Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
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2008
10.5194/acpd-8-2745-2008
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/2745/2008/
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/2745/2008/acpd-8-2745-2008.html
http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/8/2745/2008/acpd-8-2745-2008.pdf
2745
2769
2008-02-12
Personal UV exposure on a ski-field at an alpine site
A. M. Siani
annamaria.siani@uniroma1.it
G. R. Casale
H. Diémoz
G. Agnesod
M. G. Kimlin
C. A. Lang
A. Colosimo
Sapienza – University of Rome, Dept. of Physics, Rome, Italy
ARPA Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley Regional Environmental Protection Agency), Saint-Christophe (Aosta), Italy
Australian Sun and Health Research Laboratory, Queensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Australia
Sapienza - University of Rome, Dept. of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, Rome, Italy
Mountain sites experience enhanced ambient UV radiation levels due to the
concurrent effects of shorter radiation path-length, low aerosol load and
high reflectivity of the snow surfaces.
<br><br>
This study was encouraged by the possibility to collect data of personal UV
exposure in the mountainous areas of Italy, for the first time. Personal UV
exposure (expressed in terms of Exposure Ratio, ER) of two groups of
volunteers (ski instructors and skiers) at the Alpine site of La Thuile
(Valle d'Aosta region, Italy) was assessed using polysulphone dosimetry
which was tested in a mountainous snow-covered environment. In addition
measurements of biological markers of individual response to UV exposure
such as skin colorimetric parameters were carried out.
<br><br>
It was found that snow and altitude of study site affect calibration curves
of polysulphone dosimeters in comparison to a situation without snow.
<br><br>
The median ER, taking into account the whole sample, is 0.60 in winter, with
a range of 0.29 to 1.46, and 1.02 in spring, ranging from 0.46 to 1.72.
There are no differences in exposures across skiers and instructors in
spring while in winter skiers experience lower values. UV exposures are not
sensitive to the use of sunscreen across instructor/skier group by day or by
seasons or by photo-type. With regard to colorimetric parameters, the main
result was that both skiers and instructors had on average significantly
lower values of L* and b* after exposure i.e. becoming darker but the
inappropriate sunscreen use did not reveal any changes in skin colorimetric
parameters except in one spring day.
<br><br>
In conclusions UV intensities on the ski-fields are often significantly
higher than those on horizontal surfaces. Given the high levels of exposure
observed in the present study, dedicated public heath messages on the
correct sunscreen use should be adopted.
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