Epidemiological studies often use air pollution monitored data from a single station or as averaged data from a few stations to estimate exposure (Serinelli et al., 2010). Indeed, in industrialised urban areas, this approach may present critical issues, e.g. i) missing intraurban exposure variability (Wilson et al., 2005) due to relationship among emissions and meteorology with respect to different intraurban areas; ii) loosing information about different health effects due to (mix of) not measured chemicals, "hidden" in even homogeneous concentration spatial distribution of measured pollutants, as may be the case for toxics adhering on particulate, originated from different sources (Amodio et al., 2010). Such issues seem to occur in two coastal industrialised towns (Brindisi and Taranto, Southern Italy) characterized by huge industrial emissions and high environmental risk. The aims of this work are to refine population exposure assessment and consequent health effects by studying time-space variability of pollutants. Time series of meteorological and pollution data (SO2, NO2, TSP and PM10) measured simultaneously in different sites are analysed. Concentration spatial variations were investigated by means of statistical indexes. Some meteorological variables, in particular the prevailing wind direction and speed are crucial in determining the areas with different exposure. Overall analysis evidence how various parts of both towns are affected by the industrial and harbour sites. Such influence may be primarily identified with SO2 concentration data, showing higher concentration values and positive correlation with wind intensity downwind the industrial site. These results suggest the model that links air pollution exposure to health effects may take into account both intraurban variability for directly monitored pollutants, and the consequent "wind effect" for harmful substances emitted by local sources, transported in atmosphere but not routinely measured. The approach and methodology is potentially applicable to other industrialised cities.
Intraurban air pollution variability in industrialised towns and its potential impact on population exposure assessment
VIGOTTI, MARIA ANGELA
2012-01-01
Abstract
Epidemiological studies often use air pollution monitored data from a single station or as averaged data from a few stations to estimate exposure (Serinelli et al., 2010). Indeed, in industrialised urban areas, this approach may present critical issues, e.g. i) missing intraurban exposure variability (Wilson et al., 2005) due to relationship among emissions and meteorology with respect to different intraurban areas; ii) loosing information about different health effects due to (mix of) not measured chemicals, "hidden" in even homogeneous concentration spatial distribution of measured pollutants, as may be the case for toxics adhering on particulate, originated from different sources (Amodio et al., 2010). Such issues seem to occur in two coastal industrialised towns (Brindisi and Taranto, Southern Italy) characterized by huge industrial emissions and high environmental risk. The aims of this work are to refine population exposure assessment and consequent health effects by studying time-space variability of pollutants. Time series of meteorological and pollution data (SO2, NO2, TSP and PM10) measured simultaneously in different sites are analysed. Concentration spatial variations were investigated by means of statistical indexes. Some meteorological variables, in particular the prevailing wind direction and speed are crucial in determining the areas with different exposure. Overall analysis evidence how various parts of both towns are affected by the industrial and harbour sites. Such influence may be primarily identified with SO2 concentration data, showing higher concentration values and positive correlation with wind intensity downwind the industrial site. These results suggest the model that links air pollution exposure to health effects may take into account both intraurban variability for directly monitored pollutants, and the consequent "wind effect" for harmful substances emitted by local sources, transported in atmosphere but not routinely measured. The approach and methodology is potentially applicable to other industrialised cities.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
