New app measures fine dust pollution for pedestrians and cyclists!

New app measures fine dust pollution for pedestrians and cyclists!

Fine dust is considered one of the hidden dangers of our time and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is the fourth most common cause of death worldwide. The fine particles, known as PM2.5, contribute to the development of respiratory diseases, cancer and cardiovascular disease. With this alarming finding in mind, researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed an innovative prototype for an app that is intended to help pedestrians and cyclists measure and understand their fine dust pollution in urban areas. This app records the user's location and the current fine dust concentration via Google every 10 seconds.

The app's essential function is that it not only displays the current level of fine dust pollution, but also determines the amount of fine dust inhaled. The average breathing volume of the user is taken into account, which is between 6 to 8 liters when resting and between 40 to 50 liters when walking or cycling. Users also have the option to enter individual factors such as weight, speed and terrain profile to get a more precise estimate. This data-driven projection option could be helpful for urban planners, especially when implementing health-oriented infrastructure measures. The project “Health Optimization of Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure” is funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, with partners such as the FZI Research Center for Information Technology and IDEA System GmbH.

Risk factors and their effects

Exposure to fine dust is a key health risk. Studies show that people are exposed to various risk factors over the course of their lives, which can only be limited through individual behavior such as a healthy diet or exercise. Air pollutants, on the other hand, require more far-reaching political measures to reduce them. Although fine dust pollution has fallen in Germany in recent years, almost 100% of the population exceeds the recommended WHO guideline value of 5 µg/m³. While no one in Germany was exposed to levels above the EU limit of 25 µg/m³ during the study period, the actual health risk leaves much to be desired.

The disease burden caused by particulate matter was significant in 2021: approximately 232,900 Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), a halving compared to 2010. Around 5% of the disease burden from COPD and 6% from lung cancer are attributable to particulate matter. The number of naked deaths fell from 26,800 in 2010 to 12,800 in 2021, underscoring the effectiveness of mitigation measures. But the decline in the burden of disease is slowing, which may also be due to the aging population, as a study by Helmholtz Munich shows.

Health risks remain

Despite the reduced pollutant concentrations, the risk of death has not changed significantly. This worrying fact could have several reasons. These include an aging population, which tends to have greater health problems, as well as changes in the origin and composition of air pollutants. Prof. Dr. Annette Peters, Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, calls for guidance on the WHO guidelines on air quality and suggests a revision of the limit values ​​at the European level. Such steps could make a decisive contribution to further reducing health risks.

The development of the KIT app could be an important step towards a better understanding of fine dust pollution and ultimately improve the quality of life in urban areas. Given the impending health consequences, it remains essential to take public and individual measures to reduce air pollutants. KIT reported on the promising app while the Federal Environment Agency points to the sustained reduction in burdens. The youngest Study by Helmholtz Munich addresses the ongoing health risks and underlines the urgency for political action.