Unlike other air pollutants, there are no limit values for ultrafine particles (UFP, particles with a diameter of less than 100 nanometers) in the EU. This is due to the lack of data on long-term exposure to UFP in the population and on the effects of UFP on health, independent of regulated air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) or ozone (O₃).

The overall objective of this project is, therefore, to assess the long-term health effects of UFP at two Bavarian centers (Augsburg and Regensburg) of the German National Cohort study (NAKO, https://nako.de/). This project is part of the project network “BayUFP – Measurement, Characterization and Evaluation of Ultrafine Particles”, see also www.ultrafeinepartikel.de.

1. To model the spatial long-term UFP concentrations in Augsburg and Regensburg.
2. To investigate the relationship between long-term exposure to UFP and cardio-metabolic risk markers (for example, C-reactive protein as a classical marker of inflammation) or the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarctions, and stroke.

More than 30.000 participants of the German National Cohort living in the regions of Augsburg and Regensburg.

Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection (funding period: November 2020 - October 2023)

• Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München – IBE Chair of Epidemiology: Annette Peters, Susanne Breitner-Busch, Marco Dallavalle

• University of Augsburg, Environmental Science Center: Jens Soentgen, Susanne Sues

• Helmholtz Zentrum München - Institute of Epidemiology: Alexandra Schneider, Josef Cyrys, Kathrin Wolf, Regina Pickford