Early pregnancy particulate matter exposure, pre-pregnancy adiposity and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in Finnish primiparous women: An observational cohort study.

Aims: To evaluate the association between the exposure of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 2.5μm (PM) and with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 10μm (PM) over the first trimester and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and to assess whether maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) modified the GDM risk.

Methods: All Finnish primiparous women without previously diagnosed diabetes who delivered between 2009 and 2015 in the city of Vantaa, Finland, composed the study cohort (N = 6189).

Size distribution and chemical composition of airborne particles in south-eastern Finland during different seasons and wildfire episodes in 2006.

The inorganic main elements, trace elements and PAHs were determined from selected PM(1), PM(2.5) and PM(10) samples collected at the Nordic background station in Virolahti during different seasons and during the wildfire episodes in 2006. Submicron particles are those most harmful to human beings, as they are able to penetrate deep into the human respiratory system and may cause severe health effects.

Airborne sulfur and nitrogen in Finland-trends and exposure in relation to air transport sector.

We present the concentration trends and the atmospheric exposure of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in different transport sectors during the period 1981-2000, based on the air quality data of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Sulfur and nitrogen concentrations in air and precipitation were assessed from background stations covering the whole country. A significant decrease of more than 60% was observed in the concentrations of all sulfur compounds throughout the country during 1981-2000.