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Orru H, Olstrup H, Kukkonen J, López-Aparicio S, Segersson D, Geels C, Tamm T, Riikonen K, Maragkidou A, Sigsgaard T, Brandt J, Grythe H, Forsberg B. Health impacts of PM 2.5 originating from residential wood combustion in four nordic cities. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1286. [PMID: 35787793 PMCID: PMC9252027 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13622-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Residential wood combustion (RWC) is one of the largest sources of fine particles (PM2.5) in the Nordic cities. The current study aims to calculate the related health effects in four studied city areas in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Denmark. Methods Health impact assessment (HIA) was employed as the methodology to quantify the health burden. Firstly, the RWC induced annual average PM2.5 concentrations from local sources were estimated with air pollution dispersion modelling. Secondly, the baseline mortality rates were retrieved from the national health registers. Thirdly, the concentration-response function from a previous epidemiological study was applied. For the health impact calculations, the WHO-developed tool AirQ + was used. Results Amongst the studied city areas, the local RWC induced PM2.5 concentration was lowest in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (population-weighted annual average concentration 0.46 µg m− 3) and highest in Oslo (2.77 µg m− 3). Each year, particulate matter attributed to RWC caused around 19 premature deaths in Umeå (95% CI: 8–29), 85 in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (95% CI: 35–129), 78 in Copenhagen (95% CI: 33–118), and 232 premature deaths in Oslo (95% CI: 97–346). The average loss of life years per premature death case was approximately ten years; however, in the whole population, this reflects on average a decrease in life expectancy by 0.25 (0.10–0.36) years. In terms of the relative contributions in cities, life expectancy will be decreased by 0.10 (95% CI: 0.05–0.16), 0.18 (95% CI: 0.07–0.28), 0.22 (95% CI: 0.09–0.33) and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.26–0.96) years in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Umeå, Copenhagen and Oslo respectively. The number of years of life lost was lowest in Umeå (172, 95% CI: 71–260) and highest in Oslo (2458, 95% CI: 1033–3669). Conclusions All four Nordic city areas have a substantial amount of domestic heating, and RWC is one of the most significant sources of PM2.5. This implicates a substantial predicted impact on public health in terms of premature mortality. Thus, several public health measures are needed to reduce the RWC emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Orru
- Umeå University, Sustainable Health, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden. .,University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
| | | | - Jaakko Kukkonen
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, Erik Palménin aukio 1, 00101, Helsinki, Finland.,Centre for Atmospheric and Climate Physics Research, and Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Hertfordshire; College Lane, AL10 9AB, Hatfield, UK
| | - Susana López-Aparicio
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Instituttveien 18, P.O. Box 100, 2027, Kjeller, Norway
| | - David Segersson
- Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, SE-60176, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Camilla Geels
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Tanel Tamm
- University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kari Riikonen
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, Erik Palménin aukio 1, 00101, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Androniki Maragkidou
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, Erik Palménin aukio 1, 00101, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Torben Sigsgaard
- Department of Public Health , Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Brandt
- Umeå University, Sustainable Health, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.,iClimate - interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Henrik Grythe
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Instituttveien 18, P.O. Box 100, 2027, Kjeller, Norway
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Abstract
Modeling systems for analyzing the consequences of chemical emergencies require as input values a number of physico-chemical substance properties, commonly as a function of temperature at atmospheric pressure. This paper presents a mathematical model "CHEMIC", which can be used for evaluating such substance properties, assuming that six basic constant quantities are available (molecular weight, freezing or melting point, normal boiling point, critical temperature, critical pressure and critical volume). The model has been designed to yield reasonably accurate numerical predictions, while at the same time keeping the amount of input data to a minimum. The model is based on molecular theory or thermodynamics, together with empirical corrections. Mostly, model equations are based on the so-called law of corresponding states. The model evaluates substance properties as a function of temperature at atmospheric pressure. These include seven properties commonly required by consequence analysis and heavy gas dispersion modeling systems: vapor pressure, vapor and liquid densities, heat of vaporization, vapor and liquid viscosities and binary diffusion coefficient. The model predictions for vapor pressure, vapor and liquid densities and heat of vaporization have been evaluated by using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. We have also compared the predictions of the CHEMIC model with those of the DATABANK database (developed by the AEA Technology, UK), which includes detailed semi-empirical correlations. The computer program CHEMIC could be easily introduced into consequence analysis modeling systems in order to extend their performance to address a wider selection of substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Nikmo
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Air Quality Research, Sahaajankatu 20 E, FIN 00810 Helsinki, Finland.
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Abstract
We have developed mathematical models for evaluating the atmospheric dispersion of selected chemical warfare agents (CWA), including the evaporation and settling of contaminant liquid droplets. The models and numerical results presented may be utilised for designing protection and control measures against the conceivable use of CWA's. The model AERCLOUD (AERosol CLOUD) was extended to treat two nerve agents, sarin and VX, and the mustard agent. This model evaluates the thermodynamical evolution of a five-component aerosol mixture, consisting of two-component droplets together with the surrounding three-component gas. We have performed numerical computations with this model on the evaporation and settling of airborne sarin droplets in characteristic dispersal and atmospheric conditions. In particular, we have evaluated the maximum radii (r(M)) of a totally evaporating droplet, in terms of the ambient temperature and contaminant vapour concentration. The radii r(M) range from approximately 15-80 microm for sarin droplets for the selected ambient conditions and initial heights. We have also evaluated deposition fractions in terms of the initial droplet size.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kukkonen
- Air Quality Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Sahaajankatu 20 E, FIN-00810, Helsinki, Finland.
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