Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011
In the aftermath of the Icelandic volcano Grimsvötn’s eruption on 21 May 2011, volcanic ash reached Northern Europe. Elevated levels of ambient particles (PM) were registered in mid Sweden. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the Grimsvötn eruption had an effect on mortality in Sweden...
Published in: | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
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Umeå universitet, Yrkes- och miljömedicin
2013
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ftumeauniv:oai:DiVA.org:umu-83988 2023-10-09T21:52:53+02:00 Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011 Oudin, Anna Carlsen, Hanne K Forsberg, Bertil Johansson, Christer 2013 application/pdf http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-83988 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph10126909 eng eng Umeå universitet, Yrkes- och miljömedicin Department of Applied Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm 10691, Sweden International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 1661-7827, 2013, 10:12, s. 6909-19 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-83988 doi:10.3390/ijerph10126909 ISI:000330219600039 Scopus 2-s2.0-84890483073 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess air pollution particulate matter volcano mortality ash Iceland Grimsvötn Occupational Health and Environmental Health Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin Article in journal info:eu-repo/semantics/article text 2013 ftumeauniv https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph10126909 2023-09-22T13:58:40Z In the aftermath of the Icelandic volcano Grimsvötn’s eruption on 21 May 2011, volcanic ash reached Northern Europe. Elevated levels of ambient particles (PM) were registered in mid Sweden. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the Grimsvötn eruption had an effect on mortality in Sweden. Based on PM measurements at 16 sites across Sweden, data were classified into an ash exposed data set (Ash area) and an unexposed data set (No ash area). Data on daily all-cause mortality were obtained from Statistics Sweden for the time period 1 April through 31 July 2011. Mortality ratios were calculated as the ratio between the daily number of deaths in the Ash area and the No ash area. The exposure period was defined as the week following the days with elevated particle concentrations, namely 24 May through 31 May. The control period was defined as 1 April through 23 May and 1 June through 31 July. There was no absolute increase in mortality during the exposure period. However, during the exposure period the mean mortality ratio was 2.42 compared with 2.17 during the control period, implying a relatively higher number of deaths in the Ash area than in the No ash area. The differences in ratios were mostly due to a single day, 31 May, and were not statistically significant when tested with a Mann-Whitney non-parametric test (p > 0.3). The statistical power was low with only 8 days in the exposure period (24 May through 31 May). Assuming that the observed relative differences were not due to chance, the results would imply an increase of 128 deaths during the exposure period 24–31 May. If 31 May was excluded, the number of extra deaths was reduced to 20. The results of the present study are contradicting and inconclusive, but may indicate that all-cause mortality was increased by the ash-fall from the Grimsvötn eruption. Meta-analysis or pooled analysis of data from neighboring countries might make it possible to reach sufficient statistical power to study effects of the Grimsvötn ash on morbidity and ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland Umeå University: Publications (DiVA) International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 10 12 6909 6919 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Umeå University: Publications (DiVA) |
op_collection_id |
ftumeauniv |
language |
English |
topic |
air pollution particulate matter volcano mortality ash Iceland Grimsvötn Occupational Health and Environmental Health Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin |
spellingShingle |
air pollution particulate matter volcano mortality ash Iceland Grimsvötn Occupational Health and Environmental Health Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin Oudin, Anna Carlsen, Hanne K Forsberg, Bertil Johansson, Christer Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011 |
topic_facet |
air pollution particulate matter volcano mortality ash Iceland Grimsvötn Occupational Health and Environmental Health Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin |
description |
In the aftermath of the Icelandic volcano Grimsvötn’s eruption on 21 May 2011, volcanic ash reached Northern Europe. Elevated levels of ambient particles (PM) were registered in mid Sweden. The aim of the present study was to investigate if the Grimsvötn eruption had an effect on mortality in Sweden. Based on PM measurements at 16 sites across Sweden, data were classified into an ash exposed data set (Ash area) and an unexposed data set (No ash area). Data on daily all-cause mortality were obtained from Statistics Sweden for the time period 1 April through 31 July 2011. Mortality ratios were calculated as the ratio between the daily number of deaths in the Ash area and the No ash area. The exposure period was defined as the week following the days with elevated particle concentrations, namely 24 May through 31 May. The control period was defined as 1 April through 23 May and 1 June through 31 July. There was no absolute increase in mortality during the exposure period. However, during the exposure period the mean mortality ratio was 2.42 compared with 2.17 during the control period, implying a relatively higher number of deaths in the Ash area than in the No ash area. The differences in ratios were mostly due to a single day, 31 May, and were not statistically significant when tested with a Mann-Whitney non-parametric test (p > 0.3). The statistical power was low with only 8 days in the exposure period (24 May through 31 May). Assuming that the observed relative differences were not due to chance, the results would imply an increase of 128 deaths during the exposure period 24–31 May. If 31 May was excluded, the number of extra deaths was reduced to 20. The results of the present study are contradicting and inconclusive, but may indicate that all-cause mortality was increased by the ash-fall from the Grimsvötn eruption. Meta-analysis or pooled analysis of data from neighboring countries might make it possible to reach sufficient statistical power to study effects of the Grimsvötn ash on morbidity and ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Oudin, Anna Carlsen, Hanne K Forsberg, Bertil Johansson, Christer |
author_facet |
Oudin, Anna Carlsen, Hanne K Forsberg, Bertil Johansson, Christer |
author_sort |
Oudin, Anna |
title |
Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011 |
title_short |
Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011 |
title_full |
Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011 |
title_fullStr |
Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Volcanic Ash and Daily Mortality in Sweden after the Icelandic Volcano Eruption of May 2011 |
title_sort |
volcanic ash and daily mortality in sweden after the icelandic volcano eruption of may 2011 |
publisher |
Umeå universitet, Yrkes- och miljömedicin |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-83988 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph10126909 |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_relation |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 1661-7827, 2013, 10:12, s. 6909-19 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-83988 doi:10.3390/ijerph10126909 ISI:000330219600039 Scopus 2-s2.0-84890483073 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph10126909 |
container_title |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
6909 |
op_container_end_page |
6919 |
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1779316096241762304 |