SASUF Satellite Events 2024

Globally air pollution is the top environmental risk factor and leading cause of poor health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to air pollutants is responsible for one in every eight deaths worldwide. Sparse air pollution monitoring networks exacerbate the lack of epidemiology studies linking health effects to air pollution levels, especially in Africa. Few African countries have air quality laws, hence air pollution is not monitored by the governments of these countries. The few researcher-driven studies on air pollution exposure assessment are usually not sustained over long periods.

Although South Africa has an air quality law and government should monitor air pollution, the data quality is poor. Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) is also not collected on filter samples. Hence no chemical or morphological studies of PM can be done in South Africa using the intruments operated by the government. The country could not report on PM2.5 levels (one of the targets of SDG 11) in the 2019 SDG country report as data were lacking for this air pollutant.

The WHO highlighted in its updated 2021 Air Quality Guideline report that uncertainties and knowledge gaps remain globally. One of the research gaps is the need for epidemiology and toxicology studies to investigate multipollutant exposures to determine the relative importance of components of PM to their toxicities.

So this is why we want to host this satellite event. The satellite even will provide an opportunity for South African, African and Swedish researchers and students to discuss opportunities for collaboration. The workshop will also recap on the latest evidence and methods applied in air pollution, specifically PM, exposure assessment and health studies.

Participants will be able to travel from hotels in Lund/Malmö in the morning by train/bus to the workshop venue, which is the library at the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Gothenburg located at Medicinaregatan 16A in Gothenburg, and back again late afternoon. This will ensure that participants will be able to attend SASUF satellite events or workshops in Lund/Malmö the next day.

We can accommodate 16 participants who want to attend in person, making it 20 people in total including the speakers who will attend in person. 

Agenda

• 10:30-10:50: Welcome tea/coffee
• 10:50-11:00: Welcome by Peter Molnár
• 11:00-11:30: 25min talk with 5min Q&A: Air pollution and SDGs (Jan Pettersson, in person)
• 11:30-12:00: 25min talk with 5min Q&A: Recap of PM air pollution health and research gaps (Janine Wichmann, in person)
• 12:00-12:30: 25min talk with 5min Q&A: Overview of PM sampling methods: filter based, real-time and low-cost censors (Peter Molnár, in person)
• 12:30-13:30: Lunch break. Those attending in person (at own cost): Lyktan across the street from the workshop venue, or other options in vicinity of the workshop venue
• 13:30-14:00: 25min talk with 5min Q&A: PM exposure assessments are needed for better epidemiological studies (Leo Stockfelt, online)
• 14:00-14:30: 25min talk with 5min Q&A: Harnessing citizen science in PM exposure assessment studies (Ågot Watne, in person)
• 14:30-15:30: Group discussion on possible collaborations. Those attending online can also participate.
• 15:30-15:45: Final comments and what next from here? (Peter Molnár and Janine Wichmann, in person)
• 15:45-16:00: Tea/coffee before departure to Lund/Malmö

Venue
Medicinaregatan 16A in Gothenburg,

Registration link: https://forms.office.com/e/GPXfyz7Sac?origin=lprLink

Keywords
Air pollution, exposure assessment, health effects, citizen science