1
|
Marro M, Moccozet L, Vernez D. A numerical model for quantifying exposure to natural and artificial light in human health research. Comput Biol Med 2024; 171:108119. [PMID: 38367446 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Various skin and ocular pathologies can result from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation and blue light. Assessing the potential harm of exposure to these light sources requires quantifying the energy received to specific target tissue. Despite a well-established understanding of the light-disease relationship, the quantification of received energy in diverse lighting scenarios proves challenging due to the multitude of light sources and continuous variation in the orientation of receiving tissues (skin and eyes). This complexity makes the determination of health hazards associated with specific lighting conditions difficult. In this study, we present a solution to this challenge using a numerical approach. Through the implementation of algorithms applied to 3D geometries, we created and validated a numerical model that simulates skin and ocular exposure to both natural and artificial light sources. The resulting numerical model is a computational framework in which customizable exposure scenarios can be implemented. The ability to adapt simulations to different configurations for study makes this model a potential investigative method in human health research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michele Marro
- University of Geneva, Centre Universitaire d'informatique, Battelle, Batiment A, 7 Route de Drize 1227 Carouge (CH), Switzerland.
| | - Laurent Moccozet
- University of Geneva, Centre Universitaire d'informatique, Battelle, Batiment A, 7 Route de Drize 1227 Carouge (CH), Switzerland.
| | - David Vernez
- University of Lausanne, Center for Public Health and Primary Care Medicine (Unisanté), 44 Rue du Bugnon 1011 Lausanne (CH), Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Malinović-Milićević S, Mijatović Z, Stanojević G, Radovanović MM, Popović V. Health risks of extended exposure to low-level UV radiation - An analysis of ground-based and satellite-derived data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 831:154899. [PMID: 35367258 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to indicate the importance of revising current health recommendations concerning the duration of exposure and individual sensitivity of the skin to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. For this purpose, a 16-year data series (2005-2020) of erythemal radiant exposure (Her) and UV index (UVI) for Serbia was analyzed. The UV-related risk was estimated for lighter skin (skin phototypes I-IV) under prolonged exposure on days when maximum UVI was below the recommended protection threshold (UVIlow days, for UVI < 3). Risk assessment was performed for seasonal exposure using satellite-derived data (OMUVBd product) previously validated by ground-based measurements in Novi Sad. The assessment of harmful effects included an analysis of the relation between the daily maximum UVI and the corresponding daily Her, the occurrence of UVIlow days, the exceedance of minimal erythema dose (MED), and the minimum duration of exposure to induce erythema (tMED) for all lighter skin phototypes. It was found that the share of UVIlow days in the total number of days in Serbia increases with the latitude, with the highest percentage in winter (up to 69.454%) and the lowest in summer (up to 3.468%). The results show that the daily Her frequently exceeded the harmful threshold for lighter skin phototypes I-IV (on average by 91.521, 84.923, 70.556, and 56.515%, respectively) on UVIlow days. It was found that prolonged exposure on days with a maximum of UVI = 2 poses a significant risk of erythema for all lighter skin phototypes, even for a duration of 3 h in the middle of the day, as well as medium risk for UVI = 1, and an absence of risk for UVI = 0. The results suggest that health recommendations should be revised, especially in the mid-latitudes, where the share of UVIlow days is large, and in areas where the population is predominantly lighter-skinned.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Slavica Malinović-Milićević
- Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijić", Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Djure Jakšića 9, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Zoran Mijatović
- Faculty of Sciences, Department of Physics, University of Novi Sad, Dositej Obradović Square 4, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Gorica Stanojević
- Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijić", Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Djure Jakšića 9, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milan M Radovanović
- Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijić", Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Djure Jakšića 9, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; Institute of Sports, Tourism and Service, South Ural State University, 76 Lenin A, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Vladimir Popović
- Geographical Institute "Jovan Cvijić", Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Djure Jakšića 9, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bringing Light into Darkness-Comparison of Different Personal Dosimeters for Assessment of Solar Ultraviolet Exposure. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18179071. [PMID: 34501660 PMCID: PMC8431201 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
(1) Measuring personal exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) poses a major challenges for researchers. Often, the study design determines the measuring devices that can be used, be it the duration of measurements or size restrictions on different body parts. It is therefore of great importance that measuring devices produce comparable results despite technical differences and modes of operation. Particularly when measurement results from different studies dealing with personal UV exposure are to be compared with each other, the need for intercomparability and intercalibration factors between different measurement systems becomes significant. (2) Three commonly used dosimeter types—(polysulphone film (PSF), biological, and electronic dosimeters)—were selected to perform intercalibration measurements. They differ in measurement principle and sensitivity, measurement accuracy, and susceptibility to inaccuracies. The aim was to derive intercalibration factors for these dosimeter types. (3) While a calibration factor between PSF and electronic dosimeters of about 1.3 could be derived for direct irradiation of the dosimeters, this was not the case for larger angles of incidence of solar radiation with increasing fractions of diffuse irradiation. Electronic dosimeters show small standard deviation across all measurements. For biological dosimeters, no intercalibration factor could be found with respect to PSF and electronic dosimeters. In a use case, the relation between steady-state measurements and personal measurements was studied. On average, persons acquired only a small fraction of the ambient radiation.
Collapse
|
4
|
Soueid L, Triguero-Mas M, Dalmau A, Barrera-Gómez J, Alonso L, Basagaña X, Thieden E, Wulf HC, Diffey B, Young AR, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Dadvand P. Estimating personal solar ultraviolet radiation exposure through time spent outdoors, ambient levels and modelling approaches. Br J Dermatol 2021; 186:266-273. [PMID: 34403140 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.20703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence on validation of surrogates applied to evaluate the personal exposure levels of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in epidemiological studies is scarce. OBJECTIVES To determine and compare the validity of three approaches, including (i) ambient UVR levels, (ii) time spent outdoors, and (iii) a modelling approach integrating the aforementioned parameters, to estimate personal UVR exposure over a period of six months among indoor and outdoor workers and in different seasons (summer/winter). METHODS This validation study was part of the EU ICEPURE project and was performed between July 2010 and January 2011 in a convenience sample of indoor and outdoor workers in Catalunya - Spain. We developed linear regression models to quantify the variation in the objectively measured personal UVR exposure that could be explained, separately, by the ambient UVR, time spent outdoors, and modelled UVR levels. RESULTS Our 39 participants - mostly male and with a median age of 35 years- presented a median daily objectively measured UVR of 0.37 standard erythemal doses (SEDs). The UVR dose was statistically significantly higher in summer and for outdoor workers. The modelled personal UVR exposure and self-reported time spent outdoors could reasonably predict the variation in the objectively measured personal UVR levels (R2 = (0.75, 0.79)), whereas ambient UVR was a poor predictor (R2 =0.21). No notable differences were found between seasons or occupation. CONCLUSIONS Time outdoors and our modelling approach were reliable predictors and of value to be applied in epidemiological studies of the health effects of current exposure to UVR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Soueid
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Triguero-Mas
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, ICTA-UAB), Barcelona, Spain.,Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Dalmau
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.,Agència de Qualitat i Avaluació Sanitàries de Catalunya (AQuAS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Barrera-Gómez
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - L Alonso
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - X Basagaña
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Thieden
- Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - H C Wulf
- Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - B Diffey
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
| | - A R Young
- King's College London, St John´s Institute of Dermatology, London, United Kingdom
| | - M Nieuwenhuijsen
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Dadvand
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Linde K, Wright CY, du Plessis JL. Personal Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure of Farmworkers: Seasonal and Anatomical Differences Suggest Prevention Measures Are Required. Ann Work Expo Health 2021; 66:41-51. [PMID: 34302333 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxab049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Farmworkers are at risk of excess exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) during their work activities, especially if they work in geographical areas with high ambient solar UVR levels such as in South Africa. Excess exposure to solar UVR may lead to several negative health effects such as certain cataracts and skin cancer. This study evaluated personal solar UVR exposure of a group of farmworkers to determine if they were at risk of health-related problems due to excess solar UVR exposure. METHODS Polysulphone film (PSF) badges were placed on the shoulder, arm, and top of the head of outdoor and indoor farmworkers on a macadamia nut and avocado farm in the Limpopo province for the duration of their daily work shift to evaluate their total daily solar UVR exposure. Sixteen days were assessed for each of the three, high solar UVR seasons, i.e. autumn, spring, and summer. RESULTS During autumn, farmworkers' arms received the highest solar UVR exposures (geometric mean (GM) = 7.8 SED, where 1 standard erythemal dose (SED) = 100 J/m2, 95% CI 6.1-9.8 SED) while the highest exposures were on the top of the head during spring (GM = 11.6 SED, 95% CI 7.3-17.4 SED) and summer (GM = 13.9, 95% CI 10.4-17.9 SED). Statistically significant differences in solar UVR exposure were found between the body sites during spring and summer but not autumn. CONCLUSIONS The relatively high daily solar UVR exposure levels of farmworkers suggest this occupational group is at risk of excess solar UVR exposure and preventive measures with awareness information to safeguard health is necessary for employers and employees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karlien Linde
- Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative (OHHRI), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.,Department of Physiology and Environmental Health, University of Limpopo, Sovenga 0727, South Africa
| | - Caradee Yael Wright
- Environmental and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.,Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Johannes Lodewykus du Plessis
- Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative (OHHRI), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Schmalwieser AW. Possibilities to estimate the personal UV radiation exposure from ambient UV radiation measurements. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2021; 19:1249-1261. [PMID: 32794538 DOI: 10.1039/d0pp00182a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
People are exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) throughout their entire lives. Exposure to UVR is vital but also poses serious risks. The quantification of human UVR exposure is a complex issue. Personal UVR exposure is related to ambient UVR as well as to a variety of factors such as the orientation of the exposed anatomical site with respect to the sun and the duration of exposure. This is mainly determined by personal behaviour. A variety of efforts have been made in the past to measure or model the personal UVR exposure of people and often personal UVR exposure has been expressed as the percentage of ambient UVR. On the other hand, ambient UVR is being monitored at a variety of places and measurements are available even online. This suggests that both the knowledge of personal UVR exposure and measurements of ambient UVR is required. In this paper, a summary on the different methods, which use ambient UVR measurements to estimate personal UVR exposure of people, as well as a few examples, are given. Advantages and disadvantages will be discussed as well as possibilities and limitations. This also includes an overview of appropriate terminology, units and basic statistic parameters to describe personal UVR exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alois W Schmalwieser
- Institute of Biophysics and Physiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Vuilleumier L, Harris T, Nenes A, Backes C, Vernez D. Developing a UV climatology for public health purposes using satellite data. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106177. [PMID: 33189989 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The effects of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation on life on Earth differ greatly. While overexposure to UV rays is harmful, small amounts of exposure are necessary for the synthesis of Vitamin D and good health. To optimize individual exposure to solar UV, it is therefore crucial to use UV data sources representative for entire populations and realistically accounting for various influencing factors. A UV climatology for Switzerland based on satellite data has been developed to provide risk estimates at population level. An algorithm generating ground-based radiation estimate has been transformed from the visible to the UV wavelength domain by adapting both a clear-sky radiation transfer model and a cloud modification factor model using satellite imagery. The algorithm allows the computation of global UV erythemal irradiance at a spatial resolution of 1.5 - 2 km and an hourly temporal resolution over fifteen years. A validation, conducted with measurements from three meteorological stations over ten years, showed that the expanded uncertainty for low hourly UVI values (UVI < 3) is about ± 0.3, while for high hourly UVI values (UVI > 6) it can go up to ± 1.5. In clear-sky situation, the uncertainty is in the range of 10-15%. The climatology developed allows to visualise potential UV exposure at regional and national scale. National prevention intervention could use new strategies to better focus on populations at risk and better tailor available researches. The UV climatology allows a high versatility in adapting the data extraction to the goal of studies using it. Further tailored data extraction and analysis will be necessary to exploit this climatology in a wide range of environmental and occupational health applications. Its development was focused on Switzerland, but the techniques used can be extended globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Vuilleumier
- Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss), Payerne, Switzerland.
| | - Todd Harris
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Athanasios Nenes
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland; Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Patras, Greece.
| | - Claudine Backes
- Center for Public Health and Primary Care Medicine (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - David Vernez
- Center for Public Health and Primary Care Medicine (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Cheng W, Brown R, Vernez D, Goldberg D. Estimation of Individual Exposure to Erythemal Weighted UVR by Multi-Sensor Measurements and Integral Calculation. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20154068. [PMID: 32707787 PMCID: PMC7435697 DOI: 10.3390/s20154068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can be hazardous to humans, especially children, and is associated with sunburn, melanoma, and the risk of skin cancer. Understanding and estimating adults’ and children’s UVR exposure is critical to the design of effective interventions and the production of healthy UVR environments. Currently, there are limitations to the ways computer modeling and field measurements estimate individual UVR exposure in a given landscape. To address these limitations, this study developed an approach of integral calculation using six-directional (up, down, south, north, east, and west) field-measured UVR data and the estimated body exposure ratios (ER) for both children and adults. This approach showed high agreement when compared to a validated approach using ambient UVR and estimated ER data with a high r-square value (90.72% for child and adult models), and a low mean squared error (6.0% for child model and 5.1% for adult model) in an open area. This approach acting as a complementary tool between the climatology level and individual level can be used to estimate individual UVR exposure in a landscape with a complicated shady environment. In addition, measuring daily UVR data from six directions under open sky conditions confirmed that personal dosimeters underestimate actual individual UVR exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Cheng
- College of Architecture, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Robert Brown
- Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - David Vernez
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Daniel Goldberg
- Department of Geography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
du Preez DJ, Parisi AV, Millar DA, Bencherif H, Wright CY. Comparison of GOME-2 UVA Satellite Data to Ground-Based UVA Measurements in South Africa. Photochem Photobiol 2020; 96:1342-1349. [PMID: 32620028 DOI: 10.1111/php.13308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Satellite estimates of surface ultraviolet A (UVA) (315-400 nm) from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME)-2 were compared to ground-based measurements at four stations in South Africa for 2015. The comparison of daily exposure and daily maximum irradiance was completed for all-sky and clear-sky conditions. There is a strong linear correlation between the satellite and ground-based data with a correlation coefficient (r) between 0.86 and 0.97 for all-sky conditions. However, at three of the stations the satellite data are underestimated compared to ground-based data with a mean bias error (MBE) between -8.7% and -20.6%. A seasonal analysis indicated that there is a link between the bias in ground-based and GOME-2 UVA and cloud fraction. Factors such as aerosols, surface albedo, altitude and data resolution may contribute to the underestimations found at the three sites. These results indicate that satellite estimates of surface UVA over South Africa do not exhibit the same behavior as other stations around the world and therefore require further validation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Jean du Preez
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Laboratoire de l'Atmosphère et des Cyclones (LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France), Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France
| | - Alfio V Parisi
- Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
| | - Danielle A Millar
- Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Hassan Bencherif
- Laboratoire de l'Atmosphère et des Cyclones (LACy, UMR 8105 CNRS, Université de La Réunion, Météo-France), Saint-Denis de La Réunion, France.,School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Caradee Y Wright
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Public Health Messages Associated with Low UV Index Values Need Reconsideration. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16122067. [PMID: 31212727 PMCID: PMC6617134 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16122067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the main modifiable risk factor for skin cancer. The Global Solar Ultraviolet Index (UVI) was introduced as a tool to visualize the intensity of UV radiation on a certain day, which should enable and encourage people to take appropriate protective measures. The ‘low’ exposure category of the UVI, defined by a rounded UVI value of 0, 1 or 2, was linked to the health message ‘No protection required’ by the World Health Organization and partner organizations. However, published evidence corroborating this advice is not available. To evaluate the erythemal risk of low UVI days, we analyzed 14,431 daily time series of ambient erythemal irradiance data measured at nine stations of the German solar UV monitoring network during the years 2007–2016. We analyzed the proportion of days in the sample for which ambient erythemal doses calculated for various time intervals exceed average minimal erythemal doses (MEDs) of the Fitzpatrick skin phototypes I–VI to assess the potential for erythema arising from sun exposure on days with low UVI values. Additionally, we calculated for each day the minimum exposure duration needed to receive one MED. Our results indicate that on days with a UVI value of 0, risk of erythema is indeed negligible. Conversely, the abovementioned health message appears misleading when melano-compromised individuals (skin type I and II) spend more than 1.5 hours outdoors on days with a UVI value of 2. Under rare circumstances of prolonged exposure, MEDs of the two most sensitive skin types can also be exceeded even on days with a UVI value of 1. Hence, current WHO guidance for sun protection on days with low UVI values needs reconsideration.
Collapse
|
11
|
Lehmann M, Sandmann H, Pfahlberg AB, Uter W, Gefeller O. Erythemal UV Radiation on Days with Low UV Index Values-an Analysis of Data from the German Solar UV Monitoring Network over a Ten-year Period. Photochem Photobiol 2019; 95:1076-1082. [PMID: 30767232 DOI: 10.1111/php.13092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization and partner organizations, no protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation is required on days with "low" values (i.e., values <3) of the Global Solar Ultraviolet Index (UVI). Erythemal irradiance (Eer ) data of such days were analyzed to evaluate this claim. Measurements from 9 stations of the German solar UV monitoring network from 2007 to 2016 yielded 14,431 daily Eer time series of low UVI days. Erythemal doses for certain fixed time intervals-acquired from measurements on horizontal planes-were compared with the average minimal erythemal dose (MED) of skin phototype II. Doses from days with rounded UVI values of 0 were insufficient to induce erythema and even on days with rounded UVI values of 1 doses exceeding 1 MED of skin type II could only be acquired under very specific circumstances of prolonged exposure. Conversely, sun exposure on days with rounded UVI values of 2 can indeed provide doses sufficient to induce erythema in skin type II after two hours around noon. In conclusion, our analyses do not support the claim of harmlessness currently associated with the entire low UVI exposure category in public guidance on interpretation of the UVI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lehmann
- Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Annette B Pfahlberg
- Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Uter
- Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olaf Gefeller
- Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Schmalwieser AW, Gröbner J, Blumthaler M, Klotz B, De Backer H, Bolsée D, Werner R, Tomsic D, Metelka L, Eriksen P, Jepsen N, Aun M, Heikkilä A, Duprat T, Sandmann H, Weiss T, Bais A, Toth Z, Siani AM, Vaccaro L, Diémoz H, Grifoni D, Zipoli G, Lorenzetto G, Petkov BH, di Sarra AG, Massen F, Yousif C, Aculinin AA, den Outer P, Svendby T, Dahlback A, Johnsen B, Biszczuk-Jakubowska J, Krzyscin J, Henriques D, Chubarova N, Kolarž P, Mijatovic Z, Groselj D, Pribullova A, Gonzales JRM, Bilbao J, Guerrero JMV, Serrano A, Andersson S, Vuilleumier L, Webb A, O'Hagan J. UV Index monitoring in Europe. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2018; 16:1349-1370. [PMID: 28848959 DOI: 10.1039/c7pp00178a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The UV Index was established more than 20 years ago as a tool for sun protection and health care. Shortly after its introduction, UV Index monitoring started in several countries either by newly acquired instruments or by converting measurements from existing instruments into the UV Index. The number of stations and networks has increased over the years. Currently, 160 stations in 25 European countries deliver online values to the public via the Internet. In this paper an overview of these UV Index monitoring sites in Europe is given. The overview includes instruments as well as quality assurance and quality control procedures. Furthermore, some examples are given about how UV Index values are presented to the public. Through these efforts, 57% of the European population is supplied with high quality information, enabling them to adapt behaviour. Although health care, including skin cancer prevention, is cost-effective, a proportion of the European population still doesn't have access to UV Index information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alois W Schmalwieser
- University of Veterinary Medicine, Unit of Physiology and Biophysics, Vienna, Austria.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Vanos JK, McKercher GR, Naughton K, Lochbaum M. Schoolyard Shade and Sun Exposure: Assessment of Personal Monitoring During Children's Physical Activity. Photochem Photobiol 2017; 93:1123-1132. [PMID: 28097673 DOI: 10.1111/php.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Childhood exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a major risk factor for the development of melanoma later in life. However, it is challenging to accurately determine personal outdoor exposure to UVR, specifically erythemally weighted UVR (UVEry ), due to technological constraints, variable time-activity patterns, and the influence of outdoor environmental design. To address this challenge, this study utilized mobile and stationary techniques to examine the UVEry exposures of 14 children in a schoolyard in Lubbock, TX, in spring 2016. The aims of the study were to examine the influence of artificial shade on personal UVEry exposures and to assess full sun exposure ratios (ERs) within the same playground microenvironment. On average, personal wrist dosimeters worn during play in the sun measured 18% of the total onsite UVEry measured by a stationary UV pyranometer. Shade was found to significantly reduce the personal UVEry exposures by 55%, UVB280-315 nm exposures by 91%, and the overall solar radiation by 84%. Substantial benefits can be garnered through focused design of children's recreational space to utilize shade-both natural and artificial-to reduce UVR exposures during play, and to extend safe outdoor stays. Finally, although the wrist is a practical location for a dosimeter, it often underestimates full exposures, particularly during physical activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Vanos
- Atmospheric Science Research Group, Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.,Climate, Atmospheric Science, and Physical Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Grant R McKercher
- Atmospheric Science Research Group, Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Kylie Naughton
- Climate Science Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Marc Lochbaum
- Exercise & Sport Psychology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.,KIHU - Research Institute for Olympic Sports, Jyväskylä, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Blesić SM, Stratimirović ĐI, Ajtić JV, Wright CY, Allen MW. Novel approach to analysing large data sets of personal sun exposure measurements. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2016; 26:613-620. [PMID: 27553989 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2016.43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Personal sun exposure measurements provide important information to guide the development of sun awareness and disease prevention campaigns. We assess the scaling properties of personal ultraviolet radiation (pUVR) sun exposure measurements using the wavelet transform (WT) spectral analysis to process long-range, high-frequency personal recordings collected by electronic UVR dosimeters designed to measure erythemal UVR exposure. We analysed the sun exposure recordings of school children, farmers, marathon runners and outdoor workers in South Africa, and construction workers and work site supervisors in New Zealand. We found scaling behaviour in all the analysed pUVR data sets. We found that the observed scaling changes from uncorrelated to long-range correlated with increasing duration of sun exposure. Peaks in the WT spectra that we found suggest the existence of characteristic times in sun exposure behaviour that were to some extent universal across our data set. Our study also showed that WT measures enable group classification, as well as distinction between individual UVR exposures, otherwise unattainable by conventional statistical methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suzana M Blesić
- Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Institute for Research and Advancement in Complex Systems, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Đorđe I Stratimirović
- Institute for Research and Advancement in Complex Systems, Belgrade, Serbia
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelena V Ajtić
- Institute for Research and Advancement in Complex Systems, Belgrade, Serbia
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Caradee Y Wright
- Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Martin W Allen
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
|
16
|
Zaratti F, Piacentini RD, Guillén HA, Cabrera SH, Liley JB, McKenzie RL. Proposal for a modification of the UVI risk scale. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2014; 13:980-5. [DOI: 10.1039/c4pp00006d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Peak UVI values for the globe using a modified colour scale. With the colour scale for UVI as currently recommended by WHO, more than 78% of the globe area – representing 89% of the world's population – would be indistinguishable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Zaratti
- Laboratorio de Fisica de la Atmosfera
- Universidad Mayor de San Andres
- La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Rubén D. Piacentini
- Area Física de la Atmósfera
- Radiación Solar y Astropartículas
- Instituto de Física Rosario
- CONICET – Universidad Nacional de Rosario
- Rosario, Argentina
| | | | - Sergio H. Cabrera
- Universidad de Chile
- Facultad de Medicina
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular Independencia 1027
- Santiago, Chile
| | - J. Ben Liley
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA)
- Lauder
- Central Otago, New Zealand
| | - Richard L. McKenzie
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA)
- Lauder
- Central Otago, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|