Project description
Study assesses the combined effects of indoor air pollutants
Whether inside or outside, air pollution significantly affects people’s health, including their heart, lungs and brain. Indoor activities generate significant levels of volatile and particulate chemicals, which are often overlooked. The EU-funded SynAir-G project will reveal more about the combined exposure to chemical and biological air pollutants and their cumulative effects on health. To achieve their goal, researchers will develop improved chemical and biological sensors for monitoring pollution. These will be tested in real-world settings, namely in schools in five countries across Europe.
Objective
While the number and types of indoor air pollutants is rising, much is suspected but little is known about the impact of their potentially synergistic interactions, upon human health. Highly susceptible populations include children, allergy and asthma sufferers, and a low socioeconomic background, however no specific guidance is available. SynAir-G aims to reveal and quantify synergistic interactions between different pollutants affecting health, from mechanisms to real-life, focusing on the school setting. We will develop a comprehensive and responsive multipollutant monitoring system, advance environmentally friendly interventions, and disseminate the generated knowledge to relevant stakeholders in accessible and actionable formats. To achieve these objectives, SynAir-G will construct and deploy novel and improved sensors of chemical and biological (allergens, microbes) pollutants. These will be tested in a real-world setting, in participating schools of 5 countries around Europe and eventually combined into a multisensing platform. In the same setting, pollutants will be linked to their sources and two eco-friendly air-purifying devices will be assessed. Health outcome data will be obtained from children using a gamified app and prospective monitoring, respecting privacy. Highly susceptible children, such as those with allergy or asthma, will act as sentinels to increase sensitivity of the system, that will be able to provide stratified (susceptibility-specific) alerts. Explainable AI will support the near-real time analysis and response. In parallel, cell and mouse models will evaluate the mechanisms and complex dose-responses of the synergistic parameters. SynAir-G will thus provide FAIR data on air pollutants and their sources, a comprehensive and personalized user-friendly solution to monitoring indoor air quality, and proposals for possible interventions and an improved regulatory framework, robustly supporting the Zero Pollution Action Plan. SynAir-G is part of the Indoor air and health cluster.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinepneumologyasthma
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringair pollution engineering
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineallergology
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
10561 Athina
Greece
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Participants (18)
34000 Montpellier
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90014 Oulu
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91054 Erlangen
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971 87 Lulea
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265 04 Rio Patras
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546 36 THESSALONIKI
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00185 Roma
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0179 TIBILISI
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70013 Irakleio
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10787 Berlin
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1000 BRUXELLES
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10115 Berlin
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1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
145 61 Athina
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
40320 Jyvaskyla
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
33730 Villandraut
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1060 Lefkosia
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
80121 Napoli
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Partners (3)
1015 Lausanne
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7270 Davos Platz
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
M13 9PL Manchester
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