ISES2009 Poster Abstract: Exposure of Finnish subpopulations to fine particles due domestic wood combustion

Abstract

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Calculations as Analytica version can be downloaded File:IF exposure subpopulations.ANA.

Exposure of Finnish subpopulations to fine particles due to domestic wood combustion
Authors: Ahtoniemi P.1,2, Tainio M. 1,3, Karvosenoja N. 4, Kupiainen K. 4, Porvari P. 4, Karppinen A. 5, Kangas L. 5, Kukkonen J. 5, Pohjola M. 1, Tuomisto J.T. 1.

1National Institute for Health and Welfare, Department of Environmental Health, P.O.Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
2University of Kuopio, School of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition
3Systems Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences
4Finnish Environment Institute
5Finnish Meteorological Institute

Previous studies have shown that primary fine particles (PPM2.5, particles with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm) cause several adverse health effects including cardiopulmonary diseases and mortality. In Finland domestic wood combustion is second most important PPM2.5 emission source category after traffic. The exposure for domestic wood combustion related PPM2.5 emissions varies across the country and different subpopulations could be more dangered for these emissions. In this study we estimated different subpopulations exposure to domestic wood combustion related PPM2.5 with GIS methods. The PPM2.5 emission data for Finnish sources for year 2000 was based on the Finnish Regional Emission Scenario (FRES) model and the dispersion of PPM2.5 was estimated with the urban dispersion modeling system (UDM-FMI). The population data used in assessment was based on Statistics Finland Grid Database. The exposure was defined separately for different age and education subpopulations. The spatial resolution of the model was 1 km x 1 km. Average exposure to domestic wood combustion related PPM2.5 was between 0.5 to 0.6 µg/m3 for different subpopulations. The highest exposed subpopulations were highest educated and young adults. These subpopulations had higher population densities near the areas where secondary house heating with wood combustion was common. Variation of exposure between subpopulations in contrast to population average exposure (0.6 µg/m3) to PM2.5 due to domestic wood combustion was relatively small. The significance of the observed exposure differences for adverse health effects can be explored with more detailed analyses, including uncertainty analysis.

See also

• Exposure of Finnish subpopulations to fine particles due domestic wood combustion