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Song W, Kwan MP, Huang J. Assessment of air pollution and air quality perception mismatch using mobility-based real-time exposure. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0294605. [PMID: 38412153 PMCID: PMC10898763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Air pollution poses a threat to human health. Public perceptions of air pollution are important for individual self-protection and policy-making. Given the uncertainty faced by residence-based exposure (RB) measurements, this study measures individuals' real-time mobility-based (MB) exposures and perceptions of air pollution by considering people's daily movement. It explores how contextual uncertainties may influence the disparities in perceived air quality by taking into account RB and MB environmental factors. In addition, we explore factors that are related to the mismatch between people's perceived air quality and actual air pollution exposure. Using K-means clustering to divide the PM2.5 values into two groups, a mismatch happens when the perceived air quality is poor but the air pollution level is lower than 15.536μg/m3 and when the perceived air quality is good but the air pollution level is higher than 15.608μg/m3. The results show that there is a mismatch between air pollution exposure and perception of air pollution. People with low income are exposed to higher air pollution. Unemployed people and people with more serious mental health symptoms (e.g., depression) have a higher chance of accurately assessing air pollution (e.g., perceiving air quality as poor when air pollution levels are high). Older people and those with a higher MB open space density tend to underestimate air pollution. Students tend to perceive air quality as good. People who are surrounded by higher MB transportation land-use density and green space density tend to perceive air quality as poor. The results can help policymakers to increase public awareness of high air pollution areas, and consider the health effects of landscapes during planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Song
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mei-Po Kwan
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
- Institute of Future Cities, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianwei Huang
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
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Zhu J, Lu C. Air Quality, Pollution Perception, and Residents' Health: Evidence from China. TOXICS 2023; 11:591. [PMID: 37505557 PMCID: PMC10383338 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Environmental and resident health issues associated with air pollution are an area of growing concern for both policy officials and the general public. In recent years, China has been accelerating the construction of a Beautiful China and a Healthy China, with the aim of protecting and improving the environment and ensuring public health. In this study, we aimed to explore the impact of air quality and air pollution perception on residents' health. This study used the 2017 Chinese General Social Survey data to measure self-rated health, mental health, and air pollution perception. Using matched socioeconomic indicators and air pollution data, we analyzed the relationship between subjective perception of air pollution, objective air pollution data, and residents' health. The results showed the following: (1) Air pollution perception has a significant negative impact on self-rated health and mental health. Thus, it needs more consideration to reduce environmental health risks. (2) Objective air pollution has a significant negative impact on mental health. At the same time, its effect on self-rated health was insignificant. These results provide empirical evidence supporting the Chinese government's decision to invest more in combating air pollution and ensuring the health of Chinese residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhu
- School of Humanities and Social Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
- School of Marxism, Wuxi Institute of Technology, Wuxi 214121, China
| | - Chuntian Lu
- School of Humanities and Social Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
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3
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Sekar A, Jasna RS, Binoy BV, Mohan P, Kuttiparichel Varghese G. Air quality change and public perception during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. GONDWANA RESEARCH : INTERNATIONAL GEOSCIENCE JOURNAL 2023; 114:15-29. [PMID: 35529076 PMCID: PMC9065608 DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2022.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This study aims at analyzing the change in air quality following the COVID-19 lockdown in India and its perception by the general public. Air quality data for 100 days recorded at 193 stations throughout India were analyzed between 25th March to 17th May 2020. A nationwide online survey was conducted to obtain public perceptions of air quality improvement (n = 1750). On average, approximately 40% improvement in the air quality index was observed, contributed by a reduction in 40% of PM10, 44% of PM2.5, 51% of NO2 and 21% of SO2. There was a significant difference between the levels of all the pollutants before and after the lockdown (p < 0.05), except ozone. The correlation between PM10 and PM2.5 with ozone was significant after the lockdown period, indicating that a significant portion of the particulates present in the atmosphere after the lockdown period is secondary. The values of PM2.5/PM10 were found to be >0.5 in North East states and this observation points to the long-distance transport of PM2.5 from other places. The survey for public perception showed that 60% of the respondents perceived improvement in air quality. Household emissions were perceived to be a significant source of pollution after the lockdown. An odds ratio (OR) of 17 (95%, CI: 6.42, 47.04) indicated a very high dependence of perception on actual air quality. OR between air quality and health improvement was 5.2 (95%, CI: 2.69, 10.01), indicating significant health improvement due to air quality improvement. Google Trends analysis showed that media did not influence shaping the perception. There was a significant improvement in the actual and perceived air quality in India after the COVID-19-induced lockdown. PM10 levels had the most decisive influence in shaping public perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abinaya Sekar
- Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Lab, National Institute of Technology Calicut, 673601, India
| | - R S Jasna
- Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Lab, National Institute of Technology Calicut, 673601, India
| | - B V Binoy
- Department of Architecture and Planning, National Institute of Technology Calicut, 673601, India
| | - Prem Mohan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Lab, National Institute of Technology Calicut, 673601, India
| | - George Kuttiparichel Varghese
- Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering Lab, National Institute of Technology Calicut, 673601, India
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Marquart H. Informing about the invisible: communicating en route air pollution and noise exposure to cyclists and pedestrians using focus groups. EUROPEAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH REVIEW 2022; 14:49. [PMID: 38625277 PMCID: PMC9643997 DOI: 10.1186/s12544-022-00571-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Active mobility and public transport are considered beneficial for health and wellbeing and valuable for climate change mitigation. However, cyclists and pedestrians have high air pollution and noise exposure alongside traffic, which adversely impact health and wellbeing. The measured exposure can differ from the perceived exposure, hence, communicating en route exposure is crucial. Therefore, this study investigates how to communicate route-based exposure to cyclists and pedestrians and explores if exposure communication, e.g. via smartphones, is worthwhile for healthy and pleasant commute. It is investigated how exposure feedback influences the motivation to protect oneself and how exposure information should be designed. Three focus groups with 20 cyclists/pedestrians living in Berlin, Germany, were conducted. Based on Protection Motivation Theory and Environmental Health Literacy concept, (1) experiences and practices after recognizing exposure were discussed and (2) information needs and communication strategies were developed. The results reveal a feeling of helplessness regarding the ubiquity and uncertainty of pollution and a heightened threat appraisal. Anger, anxiety and rejection were stated. Making sense of pollution levels and protective alternatives were central. A healthy routing app, including also pleasant route factors, was desired. However, information provision was also denied. Participants argued the responsibility should not be left to the commuters and planning for exposed road users would be crucial. Information provision may not be worthwhile if planning authorities do not provide healthy alternatives. People-centered approaches for tackling air pollution and noise exposure en route should be investigated further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Marquart
- Institute of Transport Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR) Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 7, 12489 Berlin, Germany
- Geography Department, Humboldt University Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
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Liu S, Ji Y, Li J, Peng Y, Li Z, Lai W, Feng T. Analysis of students' positive emotions around the green space in the university campus during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Front Public Health 2022; 10:888295. [PMID: 36016888 PMCID: PMC9395969 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.888295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Green space around the university campus is of paramount importance for emotional and psychological restorations in students. Positive emotions in students can be aroused when immersed in green space and naturalness. However, to what extent can perceived naturalness influence students' positive emotion remains unclear, especially in the context of COVID-19 countermeasures. This study, therefore, attempts to investigate in-depth the nature and strength of the relationships between students' positive emotion and their perceived naturalness, place attachment, and landscape preference, which are potentially varying across universities in different social and environmental contexts and different restrictions policies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. A course of questionnaire-based surveys was administered on two university campuses in Heilongjiang and Hunan Provinces, China, resulting in 474 effective samples. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the hypothetical conceptual framework of latent variables and the indicators. The findings indicate that the higher students' perceived naturalness results in greater positive emotion. Students' perceived naturalness in green spaces of campus has a positive effect on their place attachment and landscape preference. Moreover, the difference between mediate effects of place attachment and landscape preference were addressed, which verifies the contextual influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobo Liu
- The Department of Environmental Design, School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yifeng Ji
- The Department of Environmental Design, School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiang Li
- The Department of Environmental Design, School of Architecture and Art, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - You Peng
- Urban Planning and Transportation Research Group, Department of the Built Environment, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands,*Correspondence: You Peng
| | - Zhitao Li
- Smart Transport Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenbo Lai
- Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Feng
- Urban and Data Science Lab, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashi Hiroshima, Japan
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Lou B, Barbieri DM, Passavanti M, Hui C, Gupta A, Hoff I, Lessa DA, Sikka G, Chang K, Fang K, Lam L, Maharaj B, Ghasemi N, Qiao Y, Adomako S, Foroutan Mirhosseini A, Naik B, Banerjee A, Wang F, Tucker A, Liu Z, Wijayaratna K, Naseri S, Yu L, Chen H, Shu B, Goswami S, Peprah P, Hessami A, Abbas M, Agarwal N. Air pollution perception in ten countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. AMBIO 2022; 51:531-545. [PMID: 34155609 PMCID: PMC8216327 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01574-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
As largely documented in the literature, the stark restrictions enforced worldwide in 2020 to curb the COVID-19 pandemic also curtailed the production of air pollutants to some extent. This study investigates the perception of the air pollution as assessed by individuals located in ten countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa and the USA. The perceptions towards air quality were evaluated by employing an online survey administered in May 2020. Participants (N = 9394) in the ten countries expressed their opinions according to a Likert-scale response. A reduction in pollutant concentration was clearly perceived, albeit to a different extent, by all populations. The survey participants located in India and Italy perceived the largest drop in the air pollution concentration; conversely, the smallest variation was perceived among Chinese and Norwegian respondents. Among all the demographic indicators considered, only gender proved to be statistically significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baowen Lou
- School of Highway, Chang’an University, Nan Er Huan Road (Mid-section), Xi’an, 710064 Shaanxi China
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 7A, 7491 Trondheim, Trøndelag Norway
| | - Diego Maria Barbieri
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 7A, 7491 Trondheim, Trøndelag Norway
| | - Marco Passavanti
- Italian Society of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-Italy), Mannelli St. 139, 50132 Firenze, Toscana Italy
| | - Cang Hui
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
- Biodiversity Informatics Unit, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Town, 7945 South Africa
| | - Akshay Gupta
- Department of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering Group, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, 321-A&B, Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667 India
| | - Inge Hoff
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 7A, 7491 Trondheim, Trøndelag Norway
| | - Daniela Antunes Lessa
- Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Rua Nove, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35400-000 Brazil
| | - Gaurav Sikka
- Department of Geography, Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga, Bihar 846004 India
| | - Kevin Chang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Mailstop 1022, Moscow, ID 83844 USA
| | - Kevin Fang
- Department of Geography, Sonoma State University, Environment, and Planning, 1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 USA
| | - Louisa Lam
- School of Health, Federation University Australia, 72-100 Clyde Rd, Berwick, VIC 3806 Australia
| | - Brij Maharaj
- Department of Geography, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College City, Durban, 4000 KwaZulu South Africa
| | - Navid Ghasemi
- Department of Civil Chemical Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento, 2, 40136 Bologna, Emilia-Romagna Italy
| | - Yaning Qiao
- School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Daxue Road 1, Xuzhou, 22116 Jiangsu China
| | - Solomon Adomako
- Department of Engineering and Science, University of Agder, Jon Lilletuns vei 9, 4879 Grimstad, Agder Norway
| | - Ali Foroutan Mirhosseini
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 7A, 7491 Trondheim, Trøndelag Norway
| | - Bhaven Naik
- Department of Civil Engineering/Russ College of Engineering & Technology, Ohio University, 28 W. Green Drive, Athens, OH 45701 USA
| | - Arunabha Banerjee
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039 India
| | - Fusong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi road 122, Wuhan, 430070 Hubei China
| | - Andrew Tucker
- Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center, University of Connecticut, 270 Middle Turnpike, Unit 5202 Longley Building, Storrs, CT 06269 USA
| | - Zhuangzhuang Liu
- School of Highway, Chang’an University, Nan Er Huan Road (Mid-section), Xi’an, 710064 Shaanxi China
| | - Kasun Wijayaratna
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, 81, Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Sahra Naseri
- School of Medicine, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, 76615-336 Kerman, Iran
| | - Lei Yu
- School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Xingang Xi Road 135, Guangzhou, 510275 Guangdong China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 7A, 7491 Trondheim, Trøndelag Norway
| | - Benan Shu
- Foshan Transportation Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Kuiqi Second Road 18, Foshan, 528000 Guangdong China
| | - Shubham Goswami
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, C V Raman Avenue, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 India
| | - Prince Peprah
- Department of Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, John Goodsell Building, Kensington, Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Amir Hessami
- Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Texas A&M University – , Kingsville, 917 W. Ave B, Kingsville, TX 78363 USA
| | - Montasir Abbas
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 301-D3 Patton Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
| | - Nithin Agarwal
- Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering, University of Florida, 2100 NE Waldo Rd., Sta 106, Gainesville, FL 32609 USA
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Zhang J, Yang Y, Fu L, Jing D, Sun B, Chen Y, Chen J, Shen S. Short-term exposure of PM 2.5 and PM 10 increases the number of outpatients with eczema in Guangzhou: A time-series study. Front Public Health 2022; 10:930545. [PMID: 36895444 PMCID: PMC9989273 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.930545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The worldwide prevalence of eczema has continued to rise over the past decades. This has led to the emphasis on the association between air pollution and eczema. This study investigated the relationship between daily exposure to air pollution and the number of eczema outpatient visits in Guangzhou with the overarching goal of providing novel insights on the interventions for eczema aggravation and prevention. Methods Daily air pollution data, meteorological data, and the number of eczema outpatients were obtained from 18 January 2013 to 31 December 2018 in Guangzhou. A generalized additive model with Poisson distribution was used to assess the association between the number of eczema outpatient visits and short-term exposure to PM2.5 and PM10. In addition, the association of PM2.5 and PM10 by age (<65 years, ≥65 years) and gender was evaluated. Results A total of 293,343 eczema outpatient visits were recorded. The obtained results indicated that a 10 μg/m3 increase of the same day/lag 1 day/lag 2 days PM2.5 was associated with increments of 2.33%, 1.81%, and 0.95% in eczema outpatient risk, respectively. On the other hand, a 10 μg/m3 increase of PM10 was associated with eczema outpatients risk increments of 1.97%, 1.65%, and 0.98% respectively. Furthermore, the associations of PM on the increment of eczema were similar in the male and female groups. Results obtained after age stratified analyses indicated that the strongest positive association between PM2.5 exposure and eczema was observed at lag 0 day with the percent changes being 4.72% and 3.34% in <12 years old, ≥12 and <65 years old, and ≥65 years old groups, respectively. Conclusion Short-term exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 increases the number of eczema outpatients, especially among children and the elderly. The relationship between air quality trends and hospital resource arrangement should be paid attention to by hospital managers which may aid in disease prevention and lower the health burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Zhang
- Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yicheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Fu
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Plastic Surgery Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dian Jing
- Department of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Sun
- Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yilin Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junyi Chen
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuqun Shen
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Schaefer M, Ebrahimi Salari H, Köckler H, Thinh NX. Assessing local heat stress and air quality with the use of remote sensing and pedestrian perception in urban microclimate simulations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 794:148709. [PMID: 34323743 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cities are increasingly confronted with multiple environmental and climatic stressors. Especially during heatwaves, street canyons are both producers and sufferers of air pollution and urban heat island (UHI) effects, with severe risks on public health. To better design mitigation measures, it is important to consider both the microclimate behaviors as well as the perceptions of the local population. Therefore, this study examined pedestrian perceptions and microclimate modelings to understand outdoor thermal comfort conditions and air pollution dispersion in the case study neighborhood of Dortmund Marten, Germany. A field survey with measurement points at two street canyons for climatic variables and questionnaires on subjective thermal comfort and air pollution was conducted on a hot day during the heatwave period in August 2020. As a cost-effective method for modeling input generation, we extracted spatial and spectral data like albedo, roof materials and tree locations out of remote sensing imageries. Finally, we compared the modeling results of the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) index, particulate matter concentrations and air temperatures with empirical field measurement data and the questionnaire responses. Results indicate that during hot summer days with light winds from the east, the north-south orientated street canyon with tree arrangements tends to act as a tunnel for particulate matter accumulation. Coincidently, pedestrians show less thermal discomfort than calculated PET values in that particular area during morning and daytime, which underlines the dichotomy of such places. On the other hand, the low rise east-west orientated street canyon shows higher PET votes than predicted by the model. However, particulate matter concentrations were considerably underestimated by the model, while air temperature predictions provided meaningful results. The proposed workflow shows the potential to accelerate future preparations of input data for microclimate modelings, while the results can enhance wind-sensitive planning procedures and heat stress resilience in mid-latitude urban neighborhoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Schaefer
- Research Group of Spatial Information Management and Modelling (RIM), TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Haniyeh Ebrahimi Salari
- Research Group of Spatial Information Management and Modelling (RIM), TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Heike Köckler
- Department of Community Health, Hochschule für Gesundheit (University of Applied Science), 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Nguyen Xuan Thinh
- Research Group of Spatial Information Management and Modelling (RIM), TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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Kim U, Lee J, He SY. Pedestrianization Impacts on Air Quality Perceptions and Environment Satisfaction: The Case of Regenerated Streets in Downtown Seoul. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:10225. [PMID: 34639525 PMCID: PMC8507743 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have investigated the increased volume of pedestrians to establish success rates of the pedestrian-friendly policy after a street redesign intervention. However, few studies have focused on the effect of street regeneration on air quality perception and user satisfaction. The influence of the physical environment on street vitality may vary, depending on area context and regional factors. A comprehensive understanding of effective interventions could increase pedestrians' satisfaction with their walking environment. This study examines the effect of pedestrianization on individuals' air quality perception and satisfaction, based on three regenerated streets in Seoul, Korea. We analyzed data from 672 questionnaires administered after the pedestrianization project. We used a subset of variables in a binary logistic regression model to understand general determinants of user satisfaction toward their walking environment. Our case study contributes to the verification of pedestrianization effects on air quality perceptions. Results show that overall satisfaction could be acquired through positive perceptions of air quality, as achieved through pedestrianization of streets. Moreover, pedestrian satisfaction varies according to the purpose, activities and health-related behaviors and attitudes. The interrelationships between environmental health, activity, satisfaction and quality of life provide design insights to consider when implementing pedestrianization projects in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- UnHyo Kim
- Department of Urban Design and Studies, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea;
| | - Jeongwoo Lee
- Department of Urban Design and Studies, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea;
| | - Sylvia Y. He
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China;
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Machado M, Santos JM, Frere S, Chagnon P, Reisen VA, Bondon P, Ispány M, Mavroidis I, Reis NC. Deconstruction of annoyance due to air pollution by multiple correspondence analyses. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:47904-47920. [PMID: 33893918 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13958-8] [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: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Annoyance caused by air pollution is a matter of public health as it can cause stress and ill-health and affect quality of life, among other burdens. The aim of this study is to apply the multiple correspondence analyses (MCA) technique as a differential tooling to explore relationships between variables that can influence peoples' behaviour concerning annoyance caused by air pollution. Data were collected through a survey on air pollution, environmental issues and quality of life. Face-to-face survey studies were conducted in two industrialized urban areas (Vitoria in Brazil and Dunkirk in France). These two regions were chosen as their inhabitants often report feeling annoyed by air pollution, and both regions have similar industrial characteristics. The results showed a progressive correspondence between levels of annoyance and other active variables in the "air pollution" factor group: as the levels of annoyance increased, the levels of the other qualitative variables (importance of air quality, perceived exposure to industrial risk, assessment of air quality, perceived air pollution) also increased. Respondents who reported feeling annoyed by air pollution also thought that air quality was very important and were very concerned about exposure to industrial risks. Furthermore, they often assessed air quality as horrible, and they could frequently perceive air pollution by dust, odours and decreased visibility. The results also showed a statistically significant association between occurrence of allergies and high levels of annoyance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Machado
- Instituto Federal de Ciência e Tecnologia do Espírito Santo, Guarapari, Brazil.
| | - Jane Meri Santos
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitoria, Brazil
| | - Severine Frere
- Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Maison de la Recherche em Science de l´Homme, Dunkerque, France
| | - Phillipe Chagnon
- Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Maison de la Recherche em Science de l´Homme, Dunkerque, France
| | | | - Pascal Bondon
- Laboratoire des Signaux et Systems, CNRS-Centrale Supélec-Université Paris-Sud, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | | | - Ilias Mavroidis
- School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, Patra, Greece
| | - Neyval Costa Reis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitoria, Brazil
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Schlink U, Ueberham M. Perspectives of individual-worn sensors assessing personal environmental exposure. ENGINEERING (BEIJING, CHINA) 2020; 7:S2095-8099(20)30294-0. [PMID: 33106761 PMCID: PMC7577893 DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2020.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Schlink
- Department of Urban and Environmental Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maximilian Ueberham
- Department of Urban and Environmental Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
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Risk Perception of Air Pollution: A Systematic Review Focused on Particulate Matter Exposure. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17176424. [PMID: 32899325 PMCID: PMC7504632 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The adverse health effects of exposure to air pollutants, notably to particulate matter (PM), are well-known, as well as the association with measured or estimated concentration levels. The role of perception can be relevant in exploring effects and pollution control actions. The purpose of this study was to explore studies that analyse people’s perception, together with the measurement of air pollution, in order to elucidate the relationship between them. We conducted a systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In March 2020, PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were explored in an attempt to search for studies published from 2000 to 2020. The review included 38 studies, most of which were conducted in China (n = 13) and the United States (n = 11) and published over the last four years (n = 26). Three studies were multicenter investigations, while five articles were based on a national-level survey. The air quality (AQ) was assessed by monitoring stations (n = 24) or dispersion models (n = 7). Many studies were population questionnaire-based, air monitoring and time-series studies, and web-based investigations. A direct association between exposure and perception emerged in 20 studies. This systematic review has shown that most of the studies establish a relationship between risk perception measurement. A broad spectrum of concepts and notions related to perception also emerged, which is undoubtedly an indicator of the wealth of available knowledge and is promising for future research.
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Barbieri DM, Lou B, Passavanti M, Hui C, Lessa DA, Maharaj B, Banerjee A, Wang F, Chang K, Naik B, Yu L, Liu Z, Sikka G, Tucker A, Mirhosseini AF, Naseri S, Qiao Y, Gupta A, Abbas M, Fang K, Ghasemi N, Peprah P, Goswami S, Hessami A, Agarwal N, Lam L, Adomako S. Survey data regarding perceived air quality in Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa, United States before and during Covid-19 restrictions. Data Brief 2020; 32:106169. [PMID: 32835042 PMCID: PMC7425542 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The dataset deals with the air quality perceived by citizens before and during the enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions in ten countries around the world: Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa and the United States. An online survey conveniently translated into Chinese, English, Italian, Norwegian, Persian, Portuguese collected information regarding the perceived quality of air pollution according to a Likert scale. The questionnaire was distributed between 11-05-2020 and 31-05-2020 and 9 394 respondents took part. Both the survey and the dataset (stored in a Microsoft Excel Worksheet) are available in a public repository. The collected data offer the people's subjective perspectives related to the objective improvement in air quality occurred during the COVID-19 restrictions. Furthermore, the dataset can be used for research studies involving the reduction in air pollution as experienced, to a different extent, by populations of all the ten countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Maria Barbieri
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Høgskoleringen 7A, Trondheim, 7491, Trøndelag, Norway
| | - Baowen Lou
- Chang'an University, School of Highway, Nan Er Huan Road (Mid-section), Xi'an, 710064, Shaanxi, China
| | - Marco Passavanti
- Italian Society of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-Italy), Guastalla St. 2, Carpi 4012, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
| | - Cang Hui
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Daniela Antunes Lessa
- Federal University of Ouro Preto, Department of Civil Engineering. Rua Nove, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, 35400-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Brij Maharaj
- University of KwaZulu-Natal, Department of Geography. Howard College City, Durban, 4000, KwaZulu, South Africa
| | - Arunabha Banerjee
- Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Department of Civil Engineering. IIT Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Fusong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, Wuhan University of Technology. Luoshi road 122, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Kevin Chang
- University of Idaho, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. 875 Perimeter Drive, Mailstop 1022, Moscow, 83844, Idaho, United States
| | - Bhaven Naik
- Ohio University, Department of Civil Engineering/Russ College of Engineering & Technology. 28 W. Green Drive, Athens, 45701, Ohio, United States
| | - Lei Yu
- Sun Yat-sen University, School of Civil Engineering. Xingang Xi Road 135, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhuangzhuang Liu
- Chang'an University, School of Highway. Nan Er Huan Road (Mid-section), Xi'an, 710064, Shaanxi, China
| | - Gaurav Sikka
- Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Department of Geography. Darbhanga, 846004, Bihar, India
| | - Andrew Tucker
- University of Connecticut, Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center. 270 Middle Turnpike, Unit 5202 Longley Building, Storrs, 06269, Connecticut, United States
| | - Ali Foroutan Mirhosseini
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Høgskoleringen 7A, Trondheim, 7491, Trøndelag, Norway
| | - Sahra Naseri
- Bam University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine. Bam, 76615-336, Kerman, Iran
| | - Yaning Qiao
- China University of Mining and Technology, School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering. Daxue Road 1, Xuzhou, 22116, Jiangsu, China
| | - Akshay Gupta
- Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Department of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering Group, 321-A&B, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Montasir Abbas
- Virginia Tech, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. 301-D3 Patton Hall, Blacksburg, 24061, Virginia, United States
| | - Kevin Fang
- Sonoma State University, Department of Geography, Environment, and Planning, 1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, 94928, California, United States
| | - Navid Ghasemi
- University of Bologna, Department of Civil Chemical Environmental and Materials Engineering. Viale del Risorgimento, 2, Bologna, 40136, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
| | - Prince Peprah
- University of New South Wales, Department of Social Policy Research Centre, John Goodsell Building, Kensington, Sydney, 2052, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shubham Goswami
- Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Department of Civil Engineering, C V Raman Avenue, Bangalore, 560012, Karnataka, India
| | - Amir Hessami
- Texas A&M University - Kingsville, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, 917 W. Ave B, Kingsville, 78363, Texas, United States
| | - Nithin Agarwal
- University of Florida, Department of Civil & Coastal Engineering, 2100 NE Waldo Rd., Sta 106, Gainesville, 32609, Florida, United States
| | - Louisa Lam
- Federation University Australia, School of Nursing and Healthcare Professions, 72-100 Clyde Rd, Berwick, 3806, Victoria, Australia
| | - Solomon Adomako
- University of Agder, Department of Engineering and Science, Jon Lilletuns vei 9, Grimstad, 4879, Agder, Norway
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Pu S, Shao Z, Fang M, Yang L, Liu R, Bi J, Ma Z. Spatial distribution of the public's risk perception for air pollution: A nationwide study in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 655:454-462. [PMID: 30472647 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Severe air pollution problems have led to a rise in the Chinese public's concern. Risk perception is one of the most important indicators of the public's concern about air pollution. However, there existed few studies exploring the spatial distribution of risk perception. To fill the gap, psychometric paradigm methods was adopted to assess the public's risk perception of air pollution. A nationwide empirical study was conducted from December 2016 to February 2017 and 10,653 completed questionnaires were collected. According to a series of screening strategies, 9744 qualified questionnaires were included as a sample, which covered 31 China provinces (Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan were not included in this study). We found that 45% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the current air quality, many respondents concerned a lot about air pollution (76%) and worried about the harmful consequences of being exposed to air pollution (86%). There was significant difference in the public's risk perception and attitude toward air pollution among different regions: the respondents in the northeast region, northern coastal region, eastern coastal region and Middle Yellow river region perceived higher air pollution risk and lower satisfaction with air quality than other regions; and the public's trust in the government increased from coastal regions to inland regions. In addition, the hierarchical linear model (HLM) was used to explore the effects of demographic, environmental and economic factors on public risk perception and attitude toward air pollution. Based on this, the characteristics of sensitive populations regarding air pollution were identified. What's more, we found that PM2.5 has a positive influence on perceived risk factor (PR) and can strengthen the positive correlation between PR and satisfaction with air quality (SAQ). Finally, policy implications behind these results were discussed, which can provide references and lay the foundation for policymakers and subsequent researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Pu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Zhijuan Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Minrui Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Riyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Jun Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Zongwei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
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15
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Cyclists’ Multiple Environmental Urban Exposures—Comparing Subjective and Objective Measurements. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11051412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Citizens in urban areas are exposed to multiple environmental stressors like noise, heat, and air pollution, with impact on human health. There is a great deal of evidence that connects human health, objective environmental exposure, and place of residence. However, little is known about subjective and objective multiple personal exposures while being mobile. To address this research gap, this paper presents results from a mixed-methods exploratory study with cyclists in the City of Leipzig, Germany. In the summer of 2017, cyclists (n = 66) wore a unique combination of sensors that measured particle number counts (PNC), noise, humidity, temperature, geolocation, and the subjective perception of each exposure on everyday routes for one week (n = 730). A smartphone application was developed to question participants about their perception of subjective exposure. The data were analyzed with three aims: (i) to compare the multiple exposure profiles of the cyclists, (ii) to contrast the objective data and subjective individual perception, and (iii) to examine the role of route decision-making and awareness of health impacts for healthier route choices. The results indicate distinct differences between the exposure profiles of cyclists. Over 80% of the cyclists underestimated their exposure to noise and air pollution. Except for heat, no significant associations between the objective and subjective data were found. This reveals an exposure awareness gap that needs to be considered in urban health planning and risk communication. It is argued that knowledge about health impacts and route characteristics plays a crucial role in decision-making about route choices. The paper concludes with suggestions to harness smart sensing for exposure mitigation and research in health geography.
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Pantavou K, Psiloglou B, Lykoudis S, Mavrakis A, Nikolopoulos GK. Perceived air quality and particulate matter pollution based on field survey data during a winter period. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2018; 62:2139-2150. [PMID: 30361891 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-018-1614-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Outdoor air pollution and especially particulate matter pollution is a major environmental health issue that raises concerns of scientists and policy makers. This study focuses on air quality perception in relation to particulate matter in order to find potential patterns. Field questionnaire-based surveys were conducted among pedestrians on two central sites in the city of Athens, Greece, during the winter period while particulate matter of 10 μm or less in diameter (PM10) were concurrently measured on-site at 1-min resolution. The participants were asked to evaluate the dust and the overall pollution-related air quality based on 5-point bipolar scales. Air quality perception patterns were explored considering PM10 concentration, meteorological and thermal conditions, and subjective variables including gender, age, smoking status, and health status. An effect of PM10 on dust perception was identified, suggesting that dusty air quality conditions are reported more frequently when particulate concentration increases. Health status, exposure time, smoking status, and gender were found to affect air quality perception. Participants experiencing health symptoms, exposed to outdoor conditions for more than 30 min, smokers, and females were more likely to report unfavorable air quality conditions. The comparison with the results of a previous study obtained using air pollution station data confirmed the dependence of air quality perception on participants' characteristics and particularly on their health status. Ordinal logistic regression models showed that for pedestrians who were neither smokers nor experiencing health symptoms and were exposed to outdoor conditions for more than 30 min, a PM10 concentration around 64 μg·m-3 could be a threshold, to perceive dusty air quality conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Pantavou
- Department of Environmental Physics and Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, Building Physics 5, 15784, Athens, Greece.
- Medical School, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box: 20537, 2029, Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.
| | - Basil Psiloglou
- National Observatory of Athens, Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, I. Metaxa and V. Pavlou, P. Penteli, 15236, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Anastasios Mavrakis
- Environmental Education Coordinator, Secondary Education Directorate of West Attica, Greek Ministry of Education, I. Dragoumi 24 str., 19200, Eleusis-Attica, Greece
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17
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Huang L, Rao C, van der Kuijp TJ, Bi J, Liu Y. A comparison of individual exposure, perception, and acceptable levels of PM 2.5 with air pollution policy objectives in China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 157:78-86. [PMID: 28525860 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric pollution has emerged as a major public health issue in China. Public perception and acceptable risk levels of air pollution can prompt individual behavioral changes and play a major role in the public's response to health risks. Therefore, to explore these responses and evaluate what constitutes publicly acceptable concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), questionnaire surveys were conducted in three representative cities of China: Beijing, Nanjing, and Guangzhou. Great differences in public risk perception were revealed. Public perception of the health effects of air pollution (Effect) and familiarity with it (Familiarity) were significantly higher in the winter than in the summer, and also during severe haze days compared with typical days. The public perception of trust in the government (Trust) was consistent across all conditions. Exposure to severe haze pollution and experiencing harms from it were key factors influencing public willingness to respond to haze. These results reflected individual exposure levels correlating closely with risk perception and acceptance of PM2.5. However, a crucial gap exists between public acceptable risk levels (PARL) of air pollution and the policy objectives of the State Council's Action Plan. Thus, policymakers can utilize this study to develop more targeted measures to combat air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Xianlin Campus, Box 624, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China; Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, P.O. Box 1000, 61 Rt. 9W. Palisades, NY 10964, USA.
| | - Chao Rao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Xianlin Campus, Box 624, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China
| | | | - Jun Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Xianlin Campus, Box 624, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Pantavou K, Lykoudis S, Psiloglou B. Air quality perception of pedestrians in an urban outdoor Mediterranean environment: A field survey approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 574:663-670. [PMID: 27662493 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2016] [Revised: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Perception plays a significant role on people's response to preventive measures. In the view of public awareness, the aim of this study was to explore factors that affect air quality perception and to reveal its potential patterns. Air quality perception of individuals, in terms of dust and overall air quality, was examined in relation to air pollutants concentrations, meteorological variables, personal characteristics as well as their thermal sensation and health condition. The data used were obtained from environmental measurements, in situ and from stations, and questionnaire surveys conducted in an outdoor urban Mediterranean area, Athens, Greece. The participants were asked to report their air quality perception and thermal sensation based on predefined scales. A thermal index, Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET), was estimated to obtain an objective measure of thermal sensation. Particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen oxide (NO) were associated with dust perception. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) were associated to air quality perception. Age, area of residence, health symptoms and thermal sensation also affected the perception of air quality. Dusty or poor air quality conditions were more likely to be reported when pollutants' concentrations were increased. Younger people, participants residing in the city center, experiencing health symptoms or warm thermal sensation showed a trend towards reporting more unfavorable air quality conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Pantavou
- Department of Environmental Physics and Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, University of Athens, University Campus, Zografou, Building Physics 5, 157 84, Athens, Greece.
| | - Spyridon Lykoudis
- National Observatory of Athens, Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, I. Metaxa and V. Pavlou, P. Penteli, 152 36, Athens, Greece.
| | - Basil Psiloglou
- National Observatory of Athens, Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, I. Metaxa and V. Pavlou, P. Penteli, 152 36, Athens, Greece.
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Pearlmutter D, Jiao D, Garb Y. The relationship between bioclimatic thermal stress and subjective thermal sensation in pedestrian spaces. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2014; 58:2111-27. [PMID: 24648148 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-014-0812-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Revised: 12/03/2013] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Outdoor thermal comfort has important implications for urban planning and energy consumption in the built environment. To better understand the relation of subjective thermal experience to bioclimatic thermal stress in such contexts, this study compares micrometeorological and perceptual data from urban spaces in the hot-arid Negev region of Israel. Pedestrians reported on their thermal sensation in these spaces, whereas radiation and convection-related data were used to compute the Index of Thermal Stress (ITS) and physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The former is a straightforward characterization of energy exchanges between the human body and its surroundings, without any conversion to an "equivalent temperature." Although the relation of ITS to subjective thermal sensation has been analyzed in the past under controlled indoor conditions, this paper offers the first analysis of this relation in an outdoor setting. ITS alone can account for nearly 60 % of the variance in pedestrians' thermal sensation under outdoor conditions, somewhat more than PET. A series of regressions with individual contextual variables and ITS identified those factors which accounted for additional variance in thermal sensation, whereas multivariate analyses indicated the considerable predictive power (R-square = 0.74) of models including multiple contextual variables in addition to ITS. Our findings indicate that pedestrians experiencing variable outdoor conditions have a greater tolerance for incremental changes in thermal stress than has been shown previously under controlled indoor conditions, with a tapering of responses at high values of ITS. However, the thresholds of ITS corresponding to thermal "neutrality" and thermal "acceptability" are quite consistent regardless of context.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pearlmutter
- Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel,
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20
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Pantavou K, Chatzi E, Theoharatos G. Case study of skin temperature and thermal perception in a hot outdoor environment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2014; 58:1163-1173. [PMID: 23917485 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-013-0708-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2012] [Revised: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Focusing on the understanding and the estimation of the biometeorological conditions during summer in outdoor places, a field study was conducted in July 2010 in Athens, Greece over 6 days at three different sites: Syntagma Square, Ermou Street and Flisvos coast. Thermo-physiological measurements of five subjects were carried out from morning to evening for each site, simultaneously with meteorological measurements and subjective assessments of thermal sensation reported by questionnaires. The thermo-physiological variables measured were skin temperature, heat flux and metabolic heat production, while meteorological measurements included air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, globe temperature, ground surface temperature and global radiation. The possible relation of skin temperature with the meteorological parameters was examined. Theoretical values of mean skin temperature and mean radiant temperature were estimated applying the MENEX model and were compared with the measured values. Two biometeorological indices, thermal sensation (TS) and heat load (HL)-were calculated in order to compare the predicted thermal sensation with the actual thermal vote. The theoretically estimated values of skin temperature were underestimated in relation to the measured values, while the theoretical model of mean radiant temperature was more sensitive to variations of solar radiation compared to the experimental values. TS index underestimated the thermal sensation of the five subjects when their thermal vote was 'hot' or 'very hot' and overestimated thermal sensation in the case of 'neutral'. The HL index predicted with greater accuracy thermal sensation tending to overestimate the thermal sensation of the subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Pantavou
- Department of Environmental Physics and Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, University of Athens, University Campus-Zografou, Building Physics 5, 157 84, Athens, Greece,
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21
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Brand S, Petri M, Haas P, Krettek C, Haasper C. Hybrid and electric low-noise cars cause an increase in traffic accidents involving vulnerable road users in urban areas. Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot 2013; 20:339-41. [DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2012.733714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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