Health effects of exposure to air pollutants - knowledge transfer on air quality monitoring and modelling between developed and developing countries.

这一博士项目将开发综合的空气污染监测和建模方法，作为缓解战略的关键部分，以最大限度地减少发达国家和发展中国家的人类接触和随后的健康风险。格拉斯哥的城市家庭不同程度地受到与交通有关的空气污染物渗透的影响，而马拉维的家庭经常经历生物质燃烧污染物。这名将接受资助的学生目前正在参与GCRF的一个试点项目(2018年10月至2019年7月)，该项目使用微型空气污染监测仪和医疗设备来解释马拉维暴露与心血管和呼吸功能变化之间的关系。在博士项目中，同样的监测技术将用于：(A)对室外空气污染模式(由主要工业合作伙伴通过我们早先的NERC案例博士项目开发)的新颖多站点评估[1]；(B)应用监测和建模相结合的方法来估计格拉斯哥(国民健康保险制度睡眠和呼吸诊所患者)和马拉维(妇女和儿童暴露于炉灶排放的妇女和儿童)中易受污染的个人的污染暴露[2]。然而，由于估计污染暴露的方法存在缺陷，证据基础仍然有限。到目前为止，一个关键的限制是缺乏适用于以下方面的便携式污染监测仪器：直接量化暴露；以及评估暴露模型。通过NERC和Innovate UK的研究，学生将受益于在现场评估最先进的便携式空气质量监测传感器方面的现有实践经验[3，4]。该奖学金将在马拉维的GCRF资助的暴露监测和格拉斯哥NHS睡眠和呼吸诊所的暴露对易感个体的影响研究之间扩大双向知识传授。该项目将与以下机构开展合作：北卡罗来纳州立大学和斯特林大学的Ricardo Energy&Environment；国际RTI；格拉斯哥伊丽莎白女王大学医院；马拉维的公共卫生同事。对这一申请的支持函表明，在环境工程和公共卫生之间开展合作研究将如何直接造福苏格兰和马拉维的人民。通过战略性地收集试点数据，该博士项目将加强我们的工作，准备几个申请大型研究理事会拨款的工作，用于空气污染暴露研究。目标：1.使用现场校准的微型监测系统进行直接污染暴露评估和扩散模型(PM2.5、黑碳、NO2)的多站点评估。在苏格兰和马拉维的案例研究中，应用目标1中开发的综合监测和建模来确定减少污染暴露对健康的好处。参考：[1]https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.05.014[2]http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1104509[3]http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.04.008[4]https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2018.07.087

This PhD project will develop integrated air pollution monitoring and modelling methods as a key part of mitigation strategies to minimise human exposure and subsequent health risks in the developed and developing world. Urban homes in Glasgow are affected to varying extent by infiltration of traffic-related air pollutants, while biomass combustion pollutants are frequently experienced in homes in Malawi. The student to be supported is currently working in a GCRF pilot project (Oct 2018 - July 2019) with miniature air pollution monitors and medical devices to interpret associations between exposure and changes in cardiovascular and respiratory function in Malawi. In the PhD project, the same monitoring technology will be used in: (a) novel multi-site evaluation of a state of the art outdoor air pollution model (developed by the lead industrial partner through our earlier NERC CASE PhD project [1]); (b) application of combined monitoring and modelling methods to estimate pollution exposures to vulnerable individuals in Glasgow (NHS Sleep & Respiratory clinic patients) and Malawi (women & children exposed to cookstove emissions).Background: The health effects of air pollution are subject to intense scientific scrutiny, with exposure consistently associated with illness & shortening of life expectancy [2]. However the evidence base remains limited by deficiencies in methods used to estimate pollution exposures. Until now a key limitation has been a lack of portable pollution monitoring instruments suitable for: direct quantification of exposures; and for evaluation of exposure models. Through NERC & Innovate UK research, the studentship will benefit from existing practical experience in field evaluation of state of the art, portable air quality monitoring sensors [3,4]. The studentship will extend bi-directional knowledge transfer between GCRF-funded exposure monitoring in Malawi and study of effects of exposure on susceptible individuals attending NHS Sleep & Respiratory clinics in Glasgow. The exposure of vulnerable people in both countries will be examined using efficient re-application of the same methods to assess the benefits of interventions to reduce exposure to air pollutants.The project develops collaboration with: Ricardo Energy & Environment, North Carolina State & Stirling Universities; RTI International; Queen Elizabeth University Hospital University, Glasgow; and public health colleagues in Malawi. The letters of support for this application illustrate how development of collaborative research at the interface between environmental engineering and public health will be of direct benefit to people in Scotland and Malawi. Through strategic collection of pilot data this PhD project will strengthen our work on preparation of several applications for large research council grants for research on air pollution exposure using the combination of methods described here.Objectives: 1. To use field-calibrated miniature monitoring systems for direct pollution exposure assessment and for multiple-site evaluation of a dispersion model (PM2.5, black carbon, NO2).2. To apply integrated monitoring and modelling developed in objective 1 to determine the health benefits of reducing pollution exposure in case studies in Scotland and Malawi.References:[1] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.05.014[2] http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1104509[3] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.04.008[4] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2018.07.087