns were collected before and after the 48 h monitoring period. FINDINGS Monitoring of household air pollution for the PURE-AIR study was done from June, 2017, to September, 2019. A mean PM2·5 kitchen concentration gradient emerged across primary cooking fuels: gas (45 μg/m3 [95% CI 43-48]), electricity (53 μg/m3 [47-60]), coal (68 μg/m3 [61-77]), charcoal (92 μg/m3 [58-146]), agricultural or crop waste (106 μg/m3 [91-125]), wood (109 μg/m3 [102-118]), animal dung (224 μg/m3 [197-254]), and shrubs or grass (276 μg/m3 [223-342]). Among households cooking primarily with wood, average PM2·5 concentrations varied ten-fold (range: 40-380 μg/m3). Fuel stacking was prevalent (981 [39%] of 2541 households); using wood as a primary cooking fuel with clean secondary cooking fuels (eg, gas) was associated with 50% lower PM2·5 and black carbon concentrations than using only wood as a primary cooking fuel. Similar average PM2·5 personal exposures between women (67 μg/m3 [95% CI 62-72]) and men (62 [58-67]) were observed. Nearly equivalent average personal exposure to kitchen exposure ratios were observed for PM2·5 (0·79 [95% 0·71-0·88] for men and 0·82 [0·74-0·91] for women) and black carbon (0·64 [0·45-0·92] for men and 0·68 [0·46-1·02] for women). INTERPRETATION Using clean primary fuels substantially lowers kitchen PM2·5 concentrations. Importantly, average kitchen and personal PM2·5 measurements for all primary fuel types exceeded WHO's Interim Target-1 (35 μg/m3 annual average), highlighting the need for comprehensive pollution mitigation strategies. FUNDING Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Institutes of Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Shupler
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Public Health and Policy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Perry Hystad
- College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Aaron Birch
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Matthew Jeronimo
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Raphael E Arku
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Yen Li Chu
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Maha Mushtaha
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Laura Heenan
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Sumathy Rangarajan
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Karen Yeates
- Pamoja Tunaweza Research Centre, Moshi, Tanzania; Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Nicola West
- Pamoja Tunaweza Research Centre, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Tatenda Ncube
- Department of Physiology, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Brian Ncube
- Department of Physiology, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Jephat Chifamba
- Department of Physiology, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Rita Yusuf
- School of Life Sciences, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Afreen Khan
- School of Life Sciences, Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Bo Hu
- Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyun Liu
- Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wei
- Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lap Ah Tse
- Jockey Club School of Public health and Primary Care, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Deepa Mohan
- Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India
| | | | - Rajeev Gupta
- Eternal Heart Care Centre & Research Institute, Jaipur, India
| | - Indu Mohan
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Jaipur, India
| | - K G Jayachitra
- St John's Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Prem K Mony
- St John's Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Kamala Rammohan
- Health Action By People, Thiruvananthapuram and Medical College, Trivandrum, India
| | - Sanjeev Nair
- Health Action By People, Thiruvananthapuram and Medical College, Trivandrum, India
| | - P V M Lakshmi
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Vivek Sagar
- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rehman Khawaja
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Romaina Iqbal
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Khawar Kazmi
- Department of Community Health Science, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Salim Yusuf
- Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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8
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Stapleton EM, Kizhakke Puliyakote A, Metwali N, Jeronimo M, Thornell IM, Manges RB, Bilas M, Kamal Batcha MA, Kumaravel MS, Durairaj K, Karuppusamy K, Kathiresan G, Rahim SA, Shanmugam K, Thorne PS, Peters TM, Hoffman EA, Comellas AP. Lung function of primary cooks using LPG or biomass and the effect of particulate matter on airway epithelial barrier integrity. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 189:109888. [PMID: 32979995 PMCID: PMC7525042 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cooks exposed to biomass fuel experience increased risk of respiratory disease and mortality. We sought to characterize lung function and environmental exposures of primary cooking women using two fuel-types in southeastern India, as well as to investigate the effect of particulate matter (PM) from kitchens on human airway epithelial (HAE) cells in vitro. METHODS We assessed pre- and post-bronchodilator lung function on 25 primary female cooks using wood biomass or liquified petroleum gas (LPG), and quantified exposures from 34 kitchens (PM2.5, PM < 40 μm, black carbon, endotoxin, and PM metal and bacterial content). We then challenged HAE cells with PM, assessing its cytotoxicity to small-airway cells (A549) and its effect on: transepithelial conductance and macromolecule permeability (NuLi cells), and antimicrobial activity (using airway surface liquid, ASL, from primary HAE cells). RESULTS Lung function was impaired in cooks using both fuel-types. 60% of participants in both fuel-types had respiratory restriction (post bronchodilator FEV1/FVC>90). The remaining 40% in the LPG group had normal spirometry (post FEV1/FVC = 80-90), while only 10% of participants in the biomass group had normal spirometry, and the remaining biomass cooks (30%) had respiratory obstruction (post FEV1/FVC<80). Significant differences were found in environmental parameters, with biomass kitchens containing greater PM2.5, black carbon, zirconium, arsenic, iron, vanadium, and endotoxin concentrations. LPG kitchens tended to have more bacteria (p = 0.14), and LPG kitchen PM had greater sulphur concentrations (p = 0.02). In vitro, PM induced cytotoxicity in HAE A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner, however the effect was minimal and there were no differences between fuel-types. PM from homes of participants with a restrictive physiology increased electrical conductance of NuLi HAE cells (p = 0.06) and decreased macromolar permeability (p ≤ 0.05), while PM from homes of those with respiratory obstruction tended to increase electrical conductance (p = 0.20) and permeability (p = 0.07). PM from homes of participants with normal spirometry did not affect conductance or permeability. PM from all homes tended to inhibit antimicrobial activity of primary HAE cell airway surface liquid (p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS Biomass cooks had airway obstruction, and significantly greater concentrations of kitchen environmental contaminants than LPG kitchens. PM from homes of participants with respiratory restriction and obstruction altered airway cell barrier function, elucidating mechanisms potentially responsible for respiratory phenotypes observed in biomass cooks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Stapleton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | | | - Nervana Metwali
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | - Matthew Jeronimo
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T1Z3, Canada.
| | - Ian M Thornell
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | - Robert B Manges
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | - Monalisa Bilas
- Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | | | | | - Kumar Durairaj
- Centre for Research and Development, Ponnaiah Ramajayam Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Kesavan Karuppusamy
- Department of Physics, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Geetha Kathiresan
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Sirajunnisa Abdul Rahim
- Department of Chemistry, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Kumaran Shanmugam
- Department of Biotechnology, Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Peter S Thorne
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | - Thomas M Peters
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | - Eric A Hoffman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
| | - Alejandro P Comellas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.
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9
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Clark SN, Alli AS, Brauer M, Ezzati M, Baumgartner J, Toledano MB, Hughes AF, Nimo J, Bedford Moses J, Terkpertey S, Vallarino J, Agyei-Mensah S, Agyemang E, Nathvani R, Muller E, Bennett J, Wang J, Beddows A, Kelly F, Barratt B, Beevers S, Arku RE. High-resolution spatiotemporal measurement of air and environmental noise pollution in Sub-Saharan African cities: Pathways to Equitable Health Cities Study protocol for Accra, Ghana. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e035798. [PMID: 32819940 PMCID: PMC7440835 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Air and noise pollution are emerging environmental health hazards in African cities, with potentially complex spatial and temporal patterns. Limited local data are a barrier to the formulation and evaluation of policies to reduce air and noise pollution. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We designed a year-long measurement campaign to characterise air and noise pollution and their sources at high-resolution within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), Ghana. Our design uses a combination of fixed (year-long, n=10) and rotating (week-long, n =~130) sites, selected to represent a range of land uses and source influences (eg, background, road traffic, commercial, industrial and residential areas, and various neighbourhood socioeconomic classes). We will collect data on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx), weather variables, sound (noise level and audio) along with street-level time-lapse images. We deploy low-cost, low-power, lightweight monitoring devices that are robust, socially unobtrusive, and able to function in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) climate. We will use state-of-the-art methods, including spatial statistics, deep/machine learning, and processed-based emissions modelling, to capture highly resolved temporal and spatial variations in pollution levels across the GAMA and to identify their potential sources. This protocol can serve as a prototype for other SSA cities. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This environmental study was deemed exempt from full ethics review at Imperial College London and the University of Massachusetts Amherst; it was approved by the University of Ghana Ethics Committee (ECH 149/18-19). This protocol is designed to be implementable in SSA cities to map environmental pollution to inform urban planning decisions to reduce health harming exposures to air and noise pollution. It will be disseminated through local stakeholder engagement (public and private sectors), peer-reviewed publications, contribution to policy documents, media, and conference presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra N Clark
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Abosede S Alli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Majid Ezzati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mireille B Toledano
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - James Nimo
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | | | | | - Jose Vallarino
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Samuel Agyei-Mensah
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ernest Agyemang
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ricky Nathvani
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Emily Muller
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - James Bennett
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jiayuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andrew Beddows
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Frank Kelly
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Benjamin Barratt
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sean Beevers
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Raphael E Arku
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Clark LP, Sreekanth V, Bekbulat B, Baum M, Yang S, Baylon P, Gould TR, Larson TV, Seto EYW, Space CD, Marshall JD. Developing a Low-Cost Passive Method for Long-Term Average Levels of Light-Absorbing Carbon Air Pollution in Polluted Indoor Environments. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 20:E3417. [PMID: 32560462 PMCID: PMC7348734 DOI: 10.3390/s20123417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
We propose a low-cost passive method for monitoring long-term average levels of light-absorbing carbon air pollution in polluted indoor environments. Building on prior work, the method here estimates the change in reflectance of a passively exposed surface through analysis of digital images. To determine reproducibility and limits of detection, we tested low-cost passive samplers with exposure to kerosene smoke in the laboratory and to environmental pollution in 20 indoor locations. Preliminary results suggest robust reproducibility (r = 0.99) and limits of detection appropriate for longer-term (~1-3 months) monitoring in households that use solid fuels. The results here suggest high precision; further testing involving "gold standard" measurements is needed to investigate accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara P. Clark
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | - V. Sreekanth
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
- Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy, Bengaluru 560094, India
| | - Bujin Bekbulat
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | | | - Songlin Yang
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
- Astronaut Center of China, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Pao Baylon
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Timothy R. Gould
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | - Timothy V. Larson
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Edmund Y. W. Seto
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA;
| | - Chris D. Space
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (L.P.C.); (V.S.); (B.B.); (S.Y.); (T.R.G.); (T.V.L.); (C.D.S.)
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