Elucidating the community health impacts of odours using citizen science and mobile monitoring
Abstract
Odours from a wide range of sources can affect local air quality at different times and with different intensities. Unlike air pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone (O3), there is no strong scientific evidence directly linking exposure to odours with specific health effects. Although odours are often characterized as a nuisance rather than a health risk, they can affect how people feel and behave, and studying odours may contribute to our overall understanding of air quality and its public health impacts. Here, we examine the potential effects of odours and introduce Smell Vancouver, a citizen science-based research project to explore Vancouver’s evolving smellscape.
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