Abstract
Air pollution is recognized as the most important environmental factor that adversely affects human and societal wellbeing. Due to rapid urbanization, air pollution levels are increasing in the Sub-Saharan region, but there is a shortage of air pollution monitoring. Hence, exposure data to use as a base for exposure modelling and health effect assessments is also lacking. In this study, low-cost sensors were used to assess PM2.5 (particulate matter) levels in the city of Adama, Ethiopia. The measurements were conducted during two separate 1-week periods. The measurements were used to develop a land-use regression (LUR) model. The developed LUR model explained 33.4% of the variance in the concentrations of PM2.5. Two predictor variables were included in the final model, of which both were related to emissions from traffic sources. Some concern regarding influential observations remained in the final model. Long-term PM2.5 and wind direction data were obtained from the city’s meteorological station, which should be used to validate the representativeness of our sensor measurements. The PM2.5 long-term data were however not reliable. Means of obtaining good reference data combined with longer sensor measurements would be a good way forward to develop a stronger LUR model which, together with improved knowledge, can be applied towards improving the quality of health. A health impact assessment, based on the mean level of PM2.5 (23 µg/m3), presented the attributable burden of disease and showed the importance of addressing causes of these high ambient levels in the area.
Highlights
Exposure to air pollution is the most important factor adversely affecting our health
This study aims to reduce this lack of air pollution data by using low-cost sensors to assess outdoor air pollution and land-use regression (LUR) to appraise outdoor PM2.5 exposure in the Sub-Saharan city of Adama, Ethiopia
In this study a land-use regression model was developed that is able to explain a third of the variance in the concentration of PM2.5 in Adama
Summary
Exposure to air pollution is the most important factor adversely affecting our health. Exposure to ambient PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 μm) contributed to Atmosphere 2020, 11, 1357; doi:10.3390/atmos11121357 www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere. 4.2 million deaths and to a loss of 103.2 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), representing. In 2018, it was estimated that 8.9 million deaths per year could be ascribed to long-term exposure of PM2.5 [2]. Air pollution poses a special health threat to pregnant women and their fetuses [3,4,5,6]. Annual growth of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Addis Ababa city is about 53% due to ambient air pollution [14]
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