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The EXPOLIS study: implications for exposure research and environmental policy in Europe

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 14, pages 440–456 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Exposure analysis is a crucial part of effective management of public health risks caused by pollutants and chemicals in our environment. During the last decades, more data required for exposure analysis has become available, but the need for direct population based measurements of exposures is still clear. The current work (i) describes the European EXPOLIS study, designed to produce this kind of exposure data for major air pollutants in Europe, and the database created to make the collected data available for researchers (ii) reviews the exposure analysis conducted and results published so far using these data and (iii) discusses the implications of the results from the point of view of research and environmental policy in Europe. Fine particle (with 37 elements and black smoke), nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds (30 compounds) and carbon monoxide inhalation exposures and exposure-related questionnaire data were measured in seven European cities during 1996–2000. The EXPOLIS database has been used for exposure analysis of these pollutants for 4 years now and results have been published in approximately 30 peer-reviewed journal papers, demonstrating the versatility, usability and scientific value of such a data set. The multipollutant exposure data from the same subjects in the random population samples allows for analyses of the determinants, microenvironments and sources of exposures to multipollutant mixtures and associations between the different air pollutants. This information is necessary and useful for developing effective policies and control strategies for healthier environment.

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Acknowledgements

The EXPOLIS Centers are KTL (coordinating center) in Helsinki (Finland), University of Athens (Greece), University of Basle (Switzerland), University Joseph Fourier in Grenoble (France), University of Milan (Italy), Inst. Exp. Medicine ASCR and Health Inst. of Central Bohemia (Czech), VTT in Helsinki (Finland), RIVM in Bilthoven (The Netherlands) and Imperial College (United Kingdom). This work has been supported by EL contracts ENV4-CT96-0202 (DB12-DTEE) and ERB IC20-CT96-0061 (Prague), Academy of Finland contracts Nos. 36586, 40835 and 42610 (Helsinki), Swiss Ministry for Education and Science contract BBW No, 95.0894 (Basel), French National Environment Agency (ADEME), Union Routière de France and Grenoble Communauté de Communes (Grenoble), DEFRA contract EPG1/5/106 (Oxford), other national research funds and intramural funding from participating institutes. We express our gratitude also to the noncited persons participating the conduction of the study: Alcini D., Balducci F., Bollini D., Braiati S., Braun T., Bürer K., Caparis M., Ghalandar R., Halonen T., Heeb D., Hummel T., Lovato L., Manninen K., McMullen M., Piippo A-M., Pipinen T., Radaelli G., Roth B., Sandroni R., Stambej T., Szegvary T., Tähtinen M., Tountas Y., Vercelli F., Visigalli F., Vouros P., Wigzell E.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. KTL, POB 95, Kuopio, FI-70701, Finland

    Otto O Hänninen, Sari Alm & Matti J Jantunen

  2. Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Klea Katsouyanni

  3. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Nino Künzli

  4. Institute of Occupational Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    Marco Maroni

  5. Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, London, UK

    Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen

  6. VTT, Chemical Technology, Espoo, Finland

    Kristina Saarela

  7. Inst. Exp. Medicine AS CR and Health Inst. of Central Bohemia, Prague, Czech Republic

    Radim J Srám

  8. Medical School, University Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France

    Denis Zmirou

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  1. Otto O Hänninen
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Correspondence to Otto O Hänninen.

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Hänninen, O., Alm, S., Katsouyanni, K. et al. The EXPOLIS study: implications for exposure research and environmental policy in Europe. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 14, 440–456 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500342

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