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Noise pollution

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


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01 Mar 1989
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured tone audiograms and speech-reception thresholds in 200 individuals (400 ears) with noise-induced hearing loss and found that hearing loss in the regions above 3 kHz, from 1 to 3 kHz and below 1 kHz was related to speech reception in noise.
Abstract: Tone thresholds and speech-reception thresholds were measured in 200 individuals (400 ears) with noise-induced hearing loss. The speech-reception thresholds were measured in a quiet condition and in noise with a speech spectrum at levels of 35, 50, 65, and 80 dBA. The tone audiograms could be described by three principal components: hearing loss in the regions above 3 kHz, from 1 to 3 kHz and below 1 kHz; the speech thresholds could be described by two components: speech reception in quiet and speech reception in noise at 50-80 dBA. Hearing loss above 1 kHz was related to speech reception in noise; hearing loss at and below 1 kHz to speech reception in quiet. The correlation between the speech thresholds in quiet and in noise was only R = 0.45. An adequate predictor of the speech threshold in noise, the primary factor in the hearing handicap, was the pure-tone average at 2 and 4 kHz (PTA2,4, R = 0.72). The minimum value of the prediction error for any tone-audiometric predictor of this speech threshold was 1.2 dB (standard deviation). The prediction could not be improved by taking into account the critical ratio for low-frequency noise nor by its upward spread of masking. The prediction error is due to measurement error and to a factor common to both ears. The latter factor is ascribed to cognitive skill in speech reception. Hearing loss above 10 to 15 dB HL (hearing level) already shows an effect on the speech threshold in noise, a noticeable handicap is found at PTA2,4 = 30 dB HL.

257 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is experimentally shown that urban noise conditions impair male–female communication and that signal efficiency depends on song frequency in the presence of noise, and that low-frequency songs by males are related to female fertility as well as sexual fidelity.
Abstract: Many animal species communicate with their mates through acoustic signals, but this communication seems to become a struggle in urbanized areas because of increasing anthropogenic noise levels. Several bird species have been reported to increase song frequency by which they reduce the masking impact of spectrally overlapping noise. However, it remains unclear whether such behavioral flexibility provides a sufficient solution to noisy urban conditions or whether there are hidden costs. Species may rely on low frequencies to attract and impress females, and the use of high frequencies may, therefore, come at the cost of reduced attractiveness. We studied the potential tradeoff between signal strength and signal detection in a successful urban bird species, the great tit (Parus major). We show that the use of low-frequency songs by males is related to female fertility as well as sexual fidelity. We experimentally show that urban noise conditions impair male–female communication and that signal efficiency depends on song frequency in the presence of noise. Our data reveal a response advantage for high-frequency songs during sexual signaling in noisy conditions, whereas low-frequency songs are likely to be preferred. These data are critical for our understanding of the impact of anthropogenic noise on wild-ranging birds, because they provide evidence for low-frequency songs being linked to reproductive success and to be affected by noise-dependent signal efficiency.

248 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It was found that noise levels inside classrooms depend upon the activities in which the children are engaged, with a difference of 20 dB L(Aeq) between the "quietest" and "noisiest" activities.
Abstract: Internal and external noise surveys have been carried out around schools in London, UK, to provide information on typical levels and sources to which children are exposed while at school. Noise levels were measured outside 142 schools, in areas away from flight paths into major airports. Here 86% of the schools surveyed were exposed to noise from road traffic, the average external noise level outside a school being 57 dB L(Aeq). Detailed internal noise surveys have been carried out in 140 classrooms in 16 schools, together with classroom observations. It was found that noise levels inside classrooms depend upon the activities in which the children are engaged, with a difference of 20 dB L(Aeq) between the "quietest" and "noisiest" activities. The average background noise level in classrooms exceeds the level recommended in current standards. The number of children in the classroom was found to affect noise levels. External noise influenced internal noise levels only when children were engaged in the quietest classroom activities. The effects of the age of the school buildings and types of window upon internal noise were examined but results were inconclusive.

243 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This is the first study to experimentally apply traffic noise to a roadless area at a landscape scale—thus avoiding the other confounding aspects of roads present in past studies and suggesting that traffic noise is a major driver of effects of roads on populations of animals.
Abstract: Many authors have suggested that the negative effects of roads on animals are largely owing to traffic noise. Although suggestive, most past studies of the effects of road noise on wildlife were conducted in the presence of the other confounding effects of roads, such as visual disturbance, collisions and chemical pollution among others. We present, to our knowledge, the first study to experimentally apply traffic noise to a roadless area at a landscape scale—thus avoiding the other confounding aspects of roads present in past studies. We replicated the sound of a roadway at intervals—alternating 4 days of noise on with 4 days off—during the autumn migratory period using a 0.5 km array of speakers within an established stopover site in southern Idaho. We conducted daily bird surveys along our ‘Phantom Road’ and in a nearby control site. We document over a one-quarter decline in bird abundance and almost complete avoidance by some species between noise-on and noise-off periods along the phantom road and no such effects at control sites—suggesting that traffic noise is a major driver of effects of roads on populations of animals.

241 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results suggest associations between community exposure to aircraft noise and the health indicators poor general health status, use of sleep medication, and use of medication for cardiovascular diseases.
Abstract: Aims: To assess the prevalence of general health status, use of sleep medication, and use of medication for cardiovascular diseases, and to study their relation to aircraft noise exposure. Methods: These health indicators were measured by a cross-sectional survey among 11 812 respondents living within a radius of 25 km around Schiphol airport (Amsterdam). Results: Adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.02 to 2.34 per 10 dB(A) increase in Lden. The associations were statistically significant for all indicators, except for use of prescribed sleep medication or sedatives and frequent use of this medication. None of the health indicators were associated with aircraft noise exposure during the night, but use of non-prescribed sleep medication or sedatives was associated with aircraft noise exposure during the late evening (OR = 1.72). Vitality related health complaints such as tiredness and headache were associated with aircraft noise, whereas most other physical complaints were not. Odds ratios for the vitality related complaints ranged from 1.16 to 1.47 per 10 dB(A) increase in Lden. A small fraction of the prevalence of poor self rated health (0.13), medication for cardiovascular diseases or increased blood pressure (0.08), and sleep medication or sedatives (0.22) could be attributed to aircraft noise. Although the attributable fraction was highest in the governmentally noise regulated area, aircraft noise had more impact in the non-regulated area, due to the larger population. Conclusions: Results suggest associations between community exposure to aircraft noise and the health indicators poor general health status, use of sleep medication, and use of medication for cardiovascular diseases.

235 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
2023195
2022391
2021227
2020216
2019231
2018235