MARKOPOLO in action – air pollution data from the streets of Denmark
A specially equipped car is currently collecting high-resolution data on air pollution from the streets of Denmark. Developed by researchers at Utrecht University, this electric vehicle is fitted with state-of-the-art sensors that monitor ultrafine particles, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide and more – all in real time.
Mette Sørensen, Group Leader of the Work, Environment and Cancer research group at the Danish Cancer Institute, explains:
“By measuring ultrafine particles across several EU countries, we aim to generate an exposure model that can estimate how much of this air pollutant the European population are exposed to. With this information we can investigate the health impact of these particles. While the main focus of the EU project is on cardiovascular disease, we are also investigating links with other conditions, including central nervous system tumours. Establishing a reliable method for measuring exposure to ultrafine particles is a key part of this work and will be vital for future studies on UFP and cancer.”
The car will be covering routes across the island of Zealand in the coming weeks, before moving on to the Netherlands.
