UV Index monitoring in Europe

Schmalwieser, Alois W.; Gröbner, Julian; Blumthaler, M.; Klotz, Barbara; Backer, H. De; Bolsée, David; Werner, R.; Tomšić, Davor; Metelka, Ladislav; Eriksen, P.; Jepsen, Nis; Aun, Margit; Heikkilä, Anu; Duprat, Thierry; Sandmann, H.; Weiss, Tilman; Bais, A. F.; Tóth, Zoltán; Siani, Anna Maria; Vaccaro, Luisa; Diémoz, Henri; Grifoni, Daniele; Zipoli, G.; Lorenzetto, Giuseppe; Petkov, Boyan; Sarra, Alcide di; Massen, Francis; Yousif, Charles; Alexandr, Aculinin,; Outer, Peter den; Svendby, Tove Marit; Dahlback, Arne; Johnsen, Bjørn; Biszczuk-Jakubowska, Julita; Krzyścin, Janusz W.; Henriques, Diamantino; Chubarova, Natalia; Kolarž, P.; Mijatović, Z.; Groselj, D.; Pribullová, A.; Gonzales, Juan Ramon Moreta; Bilbao, J.; Guerrero, José M.; Serrano, A.; Andersson, Sandra; Vuilleumier, Laurent; Webb, Ann R.; O’Hagan, John

doi:10.1039/c7pp00178a

Cited by 59 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Erythemal irradiance has been measured at the Manchester, UK site (Latitude 53.47° N, Longitude 2.3° W, altitude 76 m) using broadband (Kipp and Zonen UVS erythemal UV meter) and spectral instruments (Mark III Brewer spectrophotometer and Biospherical GUV multifilter radiometer) since the late 1990s [20]. The broadband and multifilter instruments record continuously, producing 1 min averages to provide good temporal coverage.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The data come from a series of both intervention and longitudinal observational studies of the vitamin D status [14,15,16,17,18,19] of community-dwelling volunteers, supported by the long-term monitoring of the spectral UVR representative of the Manchester (53.5° N) metropolitan area [20]. The latter provided the ambient UVR levels for data interpretation and allowed us to account for inter-annual changes in incident UVR due to changing weather from year to year.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Is Sunlight Exposure Enough to Avoid Wintertime Vitamin D Deficiency in United Kingdom Population Groups?

Kift

Rhodes

Farrar

et al. 2018

IJERPH

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Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is required for cutaneous vitamin D synthesis, and experimental studies have indicated the levels of sun exposure required to avoid a vitamin D deficient status. Our objectives are to examine the sun exposure behaviours of different United Kingdom sectors and to identify if their exposure is enough to maintain winter circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D above deficiency (>25 nmol/L). Data are from a series of human studies involving >500 volunteers and performed using the same protocols in Greater Manchester, UK (53.5° N) in healthy white Caucasian adolescents and working-age adults (skin type I–IV), healthy South Asian working-age adults (skin type V), and adults with photodermatoses (skin conditions caused or aggravated by cutaneous sun exposure). Long-term monitoring of the spectral ambient UVR of the Manchester metropolitan area facilitates data interpretation. The healthy white populations are exposed to 3% ambient UVR, contrasting with ~1% in South Asians. South Asians and those with photodermatoses wear clothing exposing smaller skin surface area, and South Asians have the lowest oral vitamin D intake of all groups. Sun exposure levels prevent winter vitamin D deficiency in 95% of healthy white adults and 83% of adolescents, while 32% of the photodermatoses group and >90% of the healthy South Asians were deficient. The latter require increased oral vitamin D, whilst their sun exposure provides a tangible contribution and might convey other health benefits.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Sunlight Exposure Enough to Avoid Wintertime Vitamin D Deficiency in United Kingdom Population Groups?

Kift

Rhodes

Farrar

et al. 2018

IJERPH

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“…For measurements of solar UVA radiation with broadband radiometers, we therefore strongly recommend the standard calibration as presented above (Chapter 2, Equation 1). This procedure is also obligatory for broadband radiometers measuring the UV index .…”

Section: Recommendationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…) and of course most common are measurements of the UV index (e.g. ). A possible reason for the almost complete lack of UVA monitoring might be that the effects on livings from UVA radiation appear less dramatic than those from the ultraviolet‐B (UVB) radiation (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Austrian UVA‐Network

Schmalwieser

Klotz

Schwarzmann

et al. 2019

Photochem & Photobiology

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The ultraviolet‐A (UVA) part of the solar spectrum at the Earth's surface is an essential environmental factor but continuous long‐time monitoring of UVA radiation is rarely done. In Austria, three existing stations of the UV monitoring network have been upgraded with UVA broadband instruments. At each station, one instrument measures global UVA irradiance and—in parallel—a second instrument measures diffuse irradiance. Recent and past measurements are available via a web page. This paper describes the used instruments, calibration and quality assurance and control procedures. Global and diffuse UVA measurements during a period of up to 5 years are presented. Data indicate clear annual courses and an increase of UVA with altitude by 8–9% per 1000 m. In the first half of the year, UVA radiation is higher than in the second half, due to less cloudiness. In Vienna (153 m asl), the mean daily global UVA radiant exposure in summer is almost as high as at Mt. Gerlitzen (1540 m asl), equalizing the altitude effect, due to less cloudiness. However, in winter, the UVA radiant exposure at Mt. Gerlitzen is double as high, as in Vienna.

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“…The UVI is always used as the presented quantity, but the frequency of the update of the UVI from the measurement stations varies from minutes to hours. In a recent survey, the monitoring sites in Europe were investigated and a total number of 160 stations in 25 European countries described in terms of instrumentation, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), and publication of data to the Internet [32]. Most stations present the results of the measurements as graphs, showing the diurnal variation.…”

Section: Monitoring Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

UV Monitoring for Public Health

Blumthaler

2018

IJERPH

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Overexposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a risk for public health. Therefore, it is important to provide information to the public about the level of solar UV. The UV-Index (UVI) is the relevant quantity, expressing the erythemally weighted irradiance to a horizontal plane on a simple scale. As solar UV irradiance is strongly variable in time and space, measurements within a network provide the best source of information, provided they can be made available rapidly. However, to ensure the information is reliable, strict quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures for the monitoring networks are necessary. Near real time presentation of the measured UVI on web-pages is the best way to inform the public. The interpretation of the data in terms of the individual ‘allowable’ exposure time is heavily impacted by skin type, behavior, and clothing, and must be learned for each person through experience and guidance. Nonetheless, reliable knowledge of the actual level of the intensity of erythemally weighted irradiance and its variability forms the basis of education and public awareness. The challenges and requirements in providing comprehensive UVI data for public health guidance are here considered.

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UV Index monitoring in Europe

Cited by 59 publications

References 65 publications

Is Sunlight Exposure Enough to Avoid Wintertime Vitamin D Deficiency in United Kingdom Population Groups?

Is Sunlight Exposure Enough to Avoid Wintertime Vitamin D Deficiency in United Kingdom Population Groups?

The Austrian UVA‐Network

UV Monitoring for Public Health

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