Abstrakt

Concerns have been raised about negative health consequences from a replacement of diesel fuel by biodiesel due to changes in composition of combustion products. Therefore, the current study aims to provide a quantitative estimate of the impact of biodiesel fuel use on mortality in Austria, using locally generated data. Estimate of health consequences was based on two scenarios about the fraction of biodiesel used in road vehicles during a winter season: (1) road vehicles using a blend of 10% biodiesel and standard diesel (B10); (2) road vehicles using biodiesel only (B100). The UNECE/EMEP database for the year 2007 (January) served as reference. Data on the composition of vehicle exhausts, vehicle frequency and exhaust volumes were entered into a dispersion model to obtain estimates for the change of exposure levels to particulate matter (PM₁₀, PM_2,5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) for Vienna and the northeast Austrian regions (Lower Austria, northern part of the Burgenland). The models used a nested grid for Europe with enhanced resolution for northeast Austria, including the city of Vienna. Based on established exposure-response-relationships for PM₁₀, PM_2,5 and NO₂ the health impact (premature deaths, respiratory and cardiovascular mortality) of the scenarios was estimated and expressed as a difference with respect to the reference scenario. Only slight changes of exposure were predicted for scenario B10, while for scenario B100 exposure to fine particles was expected to decrease (Vienna PM₁₀: –7,2%; PM_2,5: –8,3%). At the same time an increase of exposure to NO₂ of about 11% was estimated for Vienna under scenario B100. Based on these exposure predictions the following estimates for changes in annual mortality in Vienna were obtained for PM2,5: 12 premature deaths less per year for B10, and 73 cases less for B100. Reduction of ambient PM₁₀ levels were estimated to result in 9 and 50 cases per year less for B10 and B100, respectively. The increase of NO₂-concentration could result in additional 44 and 71 premature deaths per year for scenarios B10 and B100, respectively. This study obtains for the first time estimations of health consequences of biodiesel fuel use in Austria. If health impact of the air pollutants PM and NO₂ would be independent, the positive effect on mortality implicated by the reduction of PM_2,5 would be outweighed by the increase in NO₂. However, dose-response relationships of PM and NO₂ are not independent and NO₂ is an indicator of traffic- related exposures as is PM_2,5. Therefore, an overall positive “net effect” of biodiesel is still possible.

Autoreninformation

Autoren

• H.-P. Hutter¹
• P. Wallner¹,³
• M. Kundi¹
• B.C. Krüger²
• I. Schicker²
• H. Moshammer¹

Abteilungen

• ¹ Institut für Umwelthygiene, Zentrum für Public Health, Medizinische Universität Wien,
• ² Institut für Meteorologie, Universität für Bodenkultur, Wien,
• ³ Medizin und Umweltschutz [mus], Wien

Adresse

PD Dipl.-Ing. Dr. med. univ. H.-P. Hutter
Institut für Umwelthygiene
Zentrum für Public Health
Medizinische Universität Wien
Kinderspitalgasse 15
A-1095 Wien, Österreich
Email: [email protected]

Citation