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In this study, the long-term mortality effects associated with exposure to PM10 (particles with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than or equal to 10 µm), PM2.5 (particles with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than or equal to 2.5 µm), BC (black carbon), and NOx (nitrogen oxides) were analyzed in a cohort in southern Sweden during the period from 1991 to 2016. Participants (those residing in Malmö, Sweden, born between 1923 and 1950) were randomly recruited from 1991 to 1996. At enrollment, 30,438 participants underwent a health screening, which consisted of questionnaires about lifestyle and diet, a clinical examination, and blood sampling. Mortality data were retrieved from the Swedish National Cause of Death Register. The modeled concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, BC, and NOx at the cohort participants' home addresses were used to assess air pollution exposure. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the associations between long-term exposure to PM10, PM2.5, BC, and NOx and the time until death among the participants during the period from 1991 to 2016. The hazard ratios (HRs) associated with an interquartile range (IQR) increase in each air pollutant were calculated based on the exposure lag windows of the same year (lag0), 1–5 years (lag1–5), and 6–10 years (lag6–10). Three models were used with varying adjustments for possible confounders including both single-pollutant estimates and two-pollutant estimates. With adjustments for all covariates, the HRs for PM10, PM2.5, BC, and NOx in the single-pollutant models at lag1–5 were 1.06 (95% CI: 1.02–1.11), 1.01 (95% CI: 0.95–1.08), 1.07 (95% CI: 1.04–1.11), and 1.11 (95% CI: 1.07–1.16) per IQR increase, respectively. The HRs, in most cases, decreased with the inclusion of a larger number of covariates in the models. The most robust associations were shown for NOx, with statistically significant positive HRs in all the models. An overall conclusion is that road traffic-related pollutants had a significant association with mortality in the cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ambient particle matter is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about associations between particles in occupational settings and risk of CVD. We investigated associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers of CVD, and potential recovery effects after vacation. Methods: Personal dust exposure measurements (respirable silica, respirable dust < 4 µm, and particles of 0.1–10 µm (PM 0.1–10) were conducted once, and biological sampling were performed twice on non-smoking, male construction workers in Stockholm county, Sweden; during work and immediately after summer vacation. Linear regressions with adjustments for confounders and covariates were performed evaluating associations between occupational dust exposure and biomarkers. Paired t tests were performed evaluating changes before and after vacation. Results: Sixty-five workers participated. Homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher with increasing concentrations (mg/m3) of respirable silica, respirable dust, and PM 0.1–10, and pulse rate with higher levels of respirable dust and dust of PM 0.1–10. Homocysteine levels were also positively correlated to number of years of dust exposure, as were low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. A clear recovery effect was present for LDL after vacation, but not for homocysteine. Conclusions: Occupational dust exposure was associated with some CVD risk markers, even at mean exposure concentrations below the Swedish occupational exposure limits for respirable silica and respirable dust, respectively. Vacation resulted in recovery for some risk markers. However, the change of the homocysteine and LDL levels suggest a long-term effect. Reduction of occupational exposure to dust may decrease the risk of CVD among exposed workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A growing but contrasting evidence relates air pollution to cognitive decline. The role of cerebrovascular diseases in amplifying this risk is unclear.Objectives: 1) Investigate the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and cognitive decline; 2) Test whether cerebrovascular diseases amplify this association.Methods: We examined 2,253 participants of the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K). One major air pollutant (particulate matter ≤2.5μm, PM2.5) was assessed yearly from 1990, using dispersion models for outdoor levels at residential addresses. The speed of cognitive decline (Mini-Mental State Examination, MMSE) was estimated as the rate of MMSE decline (linear mixed models) and further dichotomized into the upper (25%fastest cognitive decline), versus the three lower quartiles. The cognitive scores were used to calculate the odds of fast cognitive decline per levels of PM2.5 using regression models and considering linear and restricted cubic splines of 10 years exposure before the baseline. The potential modifier effect of cerebrovascular diseases was tested by adding an interaction term in the model.Results: We observed an inverted U-shape relationship between PM2.5 and cognitive decline. The multi-adjusted piecewise regression model showed an increased OR of fast cognitive decline of 81%(95%CI = 1.2-3.2) per interquartile range difference up to mean PM2.5 level (8.6μg/m3) for individuals older than 80. Above such level we observed no further risk increase (OR = 0.89;95%CI = 0.74-1.06). The presence of cerebrovascular diseases further increased such risk by 6%.Conclusion: Low to mean PM2.5 levels were associated with higher risk of accelerated cognitive decline. Cerebrovascular diseases further amplified such risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present ground-based in situ snow measurements in Kiruna, Sweden, using the ground-based in situ instrument Dual Ice Crystal Imager (D-ICI). D-ICI records dual high-resolution images from above and from the side of falling natural snow crystals and other hydrometeors with particle sizes ranging from 50 μ m to 4 mm. The images are from multiple snowfall seasons during the winters of 2014/2015 to 2018/2019, which span from the beginning of November to the middle of May. From our images, the microphysical properties of individual particles, such as particle size, cross-sectional area, area ratio, aspect ratio, and shape, can be determined. We present an updated classification scheme, which comprises a total of 135 unique shapes, including 34 new snow crystal shapes. This is useful for other studies that are using previous shape classification schemes, in particular the widely used Magono–Lee classification. To facilitate the study of the shape dependence of the microphysical properties, we further sort these individual particle shapes into 15 different shape groups. Relationships between the microphysical properties are determined for each of these shape groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Welding fumes were recently classified as carcinogenic to humans and worldwide millions work as welders or perform welding operations. The purpose of this study was to identify new biomarkers of welding-induced carcinogenesis. We evaluated a panel of 91 putative cancer-related proteins in serum in a cohort of welders working with mild steel (n = 77) and controls (n = 94) from southern Sweden sampled on two occasions 6-year apart using a longitudinal analysis (linear mixed models). The significant results from the longitudinal analysis were tested for reproducibility in welders (n = 88) and controls (n = 69) sampled once during the same sampling period as timepoint 1 or timepoint 2 (linear regression models), i.e., in a cross-sectional setting. The models were adjusted for age, body-mass index, and use of snus. All study participants were non-smokers at recruitment. Exposure to welding fumes was assessed using questionnaires and respirable dust measurement in the breathing zone that was adjusted for personal respiratory protection equipment. The median respirable dust in welders was 0.7 (0.2–4.2) and 0.5 (0.1–1.9) mg/m3 at the first and second timepoints, respectively. We identified 14 cancer-related proteins that were differentially expressed in welders versus controls in the longitudinal analysis, out of which three were also differentially expressed in the cross-sectional analysis (cross-sectional group). Namely, syndecan 1 (SDC1), folate receptor 1 (FOLR1), and secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC) were downregulated, in welders compared with controls. In addition, FOLR1 was negatively associated with years welding. Disease and function analysis indicated that the top proteins are related to lung cancer as well as cell invasion and migration. Our study indicates that moderate exposure to welding fumes is associated with changes in circulating levels of putative cancer-related proteins, out of which FOLR1 showed a clear dose–response relationship. It is, however, unclear to which extent these changes are adaptive or potential early biomarkers of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and contribute, for example, to sedimentation of organic matter in oceans and freshwaters. Earlier studies indicate that the formation of TEP is related to the in situ activity of phytoplankton or bacteria. However, terrestrial sources of TEP and TEP precursors are usually not considered. We investigated TEP concentration and its driving factors in boreal freshwaters, hypothesizing that TEP and TEP precursors can enter freshwaters via terrestrial inputs. In a field survey, we measured TEP concentrations and other environmental factors across 30 aquatic ecosystems in Sweden. In a mesocosm experiment, we further investigated TEP dynamics over time after manipulating terrestrial organic matter input and light conditions. The TEP concentrations in boreal freshwaters ranged from 83 to 4940 μg Gum Xanthan equivalent L−1, which is comparable to other studies in freshwaters. The carbon fraction in TEP in the sampled boreal freshwaters is much higher than the phytoplanktonic carbon, in contrast to previous studies in northern temperate and Mediterranean regions. Boreal TEP concentrations were mostly related to particulate organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, and optical indices of terrestrial influence but less influenced by bacterial abundance, bacterial production, and chlorophyll a. Hence, our results do not support a major role of the phytoplankton community or aquatic bacteria on TEP concentrations and dynamics. This suggests a strong external control of TEP concentrations in boreal freshwaters, which can in turn affect particle dynamics and sedimentation in the recipient aquatic ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk among asphalt workers of developing adverse health effects may increase due to their occupational exposure. One area of special concern arises when rubber granules are mixed into bitumen to enhance asphalt properties. This research characterizes and compares bitumen and rubber bitumen regarding the emissions of and workers’ exposure to particulates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzothiazole. A laboratory and a field study were carried out. In the laboratory, two types of bitumen, one with and one without rubber, were heated up to two temperatures (140°C and 160°C). The concentrations and chemical compositions of the emissions were determined. In the field at asphalt work sites, both emissions and worker exposure measurements were performed. The methods applied included direct-reading sampling techniques next to the asphalt work area and personal sampling techniques on asphalt workers. The exposure measurements on asphalt workers for respirable dust, total dust, particle number and mass, and total PAH concentrations showed similar concentrations when both standard and rubber bitumen were used. The asphalt-surfacing machine operators were the workers with the highest observed exposure followed by the screed operators and roller drivers. Both laboratory and field measurements showed higher concentrations of benzothiazole when rubber bitumen was used, up to 7.5 times higher in the laboratory. The levels of naphthalene, benzo(a)pyrene, and total particles were lower for both types compared with the Swedish occupational exposure limits, 8-h time weighted average concentrations. Benzo(a)pyrene exceeded however the health-based guideline value given by the WHO for both types of bitumen. The study concludes that several air pollutants such as benzothiazole and PAHs are emitted into the air during asphalt work, but it is not evident if exposure to rubber bitumen possesses a higher risk than exposure to standard bitumen in terms of asphalt worker exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free ammunition is becoming increasingly popular because of the environmental and human health issues associated with the use of leaded ammunition. However, there is a lack of data on the emissions produced by firing such ammunition. We report emission factors for toxic gases and particle-bound compounds produced by firing lead-free ammunition in a test chamber. Carbon monoxide, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide levels within the chamber were analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, while total suspended particles and respirable particles were determined gravimetrically. The metal content of the particulate emissions was determined and the associated organic compounds were characterized in detail using a method based on thermal desorption coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The particulate matter (∼30 mg/round) consisted primarily of metals such as Cu, Zn, and Fe along with soot arising from incomplete combustion. Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic compounds such as carbazole, quinolone, and phenazine were responsible for some of the 25 most significant chromatographic peaks, together with PAHs, diphenylamine, and phthalates. Emission factors were determined for PAHs and oxygenated PAHs; the latter were less abundant in the gun smoke particles than in domestic dust and diesel combustion smoke. This may be due to the oxygen-deficient conditions that occur when the gun is fired. By using an electrical low pressure impactor, it was demonstrated that more than 90% of the particles produced immediately after firing the weapon had diameters of less than 30 nm, and so most of the gun smoke particles belonged to the nanoparticle regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The only pressurized black liquor gasifier currently in operation is located in Sweden. The composition of the main components in the gas has been reported previously. The main components are H2, CO, CO2, N2, CH4, and H2S. In the present work, trace components in the gas have been characterized and the results are hereby reported for the first time. Samples were taken at two occasions during a one year period. The benzene concentration in the gas varied only slightly and the average concentration was 158ppm. Benzene is formed by thermal cracking of the biomass. The COS concentration varied substantially and the average concentration was 47ppm. The variations may be related to how the quench is operated. A few ppm of C2-hydrocarbons were also observed in the gas and the variation was probably a result of varying oxygen to black liquor ratio. No tars were observed in the gas. However, tar compounds, such as phenanthrene, pyrene, fluoranthene and fluorene were detected in deposits found on the pipe walls after the gas cooler. The concentration of particles in the synthesis gas was very low; <0.1mg/Nm3, which is comparable to the particulate matter in ambient air. Submicron particles were comprised of elements such as C, O, Na, Si, S, Cl, K, and Ca, and these particles probably originated from the black liquor. Larger particles were comprised mainly of Fe, S and Ni and these particles probably resulted from corrosion of steel in the plant pipe-work. In summary, the concentrations of trace components and particles in the gas are quite low. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Increased plasma concentrations of small LDL particles denote an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype (ALP) that is correlated with increased circulating TAG and reduced HDL-cholesterol. Principal component analyses of subfraction concentrations have previously been used in the Swedish population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) cohort to identify three independent components, one pattern representing the ALP. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between macronutrient intakes and the principal component representing the ALP. We examined 4301 healthy subjects (46–68 years old, 60 % women) at baseline in the MDC cohort. Dietary data were collected using a modified diet history method. Plasma lipoprotein subfractions were measured using a high-resolution ion mobility method. The principal component corresponding to the ALP was significantly associated with a higher intake of disaccharides, and inversely related to protein and alcohol consumption (P < 0·001 for all). The present findings indicate that the ALP may be improved by a low intake of disaccharides, and moderate intakes of protein and alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Although serious health effects associated with particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 µm (PM10) and ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5; fine fraction) are documented in many studies, the effects of coarse PM (PM2.5-10) are still under debate. Objective: In this study, we estimated the effects of short-term exposure of PM2.5-10 on daily mortality in Stockholm, Sweden. Method: We collected data on daily mortality for the years 2000 through 2008. Concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, ozone, and carbon monoxide were measured simultaneously in central Stockholm. We used additive Poisson regression models to examine the association between daily mortality and PM2.5-10 on the day of death and the day before. Effect estimates were adjusted for other pollutants (two-pollutant models) during different seasons. Results: We estimated a 1.68% increase [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.20%, 3.15%] in daily mortality per 10-µg/m³ increase in PM2.5-10 (single-pollutant model). The association with PM2.5-10 was stronger for November through May, when road dust is most important (1.69% increase; 95% CI: 0.21%, 3.17%), compared with the rest of the year (1.31% increase; 95% CI: -2.08%, 4.70%), although the difference was not statistically significant. When adjusted for other pollutants, particularly PM2.5, the effect estimates per 10 µg/m³ for PM2.5-10 decreased slightly but were still higher than corresponding effect estimates for PM2.5. Conclusions: Our analysis shows an increase in daily mortality associated with elevated urban background levels of PM2.5-10. Regulation of PM2.5-10 should be considered, along with actions to specifically reduce PM2.5-10 emissions, especially road dust suspension, in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Size-resolved aerosol vertical number fluxes were measured using the eddy covariance method, 105 meters above the ground over the city of Stockholm, Sweden, between 1st April 2008 and 15th April 2009. The size range of the measurements cover particles from 0.25 to 2.5μm diameter (D p). Emission velocities (v e) were calculated for the same size range and were found to be well correlated with friction velocity () and CO2 fluxes (). These variables were used to parameterize the emission velocity aswhere v e and are given in [ms−1], D p in [μm], and in [mmolm−2s−1]. The parameterization reproduces the average diurnal cycle from the observations well for particles sizes up to 0.6μm D p. For larger particles the parameterization tends to over predict the emission velocity. These larger particles are not believed to be produced by combustion and therefore not well represented by , which represents the traffic source through its fossil fuel consumption and the related CO2 emissions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mixed-effects models were used to estimate within-person and between-person variance components, and some determinants of environmental exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5), black smoke (BS) and trace elements (Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) for personal measurements from 30 adult subjects in Gothenburg, Sweden. The within-person variance component dominated the total variability for all investigated compounds except for PM2.5 and Zn (in which the variance components were about equal). Expressed as fold ranges containing 95% of the underlying distributions, the within-person variance component ranged between 5-fold and 39-fold (median: sixfold), whereas the between-person variance component was always

Abstract: Vertical profiles of 137Cs and 239,240Pu were measured in soils collected from two sites in southern Sweden and three sites in southern Poland and were modeled using both a solute transport model and a bioturbation model to better understand their downward migration. A time series of measured 137Cs profiles indicates that 137Cs from Chernobyl was found at the soil surface in 1986 but it has migrated progressively downward into the soil 4.5–25.5cm since. However, because of dispersion during the migration and mixing following Chernobyl deposition and the much higher activities of 137Cs from Chernobyl, stratospheric fallout of 137Cs from the 1960s cannot be identified as a second 137Cs activity maximum lower in the soil column at any of the sites. Conversely, the 240Pu/239Pu ratio indicates that no Chernobyl-derived Pu is present in any of the cores with the exception of one sample in Sweden. This difference may be attributed to the nature of the release from Chernobyl. Cesium volatilized at the reactor temperature during the accident, and was released as a vapor whereas Pu was not volatile and was only released in the form of minute fuel particles that traveled regionally. Both the solute diffusion and the bioturbation models accurately simulate the downward migration of the radionuclides at some sites but poorly describe the distributions at other sites. The distribution coefficients required by the solute transport model are about 100 times lower than reported values from the literature indicating that even though the solute transport model can simulate the profile shapes, transport as a solute is not the primary mechanism governing the downward migration of either Cs or Pu. The bioturbation model uses reported values from the literature of the distribution coefficients and can simulate the downward migration because that model buries the fallout by placing soil from depth on top and mixing it slightly throughout the mixing zone (0.6–2% per year of mixing). However, mixing in that model predicts concentrations in the top parts of the soil profiles which are too high in many cases. Future progress at understanding the downward migration of radionuclides and other tracers will require a more comprehensive approach, combining solute transport with bioturbation and including other important soil processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Precipitation scavenging of particles is a major mechanism for atmospheric deposition of organic contaminants, but there have been few field studies. We studied precipitation scavenging of PCDD/Fs with the aim of deepening understanding of environmental variables influencing this process. Bulk deposition of PCDD/Fs and their concentrations in ambient air measured at a background site in Sweden were used to calculate precipitation scavenging ratios. Contrary to expectations, increasing scavenging ratios with decreasing degree of chlorination of the PCDD/F congeners were observed when the particle-associated PCDD/F concentrations in air were used for the calculation. This was attributed to differences in temperature and thereby in the gas – particle partitioning of the PCDD/Fs between ground level and clouds where much of the particle scavenging occurs. When the particle-associated PCDD/F concentrations were recalculated for a 10–20 °C lower temperature, the scavenging ratios of the different PCDD/F congeners were similar. Hence differences between ground level and in-cloud temperature should be considered when calculating scavenging ratios from field observations and when modeling this process. The scavenging ratios averaged ∼200 000, with lower values when the particle-associated PCDD/F concentration in air was lower. The soot concentration in air was a good predictor of bulk deposition of PCDD/Fs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses black liquor gasification which is a process for recovering the energy and chemicals in black liquor produced from the Kraft pulping process. The process, which can be combined with catalytic conversion of synthesis gas (syngas) into motor fuels, holds potential for the production of motor fuel from black liquor. The article focuses on the results obtained by spatially resolved measurements of the composition of gas in the DP-1 gasifier, which is a pressurized black liquor gasifier that contains a water cooled quench probe, in Sweden. Results from several detailed experiments using high-speed photography of black liquor sprays are also discussed in-depth.

Particle formation events were analysed from aerosol number size distribution data collected at a background station in southern Sweden between February 2001 and May 2004. Events occurred on about 36% of all days and were favoured by high global radiation values. The clearest events (class I, 20% of all days) were observed when the formation rate of activated hypothetical clusters around 1 nm diameter, J1 was higher than 10(180*CondS-0.60), where CondS is the condensation sink (in s−1). The median condensable vapour concentration, observed formation rate at 3 nm, and growth rate during class I events were 3.0 × 107 cm−3, 1.1 cm−3 s−1 and 2.1 nm h−1, respectively. On 7% of all days, it was possible to observe growth of the newly formed particles exceeding 30 nm geometric mean diameter during event days in the evening, which is important for the regional particle population, and thereby the climate. A trajectory analysis revealed that cleaner air masses were relatively more important for the contribution of Aitken mode particles than polluted ones. Class I events were registered on 36% of all days when trajectories had passed over the open sea, indicating that ship traffic can contribute to particle formation and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To make progress towards linking the atmosphere and biogeosphere parts of the black carbon (BC) cycle, a chemothermal oxidation method (CTO-375), commonly applied for isolating BC from complex geomatrices such as soils, sediments and aquatic particles, was applied to investigate the BC also in atmospheric particles. Concentrations and 14C-based source apportionment of CTO-375 based BC was established for a reference aerosol (NIST RM-8785) and for wintertime aerosols collected in Stockholm and in a Swedish background area. The results were compared with thermal–optical (OC/EC) measurements. For NIST RM-8785, a good agreement was found between the BCCTO-375 concentration and the reported elemental carbon (EC) concentration measured by the “Speciation Trends Network—National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health” method (ECNIOSH) with BCCTO-375 of 0.054±0.002gg−1 and ECNIOSH of 0.067±0.008gg−1. In contrast, there was an average factor of ca. 20 difference between BCCTO-375 and ECNIOSH for the ambient Scandinavian wintertime aerosols, presumably reflecting a combination of BCCTO-375 isolating only the recalcitrant soot-BC portion of the BC continuum and the ECNIOSH metric inadvertently including some intrinsically non-pyrogenic organic matter. Isolation of BCCTO-375 with subsequent off-line radiocarbon analysis yielded fraction modern values (fM) for total organic carbon (TOC) of 0.93 (aerosols from a Swedish background area), and 0.58 (aerosols collected in Stockholm); whereas the fM for BCCTO-375 isolates were 1.08 (aerosols from a Swedish background area), and 0.87 (aerosols collected in Stockholm). This radiocarbon-based source apportionment suggests that contribution from biomass combustion to cold-season atmospheric BCCTO-375 in Stockholm was 70% and in the background area 88%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Levels of PM10> were measured at two different roadside locations in the Stockholm region in Sweden, one highway south of Stockholm and one urban street canyon in the center of the city. PM10> samples were taken during six separate campaigns over one full year, and analyzed for 29 metals, in order to help characterize sources of PM10>. Five contributing factors were identified by multivariate receptor modeling using positive matrix factorization. Factors were classified, based on their seasonal variation and published data on metal composition of different sources, as: 1) resuspension; 2) vehicle derived; 3) road salt; 4) regional combustion and 5) long-range transport. Resuspension and long-range transport were shown to be important contributors to the PM10> levels at both sites. In fact, long-range transport was the main contributor to the PM10> levels at the highway roadside. The vehicle source was only of major importance at the urban roadside, where it frequently contributed between 10 and 20 μg m−3. Brake wear was an important component in the vehicle source. Vehicle exhaust was not detected as a separate source and was not identified as a major source for PM10>. To our knowledge, this is the first study identifying brake wear as a major source of PM10> during urban driving. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to clarify the magnitude of the sub-optimization cost associated with separate control strategies for compliance with the Swedish environmental quality objectives. The marginal reduction costs are estimated using a separate and an integrated version of a deterministic linear programming model. To investigate whether the accuracy of the data is decisive for the result of this study, an extensive sensitivity analysis that deals with both the disparity in discount rates in data and the different types of measures, is carried out in four steps. It can be concluded that the results are robust for possible and probable faults in data. The main findings are that there are no substantial sub-optimization costs for separate control strategies for CO2, NO X and SO2, but an integrated action strategy could imply enhanced cost-efficiency in reductions of VOC and particles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The size of particles in urban air varies over four orders of magnitude (from 0.001 μm to 10 μm in diameter). In many cities only particle mass concentrations (PM10, i.e. particles <10 μm diameter) is measured. In this paper we analyze how differences in emissions, background concentrations and meteorology affect the temporal and spatial distribution of PM10 and total particle number concentrations (PNC) based on measurements and dispersion modeling in Stockholm, Sweden. PNC at densely trafficked kerbside locations are dominated by ultrafine particles (<0.1 μm diameter) due to vehicle exhaust emissions as verified by high correlation with NOx. But PNC contribute only marginally to PM10, due to the small size of exhaust particles. Instead wear of the road surface is an important factor for the highest PM10 concentrations observed. In Stockholm, road wear increases drastically due to the use of studded tires and traction sand on streets during winter; up to 90% of the locally emitted PM10 may be due to road abrasion. PM10 emissions and concentrations, but not PNC, at kerbside are controlled by road moisture. Annual mean urban background PM10 levels are relatively uniformly distributed over the city, due to the importance of long range transport. For PNC local sources often dominate the concentrations resulting in large temporal and spatial gradients in the concentrations. Despite these differences in the origin of PM10 and PNC, the spatial gradients of annual mean concentrations due to local sources are of equal magnitude due to the common source, namely traffic. Thus, people in different areas experiencing a factor of 2 different annual PM10 exposure due to local sources will also experience a factor of 2 different exposure in terms of PNC. This implies that health impact studies based solely on spatial differences in annual exposure to PM10 may not separate differences in health effects due to ultrafine and coarse particles. On the other hand, health effect assessments based on time series exposure analysis of PM10 and PNC, should be able to observe differences in health effects of ultrafine particles versus coarse particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of this study was to evaluate in vitro the influence of various ventilatory parameters on the delivery of synchronized nebulization of terbutaline during mechanical ventilation and to determine a semiempirical model to control the quantity of aerosol delivered into the patient's lung. An ATOMISOR NL9 M jet nebulizer (La Diffusion Technique Francaise, France) was filled with terbutaline (Bricanyl, Astra-Zeneca, Sweden) and connected to the inspiratory line of a Horus ventilator (Taema, France). Nebulization was synchronized with the inspiratory phase. We assessed at the end of the endotracheal tube the quantity of terbutaline (terbutaline mass output) and the volume median diameter (VMD) by diffraction-laser method. There was a negative correlation between terbutaline mass output and inspiratory air flow ( r =-0.95, p <0.0001) and between VMD and inspiratory air flow ( r =-0.96, p <0.0001). Moreover, positive end-expiratory pressure levels between 0 cm and 8 cm of water did not significantly change the terbutaline output mass ( p =0.22). Total nebulization time and terbutaline mass output calculated by the mathematical model showed good agreement with experimental data. In conclusion, our semiempirical model allows calculation of the duration of the nebulization required to deliver a given mass of terbutaline into patient lungs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in metal speciation occurring along the river Vormbäcken have been investigated, and the potential for using such changes to reduce metal transport to areas further downstream has been evaluated. Vormbäcken is situated in a mining region in northern Sweden. Catchment area features likely to influence metal speciation include wetlands situated along the river, addition of treated (liming) effluent water from a mine area, and addition of other surface waters and groundwater. Surface water samples were collected from seven stations along the river on six occasions, representing different flow regimes. The total As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the samples were partitioned into particulate (>0.4 μm and 0.2–0.4 μm, or only >0.2 μm) and dissolved (<0.2 μm, either associated with organic carbon, or as free metal ions and inorganic complexes) fractions by means of filtration and an ion-exchange technique. The most important finding is that, with the exception of Ca, the fraction of particulate bound metals increased with increasing concentrations of particulate Fe. This Fe has its origin in surface waters and groundwater that join the river on its way through the catchment area. It is suggested that adsorption to, or co-precipitation with, such Fe-containing particles may have potential to be used as the initial step in a treatment method based on natural attenuation processes. Furthermore, the fraction of particulate bound metals decreased dramatically upon passing the lake Vormträsket, suggesting that some of these metals may be removed from the river system, at least temporally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were measured during 2 weeks at an underground station in central Stockholm. The instrument, an automatic TEOM monitor (Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance), was placed on the platform in the centre of the station. During weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. the average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were 470 and 260 μg/m3, respectively. These levels are a factor 5 and 10 times higher than the corresponding values measured in one of the busiest streets in central Stockholm.The concentrations in the underground followed closely the train traffic intensity. The levels were very similar from one day to the next. During Saturdays and Sundays the levels decreased slightly due to less frequent train passages. Additional measurements were performed right after the tunnel had been washed. Tunnel walls and railway tracks between the platforms of the underground system were washed using water. Only a slight reduction of the PM10 levels (approximately 13%) could be observed during a few days after the water treatment. For PM2.5 the reduction was even less, about 10% lower levels could be seen. This might indicate that particles from tunnel walls and tracks make only a minor contribution to the observed levels.These results confirm earlier unpublished measurements showing high levels of PM in the underground of Stockholm. Substantially, elevated particle exposure levels have also been reported in several earlier studies in the underground of London, UK. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• P and S speciation in particles leached through four agricultural lands were studied. • Si, Al, K, Mg, Ca, and Fe were the most abundant elements in the leached particles. • Multi-elemental co-localizations shows P to be localized mostly with S and Al. • S K- edge XANES shows S in the leached particles to be mainly organic S. • P K- edge XANES confirmed P to exist as organic P and as P adsorbed to Al surfaces. Colloids and nanoparticles leached from agricultural land are major carriers of potentially bioavailable nutrients with high mobility in the environment. Despite significant research efforts, accurate knowledge of macronutrients in colloids and nanoparticles is limited. We used multi-elemental synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopy with multivariate spatial analysis and X-ray atomic absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the P and S K -edges, to study the speciation of P and S in two fractions of leached particles, >0.45 and <0.45 µm respectively, collected from four tile-drained agricultural sites in Sweden. P K -edge XANES showed that organic P, followed by P adsorbed to surfaces of aluminum-bearing particles were the most common forms of leached P. Iron-bound P (Fe-P) forms were generally less abundant (0–30 % of the total P). S K -edge XANES showed that S was predominantly organic, and a relatively high abundance of reduced S species suggests that redox conditions were adverse to the persistence of P bound to Fe-bearing colloids in the leachates. Acid ammonium-oxalate extractions suggested that P associated with Al and Fe (Al-P and Fe-P) in most cases could be explained by the adsorption capacity of non-crystalline (oxalate-extractable) oxides of Al and Fe. These results improve our understanding of particulate P and S speciation in the vadose zone and helps in developing effective technologies for mitigating colloidal driven eutrophication of water bodies near agricultural land. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a research study considering an incidence of lung cancer among subway drivers in Stockholm. Very high levels of airborne particles have been observed in Stockholm's subway system which originate from wearing of wheels and brakes with main content of iron are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer among subway drivers. Lung cancer cases were identified from the national cancer register code of 162.1 of the International Classification of Diseases. According to the research 10.94 cases of lung cancer among the subway transport and communication workers were expected. Furthermore, the result of the study shows that subway particles are more potent in causing lung cancer than particles in ambient air.

Accurate knowledge of the microphysical properties of ice, snow crystals and snow particles,such as size, area, shape, and fall speed is useful for meteorological forecast and climatemodels. Measurements of these microphysical properties of natural snow have been carried out inKiruna, north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, using our ground-based in-situ instrumentD-ICI, which takes high-resolution side- and top-view images of snow crystals, ice crystals,aggregates, and other hydrometeors covering sizes from 50 μm to 4 mm. The image dataallow to determine particle size, area, area ratio, aspect ratio, shape, and fall speed ofindividual particles. Here, data from several snowfall seasons between 2015 and 2018 areanalysed. In particular, snow fall speed in relation to the other microphysical propertiesis studied. There seem to be very little correlation between fall speed and size.To understand this further, we are looking at the fall speed–size relationship forindividual shapes and its variation between different snow events. In addition, fall speeddependence on the other measured properties is analysed. The results from this study inKiruna will help to improve our understanding of precipitation in cold climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Air pollution is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Experimental studies, and a few epidemiological studies, suggest that air pollution may cause acute exacerbation of psychiatric disorders, and even increase the rate of suicide attempts, but epidemiological studies on air pollution in association with psychiatric disorders are still few. Our aim was to investigate associations between daily fluctuations in air pollution concentrations and the daily number of visits to a psychiatric emergency unit., Methods: Data from Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, on the daily number of visits to the Psychiatric emergency unit were combined with daily data on monitored concentrations of respirable particulate matter(PM 10 ), ozone(O 3 ), nitrogen dioxides(NO 2 ) and temperature between 1st July 2012 and 31st December 2016. We used a case-crossover design to analyze data with conditional Poisson regression models allowing for over-dispersion. We stratified data on season., Results: Visits increased with increasing PM 10 levels during the warmer season (April to September) in both single-pollutant and two-pollutant models. For example, an increase of 3.6% (95% Confidence Interval, CI, 0.4-7.0%) was observed with a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 10 adjusted for NO 2 . In the three-pollutant models (adjusting for NO 2 and O 3 simultaneously) the increase was 3.3% (95% CI, -0.2-6.9). There were no clear associations between the outcome and NO 2 , O 3 , or PM 10 during the colder season (October to March)., Conclusions: Ambient air particle concentrations were associated with the number of visits to the Psychiatric emergency unit in the warm season. The results were only borderline statistically significant in the fully adjusted (three-pollutant) models in this small study. The observation could be interpreted as indicative of air pollution as either exacerbating an underlying psychiatric disorder, or increasing mental distress, even in areas with comparatively low levels of air pollution. In combination with the severe impact of psychiatric disorders and mental distress on society and individuals, our results are a strong warrant for future research in this area.

Ultrafine particles are considered as a possible cause of some of the adverse health effects caused by airborne particles. In this study, the particle characteristics were measured in seven Swedish industrial plants, with a special focus on the ultrafine particle fraction. Number concentration, size distribution, surface area concentration, and mass concentration were measured at 10 different job activities, including fettling, laser cutting, welding, smelting, core making, moulding, concreting, grinding, sieving powders, and washing machine goods. A thorough particle characterization is necessary in workplaces since it is not clear yet which choice of ultrafine particle metric is the best to measure in relation to health effects. Job activities were given a different order of rank depending on what particle metric was measured. An especially high number concentration (130 × 103 cm−3) and percentage of ultrafine particles (96%) were found at fettling of aluminium, whereas the highest surface area concentration (up to 3800 μm2 cm−3) as well as high PM10 (up to 1 mg m−3) and PM1 (up to 0.8 mg m−3) were found at welding and laser cutting of steel. The smallest geometric mean diameter (22 nm) was found at core making (geometric standard deviation: 1.9). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]