Objective To clarify levels of individual ultraviolet (UV) exposure at different anatomical sites of a rotating manikin before and after snowing.
Methods The UV exposure levels at forehead, right eye, left cheek, shoulders, and chests of a rotating manikin were measured at 30-min intervals using solar-UV sensors in sunny weather before snowing (December 14, 2006) and after snowing (January 7, 2007) in Shenyang (41& #176;51'N, 123& #176;27'E), China. Horizontal UV level was also measured over the same experimental period as control.
Results The diurnal variations of UV on horizontal plane, as well as those of the eye, forehead, cheek, shoulder, and chest sites, were unimodal bell-shaped curves both before and after snowing in Shenyang. The peak values were found at noon. The cumulative 2-h UV exposure doses before and after the midday were significantly increased and the percentages of increase, in sequence, were eye (183.0%) > cheek (104.5%) > chest (57.0%) > forehead (55.8%) > shoulders (33.9%). Especially at the eye site, the UV dose after snowing was nearly 3 times that before snowing.
Conclusion Snow reflection can lead to UV exposure increasing at various anatomical sites, especially at the eyes. People living in the snowy area should take measures to protect their eyes from UV exposure.
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