COST ACTION 633
EUROPEAN SCIENCE FOUNDATION

COST action 633: Particulate matter: Properties related to health effects

COST 633 - Action Final Report now available!!

The COST 633 Team

COST participants at the Conference in Vienna, April 2006
Download Picture in high resolution (4.6 MB!)

• COST633 position paper - Summary of discussions on March 13, 2008
• Presentations available: Download of´single files

• Program: PDF Document (158 kB)
• Book of abstracts: PDF Document (889 kB)

Background of COST 633

Atmospheric particles or dust (particulate matter, PM) have been always considered
a major component of air pollution. Epidemiological studies in the recent years gave a
strong hint on extended morbidity and mortality even due to relatively low PM
burdens (e.g. Dockery et al, 1993).

In many European as well as other countries extensive monitoring programs focus on
PM and special parameters like carbon, acidity, semivolatile components, ultrafine
particles and so on. The research goals of these studies are not always the same in
detail, but generally particle properties with respect to effects on the environment and
in particular on human health are addressed. Furthermore, epidemiological studies
focused on different health endpoints and high risk groups are conducted.

Since most of these studies are being done independently at present, intensive
exchange of experiences among the participating groups from the exposure as well as
from the effects research side would be of great benefit to all participants.
A harmonisation of the results available is highly desirable.
Therefore, the COST 633 Action is to co-ordinate and promote the research going
on in Europe on these issues.

Objectives:

1. To increase the information on the particulate matter (PM) characteristics throughout
   Europe, describing the PM-system with respect to geographical and meteorological
   conditions, particle formation processes and their transport with special regard to the
   European aerosol situation (compared e. g. to the US).
2. To increase the information on health effects of PM throughout Europe with special regard
   to geographical, seasonal and source-related aspects.
3. Improve the scientific basis for setting environmental standards in Europe and for defining
   cost-effective abatement measures to reduce particle and particle precursor emissions.

COST 633 will reach these objectives by bringing together scientists working in diverse fields
(atmospheric PM system and measurements, epidemiology, toxicology and modelling) to a
multidisciplinary expert group. Three working groups were instituted to work on the tasks
(See separate pages). The focus of the workshop is the summary and analysis of existing airborne
particle datasets and health effect related information in view of similarities and differences
within Europe. This workshop will facilitate a pan-European transdisciplinary approach to

Background Documents:

Memorandum of Understanding for COST 633: MoU_COST633.pdf
Objectives of COST 633: COST633objectives.pdf
Objectives of the Working groups: WG1, WG2, WG3

Presentation of COST 633 at the TCE15 meeting: Action633_TCE15_Presentation.ppt
Presentation of COST 633 at the AIRNET Konferenz in Prag: COST633Prague.pdf

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