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Farooqi ZUR, Ahmad I, Ditta A, Ilic P, Amin M, Naveed AB, Gulzar A. Types, sources, socioeconomic impacts, and control strategies of environmental noise: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:81087-81111. [PMID: 36201075 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23328-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Noise exposure has reached an alarming degree over the years because of rapid growth in the industry, transportation, and urbanization. Therefore, it is a dire need to provide awareness of the sources and mitigation strategies of noise, and to highlight the health, and socio-economic impacts of noise. A few research studies have documented this emerging issue; however, there is no comprehensive document describing all types of noise, their impacts on living organisms, and control strategies. This review article summarizes the sources of noise; their effects on industrial workers, citizens, and animals; and the value of property in noisy areas. The plethora of literature is showing an increased level of noise in various cities of the world, which have various health consequences such as high blood pressure, insomnia, nausea, heart attack, exhaustion, dizziness, headache, and triggered hearing loss. Apart from humans, noise also affects animal habitat, preying, and reproduction ability; increases heart rate and hearing loss to even death and loss in property value; and impairs the hospital environment. Finally, we have discussed the possible strategies to mitigate the noise problem, policy statements, and regulations to be followed, with future research directions based on the identified research gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zia Ur Rahman Farooqi
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Iftikhar Ahmad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Allah Ditta
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal Dir (U),, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18000, Pakistan.
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Predrag Ilic
- PSRI Institute for protection and ecology of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Vidovdanska 43, 78000, Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Muhammad Amin
- Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Abdul Basit Naveed
- School of Natural Science, National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, 44320, Pakistan
| | - Aadil Gulzar
- Deptartment of Environmental Science, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, J & K, 190006, India
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Farooqi ZUR, Ahmad I, Zeeshan N, Ilić P, Imran M, Saeed MF. Urban noise assessment and its nonauditory health effects on the residents of Chiniot and Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:54909-54921. [PMID: 34018118 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14340-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Elevated noise level is an emerging global problem. Therefore, the present work is conducted that can improve, increase, and integrate the already known issue in literature with new information coming from an emerging country such as Pakistan. The objectives of this study were (i) to assess the urban noise levels and traffic density of Chiniot and Jhang and (ii) to determine nonauditory health effects of noise levels on the residents of both cities. Noise levels were examined from 181 locations (103 from Jhang and 78 from Chiniot) and categorized into hospitals, educational, religious and recreational, residential, industrial areas, and traffic intersections. A-weighted noise level measurements were taken using an integrated sound level meter which recorded short-term road traffic noise continuously for 15 min at each location (LAeq15). The urban noise data showed 82% of the sites in Jhang (LAmax = 103 dB) and 95% in Chiniot (LAmax = 120 dB) exceeded the noise limits set by the National Environment Quality Standard of Pakistan (NEQS-Pak) and World Health Organization (WHO). Moreover, higher intensity of noise levels (LAeq15 ≥ 100 dB) was recorded in Chiniot (17 sites) than in Jhang (1 site). Regression analysis showed a relatively strong relationship of traffic density with noise at Chiniot (R2 = 0.48) compared to Jhang (R2 = 0.31). However, spatial variability of noise with traffic density was observed in both cities. Survey study revealed that all the respondents in Jhang and Chiniot suffered from many noise-related health problems such as annoyance (53 and 51%), depression (45 and 47%), dizziness (61 and 65%), headache (67 and 64%), hypertension (71 and 56%), hearing loss (53 and 56%), physiological stress (65 and 65%), sleeplessness (81 and 84%), and tinnitus (70 and 62%) due to noise, respectively. We conclude that noise levels are higher in Chiniot primarily due to high road traffic and secondarily due to high population density. It is recommended that vehicle maintenance and family and urban planning could be effective measures to reduce urban noise levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zia Ur Rahman Farooqi
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Iftikhar Ahmad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Nukshab Zeeshan
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Predrag Ilić
- PSRI Institute for Protection and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Vidovdanska 43, 78000, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Farhan Saeed
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
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de Lima Andrade E, da Cunha E Silva DC, de Lima EA, de Oliveira RA, Zannin PHT, Martins ACG. Environmental noise in hospitals: a systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:19629-19642. [PMID: 33674976 PMCID: PMC7935697 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13211-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Environmental noise has been growing in recent years, causing numerous health problems. Highly sensitive environments such as hospitals deserve special attention, since noise can aggravate patients' health issues and impair the performance of healthcare professionals. This work consists of a systematic review of scientific articles describing environmental noise measurements taken in hospitals between the years 2015 and 2020. The researchers started with a consultation of three databases, namely, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. The results indicate that for the most part, these studies are published in journals in the fields of medicine, engineering, environmental sciences, acoustics, and nursing and that most of their authors work in the fields of architecture, engineering, medicine, and nursing. These studies, which are concentrated in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, use as reference values sound levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Leq measured in hospital environments showed daytime values ranging from 37 to 88.6 dB (A) and nighttime values of 38.7 to 68.8 dB (A). Leq values for outdoor noise were 74.3 and 56.6 dB (A) for daytime and nighttime, respectively. The measurements were taken mainly inside hospitals, prioritizing more sensitive departments such as intensive care units. There is a potential for growth in work carried out in this area, but research should also include discussions about guidelines for improvement measures aimed at reducing noise in hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik de Lima Andrade
- São Paulo State University (UNESP) - Institute of Science and Technology of Sorocaba, Avenida Três de Março, 511 - Alto da Boa Vista, Sorocaba, SP, 18.087-180, Brazil.
| | | | - Eligelcy Augusta de Lima
- São Paulo State University (UNESP) - Institute of Science and Technology of Sorocaba, Avenida Três de Março, 511 - Alto da Boa Vista, Sorocaba, SP, 18.087-180, Brazil
| | - Renan Angrizani de Oliveira
- São Paulo State University (UNESP) - Institute of Science and Technology of Sorocaba, Avenida Três de Março, 511 - Alto da Boa Vista, Sorocaba, SP, 18.087-180, Brazil
| | - Paulo Henrique Trombetta Zannin
- Federal University of Paraná - Laboratory of Environmental and Industrial Acoustics and Acoustic Comfort, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Antônio Cesar Germano Martins
- São Paulo State University (UNESP) - Institute of Science and Technology of Sorocaba, Avenida Três de Março, 511 - Alto da Boa Vista, Sorocaba, SP, 18.087-180, Brazil
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Farooqi ZUR, Sabir M, Latif J, Aslam Z, Ahmad HR, Ahmad I, Imran M, Ilić P. Assessment of noise pollution and its effects on human health in industrial hub of Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:2819-2828. [PMID: 31836979 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07105-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Faisalabad is one of the major industrial cities of Pakistan, which may cause noise pollution to the local residents due to the development of robust industrial and transport systems. This study aimed at (i) mapping the noise pollution levels at various locations of Faisalabad city; (ii) comparing noise pollution levels in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening for each source; and (iii) assessing nonauditory effects of noise on human health. Two industries and 43 famous/busy locations of Faisalabad Sadar were selected to study noise pollution by using the sound level meter for the period of 24 h. A questionnaire-based survey was carried out near the sampling points to get a public perception about the health impacts of noise pollution. The measured equivalent sound pressure levels (SPLeq) were higher than the permissible limits at all the sampling locations during morning, afternoon, and evening hours. The maximum sound pressure level (SPLmax) was 102 dB inside the production unit in the afternoon at Mian Muhammad Siddiq Textile Loom industry. The average SPL was found at State Bank road (102 dB), Children's Hospital (101 dB), Jhang Bazar (100 dB) in the afternoon and at Punjab Medical College in the evening (97 dB). Based on the survey, 94% of respondents reported headache, 76% sleeplessness, 74% hypertension, 74% physiological stress, 64% elevated blood pressure levels, and 60% dizziness due to noise. Noise pollution is higher than the standard limits and causes auditory as well as nonauditory effects on humans. The vehicles and industrial machinery should be maintained, and sound proofing and protection equipment should be provided to the workforce in order to protect them from extreme noise levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zia Ur Rahman Farooqi
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sabir
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Junaid Latif
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
- North West A&F University, Shaanxi Sheng, 712100, China
| | - Zubair Aslam
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Hamaad Raza Ahmad
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Iftikhar Ahmad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Predrag Ilić
- Institute for Protection and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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