Environmental Exposure Assessment

The primary aim of the research unit is the development and employment of exposure assessment methods for applying in epidemiological studies on health effects of air pollutants. Main activities are focused on detailed physical and chemical characterization of ambient particles collected at an aerosol measurement station in Augsburg. These data are used by the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg for investigating the health relevance of particulate matter.

A further aim of this research unit is to provide more precise information about the real burden of the population in the urban area of Augsburg by development of strategies for personal measurements of fine and ultrafine particles and examination of the outdoor-personal relationship for particulate matter. For the estimation of long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants the outdoor levels of particles are modeled over space and time (spatial and temporal variation) using land use regression modeling methods.