Description
Partner 1 will perform activities related to the PM2.5 data processing, linking obtained information with children health effects data and providing expert knowledge for the ROKIDAIR Decision Support System development. The Norwegian Institute for Air Research will develop a PM2.5 Early Warning methodology that will be integrated in the ROKIDAIR system.These activities have been complemented by developing tools for integrated environmental health impact assessment. The main outcomes of the project will be: early warnings personalized data (oriented to children diseases or sensibilities) by correlating atmospheric trends with health impact on spatial and temporal basis, an advanced PM2.5 monitoring network system, schemes and schedules for PM2.5 survey, indoor-outdoor pollutant correlations at vulnerable receptors, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-applied forecasting tools, an open-source dedicated GIS, a versatile PM2.5 monitoring station prototype. Each partner will be involved in the tasks based on their main skills. All partners will take an active role in spreading the research results of the project in their own activity spheres and countries. Partners will use their own lines of communications and their own reputation to raise authorities and public awareness about air pollution threats and the solutions that can counteract these issues. The project will enhance the quality of research training with the involvement of Master and Ph.D. students, as well as Post-doc researchers and will create the conditions for future collaboration in a long-term perspective. The project will contribute to the training of young researchers as valuable human resource for the future.
Summary of project results
ROKIDAIR project has focused on the impact of airborne particulate air pollutants on children’s health. The resulted cyberinfrastructure developed within the ROKIDAIR project is sustaining the new measures for improving air quality established by European Commission for controlling the fine particulate emissions (PM2.5) based on new evidence about associated health issues. The main outcome of the Rokidair project was the developing of a new cyberinfrastructure relying on a new instrument for measuring on-line the PM2.5 concentrations, which was developed in the project and comprising 8 instruments that have been located in Romanian cities i.e., Targoviste, Ploiesti and Bucharest. They are transmitting data to the mapping server, and to the forecasting server, and afterwards the processed information are displayed on the Rokidair geoportal, being freely available to the users. The forecasting module is using Artificial Intelligence algorithms facilitating the optimal functioning of the Early Warning System. The expert messages are transmitted via e-mails and SMSs to the registered users providing support for children’s health management under impacts of air quality stressors and pressures.The developed RokidAIR products and services can be further tested and applied in other towns to provide reliable and useful estimates of air quality to the public, to increase citizens’ awareness, and to provide evident-based solutions to the policy makers. Another outcome was the results from epidemiological studies that have established some key points in monitoring the potential correlations between PM fractions and sensitive children’s health. The experience of NILU team in air quality studies contributed to the fulfilling of the scope of Romanian-EEA Research Programme in line with the Environmental protection and management thematic area. Consequently, this can be a new step to strengthen the bilateral relations by enhancing research cooperation between the scientific communities of Romania and Norway, . The project enhanced the quality of research training with the involvement of Master and Ph.D. students, as well as Post-doc researchers, which has created the conditions for future collaboration in a long-term perspective. The cooperation between Romanian and Norway teams has conducted to 10 scientific articles in referred publications, one book that was awarded with “Ioan Ursu” prize of The Academy of Romanian Scientists.
Summary of bilateral results
ROKIDAIR project focused on the health impacts of air pollutants on children. The overall objective was to develop a versatile solution for particulate matter (PM2.5 ) concentrations surveillance and to improve urban air quality monitoring and forecasting by quantifying receptors’ vulnerability, and their detailed characterization in terms of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) effects on children’s health in two towns: Targoviste and Ploiesti.The NILU partner successfully performed activities related to the PM2.5 data processing, linking obtained information with children health effects data and providing expert knowledge for the ROKIDAIR Decision Support System development. These activities contributed at developing tools for integrated environmental health impact assessment. By cooperation of three Romanian Universities with NILU, the ROKIDAIR project fulfilled the scope of Romanian-EEA Research Programme in line with Environmental protection and management thematic area. The project was an important step to strengthen the bilateral relations by enhancing research cooperation between the scientific communities of Romania and Norway, stimulating long-term cooperation and equal partnerships between the research entities. The project enhanced the quality of research training with the involvement of Ph.D. students, as well as Post-doc researchers and created the conditions for future collaboration with partner from donor state (Norway) in a long-term perspective. The project acted as a bridge between researchers from different countries (Norway and Romania ), contributing also to the training of young researchers as valuable human resource for the future.Project results were disseminated broadly, at international level, by scientific publications (49 scientific articles), 18 articles being co-authored by more researchers from the consortium, including members from donor state, Norway. In this manner, the visibility of the partnership was improved. The project also supported the organizing of 3 thematic workshops and other meetings for dissemination of knowledge and sharing acquired experience. The team members from donor state have active attended to these workshops .