Around the World in 80+ min with HIA in the Energy Sector - Session II, Presentation 2

Filling the Gap between Air Pollution and Human Health

Air pollution an important environmental health issue.

 

Key ways to assess this:

• Can measure direct levels of air pollution
• Cam measure indirectly via modelling

 

SaudAr Project

• Relationship between ambient levels of air pollution and school children's health in Viseu in Portugal.
• 60 asthmatic children we studied
• The micro environments and daily activities were studied.
• Air quality sampling in schools and in homes
• Medical tests to evaluate the respiratory function of the children
• Most children spend time indoors at home and at school
• Findings: winter PM10 greater than 50ug m3 (WHO annual threshold 20ug m3)

 

 

Fumexp Project:

• Potential effect of forest fires on firefighters based on personal exposure measurements, fire characteristics, air pollutant levels in experimental and wildfires.
• Exposure standards were exceeded to CO and NO2 in experimental fires.
• Only CO in wildfires.

 

Inspirar Project:

• Evaluate industrial workers exposure to air pollution and health outcomes

 

Conclusions:

• Children affected by high levels of indoor air pollutants
• Firefighters are also affected by air pollution
• Industrial workers so far in the analysis are not exposed to higher levels of air pollution.
• Projects show the value of environmental and health professionals coming together to look at health impacts.