Health effects of air pollution & noise

SCAPIS

In the SCAPIS (Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study) cohort we are investigating if air pollution is associated with atherosclerosis and metabolic diseases in 30000 participants from six Swedish cities, PI Leo Stockfelt. We are also collaborating with researchers from Karolinska Institutet investigating cardiometabolic health effects of environmental noise in the cohort (PI Petter Ljungman). Leo Stockfelt is also the coordinator of SCAPIS-environment, a nationwide group of researchers investigating environmental health effects in SCAPIS.

Swedish Clean Air and Climate research

We are collaborating in the Swedish EPA-funded project SCAC (Swedish Clean Air and Climate research) program, investigating effects of different types and sources of air pollution on incident cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality in several Swedish cohorts.

NORDSOUND

Within the NORDFORSK-funded NORDSOUND-project we are collaborating with researchers in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden to study the effect of noise exposure, when air pollution is taken into account.

The Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort

We will also study associations between air pollution and atherosclerosis in carotid arteries and cardiovascular events and mortality in collaboration with researchers in Malmö (prof Gunnar Engström, Lund university), in a large well-defined cohort - The Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. In the same cohort we study associations between air pollution and lung cancer, and air pollution and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Wood smoke

Several studies have been performed on personal exposure to wood smoke constituents, as well as indoor and ambient levels. We have performed controlled chamber studies of exposure to wood smoke in humans. Household air pollution in relation to tuberculosis is studied in collaboration with University of KwaZulu Natal, in Durban (PI Rajen Naidoo).

VOC, POP and noise

We are also studying personal and indoor exposure to small particles, VOCs and their determinants. Several studies have been performed to test passive samplers for volatile organic compounds (VOC) and persistent organic pollutants (POP).

Health impact assessments and other

We have studied time trends of air pollutant and noise in both Gothenburg and Stockholm, and the impact of various measures to reduce noise in the environment. We are performing health impact assessments of air pollution in Sweden and South Africa, with a special focus on air pollution from shipping. Several research group members are collaborators in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD)-project, focusing especially on air pollution and noise.