Monitoring of indoor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using spider webs

Source apportionment for indoor air pollution: Current challenges and future directions

Source apportionment (SA) for indoor air pollution is challenging due to the multiplicity and high variability of indoor sources, the complex physical and chemical processes that act as primary sources, sinks and sources of precursors that lead to secondary formation, and the interconnection with the outdoor environment. While the major indoor sources have been recognized, there is still a need for understanding the contribution of indoor versus outdoor-generated pollutants penetrating indoors, and how SA is influenced by the complex processes that occur in indoor environments. This paper reviews our current understanding of SA, through reviewing information on the SA techniques used, the targeted pollutants that have been studied to date, and their source apportionment, along with limitations or knowledge gaps in this research field. The majority (78 %) of SA studies to date focused on PM chemical composition/size distribution, with fewer studies covering organic compounds such as ketones, carbonyls and aldehydes. Regarding the SA method used, the majority of studies have used Positive Matrix Factorization (31 %), Principal Component Analysis (26 %) and Chemical Mass Balance (7 %) receptor models. The indoor PM sources identified to date include building materials and furniture emissions, indoor combustion-related sources, cooking-related sources, resuspension, cleaning and consumer products emissions, secondary-generated pollutants indoors and other products and activity-related emissions. The outdoor environment contribution to the measured pollutant indoors varies considerably (<10 %- 90 %) among the studies. Future challenges for this research area include the need for optimization of indoor air quality monitoring and data selection as well as the incorporation of physical and chemical processes in indoor air into source apportionment methodology.

Research progress in human biological monitoring of aromatic hydrocarbon with emphasis on the analytical technology of biomarkers

Aromatic hydrocarbons are unsaturated compounds containing carbon and hydrogen that form single aromatic ring, or double, triple, or multiple fused rings. This review focuses on the research progress of aromatic hydrocarbons represented by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (including halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), benzene and its derivatives including toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes (o-, m- and p-), styrene, nitrobenzene, and aniline. Due to the toxicity, widespread coexistence, and persistence of aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment, accurate assessment of exposure to aromatic hydrocarbons is essential to protect human health. The effects of aromatic hydrocarbons on human health are mainly derived from three aspects: different routes of exposure, the duration and relative toxicity of aromatic hydrocarbons, and the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons which should be below the biological exposure limit. Therefore, this review discusses the primary exposure routes, toxic effects on humans, and key populations, in particular. This review briefly summarizes the different biomarker indicators of main aromatic hydrocarbons in urine, since most aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites are excreted via urine, which is more feasible, convenient, and non-invasive. In this review, the pretreatment and analytical techniques are compiled systematically for the qualitative and quantitative assessments of aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites such as gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography with multiple detectors. This review aims to identify and monitor the co-exposure of aromatic hydrocarbons that provides a basis for the formulation of corresponding health risk control measures and guide the adjustment of the exposure dose of pollutants to the population.

Pot study using Chlorophytum comosum plants to biomonitor PAH levels in domestic kitchens

In indoor environments, cooking is a major contributor to indoor air pollution releasing potentially harmful toxic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In our study, Chlorophytum comosum 'Variegata' plants were applied to monitor PAH emission rates and patterns in previously selected rural Hungarian kitchens. Concentration and profile of accumulated PAHs could be well explained by cooking methods and materials used in each kitchen. Accumulation of 6-ring PAHs was characteristic in the only kitchen which frequently used deep frying. It also should be emphasized that applicability of C. comosum as indoor biomonitor was assessed. The plant has proven a good monitor organism as it accumulated both LMW and HMW PAHs.

The use of spider webs in the monitoring of air quality-A review

Methods for using spider webs as passive air samplers have been developed over recent years and reported in more than a dozen articles. In this article, we present the typical procedures followed when using this new tool and critically review its application in air pollution assessment. To understand the state of research and application of spider webs in this field, we describe some advantages and disadvantages of their use in the analyses of air contaminants. The aim is to summarize the current knowledge on this subject, highlight gaps in the present studies, and arouse the interest of scientists on this issue. The increased effort could result in the standardization of the method at the national and international level. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:32-44. © 2022 SETAC.

Spider web biomonitoring: A cost-effective source apportionment approach for urban particulate matter

Elevated levels of particulate matter (PM) in urban atmospheres are one of the major environmental challenges of the Anthropocene. To effectively lower those levels, identification and quantification of sources of PM is required. Biomonitoring methods are helpful tools to tackle this problem but have not been fully established yet. An example is the sampling and subsequent analysis of spider webs to whose adhesive surface dust particles can attach. For a methodical inspection, webs of orb-weaving spiders were sampled repeatedly from 2016 to 2018 at 22 locations in the city of Jena, Germany. Contents of Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sb, Si, Sn, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn and Zr were determined in the samples using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) after aqua regia digestion. Multivariate statistical methods were applied for a detailed evaluation. A combination of cluster analysis and principal component analysis allows for the clear identification of three main sources in the study area: brake wear from car traffic, abrasion of tram/train tracks and particles of geogenic origin. Quantitative source contributions reveal that high amounts of most of the metals are derived from a combination of brake wear and geogenic particles, the latter of which are likely resuspended by moving vehicles. This emphasizes the importance of non-exhaust particles connected to road traffic. Once a source identification has been performed for an area of interest, classification models can be applied to assess air quality for further samples from within the whole study area, offering a tool for air quality assessment. The general validity of this approach is demonstrated using samples from other locations.

The assessment of effectiveness of SEM- EDX and ICP-MS methods in the process of determining the mineralogical and geochemical composition of particulate matter deposited on spider webs

Air pollution can be monitored using many different methods. In this paper, we aimed to test and validate two analytical techniques based on complex mineralogical and geochemical analyses with the use of spider webs as a passive sampler. The samples of spider webs were collected in 2018 in polluted areas in the vicinity of the copper smelter Głogów (Poland). Samples were analysed using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) to obtain not only the information about the form and size of studied particles but also their origin (anthropogenic or terrigenous). Geochemical analysis was performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), providing the total amount of chosen and potentially toxic elements. The frequency of metal occurrence in atmospheric particles identified with the use of SEM-EDX was compared with the results from ICP-MS and recalculated into the percentage of contribution. A significant correlation between chemical and mineralogical composition was found demonstrating that the phases and minerals were correctly recognised and properly divided into groups. For elements such as Pb, Zn, and Cu, which are the major contaminants in the study area, the validation of the method gave good results, revealing the convergence of results for most sampling points. Finally, our study showed that the results obtained by SEM-EDX analysis can be comparable to quantitative results (ICP-MS analysis).

Magnetic Susceptibility of Spider Webs and Dust: Preliminary Study in Wrocław, Poland

Previous studies have proven that spider webs can be a reliable tool for magnetic biomonitoring. This study aims to present the magnetic susceptibility values of urban road dust (URD) settled indoors and outdoors, and compare these values with spider webs exposed to indoor and outdoor pollutants, and therefore to discuss their potential environmental implications. The webs of Eratigena atrica, Tegenaria ferruginea, and Agelena labyrinthica (Agelenidae) spiders from outdoor and indoor study sites were investigated, along with dust deposited on filters (indoors) and dust collected from the surrounding neighborhood (outdoors). Magnetic measurements revealed elevated levels of magnetic pollutants at all investigated sites in the city of Wrocław. The indoor/outdoor ratios of mass-specific magnetic susceptibility for the studied samples suggested a prevalence of indoor pollution sources at two of the sites (prosthetic laboratory and environmental science laboratory), whereas the third site (tenement house neighborhood) was dominated by material that presumably originated from predominantly outdoor sources. The indoor/outdoor ratios of magnetic susceptibility for the investigated matrices at the examined sites were highly comparable, which is promising for the utilization of spider webs in magnetic monitoring.

PAH levels in a furniture-manufacturing city atmosphere

In this study, in order to determine atmospheric PAH concentrations in Inegol/Turkey, ambient air samples were collected from two different sites representing industrial and uncontrolled furniture manufacturers regions. Sampling campaign took place between December 2017 and November 2018. Air samples were collected using high volume air samplers (HVAS) and PAH concentrations were determined in both gas and particulate phases. The mean of the atmospheric PAH concentrations obtained in the gas phase in the furniture workshops (FW) and industrial district (ID) regions were 697.82 ± 637 ng/m³ and 772.92 ± 864.23 ng/m³, respectively. The concentrations in the particulate phase in the regions were 413.52 ± 430.23 ng/m³ and 342.40 ± 527.48 ng/m³, respectively. The average total (gas + particlulate phases) concentration of ∑₁₆PAH determined in the site of FW was 1111.34 ± 1045.24 ng/m³ while that was 772.92 ± 864.23 ng/m³ in ID. These values are over the ambient levels reported for urban sites wherein big industries exist around the world. Additionally, the average of particle phase percentage was 30% because of nearby combustion sources. The determination of possible sources of PAHs in the regions was performed using principal component analysis (PCA). PCA results showed that the main sources of pollutants of the regions are intertwined (combustion, traffic, industries). However, the most effective source is thought to be uncontrolled combustion of furniture wastes as fuel for residential heating. Health risks for the citizens were calculated for both regions and were found not to be at high-class risk.