Low-Cost Hourly Ambient Black Carbon Measurements at Multiple Cities in Africa.

There is a notable lack of continuous monitoring of air pollutants in the Global South, especially for measuring chemical composition, due to the high cost of regulatory monitors. Using our previously developed low-cost method to quantify black carbon (BC) in fine particulate matter (PM) by analyzing reflected red light from ambient particle deposits on glass fiber filters, we estimated hourly ambient BC concentrations with filter tapes from beta attenuation monitors (BAMs). BC measurements obtained through this method were validated against a reference aethalometer between August 2 and 23, 2023 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, demonstrating a very strong agreement ( = 0.

Inequalities in urban air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa: an empirical modeling of ambient NO and NO concentrations in Accra, Ghana.

Road traffic has become the leading source of air pollution in fast-growing sub-Saharan African cities. Yet, there is a dearth of robust city-wide data for understanding space-time variations and inequalities in combustion related emissions and exposures. We combined nitrogen dioxide (NO) and nitric oxide (NO) measurement data from 134 locations in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), with geographical, meteorological, and population factors in spatio-temporal mixed effects models to predict NO and NO concentrations at fine spatial (50 m) and temporal (weekly) resolution over the entire GAMA.

Low-Cost Sensor Performance Intercomparison, Correction Factor Development, and 2+ Years of Ambient PM Monitoring in Accra, Ghana.

Particulate matter air pollution is a leading cause of global mortality, particularly in Asia and Africa. Addressing the high and wide-ranging air pollution levels requires ambient monitoring, but many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remain scarcely monitored. To address these data gaps, recent studies have utilized low-cost sensors.

Characterisation of urban environment and activity across space and time using street images and deep learning in Accra.

The urban environment influences human health, safety and wellbeing. Cities in Africa are growing faster than other regions but have limited data to guide urban planning and policies. Our aim was to use smart sensing and analytics to characterise the spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of features of the urban environment relevant for health, liveability, safety and sustainability.

High-resolution spatiotemporal measurement of air and environmental noise pollution in Sub-Saharan African cities: Pathways to Equitable Health Cities Study protocol for Accra, Ghana.

Introduction: Air and noise pollution are emerging environmental health hazards in African cities, with potentially complex spatial and temporal patterns. Limited local data are a barrier to the formulation and evaluation of policies to reduce air and noise pollution.

Methods And Analysis: We designed a year-long measurement campaign to characterise air and noise pollution and their sources at high-resolution within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), Ghana.

Personal particulate matter exposures and locations of students in four neighborhoods in Accra, Ghana.

Air pollution exposure and places where the exposures occur may differ in cities in the developing world compared with high-income countries. Our aim was to measure personal fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure of students in neighborhoods of varying socioeconomic status in Accra, Ghana, and to quantify the main predictors of exposure.

Chemical characterization and source apportionment of household fine particulate matter in rural, peri-urban, and urban West Africa.

Household air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions is an important cause of disease burden. Little is known about the chemical composition and sources of household air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa, and how they differ between rural and urban homes. We analyzed the chemical composition and sources of fine particles (PM2.

Spatial and temporal patterns of particulate matter sources and pollution in four communities in Accra, Ghana.

Sources of air pollution in developing country cities include transportation and industrial pollution, biomass fuel use, and re-suspended dust from unpaved roads. We examined the spatial patterns of particulate matter (PM) and its sources in four neighborhoods of varying socioeconomic status (SES) in Accra. PM data were from 1 week of morning and afternoon mobile and stationary air pollution measurements in each of the study neighborhoods.

Household and community poverty, biomass use, and air pollution in Accra, Ghana.

Many urban households in developing countries use biomass fuels for cooking. The proportion of household biomass use varies among neighborhoods, and is generally higher in low socioeconomic status (SES) communities. Little is known of how household air pollution varies by SES and how it is affected by biomass fuels and traffic sources in developing country cities.

Air pollution in Accra neighborhoods: spatial, socioeconomic, and temporal patterns.

This study examined the spatial, socioeconomic status (SES), and temporal patterns of ambient air pollution in Accra, Ghana. Over 22 months, integrated and continuous rooftop particulate matter (PM) monitors were placed at a total of 11 residential or roadside monitoring sites in four neighborhoods of varying SES and biomass fuel use. PM concentrations were highest in late December and January, due to dust blown from the Sahara.

Within-neighborhood patterns and sources of particle pollution: mobile monitoring and geographic information system analysis in four communities in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Sources of air pollution in developing country cities include transportation and industrial pollution, biomass and coal fuel use, and resuspended dust from unpaved roads.

Objectives: Our goal was to understand within-neighborhood spatial variability of particulate matter (PM) in communities of varying socioeconomic status (SES) in Accra, Ghana, and to quantify the effects of nearby sources on local PM concentration.

Methods: We conducted 1 week of morning and afternoon mobile and stationary air pollution measurements in four study neighborhoods.