Abstract
Erythema is the most familiar short-term symptom of human skin associated with overexposure to unperceivable ultraviolet radiation (UV). However, people are able to perceive the warm infrared component of the solar radiation by means of thermal (dis)comfort. This study investigated the potentiality of perceived outdoor heat stress as a valuable proxy for the unperceivable effect of UV-induced risk of erythema in a Mediterranean city. Meteorological data and UVB (280-320 nm) measurements were obtained for the 2004-2012 period by a weather station located in the municipality of Florence. Continuous measurements of erythemally effective UV (UVEry) were performed by means of a broadband temperature-corrected radiometer with the spectral response close to the erythemal action spectrum. Hourly UVEry doses were expressed as Standard Erythemal Doses (SEDs). The newly developed Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), that represents the state-of-the-art of outdoor thermal (dis)comfort evaluation, was also assessed. Descriptive analyses of the hourly distribution per month of the frequencies of days with heat stress and UV Ery exceeding 2.0, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 SEDs were carried out based on the general skin-type characteristics. The association between UVEry and UTCI was analyzed by a two-way contingency table approach. The probability of UVEry exceeding specific SED thresholds when heat stress occurs was often significantly higher than the same probability when no heat stress is perceived. Furthermore, increased magnitudes of the ratios, ranging from the very sensitive to the minimally sensitive skin types, were also found. However, during several months, too many days occur without any signs of heat discomfort, even when people may be exposed to relevant doses of harmful UVEry for the skin of various phototypes. These findings underlie the need for public health authorities to provide differentiated advice per month in relation to potential UV skin damage in the city of Florence.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 338-348 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology |
| Volume | 130 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 5 2014 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Air temperature
- Heat discomfort
- Solar radiation
- Standard Erythemal Dose
- Universal Thermal Climate Index
- UVB
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiation
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
- Biophysics
Cite this
Might outdoor heat stress be considered a proxy for the unperceivable effect of the ultraviolet-induced risk of erythema in Florence? / Morabito, Marco; Grifoni, Daniele; Crisci, Alfonso; Fibbi, Luca; Orlandini, Simone; Gensini, Gian Franco; Zipoli, Gaetano.
In: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, Vol. 130, 05.01.2014, p. 338-348.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Might outdoor heat stress be considered a proxy for the unperceivable effect of the ultraviolet-induced risk of erythema in Florence?
AU - Morabito, Marco
AU - Grifoni, Daniele
AU - Crisci, Alfonso
AU - Fibbi, Luca
AU - Orlandini, Simone
AU - Gensini, Gian Franco
AU - Zipoli, Gaetano
PY - 2014/1/5
Y1 - 2014/1/5
N2 - Erythema is the most familiar short-term symptom of human skin associated with overexposure to unperceivable ultraviolet radiation (UV). However, people are able to perceive the warm infrared component of the solar radiation by means of thermal (dis)comfort. This study investigated the potentiality of perceived outdoor heat stress as a valuable proxy for the unperceivable effect of UV-induced risk of erythema in a Mediterranean city. Meteorological data and UVB (280-320 nm) measurements were obtained for the 2004-2012 period by a weather station located in the municipality of Florence. Continuous measurements of erythemally effective UV (UVEry) were performed by means of a broadband temperature-corrected radiometer with the spectral response close to the erythemal action spectrum. Hourly UVEry doses were expressed as Standard Erythemal Doses (SEDs). The newly developed Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), that represents the state-of-the-art of outdoor thermal (dis)comfort evaluation, was also assessed. Descriptive analyses of the hourly distribution per month of the frequencies of days with heat stress and UV Ery exceeding 2.0, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 SEDs were carried out based on the general skin-type characteristics. The association between UVEry and UTCI was analyzed by a two-way contingency table approach. The probability of UVEry exceeding specific SED thresholds when heat stress occurs was often significantly higher than the same probability when no heat stress is perceived. Furthermore, increased magnitudes of the ratios, ranging from the very sensitive to the minimally sensitive skin types, were also found. However, during several months, too many days occur without any signs of heat discomfort, even when people may be exposed to relevant doses of harmful UVEry for the skin of various phototypes. These findings underlie the need for public health authorities to provide differentiated advice per month in relation to potential UV skin damage in the city of Florence.
AB - Erythema is the most familiar short-term symptom of human skin associated with overexposure to unperceivable ultraviolet radiation (UV). However, people are able to perceive the warm infrared component of the solar radiation by means of thermal (dis)comfort. This study investigated the potentiality of perceived outdoor heat stress as a valuable proxy for the unperceivable effect of UV-induced risk of erythema in a Mediterranean city. Meteorological data and UVB (280-320 nm) measurements were obtained for the 2004-2012 period by a weather station located in the municipality of Florence. Continuous measurements of erythemally effective UV (UVEry) were performed by means of a broadband temperature-corrected radiometer with the spectral response close to the erythemal action spectrum. Hourly UVEry doses were expressed as Standard Erythemal Doses (SEDs). The newly developed Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), that represents the state-of-the-art of outdoor thermal (dis)comfort evaluation, was also assessed. Descriptive analyses of the hourly distribution per month of the frequencies of days with heat stress and UV Ery exceeding 2.0, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 SEDs were carried out based on the general skin-type characteristics. The association between UVEry and UTCI was analyzed by a two-way contingency table approach. The probability of UVEry exceeding specific SED thresholds when heat stress occurs was often significantly higher than the same probability when no heat stress is perceived. Furthermore, increased magnitudes of the ratios, ranging from the very sensitive to the minimally sensitive skin types, were also found. However, during several months, too many days occur without any signs of heat discomfort, even when people may be exposed to relevant doses of harmful UVEry for the skin of various phototypes. These findings underlie the need for public health authorities to provide differentiated advice per month in relation to potential UV skin damage in the city of Florence.
KW - Air temperature
KW - Heat discomfort
KW - Solar radiation
KW - Standard Erythemal Dose
KW - Universal Thermal Climate Index
KW - UVB
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84892688989&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84892688989&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2013.12.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2013.12.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 24423784
AN - SCOPUS:84892688989
VL - 130
SP - 338
EP - 348
JO - Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology
JF - Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology
SN - 1011-1344
ER -