Particulate matter air pollution and respiratory symptoms in subjects having either asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A European multicentre panel study

Abstract Background The RUPIOH study, an EU-funded multicentre study, was designed to examine the distribution of various ambient particle metrics in four European cities (Helsinki, Athens, Amsterdam, Birmingham) and assess their health effects in subjects with asthma or COPD, based on a more detailed exposure assessment. Methods At each centre...

Dependence of Home Outdoor Particulate Mass and Number Concentrations on Residential and Traffic Features in Urban Areas

The associations between residential outdoor and ambient particle mass, fine particle absorbance, particle number (PN) concentrations, and residential and traffic determinants were investigated in four European urban areas (Helsinki, Athens, Amsterdam, and Birmingham). A total of 152 nonsmoking participants with respiratory diseases, not exposed...

Indoor–outdoor relationships of particle number and mass in four European cities

The number of ultrafine particles in urban air may be more health relevant than the usually measured mass of particles smaller than 2.5 or 10 mm. Epidemiological studies typically assess exposure by measurements at a central site. Limited information is available about how well measurements at a central site reflect exposure to ultrafine...

Spatial variation of particle number and mass over four European cities

The number of ultrafine particles may be a more health relevant characteristic of ambient particulate matter than the conventionally measured mass. Epidemiological time series studies typically use a central site to characterize human exposure to outdoor air pollution. There is currently very limited information how well measurements at a...