Air quality and psychological and cognitive well-being
Lead Research Organisation:
National Centre for Atmospheric Science
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
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People |
ORCID iD |
| Thomas Faherty (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | This PhD studies the impact of air pollution on human cognitive functioning. So far studies have focused on response to acute air pollution exposure either through naturalistic exposure, or manipulated exposure, most notably the use of an atmospheric chamber to dose participants with diluted diesel exhaust (DE). Outcomes of these studies suggest an impact of air pollution (high particulate matter or DE) lead to deficits in learning and memory functioning as well as social cognition. |
| Exploitation Route | Tom Faherty has improved the protocols associated with the exposure paradigm including fine tuning of cognitive tests and timeline of exposure response. Demonstrated use of an atmospheric chamber to expose human participants to highly controlled pollutant doses. We are clarifying the appropriate series of blood assays to accompany the cognitive tests. All of the above are being written up for peer reviewed literature and will be available to other researchers to follow up in the future. |
| Sectors | Environment Healthcare Transport |
| Description | Please see engagement activities. MacKenzie & Faherty have both engaged with professional practitioners to inform them of state of knowledge of air pollution impacts on cognitive functioning. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Environment,Healthcare,Transport |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Institution for Global Innovation Clean Air Proof-of-concept funding |
| Amount | £4,200 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | IGI-IAS ID 5054 |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2022 |
| End | 12/2022 |
| Description | Atmospheric Chamber Study |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Department | School of Earth and Environmental Sciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | University of Birmingham research team (Tom Faherty, Rob MacKenzie), JM DS (See secondments), and Atmospheric Science group at the University of Manchester (UoM) came together to conduct research utilising an atmospheric chamber at UoM to expose of human participants to diluted diesel exhaust. UoB contributed the study design, cognitive tests, daily testing of participants, and other measures during the study protocol. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided use of atmospheric chamber for 6 weeks, including daily set-up and close-down. They were responsible for recording detailed measurements of pollutants throughout the chamber usage. Offered support with participant recruitment. |
| Impact | Results are being written up for peer-reviewed publication. Collaboration is multi-disciplinary between School of Psychology (UoB) and School of Environmental Science (UoM) |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Serum Sampling (UoM) |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Department | Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research (MCCIR) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Tom Faherty collected blood samples from participants via venipuncture during protocol with University of Manchester (UoM) Atmospheric Chemistry group. Identified relevant biomarkers to investigate with relevance to air pollution and cognitive functioning |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided blood-letting equipment, expertise on types of analysis, and storage of samples |
| Impact | In process of discussing most viable method for analysis of serum samples, following this the results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Atmospheric Chemistry & Air Quality Workshop 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Tom Faherty gave a talk titled "Impact of acute air pollution exposure on learning ability" to delegates at the Atmospheric Chemistry & Air Quality Workshop 2019. Delegates were international & national. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Atmospheric Science Conference Attendance 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at the Atmospheric Science Conference, 2022. Gave talk to 50+ postgraduate students and early career researchers, and had a panel discussion afterwards. The audience was made up of environmental scientists, so detailing the impact of air quality on human brain health was new to most and prompted longer discussions, especially related to particulate pollution and violent crime incidence |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.atmosphericscienceconference.uk/july-2022 |
| Description | BBC Radio4 Open Country |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBC Radio 4 Open Country interview on urban green space: "Birmingham, tree city of the world", first aired 24th April 2020. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000hghz |
| Description | EnvironmentalHealth 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited Chair and Keynote, Environmental Health 2019, A.R. MacKenzie: Not falling over: strategies for the three-legged race to better urban futures |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | FutureBuild 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited keynote by A.R. MacKenzie: Reduce, Extend, Protect: Practical and evidenced steps to reduce public exposure to air pollution |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.futurebuild.co.uk/speakers/rob-mackenzie |
| Description | FutureBuild2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | "Reduce, Extend, Protect: Practical and evidenced steps to reduce public exposure to air pollution". Invited keynote, FutureBuild, London, 5 March 2020. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | NCAS Symposium 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Tom Faherty gave a talk titled "Impact of Air Pollution on Cognitive Function" to NCAS PhD students & supervisors as well as professionals in industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | NCAS Symposium 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Tom Faherty gave a talk titled "The impact of acute particulate exposure on learning ability" to PhD students and supervisors from the NCAS cohort (Start date 2017). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | PHE AQ review |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Public Health England (PHE) Air Quality Review, Advisory Group - Planning / Spatial. Public Health England (PHE) has been requested by government to review the evidence for effective air quality interventions and provide practical recommendations for actions to supplement those identified in the air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide in UK (2017), by August 2018. The recommendations must stratify interventions by their health and economic impact. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | RMetS 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Tom Faherty gave a talk titled "Impact of acute air pollution exposure on learning ability" at the RMetS Students and Early Career Scientists conference, July 2019. Delegates were mostly PhD or Masters students, some undergraduates and industry professionals also in attendance. Received an oral presentation prize (See Awards and Recognition). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Reasons to be cheerful 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Podcast: Ed Milliband and Geoff Lloyd interview A.R. MacKenzie: "reasons to be cheerful", released 28/7/2019. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://play.acast.com/s/reasonstobecheerful/9dac8b6b-545d-4c3e-84ab-f2c05db7ca15 |
| Description | The Air We Breathe |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The University of Birmingham has opened a major new public engagement venue called The Exchange. The inaugural exhibition, called "The Air We Breathe", drew on many of the grants being reported here, both for air quality and for forests. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
| URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/the-exchange/index.aspx |