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The South Karelia Air Pollution Study: acute health effects of malodorous sulfur air pollutants released by a pulp mill.

T Haahtela, O Marttila, V Vilkka, P Jäppinen and J J Jaakkola

Department of Allergic Diseases, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.

We evaluated the acute health effects of a strong emission of malodorous sulfur compounds released from a pulp mill in South Karelia, Finland. The 24-hour ambient air concentrations of hydrogen sulfide for the two emission days were 35 and 43 micrograms/m3 (maximum 4-hour 135 micrograms/m3). A questionnaire was distributed after the high exposure and later after a low exposure period to 29 households with 75 subjects living in the nearby community. During the high exposure, 63% of the respondents reported experience of at least one symptom compared to 26% during the reference period. Every third participant reported difficulties in breathing. In the 45 subjects responding to both questionnaires more eye, respiratory and neuropsychological symptoms occurred during the exposure compared to the reference period. The strong malodorous emission from a pulp mill caused an alarming amount of adverse effects in the exposed population.

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