The document summarizes a study on the effects of environmental noise on human health conducted in Pisa, Italy. It describes how noise was measured around two railway stations and a warehouse using sound level detectors at 30 locations. Train noise was analyzed to identify different sound sources. A random sample of local residents living near the detection points will be surveyed about railway noise annoyance to analyze the health effects of different train sounds. The goal is to assess potential relationships between prolonged exposure to railway environmental noise and residents' health.

1. The effects of environmental noise on
human health: an epidemiological approach
in Pisa
Immagini: 123rf.com; T. Eldwell; Andy A.
Davide Petri

2. The sound
What is the sound?!
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure
transmitted trough some medium, composed of frequencies
within the range of hearing.!
!
But HOW the sound can become a noise?

3. The noise
Sound that is unwanted or that disrupts the activity
or balance of human or animal life, is called a Noise.
When there is a lot of noise in the environment, it is
termed as noise pollution.!
This term comes from the latin nauseas, that means
seasickness.
Flickr: mararie
Or from a derivate of Latin word noxia or noceo (I do harm) referring
originally to nuisance noise.!
World Health Organization stated that “Noise must be recognized as
one of the major threat to human well-being”

4. The measure of the noise
The noise, and the sound in general, can be measured in decibels (dB) (1/10 of a bel)!
Named in honor of Alexander Graham Bell, acoustic studious and inventor of the first
practical telephone
SOUND LEVEL (dB)
120
100
90
80
70
60
50
20
10
PERCEPTION EXAMPLE!
Extreme jet take off at 100 m!
Loud car horn!
Very loud heavy traffic!
Very noisy office or traffic!
Noisy office or traffic!
Average office
Noisy normal conversation!
Quiet room!
Very faint normal breathing

5. Strength of effects on !
human health (*1 IEH
97, *2 Nederlands 97)
[Porter, Flindell, Berry, NPL report CMAM 16, 13]

6. Levels of hazard
dB(A)
[Porter, Flindell, Berry, NPL report CMAM 16, 17]

7. Generic curve for noise effects versus noise
exposure showing three assessment outcomes!
[Porter, Flindell, Berry, NPL report CMAM 16, 23]

8. Cardiovascular diseases
Noise likely affects the cardiovascular system through the stimulation
of hormones such as cortisol, noradrenaline and adrenaline.
However, it is not clear how people are able to adapt to these changes
when they are exposed to loud noise over a long period.!
Acute physiological reactions to noise include an immediate increase
in heart rate and in peripheral vasoconstriction and blood pressure,
nevertheless the adaptation to these stimulations it was shown, it was
very quick!
[IEH Review, 1997, pagg.10-11]

9. Sleep disturbance
Noise can disturb sleep not only by waking people up but also by shifting them from deep
to light sleep.!
The evidence suggests that air traffic is less likely to cause sleep disturbance than road traffic.
Road traffic is more changeable and less
predictable. The time needed to fall
asleep has been found to be affected not
only by noise intensity of road traffic but
also by the number of noise peaks. !
Living less than 20 meters from a busy
road has been found to predict insomnia.
[Franssen EAM, Dongen JEF van, Ruysbroek JHM, Vos F, Stellato R Hinder, RIVM rapport 815120001, 2004]

10. Sleep disturbance
Insomnia and broken sleep are unpleasant experiences and they can lead,
the day after, to drowsiness, lower mood and poor performance, including
slower reaction times.
Sleep disturbance has been
associated with coronary heart
disease, but it is also possible that
people affected by this illness is
susceptible of being woken by
noise.
[Lambert & Vallet, 1994]

11. Annoyance
Any feeling of resentment, displeasure, discomfort and irritation occurring when
a noise intrudes into someone’s thoughts and moods or interferes with activity.
[WHO Environmental Health Criteria 12 - Noise, World Health Organization, Geneva, 1980]
The relationship between social
class and annoyance and noise
annoyance is consistent. If
anything, higher socioeconomic
status is related to higher
annoyance.
[Bradley & Jonah, 1979]
[Franssen EAM, Dongen JEF van, Ruysbroek JHM, Vos F, Stellato R Hinder, RIVM rapport 815120001, 2004]

12. Annoyance and sound level
Number of studies
considerate in this figure:!
20 aircraft noise!
26 road traffic noise!
9 railway noise
[Miedema and Oudshoorn 2001]
[Babisch W. et al, Annoyance due to aircraft noise has increased over the years—Results of the HYENA study.
Environment International, 2009, 35:1169-1176]

13. Endocrine responses
The most convincing
evidence suggests that the
adrenal medullary
hormones, adrenaline and
noradrenaline, are raised in
working populations
exposed to high levels of
noise, though this has not
been confirmed in all
studies.
Flickr: pamhule
[Buczynski & Kedziora, IEH Review 1994, pag. 30]

14. Children’s Cognitive Performance
Specific impacts of chronic exposure to aircraft, rail and road traffic noise on
children’s cognitive performance:!
difficulty in concentrating, !
difficulty in keeping attention, !
difficulty in remembering, especially
complex issues, !
poorer reading ability and school
performance,!
Flickr: Libertinus
poorer discrimination between sounds and perception of speech.

15. Moreover...house’s values loss
Noise level class
in dB(A)
NSDI Value
<45
0
45-50
1.1
50-55
1.3
55-60
1.7
60-65
1.9
>65
1.9
[Udo, Janssen, Kruitwagen, Stilte heeft zjin prjijs, ESB 13/01/06, pgg.14-16]

16. Sound in the environment
The noise echoes from the mountain sides and has an
effect like an amphitheater. As a result, the sound level is
relatively high on the mountain sides. Often from the tops
of the mountains you can hear the traffic noise coming
from miles away. !
So in Alpine valleys at a distance from 1 to 1.5 km you
measure the same sound level as in plains at 280 meters
from the road.
Fonte: Tumblr
[Heimann et al., ALPNAP, 2007]

17. The marine environment
The noise could be really annoying in water environment too, and may be very dangerous
for those species living in it. In fact, with the passage from the land to the sea, the animals
could not trust the light because it was too weak, so their acoustic instrumentation became
really precise and sophisticated.!
Sea animals need silence for:!
orientation!
communication!
predation!
reproduction!
sociality
[Arpat, GIONHA, 2012, pag.56]

18. Is there really a noise
effect on wildlife?
Environmentalists say “Yes”!
Skeptics say “No”!
Interference with communication... especially
Habituation to noise is common!
bird calls!
Starling infestation around airports!
Masks predation!
‘Bird-blasters’ in vineyards!
Noise frightens animals, just as it does people!
Calls up ‘fight or flight’ response!
Acquatic mammals with ear traumas!
Wildlife invading urban areas!
Animals live near highways, railroad, and maglev
tracks !
Cows grazing next to maglev test track
!
Researchers say “Maybe”
[Carl Henson, High Speed train Noise effects on livestock and wildlife]

19. Transport issues trough wilderness areas
Physical barrier to migration!
Avoidance problem – train/animal collision!
Visual disturbance!
Noise disturbance
Compromised habitat
[Carl Henson, High Speed train Noise effects on
livestock and wildlife]
Flickr: Carol Mitchell

20. Transport issues trough
fenced rural areas
Physical barrier!
Visual disturbance!
Noise disturbance
[Carl Henson, High Speed train Noise effects on livestock and wildlife]

21. How can we reduce the noise?
[Nijland, Van Kempen, Van Wee, Jabben; Costs and benefits of noise abatement measures; 2002, pag.3]

22. A focus on rail traffic
For rail traffic, improving the brakes of freight trains is the most cost-effective measure, if
done on a large scale, retrofitting the vast majority of wagons; whereas the construction of
low-noise tracks on new railway lines is the less cost effective one.
The figure shows that the maximum total
emission reduction of 7 dB(A ) will be
reached when 100% of the freight wagons
have low-noise brakes. If this figure is only
50%, a reduction of only 2 dB(A ) is
achieved.
[Nijland, Van Kempen, Van Wee, Jabben; Costs and benefits of noise abatement measures; 2002, pag.7]

23. Mitiga.rumore project
In South Tyrol
The "mitiga.rumore" project, financed by the
ERDF, arises from the need to find
alternative solutions to the barriers for
reducing railway noise.!
In South Tyrol, because of the topographical
conformation, in some cases it is not possible
or ineffective the construction of noise
barriers. In fact houses are often at an
altitude higher than the binary, and the
railway line winding curves have relatively
narrow angles thus are as particularly noisy.

24. Mitiga.rumore project
RFI has granted the Autonomous Province of
Bolzano to install rails on two different types of
vibration dampers and lubrication systems.!
Lubrication systems are applied on a stretch of rail in
the curve. The friction greater in curves between the
wheel and the rail is thus reduced and the noise
mitigated, the studies for results are still on going.
The vibration damping rubber and steel, have been
applied to the rail fungiform shape on a straight
section between the municipalities of Bronzolo and
Ora. !
They absorb and dampen the vibrations, with a
reduction of 1 db(A), beyond human perception.

25. We also can take measures!
What people usually do when
the noise is too loud?!
Close themselves in house!
Wear earplugs!
Install windows with double glazing!
Use white noise!
Change location
Flickr: Tighten Up!

26. Cardiovascular effects of environmental
railway noise: research in Austria
Peter Lercher and his team have noticed that too few studies
were done looking to some kind of connection between rail
noise exposure and human health, so they did a survey in 2011
in the Tyrol region, where the railway noise in the nighttime
was 3 dB(A) higher than daytime.
[Lercher P, Botteldooren D, Widmann U, Uhrner U, Kammeringer E. Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise:
Research in Austria. Noise Health 2011;13:234-50]
[Heimann et al., ALPNAP, 2007]

27. Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: research in Austria
Methods
2 areas: Unterinntal and Wipptal!
5 dBa classes!
Questionnaire: sociodemographic,
house, education, perception of noise,
lifestyle, health status,...!
Data analysis with a non-parametric
linear regression and its 95%
confidence interval
Flickr: Dawn Ellner

29. Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: research in Austria
Results
Annoyance
Gender
[Lercher P, Botteldooren D, Widmann U, Uhrner U, Kammeringer E. Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: Research in Austria. Noise Health 2011;13:234-50]

30. Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: research in Austria
Results (adjusted for the other factors)
Age
Family History
Health Status
[Lercher P, Botteldooren D, Widmann U, Uhrner U, Kammeringer E. Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: Research in Austria. Noise Health 2011;13:234-50]

31. Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise: research in Austria
Discussion
Males, generally, are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease and women
show greater resistance to stress between puberty and menopause. The Tyrol
studies show that men did exhibit stronger effects in interactions with noise
exposure and older age.!
Although, the findings of the studies suggest the middle age ranges (40-60 years)
to be associated with hypertension, but not other ages. !
Family history of hypertension is an established major risk factor for the
development of hypertension.!
In both TRANSIT and the ALPNAP studies depressive symptoms or depression
diagnosis were significant contributors in an angina pectoris regression model.

32. The SERA Project
The impact of environmental pollution produced by airports on resident’s
health.
The purpose of this project is to
give a methodology for the start
of surveillance systems in matter
of noise and atmospheric
pollution and related health
effects between residents near 6
italian airports.

33. The questionnaire comes from a translation of HYENA’s.!
But what is HYENA?
HYENA (HYpertension and Exposure to Noise near Airports)(2002-2006) was
financed by UE within the 6th program of research that has been considered to
be the main target to valuate the impact on blood pressure of road or airport
noise.
This project showed a 10% greater risk of hypertension for each increase
equal to 10 db(A) in airport noise levels, in citizens living in Amsterdam,
Athens, Stockholm, London, Berlin and Milan.

34. The SERA project in Pisa
1 year
>300 subjects
>1000 contacts
5 researchers
4 zones

35. SERA project: the zones
We divided Pisa in 4 zones:!
Zone 1: High level of planes noise!
Zone 2: Medium level of both plane and car noise!
Zone 3: High level of traffic noise!
Zone 4: control

36. Isophone map

37. Questionnaire
✓ 3 measures of blood pressure!
✓ Job!
✓ House!
✓ Noise annoyance!
✓ Education!
✓ Noise perception!
✓ Health status and meds!
✓ Air pollution!
✓ Annoyance
✓ Sleep
The analysis of databases are still in process at the ARPA Lazio and
we’ll know the results as soon as possible.

38. June 21st 2013!
Ten million euros will be
given by the government to
the families living in via
Cariola and Carrareccia to
buy another house away
from the airport, other three
from the region and three
from the SAT.
http://iltirreno.gelocal.it/pisa/cronaca/2013/06/21/news/via-cariola-dieci-milioni-dal-governo-1.7298370

39. AND THEN...
Flickr: sorensiim
SERF

40. The railway situation in Pisa
For this study, we considered the two rail stations and the warehouse location. For
each station, of course we have several noises, principally related to arrivals and
departures, but we mustn’t forget all the human traffic nearby and the consequent
chat.
For example in Centrale we can
see (and listen too of course!):
!
the arrival noises (squeal of breakes), !
the departure noises (changes, simple
passage) !
the human-related noises (chat chat,
speakers, trolleys)

41. 1st step: detections
Once we decided the locations we
selected 30 spots, considering train
directions !
before!
in!
the station
after!
+ some points at the warehouse!
With:!
proximity to the railway!
houses with eligible people
(minimum 5 years of residence)
During the detection the really important
thing to respect was to wait for three train
passages to consider valid the detection itself.

42. 2nd step: data analysis
With the software dbTrait, we retraced the whole measure finding the
peaks and, using different colors, giving them a specific source.

43. 3rd step:
the choice of the sample
Later I will choose randomly the sample in the roads near the
detections, respecting the bonding of residence and closeness to the
train tracks. I’m thinking to divide the group in two subgroups
characterized by different suffered sounds: one for brake squeal and
the other one for simple passages. !
After that the history repeats with the contact of the subjects and the
administration of the questionnaire.

44. 4th step: the questionnaire
For this work I want to take the bases of
SERA questionnaire and modify it with some
new questions that will help me with my
study.
In particular I will ask something about the
general opinion of the railway stations and
trains generally and some questions to
separate two different sounds produced by
trains: squeal and simple passage.

45. 5th step: data analysis
Then we will insert all the
answers into a dedicated
software, done appositely
for the SERA project.
Through this program we
will able to process all
database doing proper
statistics analysis, searching
for a correlation between
environmental noise and
human health.
centrofox.org

46. Expectations
Using my experience with the previous study, even if no official result has
been published yet, I expect to find a correlation between cardiovascular
diseases and environmental noise, especially for those who are older and
without structures that can reduce the outside noise. !
I want also to specify that the railway noise is really different from the
aircraft and traffic noise, and some people, living from a long time nearby,
can be used to that noise.!
Beside, the routes of airplanes and cars are the same everyday; in the train
case, unless someone lives near the stations, the railway net is quite huge
and well expanded.

47. han
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48. The effects on our body
[NELSON P M, Transportation Noise Reference Book, London: Butterworth & Co, 1987.]

49. And then...the SERF!
Studio Epidemiologico sul Rumore Ferroviario
My future job is right the prosecution of SERA project, after we
analyzed how the human health may be influenced by traffic and
airplane noise, we would to investigate the next noise source: trains.