Environmental Health Impacts of Transport and Mobility

341 Pages·2005·3.836 MB·English

by  P. Nicolopoulou-Stamati (auth.), P. Nicolopoulou-Stamati, L. Hens, C.V. Howard (eds.)

Environmental Health Impacts of Transport and Mobility
Environmental Science and Technology Library
VOLUME 21
Environmental Health Impacts
of Transport and Mobility
Edited by
P. Nicolopoulou-Stamati
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,
Medical School, Department of Pathology,
Athens, Greece
L. Hens
Vrije Universiteit Brussel,
Human Ecology Department,
Brussels, Belgium
and
C.V. Howard
University of Liverpool,
Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology,
Liverpool, United Kingdom
AC.I.P. Catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN-10 1-4020-4304-X (HB)
ISBN-13 978-1-4020-4304-8 (HB)
ISBN-10 1-4020-4307-4 (e-book)
ISBN-13 978-1-4020-4307-9 (e-book)
Published by Springer,
P.O. Box 17, 3300 AADordrecht, The Netherlands.
www.springer.com
Printed on acid-free paper
Desktop publishing by Vu Van Hieu.
Editorial Statement
It is the policy of AREHNA, EU-SANCO project. to encourage the full spectrum of opinion to be
represented at its meetings. Therefore it should not be assumed that the publication of a paper in this
volume implies that the Editorial Board are fully in agreement with the contents, though we have tried
to ensure that contributions are factually correct. Where, in our opinion, there is scope for ambiguity
we have added footnotes to the text, where appropriate.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD................................................................................................................xiii
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS.......................................................................................xvii
LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................xxi
LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................xxv
LIST OF BOXES........................................................................................................xxix

EFFECTS OF MOBILITY ON HEALTH......................................................................1
P. NICOLOPOULOU-STAMATI
Summary................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................1
2. Health effects related to mobility: a complex problem....................................2
3. Integration of local information to planning....................................................3
4. Why this book?................................................................................................3
5. Conclusion.......................................................................................................4
6. Acknowledgements.........................................................................................4
References..............................................................................................................5
TRAFFIC, NOISE AND HEALTH................................................................................9
W. BABISCH
Summary................................................................................................................9
1. Introduction.....................................................................................................9
1.1. Traffic noise level.................................................................................10
1.2. Noise annoyance...................................................................................11
2. Noise and stress.............................................................................................12
3. Epidemiological traffic noise studies............................................................14
3.1. The ‘Caerphilly & Speedwell heart disease studies’.............................16
3.2. The ‘Berlin traffic noise studies’...........................................................18
3.3. The ‘Spandau health survey’.................................................................18
4. Risk evaluation process.................................................................................19
5. Conclusion.....................................................................................................20
References............................................................................................................21
vi TABLE OF CONTENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE, ANNOYANCE AND SLEEP DISTURBANCE.......25
W. PASSCHIER-VERMEER AND W. F. PASSCHIER
Summary..............................................................................................................25
1. Introduction...................................................................................................25
2. Noise metrics used........................................................................................26
3. Effects of noise exposure on health...............................................................26
4. Annoyance....................................................................................................28
5. Sleep disturbance..........................................................................................30
5.1. Introduction..........................................................................................30
5.2. Self-reported sleep disturbance.............................................................31
5.3. Behavioural awakening.........................................................................32
5.4. Motility.................................................................................................34
6. Noise situation and differences in noise sensitivity in Europe......................35
7. Conclusion....................................................................................................36
References...........................................................................................................36

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF “TRANSPORT AND
HEALTH”......................................................................................................................39
H. MOSHAMMER, H.-P. HUTTER AND L. SCHMIDT
Summary..............................................................................................................39
1. Introduction...................................................................................................40
2. “Hard” and “soft” health effects....................................................................42
3. Measuring psychological impact...................................................................44
4. Assessment of the state of the environment..................................................47
5. The psychology of the “homo automobilicus”..............................................48
6. Conclusions...................................................................................................49
6.1. Scientific research needs.......................................................................49
6.2. Consequences for decision making.......................................................51
References...........................................................................................................51

AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH: AN OVERVIEW WITH SOME CASE
STUDIES.......................................................................................................................53
F. BALLESTER
Summary..............................................................................................................53
1. Introduction...................................................................................................54
2. Air pollutants and sources.............................................................................56
2.1. Sources..................................................................................................56
2.2. Air pollutants........................................................................................56
3. Effects of air pollution on health...................................................................59
3.1. Epidemiological studies........................................................................59
3.2. Experimental toxicological studies.......................................................65
4. Air quality guidelines and limit values..........................................................67
5. Health impact assessment of the impact of air pollution...............................68
6. Intervention studies.......................................................................................69
7. Strategies for improvement of air quality.......................................................70
8. Conclusions...................................................................................................71
References...........................................................................................................72
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
THE RESPIRATORY EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION...........................................79
T. ROUSSOU AND P. BEHRAKIS
Summary..............................................................................................................79
1. Introduction...................................................................................................80
2. The respiratory effects of specific air pollutants...........................................81
2.1. Ozone....................................................................................................81
2.2. Particulate matter..................................................................................82
3. Transportation and traffic related pollution...................................................85
3.1. Carbon monoxide (CO).........................................................................85
3.2. Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs)............................................................86
3.3. Volatile organic compounds.................................................................87
3.4. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons........................................................87
4. “Acid rain”....................................................................................................88
4.1. Sulfur dioxide (SO )..............................................................................88
2
4.2. Nitrogen dioxide (NO ).........................................................................88
2
5. High risk groups............................................................................................88
5.1. Children................................................................................................89
5.2. Elderly...................................................................................................89
5.3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease................................................89
6. Biomarkers....................................................................................................90
7. Conclusions...................................................................................................91
References............................................................................................................92
PHOTOCHEMICAL ACTIVITY OF IMPORTANCE TO HEALTH IN THE
AEGEAN........................................................................................................................95
C.S. ZEREFOS, I.S.A. ISAKSEN AND K. ELEFTHERATOS
Summary..............................................................................................................95
1. Introduction...................................................................................................95
2. Results and discussion...................................................................................97
3. Conclusion.....................................................................................................99
References............................................................................................................99
MONITORING OF SUSPENDED AEROSOL PARTICLES AND
TROPOSPHERIC OZONE BY THE LASER REMOTE SENSING (LIDAR)
TECHNIQUE: A CONTRIBUTION TO DEVELOP TOOLS ASSISTING
DECISION-MAKERS.................................................................................................101
A.D. PAPAYANNIS
Summary............................................................................................................101
1. Introduction.................................................................................................102
2. Effects of air pollutants on human health....................................................103
3. Instrumentation and methods......................................................................104
3.1. The LIDAR technique.........................................................................104
3.2. The EARLINET project......................................................................105
4. Experimental results - examples..................................................................106
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS
5. How the LIDAR technique can help to develop tools to assist decision-
makers.........................................................................................................108
6. Conclusions.................................................................................................109
Acknowledgements............................................................................................110
References.........................................................................................................110

HEALTH IMPACT AND CONTROL OF PARTICLE MATTER..........................115
L.W. OLSON AND K. BOISON
Summary............................................................................................................115
1. Introduction.................................................................................................115
2. Classification of particulate matter..............................................................116
3. Deposition and retention of particulate matter............................................118
4. Toxicological effects of particulate matter..................................................119
5. Epidemiological studies on health effects of particulate matter..................120
6. Control strategies........................................................................................121
7. Conclusions.................................................................................................122
References.........................................................................................................123

ENDOCRINE PROBLEMS RELATED TO MOBILITY.........................................127
S. LIVADAS, D. KALTSAS AND G. TOLIS
Summary............................................................................................................127
1. Introduction.................................................................................................127
2. Jet-lag..........................................................................................................129
3. Violent displacement...................................................................................130
4. Noise...........................................................................................................131
5. Conclusions.................................................................................................132
References.........................................................................................................133

SEDENTARISM..........................................................................................................135
H. MOSHAMMER, E. MARTIN-DIENER, U. MÄ DER AND B. MARTIN
Summary............................................................................................................135
1. Introduction.................................................................................................136
2. Objectives....................................................................................................136
3. Results.........................................................................................................138
4. Conclusions.................................................................................................149
References.........................................................................................................151
MOBILITY AND TRANSPORT IN THE JOHANNESBURG PLAN OF
IMPLEMENTATION AND NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
PLANS.........................................................................................................................155
L. HENS
Summary............................................................................................................155
1. Introduction.................................................................................................156
2. World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)................................159
2.1. The Political Declaration....................................................................160
TABLE OF CONTENTS ix
2.2. The Plan of Implementation (JPoI).....................................................160
2.3. Partnerships.........................................................................................164
3. National Environmental Health Action Plans (NEHAPs)...........................165
3.1. Origin and context...............................................................................165
3.2. Mobility and traffic.............................................................................166
4. Discussion...................................................................................................168
References..........................................................................................................169
INTEGRATING HEALTH CONCERNS INTO TRANSPORT POLICIES:
FROM THE CHARTER ON TRANSPORT, ENVIRONMENT AND
HEALTH TO THE TRANSPORT, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT PAN-
EUROPEAN PROGRAMME.....................................................................................171
F. RACIOPPI AND C. DORA
Summary............................................................................................................171
1. Introduction.................................................................................................171
2. The Charter on Transport, Environment and Health...................................173
3. From the Charter on Transport, Health and the Environment to the
Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme (THE
PEP).............................................................................................................174
4. Examples of actions triggered by the Charter and THE PEP......................175
5. Conclusions.................................................................................................176
References..........................................................................................................176

MOBILITY AND HEALTH IN BULGARIA............................................................179
S. STOYANOV AND E. TERLEMESIAN
Summary............................................................................................................179
1. Introduction.................................................................................................179
2. The transport sector in Bulgaria..................................................................180
2.1. Water transport....................................................................................180
2.2. Air transport........................................................................................180
2.3. Railway transport................................................................................180
2.4. Road transport.....................................................................................180
3. Environmental impact of transport in Bulgaria...........................................181
3.1. Environmental impact of transport as perceived by the people..........181
3.2. Environmental impact of air transport................................................181
3.3. Environmental impact of railway transport.........................................182
3.4. Environmental impact of water transport............................................183
3.5. Environmental impact of road transport..............................................183
4. Health effects from the environmental impact of transport.........................187
5. Mobility and environmental health in Sofia................................................189
5.1. General information............................................................................189
5.2. Air pollution........................................................................................190
5.3. Review on the environmental health investigations for Sofia.............191
6. Correlation between noise and respiratory diseases in Sofia.......................194
Conclusion.........................................................................................................196
References..........................................................................................................197