Noise pollution

About: Noise pollution is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 4455 publications have been published within this topic receiving 67192 citations.

Occupational noise exposure and hearing loss of workers in two plants in eastern Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Objective: To determine the prevalence of hearing loss associated with occupational noise exposure and other risk factors. Design: A cross-sectional study involving 269 exposed and 99 non-exposed subjects (non-industrial noise exposed subjects) randomly selected. Current noise exposure was estimated using both sound level meter and noise-dosimeter. Past noise exposure was estimated by interview questionnaire. Otoscopic examination and conventional frequency (0.25–8 kHz) audiometry were used to assess the hearing loss in each subject. Results: 75% (202 subjects) from the exposed group were exposed to a daily Leq above the permissible level of 85 dB(A) and most (61%) of these did not and had never used any form of hearing protecion. Hearing loss was found to be bilateral and symmetrical in both groups. Bivariate analysis showed a significant hearing loss in the exposed vs non-exposed subjects with a characteristic dip at 4 kHz. Thirty eight percent of exposed subjects had hearing impairment, which was an 8-fold higher rate than that found for non-exposed subjects. Multivariate analysis indicated exposure to noise was the primary, and age the secondary predictor of hearing loss. Odds of hearing impairment were lower for a small sub-group of exposed workers using hearing protection (N=19) in which logistic regression analysis showed the probability of workers adopting hearing protective devices increased with noise exposure, education, and awareness of noise control. Hearing loss was also greater amongst those who used headphones to listen to recorded cassettes. Conclusion: Gross occupational exposure to noise has been demonstrated to cause hearing loss and the authors believe that occupational hearing loss in Saudi Arabia is a widespread problem. Strategies of noise assessment and control are introduced which may help improve the work environment.

First experiences using wireless sensor networks for noise pollution monitoring

Abstract: The assessment of environmental pollution levels is a complex and expensive task that public administration and often also private entities are willing or forced to take over. Focusing on the assessment of environmental noise pollution in urban areas, we provide qualitative considerations and experimental results to show the feasibility of wireless sensor networks to be used in this context. We present a prototype for the collection and logging of noise pollution data based on the Tmote invent prototyping platform, using which we performed indoor and outdoor noise pollution measurements. We build upon these first experimental results to depict the potentials and limits of currently available wireless sensor networks prototyping platforms to be used as noise pollution sensors. Furthermore, we present tinyLAB, a Matlab-based tool developed in the context of this work, which enables real-time acquisition, processing and visualization of data collected in wireless sensor networks.

Aeroacoustics of large wind turbines

Abstract: This paper reviews published information on aerodynamically generated noise from large horizontal axis wind turbines operated for electric power generation. Methods are presented for predicting both the discrete frequency rotational noise components and the broadband noise components, and results are compared with measurements. Refraction effects that result in the formation of high-frequency shadow zones in the upwind direction and channeling effects for the low frequencies in the downwind direction are illustrated. Special topics such as distributed source effects in prediction and the role of building dynamics in perception are also included.

Noise exposure, noise annoyance and their relation to psychological distress, accident and sickness absence among blue-collar workers--the Cordis Study.

Abstract: This study examined the impact of chronic industrial noise exposure on psychological distress symptoms, accident involvement and sickness absence among male and female workers. It also examined whether workers expressing high noise annoyance were more adversely affected by it. Subjects were blue-collar workers, 1,680 males and 688 females, who participated in the Cordis Study. Noise exposure levels were: low [ or = 85 dB(A)]. For males, noise exposure level affected job dissatisfaction and post-work irritability, while for females it also intensified somatic complaints, anxiety and depression. All the distress symptoms were higher for females. Further analysis showed that the significant increase of symptoms with noise exposure level was only for workers reporting high annoyance. Higher noise exposure levels were associated with increased accidents and sickness absence for both sexes. Noise-annoyed males had a significantly higher percentage of accidents when exposed to moderate noise levels and a marked increase in sick leave at high noise levels. Finally, the nonauditory effects studied here were already prevalent at moderate noise exposure levels, especially among noise-annoyed workers. This indicates the importance of reducing even moderately high levels of industrial noise not usually considered harmful to hearing.