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Sanz-Mas M, Continente X, Brugueras S, Marí-Dell'Olmo M, Oliveras L, López MJ. Evaluating the effect of passive cooling strategies in school buildings on children's well-being in Barcelona: A quasi-experimental, mixed methods study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175104. [PMID: 39079644 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Passive cooling strategies were implemented in 11 school buildings in Barcelona within a pilot project to improve thermal conditions. The present study aimed to evaluate the intervention's impact on students' comfort and well-being at school. A quasi-experimental pre-post study based on mixed methods was conducted. Quantitative data were collected through self-reported questionnaires administrated to sixth-grade students in 21 schools (11 in an intervention group, IG, and 10 in a comparison group, CG). The authors measured changes in satisfaction with indoor temperature and indoor air quality (IAQ), the presence of bothering factors (temperature too high, temperature too low, unpleasant odours, and lighting problems), and students' well-being and performance. Difference-in-difference analysis was conducted to evaluate differences between the IG and CG in pre-post changes. Qualitative data were collected through photovoice-based sessions (59 sixth grade students) and interviews (7 teachers) in the IG. A thematic content analysis identified three main categories: changes in perceptions of indoor environmental conditions, indoor environment-related health and well-being, and indoor environment and their reported impact on learning. Quantitative findings show positive changes among the IG in perceived indoor temperature, air quality, and well-being at school, while suggest no significant changes in perceptions of temperature too low, lighting problems, and students' performance, in relation to the CG. Compared to the CG, students in the IG perceiving temperature too high significantly decreased among girls, while unpleasant odours decreased only among boys. In the qualitative assessment, participants reported that school transformations improved their indoor thermal and visual comfort, IAQ, and unpleasant odours. Participants also reported a reduction of fatigue, stress, irritability, and stifling sensation, as well as enhanced concentration. This study highlights the benefits of school passive design for student's comfort and well-being in Mediterranean climates and suggests the need to extend these interventions to other school buildings in similar contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Sanz-Mas
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut (DCEXS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Xavier Continente
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain; Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, Pabellón 11, Planta 0, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Sílvia Brugueras
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marc Marí-Dell'Olmo
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain; Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, Pabellón 11, Planta 0, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Laura Oliveras
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - María José López
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut (DCEXS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, Pabellón 11, Planta 0, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Pau (IR SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain.
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Zhang J, Hu Y, Wang X, Ding X, Cen X, Wang B, Yang S, Ye Z, Qiu W, Chen W, Zhou M. Associations of personal PM 2.5-bound heavy metals and heavy metal mixture with lung function: Results from a panel study in Chinese urban residents. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 364:143084. [PMID: 39142394 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are a few reports on the associations between fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-bound heavy metals and lung function. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the associations of single and mixed PM2.5-bound heavy metals with lung function. METHODS This study included 316 observations of 224 Chinese adults from the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort over two study periods, and measured participants' personal PM2.5-bound heavy metals and lung function. Three linear mixed models, including the single constituent model, the PM2.5-adjusted constituent model, and the constituent residual model were used to evaluate the association between single metal and lung function. Mixed exposure models including Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model, weighted quantile sum (WQS) model, and Explainable Machine Learning model were used to assess the relationship between PM2.5-bound heavy metal mixtures and lung function. RESULTS In the single exposure analyses, significant negative associations of PM2.5-bound lead, antimony, and cadmium with peak expiratory flow (PEF) were observed. In the mixed exposure analyses, significant decreases in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMF), and forced expiratory flow at 75% of the pulmonary volume (FEF75) were associated with the increased PM2.5-bound heavy metal mixture. The BKMR models suggested negative associations of PM2.5-bound lead and antimony with lung function. In addition, PM2.5-bound copper was positively associated with FEV1/FVC, MMF, and FEF75. The Explainable Machine Learning models suggested that FEV1/FVC, MMF, and FEF75 decreased with the elevated PM2.5-bound lead, manganese, and vanadium, and increased with the elevated PM2.5-bound copper. CONCLUSIONS The negative relationships were detected between PM2.5-bound heavy metal mixture and FEV1/FVC, MMF, as well as FEF75. Among the PM2.5-bound heavy metal mixture, PM2.5-bound lead, antimony, manganese, and vanadium were negatively associated with FEV1/FVC, MMF, and FEF75, while PM2.5-bound copper was positively associated with FEV1/FVC, MMF, and FEF75.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiake Zhang
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Yuxiang Hu
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Xing Wang
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Xuejie Ding
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Xingzu Cen
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Shijie Yang
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Zi Ye
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Weihong Qiu
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Weihong Chen
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, And State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
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Sun L, Wei P, Westerdahl D, Xue J, Ning Z. Evaluating Indoor Air Quality in Schools: Is the Indoor Environment a Haven during High Pollution Episodes? TOXICS 2024; 12:564. [PMID: 39195666 PMCID: PMC11359488 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12080564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Pollution data were collected at five schools in Hong Kong using low-cost, sensor-based monitors both indoors and outdoors during two consecutive high pollution episodes. The pollutants monitored included NO2, O3, PM2.5, and PM10, which were also used as input to a health risk communication protocol known as Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). CO2 was also measured simultaneously. The study aimed to assess the relationship between indoor pollutant concentrations and AQHI levels with those outdoors and to evaluate the efficacy of building operating practices in protecting students from pollution exposure. The results indicate that the regular air quality monitoring stations and outdoor pollutant levels at schools exhibit similar patterns. School AQHI levels indoors were generally lower than those outdoors, with PM10 levels showing a larger proportional contribution to the calculated values indoors. NO2 levels in one school were in excess of outdoor values. CO2 monitored in classrooms commonly exceeded indoor guidelines, suggesting poor ventilation. One school that employed air filtration had lower indoor PM concentrations compared to other schools; however, they were still similar to those outdoors. O3 levels indoors were consistently lower than those outdoors. This study underscores the utility of on-site, sensor-based monitoring for assessing the health impacts of indoor and community exposure to urban air pollutants. The findings suggest a need for improved ventilation and more strategic air intake placement to enhance indoor air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Sun
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Environmental Science, Nanjing 210036, China;
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
- Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Peng Wei
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China;
| | - Dane Westerdahl
- Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Jing Xue
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China;
| | - Zhi Ning
- Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 999077, China;
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Subirana M, Sunyer J, Colom-Cadena A, Bordas A, Casabona J, Gascon M. Monitoring and assessment of CO 2 and NO 2 in schools within the Sentinel Schools Network of Catalonia during the COVID-19 era. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 362:142575. [PMID: 38852629 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
In response to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, international and national authorities, including those in Catalonia (Spain), recognized the crucial need to ensure proper ventilation in classrooms, emphasizing the importance of safe and healthy indoor environments for face-to-face learning. The present work, conducted within the COVID-19 Sentinel Schools Network of Catalonia (CSSNC) framework, aimed to monitor carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in 23 schools, ensuring a comprehensive sample regarding educational levels, daily scholar schedules, and classroom typologies distributed across the four provinces of Catalonia. The research spanned three study periods: March and April 2021, October 2021 to January 2022, and March to June 2022. Briefly, 28%, 25%, and 37% of classrooms surpassed the 700 parts per million (ppm) CO2 limit in each study period, respectively. Generally, CO2 averages were lower in preschool classrooms (mean ± SD = 486 ± 106 ppm), while high school classrooms displayed the highest CO2 concentrations (mean ± SD = 710 ± 253 ppm). Moreover, classrooms in towns (<30000 inhabitants) exhibited higher CO2 levels as compared to classrooms from schools located in cities. As for NO2, the highest averages were obtained in urban areas, particularly in the Barcelona metropolitan area (e.g. mean indoor levels of 24.56 μg m-3 as compared to 11.05 μg m-3 in towns). In addition, the Indoor/Outdoor ratio (I/O ratio) in towns was the lowest (0.60). These results, together with the higher concentration of CO2 indoors, could indicate poorer ventilation in town schools. The results of this study are anticipated to contribute to implementing evidence-based measures to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in educational settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Subirana
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Jordi Sunyer
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Insititute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreu Colom-Cadena
- Centre for Epidemiological Studies of Sexually Transmitted Disease and AIDS in Catalonia (CEEISCAT), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain; Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Bordas
- Centre for Epidemiological Studies of Sexually Transmitted Disease and AIDS in Catalonia (CEEISCAT), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain; Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Casabona
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain; Centre for Epidemiological Studies of Sexually Transmitted Disease and AIDS in Catalonia (CEEISCAT), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain; Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Gascon
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
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Branco PTBS, Sousa SIV, Dudzińska MR, Ruzgar DG, Mutlu M, Panaras G, Papadopoulos G, Saffell J, Scutaru AM, Struck C, Weersink A. A review of relevant parameters for assessing indoor air quality in educational facilities. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 261:119713. [PMID: 39094896 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Indoor air quality (IAQ) in educational facilities is crucial due to the extended time students spend in those environments, affecting their health, academic performance, and attendance. This paper aimed to review relevant parameters (building characteristics and factors related with occupancy and activities) for assessing IAQ in educational facilities, and to identify the parameters to consider when performing an IAQ monitoring campaign in schools. It also intended to identify literature gaps and suggest future research directions. A narrative literature review was conducted, focusing on seven key parameters: building location, layout and construction materials, ventilation and air cleaning systems, finishing materials, occupant demographics, occupancy, and activities. The findings revealed that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels were predominantly influenced by classroom occupancy and ventilation rates, while particulate matter (PM) concentrations were significantly influenced by the building's location, design, and occupant activities. Furthermore, this review highlighted the presence of other pollutants, such as trace metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and radon, linking them to specific factors within the school environment. Different IAQ patterns, and consequently different parameters, were observed in various school areas, including classrooms, canteens, gymnasiums, computer rooms, and laboratories. While substantial literature exists on IAQ in schools, significant gaps still remain. This study highlighted the need for more studies in middle and high schools, as well as in other indoor microenvironments within educational settings beyond classrooms. Additionally, it underscored the need for comprehensive exposure assessments, long-term studies, and the impacts of new materials on IAQ including the effects of secondary reactions on surfaces. Seasonal variations and the implications of emerging technologies were also identified as requiring further investigation. Addressing those gaps through targeted research and considering the most updated standards and guidelines for IAQ, could lead to define more effective strategies for improving IAQ and safeguarding the students' health and performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro T B S Branco
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Sofia I V Sousa
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Marzenna R Dudzińska
- Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, Nadbystrzycka 38D, 20-618, Lublin, Poland.
| | | | - Mustafa Mutlu
- Vocational School of Yenisehir Ibrahim Orhan, Bursa Uludag University, 16900, Yenisehir, Turkey.
| | - Georgios Panaras
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50131, Greece.
| | - Giannis Papadopoulos
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50131, Greece.
| | | | | | - Christian Struck
- Saxion University of Applied Science, Sustainable Building Technology, M. H. Tromplaan 28, 7513 AB, Enschede, the Netherlands.
| | - Annemarie Weersink
- Saxion University of Applied Science, Sustainable Building Technology, M. H. Tromplaan 28, 7513 AB, Enschede, the Netherlands.
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Cho NH, Choi S, Kim MJ, Park YJ, Lee A, Moon MK, Lee G, Lee I, Choi K, Lee JH, Park J. Distribution of urinary trace element exposure and dietary sources in women over 50 in an agricultural region- A community-based KoGES cohort study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118973. [PMID: 38679278 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a noticeable lack of information on the levels of both non-essential and essential trace elements in women aged over 50. The main objective of this study is to investigate trace element concentrations and explore the influence of sociodemographic factors and dietary sources of exposure in this demographic. METHODS We analyzed 19 trace elements, including manganese, cobalt, copper, zinc, molybdenum, chromium, nickel, arsenic, strontium, cadmium, tin, antimony, cesium, barium, tungsten, mercury, thallium, lead, and uranium, using ICP-MS and mercury analyzer. Urine samples were obtained from a cohort of 851 women aged over 50 who participated in the 8th KoGES-Ansung study (2017-2018). Multiple linear models were employed to explore associations between urinary trace element concentrations and sociodemographic factors and dietary sources of exposure. We used K-means clustering to discern patterns of exposure to trace elements and identify contributing factors and sources. RESULTS Our findings indicate higher concentrations of molybdenum (Mo), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in our study population compared to women in previous studies. The study population were clustered into two distinct groups, characterized by lower or higher urinary concentrations. Significant correlations between age and urinary concentrations were observed in Ni. Smoking exhibited positive associations with urinary Cd and As. Associations with dietary sources of trace elements were more distinct in women in the high-exposure group. Urinary antimony (Sb) was positively linked to mushroom and egg intake, As to mushroom and fish, and Hg to egg, dairy products, fish, seaweed, and shellfish. CONCLUSIONS Our study underscores the significant gap in understanding urinary concentrations of trace elements in women aged over 50. With higher concentrations of certain elements compared to previous studies and significant correlations between age, smoking, and specific food sources, it is imperative to address this gap through targeted dietary source-specific risk management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam H Cho
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sohyeon Choi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Joo Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Joo Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea
| | - Aram Lee
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Kyong Moon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul 07061, South Korea
| | - Gowoon Lee
- Department of Safety Engineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Inae Lee
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungho Choi
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon-Hyop Lee
- Gachon University College of Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongim Park
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Republic of Korea.
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Matthaios VN, Holland I, Kang CM, Hart JE, Hauptman M, Wolfson JM, Gaffin JM, Phipatanakul W, Gold DR, Koutrakis P. The effects of urban green space and road proximity to indoor traffic-related PM 2.5, NO 2, and BC exposure in inner-city schools. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00669-8. [PMID: 38615139 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00669-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since there are known adverse health impacts of traffic-related air pollution, while at the same time there are potential health benefits from greenness, it is important to examine more closely the impacts of these factors on indoor air quality in urban schools. OBJECTIVE This study investigates the association of road proximity and urban greenness to indoor traffic-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon (BC) in inner-city schools. METHODS PM2.5, NO2, and BC were measured indoors at 74 schools and outdoors at a central urban over a 10-year period. Seasonal urban greenness was estimated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with 270 and 1230 m buffers. The associations between indoor traffic-related air pollution and road proximity and greenness were investigated with mixed-effects models. RESULTS The analysis showed linear decays of indoor traffic-related PM2.5, NO2, and BC by 60%, 35%, and 22%, respectively for schools located at a greater distance from major roads. The results further showed that surrounding school greenness at 270 m buffer was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with lower indoor traffic-related PM2.5: -0.068 (95% CI: -0.124, -0.013), NO2: -0.139 (95% CI: -0.185, -0.092), and BC: -0.060 (95% CI: -0.115, -0.005). These associations were stronger for surrounding greenness at a greater distance from the schools (buffer 1230 m) PM2.5: -0.101 (95% CI: -0.156, -0.046) NO2: -0.122 (95% CI: -0.169, -0.075) BC: -0.080 (95% CI: -0.136, -0.026). These inverse associations were stronger after fully adjusting for regional pollution and meteorological conditions. IMPACT STATEMENT More than 90% of children under the age of 15 worldwide are exposed to elevated air pollution levels exceeding the WHO's guidelines. The study investigates the impact that urban infrastructure and greenness, in particular green areas and road proximity, have on indoor exposures to traffic-related PM2.5, NO2, and BC in inner-city schools. By examining a 10-year period the study provides insights for air quality management, into how road proximity and greenness at different buffers from the school locations can affect indoor exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- V N Matthaios
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Public Health Policy and Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - I Holland
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, USA
| | - C M Kang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J E Hart
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Hauptman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J M Wolfson
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J M Gaffin
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - W Phipatanakul
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D R Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - P Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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8
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Prokopciuk N, Taminskiene V, Vaideliene L, Juskiene I, Svist V, Valiulyte I, Valskys V, Valskiene R, Valiulis A, Aukstikalnis T, Vaidelys L, Butikis M, Norkuniene J, Tarasiuk N, Valiulis A. The incidence of upper respiratory infections in children is related to the concentration of vanadium in indoor dust aggregates. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1339755. [PMID: 38577275 PMCID: PMC10993999 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1339755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background It has been reported that the disease-initiated and disease-mediated effects of aerosol pollutants can be related to concentration, site of deposition, duration of exposure, as well as the specific chemical composition of pollutants. Objectives To investigate the microelemental composition of dust aggregates in primary schools of Vilnius and determine trace elements related to acute upper respiratory infections among 6-to 11-year-old children. Methods Microelemental analysis of aerosol pollution was performed using dust samples collected in the classrooms of 11 primary schools in Vilnius from 2016 to 2020. Sites included areas of its natural accumulation behind the radiator heaters and from the surface of high cupboards. The concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, W, Sb, Sn, Zr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, Cr, V, and As) in dust samples were analyzed using a SPECTRO XEPOS spectrometer. The annual incidence rates of respiratory diseases in children of each school were calculated based on data from medical records. Results The mean annual incidence of physician-diagnosed acute upper respiratory infections (J00-J06 according to ICD-10A) among younger school-age children was between 25.1 and 71.3% per school. A significant correlation was found between vanadium concentration and the number of episodes of acute upper respiratory infections during each study year from 2016 to 2020. The lowest was r = 0.67 (p = 0.024), and the highest was r = 0.82 (p = 0.002). The concentration of vanadium in the samples of dust aggregates varied from 12.7 to 52.1 parts per million (ppm). No significant correlations between the other trace elements and the incidence of upper respiratory infections were found, which could be caused by a small number of study schools and relatively low concentrations of other heavy metals found in the samples of indoor dust aggregates. Conclusion A significant and replicable correlation was found between the concentration of vanadium in the samples of natural dust aggregates collected in primary schools and the incidence of acute upper respiratory infections in children. Monitoring the concentration of heavy metals in the indoor environment can be an important instrument for the prevention and control of respiratory morbidity in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Prokopciuk
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vaida Taminskiene
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Laimute Vaideliene
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Izabele Juskiene
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vitalija Svist
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Indre Valiulyte
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Kantonsspital Münsterlingen, Münsterlingen, Switzerland
| | - Vaidotas Valskys
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Roberta Valskiene
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Algirdas Valiulis
- Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Tomas Aukstikalnis
- Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Lukas Vaidelys
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Butikis
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jolita Norkuniene
- Department of Mathematical Statistics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Nikolaj Tarasiuk
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Arunas Valiulis
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Clinic of Asthma, Allergy and Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Vilnius, Lithuania
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9
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Durán Del Amor MDM, Baeza Caracena A, Esquembre F, Llorens Pascual Del Riquelme M. New Methodology to Evaluate and Optimize Indoor Ventilation Based on Rapid Response Sensors. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:1657. [PMID: 38475193 DOI: 10.3390/s24051657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The recent pandemic increased attention to the need for appropriated ventilation and good air quality as efficient measures to achieve safe and healthy indoor air. This work provides a novel methodology for continuously evaluating ventilation in public areas using modern rapid response sensors (RRS). This methodology innovatively assesses the ventilation of a space by combining a quantitative estimation of the real air exchange in the space-obtained from CO2 experimental RRS measurements and the characteristics of and activity in the space-and indoor and outdoor RRS measurements of other pollutants, with healthy recommendations from different organisations. The methodology allows space managers to easily evaluate, in a continuous form, the appropriateness of their ventilation strategy, thanks to modern RRS measurements and direct calculations (implemented here in a web app), even in situations of full activity. The methodology improves on the existing standards, which imply the release of tracer gases and expert intervention, and could also be used to set a control system that measures continuously and adapts the ventilation to changes in indoor occupancy and activity, guaranteeing safe and healthy air in an energy-efficient way. Sample public concurrence spaces with different conditions are used to illustrate the methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Mar Durán Del Amor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonia Baeza Caracena
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisco Esquembre
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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10
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Bolat S, Demir S, Erer H, Pelit F, Dzingelevičienė R, Ligor T, Buszewski B, Pelit L. MOF-801 based solid phase microextraction fiber for the monitoring of indoor BTEX pollution. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 466:133607. [PMID: 38280318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) are some of the better-known indoor air pollutants, for which effective monitoring is important. The analysis of BTEX can be performed by different type of solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers. This study presents a proposal for a low cost, convenient and environmentally friendly analytical method for the determination of BTEX in air samples using custom made SPME fibers. In this context, custom made metal organic frameworks (MOF-801) were coated on a stainless-steel wire for SPME fiber preparation. The analysis of BTEX was performed by introducing SPME fiber into an analyte-containing Tedlar bag in steady-state conditions. After the sampling step, the analytes were analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode. Parameters that affect the analysis results were optimized; these include desorption temperature and time, preconditioning time, extraction temperature and time, and sample volume. Under optimized conditions, analytical figure of merits of developed method were obtained, including limits of detection (LOD) (0.012 - 0.048 mg/m3), linear ranges (0.041-18 mg/m3), intraday and interday repeatability (2.08 - 4.04% and 3.94 - 6.35%), and fiber to fiber reproducibility (7.51 - 11.17%). The proposed method was successfully applied to real air samples with an acceptable recovery values between 84.5% and 110.9%. The developed method can be applied for the effective monitoring of BTEX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serkan Bolat
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Vocational School, İzmir University of Economics, İzmir, Türkiye; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye.
| | - Sevde Demir
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Türkiye
| | - Hakan Erer
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Türkiye
| | - Füsun Pelit
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye; Translational Pulmonary Research Center (Ege TPRC), Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
| | - Reda Dzingelevičienė
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Tomasz Ligor
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Bogusław Buszewski
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland; Prof. Jan Czochralski Kuyavian-Pomeranian Science and Technology Center, 4 Krasińskiego str., 87 100 Toruń, Poland
| | - Levent Pelit
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye; Translational Pulmonary Research Center (Ege TPRC), Ege University, İzmir, Türkiye
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11
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McGrath S, Mukherjee R, Réquia WJ, Lee WC. Wildfire exposure and academic performance in Brazil: A causal inference approach for spatiotemporal data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167625. [PMID: 37804967 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
As the frequency and intensity of wildfires are projected to globally amplify due to climate change, there is a growing need to quantify the impact of exposure to wildfires in vulnerable populations such as adolescents. In our study, we applied rigorous causal inference methods to estimate the effect of wildfire exposure on the academic performance of high school students in Brazil between 2009 and 2015. Using longitudinal data from 8,183 high schools across 1,571 municipalities in Brazil, we estimated that the average performance in most academic subjects decreases under interventions that increase wildfire exposure, e.g., a decrease of 1.8 % (p = 0.01) in the natural sciences when increasing the wildfire density from 0.0035 wildfires/km2 (first quantile in the sample) to 0.0222 wildfires/km2 (third quartile). Furthermore, these effects considerably worsened over time. Our findings highlight the adverse impact of wildfires on educational outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean McGrath
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Rajarshi Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Weeberb J Réquia
- Center for Environment and Public Health Studies, School of Public Policy and Government, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Wan-Chen Lee
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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12
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Li Z, Ding Y, Wang D, Kang N, Tao Y, Zhao X, Zhang B, Zhang Z. Understanding the time-activity pattern to improve the measurement of personal exposure: An exploratory and experimental research. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 334:122131. [PMID: 37429486 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Although ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and their components are commonly used as proxies for personal exposure monitoring, developing an accurate and cost-effective method to use these proxies for personal exposure measurement continues to pose a significant challenge. Herein, we propose a scenario-based exposure model to precisely estimate personal exposure level of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) using scenario HMs concentrations and time-activity patterns. Personal exposure levels and ambient pollution levels for PM2.5 and HMs differed significantly with corresponding personal/ambient ratios of approximately 2, and exposure scenarios could narrow the assessment error gap by 26.1-45.4%. Using a scenario-based exposure model, we assessed the associated health risks of a large sample population and identified that the carcinogenic risk of As exceeded 1 × 10-6, while we observed non-carcinogenic risks from As, Cd, Ni, and Mn in personal exposure to PM2.5. We conclude that the scenario-based exposure model is a preferential alternative for monitoring personal exposure compared to ambient concentrations. This method ensures the feasibility of personal exposure monitoring and health risk assessments in large-scale studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Prediction and Control, Gansu Province, College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yan Ding
- Vehicle Emission Control Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Danlu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Ning Kang
- Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Prediction and Control, Gansu Province, College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yan Tao
- Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Prediction and Control, Gansu Province, College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiuge Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
| | - Bin Zhang
- Tianjin Binhai New Area Eco-environmental Monitoring Center, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Zuming Zhang
- Tianjin Binhai New Area Eco-environmental Monitoring Center, Tianjin, 300457, China
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13
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Alonso-Blanco E, Gómez-Moreno FJ, Díaz-Ramiro E, Fernández J, Coz E, Yagüe C, Román-Cascón C, Narros A, Borge R, Artíñano B. Real-Time Measurements of Indoor-Outdoor Exchange of Gaseous and Particulate Atmospheric Pollutants in an Urban Area. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6823. [PMID: 37835093 PMCID: PMC10572255 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20196823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risks to health, causing millions of deaths and deleterious health effects worldwide, especially in urban areas where citizens are exposed to high ambient levels of pollutants, also influencing indoor air quality (IAQ). Many sources of indoor air are fairly obvious and well known, but the contribution of outside sources to indoor air still leads to significant uncertainties, in particular the influence that environmental variables have on outdoor/indoor pollutant exchange mechanisms. This is a critical aspect to consider in IAQ studies. In this respect, an experimental study was performed at a public site such as a university classroom during a non-academic period in Madrid city. This includes two field campaigns, in summer (2021) and winter (2020), where instruments for measuring gases and particle air pollutants simultaneously measured outdoor and indoor real-time concentrations. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic variations in the indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios in terms of ambient outdoor conditions (meteorology, turbulence and air quality) and indoor features (human presence or natural ventilation). The results show that the I/O ratio is pollutant-dependent. In this sense, the infiltration capacity is higher for gaseous compounds, and in the case of particles, it depends on the particle size, with a higher infiltration capacity for smaller particles (
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Alonso-Blanco
- Department of Environment, CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.G.-M.); (E.D.-R.); (J.F.); (E.C.); (B.A.)
| | - Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno
- Department of Environment, CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.G.-M.); (E.D.-R.); (J.F.); (E.C.); (B.A.)
| | - Elías Díaz-Ramiro
- Department of Environment, CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.G.-M.); (E.D.-R.); (J.F.); (E.C.); (B.A.)
| | - Javier Fernández
- Department of Environment, CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.G.-M.); (E.D.-R.); (J.F.); (E.C.); (B.A.)
| | - Esther Coz
- Department of Environment, CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.G.-M.); (E.D.-R.); (J.F.); (E.C.); (B.A.)
| | - Carlos Yagüe
- Department of Earth Physics and Astrophysics, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Carlos Román-Cascón
- Department of Applied Physics, Marine and Environmental Sciences Faculty, INMAR, CEIMAR, University of Cadiz, 11519 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain;
| | - Adolfo Narros
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Madrid (UPM), 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Rafael Borge
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Madrid (UPM), 28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.N.); (R.B.)
| | - Begoña Artíñano
- Department of Environment, CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (F.J.G.-M.); (E.D.-R.); (J.F.); (E.C.); (B.A.)
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14
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Kalisa E, Clark ML, Ntakirutimana T, Amani M, Volckens J. Exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution in schools in Africa: Current status, knowledge gaps, and a call to action. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18450. [PMID: 37560671 PMCID: PMC10407038 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution is linked to adverse human health impacts worldwide, and in children, these include increased respiratory symptoms, reduced cognitive and academic performance, and absences from school. African children are exposed to high levels of air pollution from aging diesel and gasoline second-hand vehicles, dusty roads, trash burning, and solid-fuel combustion for cooking. There is a need for more empirical evidence on the impact of air pollutants on schoolchildren in most countries of Africa. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review on schoolchildren's exposure to indoor and outdoor PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm and PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm) in Africa. Following PRISMA guidelines, our search strategy yielded 2975 records, of which eight peer-reviewed articles met our selection criteria and were considered in the final analysis. We also analyzed satellite data on PM2.5 and PM10 levels in five African regions from 1990 to 2019 and compared schoolchildren's exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 levels in Africa with available data from the rest of the world. The findings showed that schoolchildren in Africa are frequently exposed to PM2.5 and PM10 levels exceeding the recommended World Health Organization air quality guidelines. We conclude with a list of recommendations and strategies to reduce air pollution exposure in African schools. Education can help to produce citizens who are literate in environmental science and policy. More air quality measurements in schools and intervention studies are needed to protect schoolchildren's health and reduce exposure to air pollution in classrooms across Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egide Kalisa
- College of Science and Technology, Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management, University of Rwanda, Kigali, P.O BOX, 4285, Kigali, Rwanda
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, M3H5T4, Canada
| | - Maggie L. Clark
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Theoneste Ntakirutimana
- University of Rwanda, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kigali, P.O BOX, 4285, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Mabano Amani
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Av. Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - John Volckens
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
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15
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Li Z, Chen Y, Tao Y, Zhao X, Wang D, Wei T, Hou Y, Xu X. Mapping the personal PM 2.5 exposure of China's population using random forest. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162090. [PMID: 36764537 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ambient monitoring may cause estimation errors, and wearable monitoring is expensive and labor-intensive when assessing PM2.5 personal exposure. Estimation errors have limited the development of exposure science and environmental epidemiology. Thus, we developed a scenario-based exposure (SBE) model that covered 8 outdoor exposure scenarios and 1 indoor scenario with corresponding time-activity patterns in Baoding City. The linear regression analysis of the SBE yielded an R2 value of 0.913 with satisfactory accuracy and reliability. To apply the SBE model to large-scale studies, we predicted time-activity patterns with the random forest model and atmosphere-to-scenario ratios with the linear regression model to obtain the essential parameters of the SBE model; their R2 was 0.65-0.93. The developed model would economize the study expenditure of field sampling for personal PM2.5 and deepen the understanding of the influences of indoor and outdoor factors on personal PM2.5. Using this method, we found that the personal PM2.5 exposure of Chinese residents was 10.50-347.02 μg/m3 in 2020, higher than the atmospheric PM2.5 concentration. Residents in North and Central China, especially the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Fen-Wei Plains, had higher personal PM2.5 exposure than those in other areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Prediction and Control, Gansu Province, College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100082, China
| | - Yan Tao
- Key Laboratory for Environmental Pollution Prediction and Control, Gansu Province, College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiuge Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
| | - Danlu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Tong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Yaxuan Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xiaojing Xu
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences Tianjin Branch, Tianjin 300450, China
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16
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Prokopciuk N, Juskiene I, Tarasiuk N, Franck U, Kostiuk O, Valiulis A, Taminskiene V, Valiulis A. On the additional risk for human health in the use of sandblasting of building walls. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:56558-56568. [PMID: 36920615 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26382-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In 2021, concentrations of heavy metals (Ba, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ru, Sr, Zn, Zr) and radiocesium (137Cs) were measured in 13 locations in Vilnius in surface samples of walls and facades of buildings built of yellow bricks in order to evaluate possible aerosol air pollution due to sandblasting. The activity concentrations of 137Cs appeared there as a result of global fallout and precipitation of the products of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and the concentration of Pb, as a component of road transport emissions. Other trace elements turned out to be impurities in the material of yellow bricks. In spring 2018, sandblasting of the walls of the building adjacent to the school led to the long-term significant aerosol contamination of school premises (up to 660 µg/m3). Due to sandblasting, the surface of the school sport yard was covered with a thin layer of scraped particles, which were transported by gusts of wind into the school premises. Sandblasting of walls and facades can also be a source of aerosols with 137Cs activity concentrations reaching ~ 40 Bq/kg and Pb - up to 98 ppm. Estimates show that along with 137Cs, the formation of aerosols with activity concentrations of 239, 240Pu reaching 1.6 Bq/kg is possible. Isotopes of 239, 240Pu are analogues of calcium and, when ingested, are deposited in the bones. The ingress of radioactive aerosols into the respiratory tract, especially of children of primary school age, creates additional risks of malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Prokopciuk
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, 10207, Vilnius, Lithuania.
- Department of Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, P. Baublio Str. 5, 08406, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Izabele Juskiene
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, 10207, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Nikolaj Tarasiuk
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, 10207, Vilnius, Lithuania
- SRI Center for Physical Science and Technology, Savanoriu Av. 231, 02300, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Ulrich Franck
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, 10207, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olena Kostiuk
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, 10207, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Shupyk National Healthcare University, Dorohozhytska Str. 9, Kiev, UA04112, Ukraine
| | - Algirdas Valiulis
- Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, M.K. Ciurlionio Str. 21/27, 03101, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vaida Taminskiene
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, 10207, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, M.K. Ciurlionio Str. 21/27, 03101, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Arunas Valiulis
- Human Ecology Multidisciplinary Research Group, Clinic of Children's Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Antakalnio Str. 57, 10207, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, M.K. Ciurlionio Str. 21/27, 03101, Vilnius, Lithuania
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17
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Wang R, Ding X, Wang J, Dong Z, Xu H, Ma G, Gao B, Song H, Yang M, Cao J. Trace elements in outdoor and indoor PM 2.5 in urban schools in Xi'an, Western China: characteristics, sources identification and health risk assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:1027-1044. [PMID: 35978258 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01359-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The PM2.5-bounded elements were measured in outdoor and indoor from two urban middle schools in Xi'an. The PM2.5 mass was from 42.4 to 283.7 µg/m3 with bounded element from 3.4 to 41.7 µg/m3. Both the particle mass and the bounded elements displayed higher levels compared with previous studies in school environments. The most abundant elements were Ca, K, Fe, S, Zn and Cl both indoor and outdoor in two schools, which accounted for about 90% of the total elements. Strong correlations between indoor and outdoor were obtained along with relative effect from students' and teachers' activities on the indoor distributions between workdays and weekends. There had different indoor/outdoor (I/O) distributions for the two schools. It revealed the main outdoor sources for elements in JT and predominance of indoor sources in HT. The principal component analysis investigated main sources of elements in this study were coal combustion, geogenic dust and industrial emission, even though there displayed differences in the two school classrooms. The health risk assessment showed that the cancer risk for Ni and Pb was below the safe value while As and Cr might pose acceptable potential threat to both students' and teachers' health. The total non-cancer risks of accumulative multi-metals in JT exhibited to be higher than 1, indicating that there existed the potential non-carcinogenic health risks of exposure metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runyu Wang
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Geography Education, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Road, Changan Zone, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Xinxin Ding
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Geography Education, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Road, Changan Zone, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Jingzhi Wang
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Geography Education, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Road, Changan Zone, Xi'an, 710119, China.
- Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, State Key Lab of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China.
| | - Zhibao Dong
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Geography Education, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Road, Changan Zone, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Hongmei Xu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ge Ma
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Geography Education, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Road, Changan Zone, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Bo Gao
- Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Air Pollution Control, South China Institute of Environmental Science, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Song
- High and New Technology Research Center, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Menghan Yang
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Geography Education, School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang'an Road, Changan Zone, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Junji Cao
- Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, State Key Lab of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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18
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López LR, Dessì P, Cabrera-Codony A, Rocha-Melogno L, Kraakman B, Naddeo V, Balaguer MD, Puig S. CO 2 in indoor environments: From environmental and health risk to potential renewable carbon source. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159088. [PMID: 36181799 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In the developed world, individuals spend most of their time indoors. Poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has a wide range of effects on human health. The burden of disease associated with indoor air accounts for millions of premature deaths related to exposure to Indoor Air Pollutants (IAPs). Among them, CO2 is the most common one, and is commonly used as a metric of IAQ. Indoor CO2 concentrations can be significantly higher than outdoors due to human metabolism and activities. Even in presence of ventilation, controlling the CO2 concentration below the Indoor Air Guideline Values (IAGVs) is a challenge, and many indoor environments including schools, offices and transportation exceed the recommended value of 1000 ppmv. This is often accompanied by high concentration of other pollutants, including bio-effluents such as viruses, and the importance of mitigating the transmission of airborne diseases has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, the relatively high CO2 concentration of indoor environments presents a thermodynamic advantage for direct air capture (DAC) in comparison to atmospheric CO2 concentration. This review aims to describe the issues associated with poor IAQ, and to demonstrate the potential of indoor CO2 DAC to purify indoor air while generating a renewable carbon stream that can replace conventional carbon sources as a building block for chemical production, contributing to the circular economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- L R López
- LEQUiA, Institute of Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, carrer Maria Aurelia Capmany 69, Girona, Spain.
| | - P Dessì
- LEQUiA, Institute of Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, carrer Maria Aurelia Capmany 69, Girona, Spain
| | - A Cabrera-Codony
- LEQUiA, Institute of Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, carrer Maria Aurelia Capmany 69, Girona, Spain
| | - L Rocha-Melogno
- ICF, 2635 Meridian Parkway Suite 200, Durham, NC 27713, United States
| | - B Kraakman
- Jacobs Engineering, Templey Quay 1, Bristol BAS1 6DG, UK; Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n., 47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - V Naddeo
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - M D Balaguer
- LEQUiA, Institute of Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, carrer Maria Aurelia Capmany 69, Girona, Spain
| | - S Puig
- LEQUiA, Institute of Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, carrer Maria Aurelia Capmany 69, Girona, Spain
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19
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Fowler CH, Bagdasarov A, Camacho NL, Reuben A, Gaffrey MS. Toxicant exposure and the developing brain: A systematic review of the structural and functional MRI literature. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:105006. [PMID: 36535373 PMCID: PMC9922521 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Youth worldwide are regularly exposed to pollutants and chemicals (i.e., toxicants) that may interfere with healthy brain development, and a surge in MRI research has begun to characterize the neurobiological consequences of these exposures. Here, a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted on developmental MRI studies of toxicants with known or suspected neurobiological impact. Associations were reviewed for 9 toxicant classes, including metals, air pollution, and flame retardants. Of 1264 identified studies, 46 met inclusion criteria. Qualitative synthesis revealed that most studies: (1) investigated air pollutants or metals, (2) assessed exposures prenatally, (3) assessed the brain in late middle childhood, (4) took place in North America or Western Europe, (5) drew samples from existing cohort studies, and (6) have been published since 2017. Given substantial heterogeneity in MRI measures, toxicant measures, and age groups assessed, more research is needed on all toxicants reviewed here. Future studies should also include larger samples, employ personal exposure monitoring, study independent samples in diverse world regions, and assess toxicant mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Aaron Reuben
- Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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20
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Parchami M, Motlagh MS, Pardakhti A. Particulate matter concentrations and characterization in urban subway system-case study Tehran, Iran. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2022; 20:953-962. [PMID: 36406608 PMCID: PMC9672172 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-022-00838-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The present work aims to evaluate the indoor and outdoor air quality in the stations of the Tehran subway system. In this study, the particulate sampling of the four Tehran subway stations was conducted in March-July 2018 during different seasons to determine indoor and outdoor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations and elemental composition. The samples were analyzed to determine 11 elements such as Pb(Lead), Cd(Cadmium), Ni(Nickel), Co(Cobalt), Mn(Manganese), Zn(Zink), Fe(Iron), Cu(Copper), As(Arsenic), Al(Aluminum) and Cr(Chromium) qualitatively. The experimental results indicated that the average concentrations of both PM10 and PM2.5 in indoor stations (platforms) were approximately 2-5 times higher than those in the outdoors (ambient air). In addition, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the daily-standard values (US-EPA; PM10 = 50 µg.m-3, PM2.5 = 25 µg.m-3) in 100% indoor measurements and 84% outdoor measurements. Moreover, the average indoor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in weekday values were 1.4 and 1.5 times higher than those measured on weekends, which may be related to the lower frequency of trains. Further, indoor and outdoor correlation of PM10 concentrations (Pearson r = 0.6) was more than that of PM2.5 concentrations (Pearson r = 0.2), indicating the additional sources for PM2.5 in indoor stations. Additionally, the average PM2.5 / PM10 ratio was 0.52 for indoor measurements and 0.34 for outdoors, indicating that PM10 particles were the dominant particle type in both sampling areas and passengers in indoor stations exposed to higher PM2.5 concentrations than those in outdoor stations. Finally, based on elemental analysis, Fe was the most enriched element in indoor and outdoor PM10 and PM2.5 samples. The concentration of Fe ranged from 16 to 81 µg.m-3 in indoor stations and 0.6 to 2.5 µg.m-3 in outdoors. Other enriched elements were Al, Cu, Zn, and Mn, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahya Parchami
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
- Sydney, Australia
| | - Majid Shafiepour Motlagh
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Pardakhti
- Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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21
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Cahuana-Bartra MJ, Mazarico-Gallego E, Cahuana-Bartra AJ, Pascal R, Alonso-Garcia L, Targa J, Muñoz-Lozano C, Dadvand P, Gómez-Roig MD. Maternal short-term exposure to NO 2 during pregnancy and its relationship with Doppler markers of placental function. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:113813. [PMID: 35810817 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal exposure to air pollution has been associated with poor obstetric outcomes. However, the available evidence on the impact of maternal exposure to air pollution on placental function is still scarce and is based on estimated ambient levels of air pollutants. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between short-term maternal exposure to NO2 based on the objective personal measure of NO2 exposure and Doppler markers of placental function. METHODS This study was based on a prospective cohort of 101 pregnant women, recruited at Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona (Spain), between January 2017 and April 2018. NO2 diffusion tubes were worn by pregnant women to measure personal exposure to NO2 between weeks 28 and 32 of their pregnancy. Placental function was evaluated at the 32nd week of gestation by Doppler evaluation of mean uterine arteries pulsatility index (PI), umbilical artery PI, middle cerebral artery PI, cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) and ductus venosus PI. Linear regression models were applied to estimate the association of personal NO2 exposure and Doppler markers of placental function (one at a time), controlled for relevant covariates. RESULTS Higher personal exposure to NO2 was significantly associated with lower mean uterine artery PI. Each one-interquartile range (IQR) increase in the exposure to NO 2 was associated with -0.07 (95% confidence intervals (CIs): -0.12, -0.02) decrease in uterine arteries PI. We also observed some suggestions for an inverse association between this exposure and CPR. A one-IQR increase in NO2 was associated with -0.18 (95% CIs: -0.37, 0.01) decrease in CPR. The findings for the rest of Doppler markers were not conclusive. CONCLUSIONS Maternal exposure to NO2 could interfere with Doppler markers of placental function, potentially indicating a certain degree of cerebral vasodilatation with a decrease of mean uterine arteries PI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Josep Cahuana-Bartra
- BCNatal, Barcelona Centre for Maternal Foetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic. Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IR-SJD), 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin, RD21/0012/0001, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
| | - Edurne Mazarico-Gallego
- BCNatal, Barcelona Centre for Maternal Foetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic. Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IR-SJD), 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin, RD21/0012/0001, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
| | - Alex Joan Cahuana-Bartra
- BCNatal, Barcelona Centre for Maternal Foetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic. Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosalia Pascal
- BCNatal, Barcelona Centre for Maternal Foetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic. Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IR-SJD), 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin, RD21/0012/0001, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
| | | | | | - Concha Muñoz-Lozano
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IR-SJD), 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin, RD21/0012/0001, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
| | - Payam Dadvand
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- BCNatal, Barcelona Centre for Maternal Foetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic. Universitat de Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IR-SJD), 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Primary Care Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Child Chronic Diseases of Perinatal and Developmental Origin, RD21/0012/0001, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
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22
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Liu L, Wang B, Qian N, Wei H, Yang G, Wan L, He Y. Association between ambient PM 2.5 and outpatient visits of children's respiratory diseases in a megacity in Central China. Front Public Health 2022; 10:952662. [PMID: 36249195 PMCID: PMC9561247 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.952662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the relationship between ambient PM2.5 level and outpatient visits of children with respiratory diseases in a megacity, Zhengzhou, in central China. Methods We collected daily outpatient visit data, air pollutant data, and meteorological data at the monitoring points of Zhengzhou from the time period 2018 to 2020 and used Spearman's rank correlation to analyze the correlation between children's respiratory outpatient visits and air pollutants and meteorological factors. Generalized additive models were used to analyze the association between PM2.5 exposures and children's respiratory outpatient visits. A stratified analysis was further carried out for the seasons. Results From 2018 to 2020, the total number of outpatients with children's respiratory diseases was 79,1107, and the annual average concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3-8h in Zhengzhou were respectively 59.48 μg/m3, 111.12 μg/m3, 11.10 μg/m3, 47.77 μg/m3, 0.90 mg/m3 and 108.81 μg/m3. The single-pollutant model showed that the risk of outpatient visits for children with respiratory disease increased by 0.341% (95%CI: 0.274-0.407%), 0.532% (95%CI: 0.455-0.609%) and 0.233% (95%CI: 0.177-0.289%) for every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 with a 3-day lag, 1-day lag, and 1-day lag respectively for the whole year, heating period, and non-heating period. The multi-pollutant model showed that the risk of PM2.5 on children's respiratory disease visits was robust. The excess risk of PM2.5 on children's respiratory disease visits increased by 0.220% (95%CI: 0.147-0.294%) when SO2 was adjusted. However, the PM2.5 effects were stronger during the heating period than during the non-heating period. Conclusion The short-term exposure to PM2.5 was significantly associated with outpatient visits for children's respiratory diseases. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the control of air pollution so as to protect children's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Liu
- Department of Environment Health, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bingya Wang
- Department of Nutrition, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Nana Qian
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huiyan Wei
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Administration, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guangmei Yang
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Administration, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Leping Wan
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Administration, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yan He
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Administration, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yan He
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23
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Leite ADS, Rousse S, Léon J, Trindade RIF, Haoues‐Jouve S, Carvallo C, Dias‐Alves M, Proietti A, Nardin E, Macouin M. Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society. GEOHEALTH 2022; 6:e2022GH000633. [PMID: 36089983 PMCID: PMC9432803 DOI: 10.1029/2022gh000633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Children's exposure to air pollution affects both their health and learning skills. Fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM1), notably issued from traffic sources in urban centers, belong to the most potential harmful health hazards. However their monitoring and the society's awareness on their dangers need to be consolidated. In this study, raising teacher and pupil involvement for air quality improvement in their schools environment is reached through developing a passive monitoring technique (bio-sensors made of tree bark). The experiment was implemented in two urban elementary schools situated close to a main traffic road of the city of Toulouse (South of France). Magnetic properties, carbonaceous fraction measurements, and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM-EDX) investigations were realized both on passive bio-sensors and filters issued from active sampling. We find that traffic is the main PM1 source for both outdoors and indoors at schools. Higher levels of outdoor PM in the school's environments compared to urban background are reached especially in the cold period. The schools proximity to a main traffic source and lack of ventilation are the main causes for observed PM1 accumulation in classrooms. The co-working experiment with educational teams and pupils shows that the use of bio-sensors is a driver for children empowerment to air pollution and therefore represents a potential key tool for the teachers though limiting eco-anxiety. As PM accumulation is observed in many scholar environments across Europe, the proposed methodology is a step toward a better assessment of PM impact on pupil's health and learning skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. d. S. Leite
- Géosciences Environnement ToulouseCNRSIRDUniversité Toulouse 3CNESToulouseFrance
| | - S. Rousse
- Géosciences Environnement ToulouseCNRSIRDUniversité Toulouse 3CNESToulouseFrance
| | - J.‐F. Léon
- Laboratoire d’AérologieCNRSUniversité Toulouse 3ToulouseFrance
| | - R. I. F. Trindade
- Departamento de GeofísicaInstituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências AtmosféricasUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - S. Haoues‐Jouve
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Solidarités Sociétés TerritoiresCNRSUniversité Toulouse 2EHESSENSFEAToulouseFrance
| | - C. Carvallo
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de CosmochimieUMR 7590Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - M. Dias‐Alves
- Laboratoire d’AérologieCNRSUniversité Toulouse 3ToulouseFrance
| | - A. Proietti
- Centre de Microcaractérisation Raimond CastaingUniversité Toulouse 3ToulouseFrance
| | - E. Nardin
- Géosciences Environnement ToulouseCNRSIRDUniversité Toulouse 3CNESToulouseFrance
| | - M. Macouin
- Géosciences Environnement ToulouseCNRSIRDUniversité Toulouse 3CNESToulouseFrance
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24
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Rovira J, Paredes-Ahumada JA, Barceló-Ordinas JM, García-Vidal J, Reche C, Sola Y, Fung PL, Petäjä T, Hussein T, Viana M. Non-linear models for black carbon exposure modelling using air pollution datasets. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113269. [PMID: 35427594 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Black carbon (BC) is a product of incomplete combustion, present in urban aerosols and sourcing mainly from road traffic. Epidemiological evidence reports positive associations between BC and cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Despite this, BC is currently not regulated by the EU Air Quality Directive, and as a result BC data are not available in urban areas from reference air quality monitoring networks in many countries. To fill this gap, a machine learning approach is proposed to develop a BC proxy using air pollution datasets as an input. The proposed BC proxy is based on two machine learning models, support vector regression (SVR) and random forest (RF), using observations of particle mass and number concentrations (N), gaseous pollutants and meteorological variables as the input. Experimental data were collected from a reference station in Barcelona (Spain) over a 2-year period (2018-2019). Two months of additional data were available from a second urban site in Barcelona, for model validation. BC concentrations estimated by SVR showed a high degree of correlation with the measured BC concentrations (R2 = 0.828) with a relatively low error (RMSE = 0.48 μg/m3). Model performance was dependent on seasonality and time of the day, due to the influence of new particle formation events. When validated at the second station, performance indicators decreased (R2 = 0.633; RMSE = 1.19 μg/m3) due to the lack of N data and PM2.5 and the smaller size of the dataset (2 months). New particle formation events critically impacted model performance, suggesting that its application would be optimal in environments where traffic is the main source of ultrafine particles. Due to its flexibility, it is concluded that the model can act as a BC proxy, even based on EU-regulatory air quality parameters only, to complement experimental measurements for exposure assessment in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Rovira
- Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J A Paredes-Ahumada
- Department of Computer Architecture, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J M Barceló-Ordinas
- Department of Computer Architecture, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J García-Vidal
- Department of Computer Architecture, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Reche
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Spanish Research Council, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Y Sola
- Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P L Fung
- University of Helsinki, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR/Physics), UHEL, Helsinki, Finland
| | - T Petäjä
- University of Helsinki, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR/Physics), UHEL, Helsinki, Finland
| | - T Hussein
- University of Helsinki, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR/Physics), UHEL, Helsinki, Finland; The University of Jordan, School of Science, Department of Physics, Amman, Jordan
| | - M Viana
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Spanish Research Council, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.
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25
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Ilie AMC, McCarthy N, Velasquez L, Moitra M, Eisl HM. Air pollution exposure assessment at schools and playgrounds in Williamsburg Brooklyn NYC, with a view to developing a set of policy solutions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SCIENCES 2022; 12:838-852. [PMID: 35910306 PMCID: PMC9321294 DOI: 10.1007/s13412-022-00777-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Community science offers unique opportunities for non-professional involvement of volunteers in the scientific process, not just during the data acquisition, but also in other phases, like problem definition, quality assurance, data analysis and interpretation, and the dissemination of results. Moreover, community science can be a powerful tool for public engagement and empowerment during policy formulation. This paper aims to present a pilot study on personal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and raises awareness of the hazards of air pollution. As part of data acquisition conducted in 2019, high school students gathered data at their schools, schoolyards, and playgrounds using low-cost monitors AirBeam2. The data was automatically uploaded every second onto the AirCasting mobile app. Besides, a stationary network of air monitors (fixed stations) was deployed in the neighborhood to collect real-time ambient air concentrations of PM2.5. Students involved in the project attended workshops, training sessions, and researched to better understand air pollution, as part of their science class curriculum and portfolio. This air quality monitoring was incorporated into the "Our Air/Nuestro Aire" - El Puente grassroots campaign. The main goals of this campaign included sharing the data collected with the community, engaging academic partners to develop a set of policy and urban design solutions, and to be considered into a 5-point policy platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Carmen Ilie
- Center for Experimental Study of Subsurface Environmental Processes (CESEP), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401 USA
- Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367 USA
| | - Norma McCarthy
- El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice High School, Brooklyn New York City, NY 11211 USA
| | - Leslie Velasquez
- El Puente Community-based Organization, Brooklyn, New York City, NY 11211 USA
| | - Masoom Moitra
- El Puente Community-based Organization, Brooklyn, New York City, NY 11211 USA
| | - Holger Michael Eisl
- Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367 USA
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Faria T, Cunha-Lopes I, Pilou M, Housiadas C, Querol X, Alves C, Almeida SM. Children's exposure to size-fractioned particulate matter: Chemical composition and internal dose. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 823:153745. [PMID: 35150685 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The health effects of the particulate matter (PM) depend not only on its aerodynamic diameter (AD) and chemical composition, but also on the time activity pattern of the individuals and on their age. The main objective of this work was to assess the exposure of children to aerosol particles by using personal instruments, to study the particle size and composition of the inhaled PM, and to estimate their transport and deposition into the human respiratory tract (HRT). The average daily PM2.5 exposure was 19 μg/m3 and the size fractions with the greatest contribution to PM2.5 concentrations were 1 < AD <2.5 μm and AD <0.25 μm. Results indicated a contribution of 9% from the mineral aerosol, 7.2% from anthropogenic sulphate, 6.7% from black carbon and 5% from anthropogenic trace elements to the daily exposure to PM2.5. The levels of mineral and marine elements increased with increasing particle size, while anthropogenic elements were present in higher concentrations in the finest particles. Particle size has been shown to influence the variability of daily dose deposited between the extrathoracic and alveolar-interstitial zones. On average, 3% of the PM deposited in the bronchial region, whereas 5% to 8% were found in the bronchiolar region. The level of physical activity had a significant contribution to the total daily dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Faria
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - I Cunha-Lopes
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M Pilou
- Thermal Hydraulics & Multiphase Flow Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR "DEMOKRITOS", Athens, Greece
| | - C Housiadas
- Thermal Hydraulics & Multiphase Flow Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Science & Technology, Energy & Safety, NCSR "DEMOKRITOS", Athens, Greece
| | - X Querol
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Spanish Research Council, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Alves
- Department of Environment, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - S M Almeida
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
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Foraster M, Esnaola M, López-Vicente M, Rivas I, Álvarez-Pedrerol M, Persavento C, Sebastian-Galles N, Pujol J, Dadvand P, Sunyer J. Exposure to road traffic noise and cognitive development in schoolchildren in Barcelona, Spain: A population-based cohort study. PLoS Med 2022; 19:e1004001. [PMID: 35653430 PMCID: PMC9162347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Road traffic noise is a prevalent and known health hazard. However, little is known yet about its effect on children's cognition. We aimed to study the association between exposure to road traffic noise and the development of working memory and attention in primary school children, considering school-outdoor and school-indoor annual average noise levels and noise fluctuation characteristics, as well as home-outdoor noise exposure. METHODS AND FINDINGS We followed up a population-based sample of 2,680 children aged 7 to 10 years from 38 schools in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) between January 2012 to March 2013. Children underwent computerised cognitive tests 4 times (n = 10,112), for working memory (2-back task, detectability), complex working memory (3-back task, detectability), and inattentiveness (Attention Network Task, hit reaction time standard error, in milliseconds). Road traffic noise was measured indoors and outdoors at schools, at the start of the school year, using standard protocols to obtain A-weighted equivalent sound pressure levels, i.e., annual average levels scaled to human hearing, for the daytime (daytime LAeq, in dB). We also derived fluctuation indicators out of the measurements (noise intermittency ratio, %; and number of noise events) and obtained individual estimated indoor noise levels (LAeq) correcting for classroom orientation and classroom change between years. Home-outdoor noise exposure at home (Lden, i.e., EU indicator for the 24-hour annual average levels) was estimated using Barcelona's noise map for year 2012, according to the European Noise Directive (2002). We used linear mixed models to evaluate the association between exposure to noise and cognitive development adjusting for age, sex, maternal education, socioeconomical vulnerability index at home, indoor or outdoor traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) for corresponding school models or outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for home models. Child and school were included as nested random effects. The median age (percentile 25, percentile 75) of children in visit 1 was 8.5 (7.8; 9.3) years, 49.9% were girls, and 50% of the schools were public. School-outdoor exposure to road traffic noise was associated with a slower development in working memory (2-back and 3-back) and greater inattentiveness over 1 year in children, both for the average noise level (e.g., ‒4.83 points [95% CI: ‒7.21, ‒2.45], p-value < 0.001, in 2-back detectability per 5 dB in street levels) and noise fluctuation (e.g., ‒4.38 [‒7.08, ‒1.67], p-value = 0.002, per 50 noise events at street level). Individual exposure to the road traffic average noise level in classrooms was only associated with inattentiveness (2.49 ms [0, 4.81], p-value = 0.050, per 5 dB), whereas indoor noise fluctuation was consistently associated with all outcomes. Home-outdoor noise exposure was not associated with the outcomes. Study limitations include a potential lack of generalizability (58% of mothers with university degree in our study versus 50% in the region) and the lack of past noise exposure assessment. CONCLUSIONS We observed that exposure to road traffic noise at school, but not at home, was associated with slower development of working memory, complex working memory, and attention in schoolchildren over 1 year. Associations with noise fluctuation indicators were more evident than with average noise levels in classrooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Foraster
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Madrid, Spain
- PHAGEX Research Group, Blanquerna School of Health Science, Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Mikel Esnaola
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mónica López-Vicente
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ioar Rivas
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Álvarez-Pedrerol
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cecilia Persavento
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jesus Pujol
- MRI Research Unit, Department of Radiology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Payam Dadvand
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Sunyer
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBEREsp), Madrid, Spain
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
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Konstantinou C, Constantinou A, Kleovoulou EG, Kyriacou A, Kakoulli C, Milis G, Michaelides M, Makris KC. Assessment of indoor and outdoor air quality in primary schools of Cyprus during the COVID–19 pandemic measures in May–July 2021. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09354. [PMID: 35529701 PMCID: PMC9057936 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Combined pollutant effects from indoor and outdoor sources on children's health, while being at school have not been holistically tackled. The aim of the School Temperature and Environmental Pollutants Study (STEPS) was to perform a school population representative assessment of indoor air quality (IAQ) in primary schools of densely and intermediate populated areas of Cyprus (n = 42). The study took place during May–July 2021 when a school-specific COVID-19 protocol was in place. Questionnaire-based characteristics of schools/classrooms were collected along with 24/48-h long IAQ monitoring of air temperature, relative humidity (RH), particulate matter (PM), carbon dioxide (CO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), using low-cost sensors. Mixed effect models assessed the IAQ determinants during school hours. Indoor PM, temperature, RH and VOCs increased with progressing school periods in the day, while indoor CO2 decreased. Indoor RH and CO2 were negatively associated with % open windows, while indoor PM2.5 was positively associated. Most of school time (85%), indoor air temperature exceeded the recommended upper limit (27 °C), while a third of indoor PM2.5 (24-h) measurements exceeded 15 μg/m3. The interplay of clean indoor air with adequate ventilation and adaptation to heat stress in schools is important and its comprehensive characterization requires holistic methodological approaches and tools. A primary school population representative study of indoor air quality was conducted in Cyprus during May-July 2021. Natural ventilation measures, like open windows and doors during class hours, helped in maintaining adequate ventilation. The study took place during the summer period with indoor air temperature being above the recommended value most of school time. A third of the 24-hour indoor PM2.5 measurements exceeded the WHO recommended value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Konstantinou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII), Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Andria Constantinou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII), Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Eleni G. Kleovoulou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII), Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | | | - Christina Kakoulli
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - George Milis
- PHOEBE Research & Innovation Ltd, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Michalis Michaelides
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Konstantinos C. Makris
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health (CII), Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
- Corresponding author.
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Matthaios VN, Kang CM, Wolfson JM, Greco KF, Gaffin JM, Hauptman M, Cunningham A, Petty CR, Lawrence J, Phipatanakul W, Gold DR, Koutrakis P. Factors Influencing Classroom Exposures to Fine Particles, Black Carbon, and Nitrogen Dioxide in Inner-City Schools and Their Implications for Indoor Air Quality. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:47005. [PMID: 35446676 PMCID: PMC9022782 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND School classrooms, where students spend the majority of their time during the day, are the second most important indoor microenvironment for children. OBJECTIVE We investigated factors influencing classroom exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in urban schools in the northeast United States. METHODS Over the period of 10 y (2008-2013; 2015-2019) measurements were conducted in 309 classrooms of 74 inner-city schools during fall, winter, and spring of the academic period. The data were analyzed using adaptive mixed-effects least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression models. The LASSO variables included meteorological-, school-, and classroom-based covariates. RESULTS LASSO identified 10, 10, and 11 significant factors (p<0.05) that were associated with indoor PM2.5, BC, and NO2 exposures, respectively. The overall variability explained by these models was R2=0.679, 0.687, and 0.621 for PM2.5, BC, and NO2, respectively. Of the model's explained variability, outdoor air pollution was the most important predictor, accounting for 53.9%, 63.4%, and 34.1% of the indoor PM2.5, BC, and NO2 concentrations. School-based predictors included furnace servicing, presence of a basement, annual income, building type, building year of construction, number of classrooms, number of students, and type of ventilation that, in combination, explained 18.6%, 26.1%, and 34.2% of PM2.5, BC, and NO2 levels, whereas classroom-based predictors included classroom floor level, classroom proximity to cafeteria, number of windows, frequency of cleaning, and windows facing the bus area and jointly explained 24.0%, 4.2%, and 29.3% of PM2.5, BC, and NO2 concentrations, respectively. DISCUSSION The adaptive LASSO technique identified significant regional-, school-, and classroom-based factors influencing classroom air pollutant levels and provided robust estimates that could potentially inform targeted interventions aiming at improving children's health and well-being during their early years of development. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10007.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasileios N. Matthaios
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Geography Earth and Environmental Science, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Choong-Min Kang
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jack M. Wolfson
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kimberly F. Greco
- Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jonathan M. Gaffin
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marissa Hauptman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amparito Cunningham
- Boston Children’s Hospital Division of Immunology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carter R. Petty
- Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joy Lawrence
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wanda Phipatanakul
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Boston Children’s Hospital Division of Immunology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Diane R. Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Petros Koutrakis
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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30
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Viana M, Karatzas K, Arvanitis A, Reche C, Escribano M, Ibarrola-Ulzurrun E, Adami PE, Garrandes F, Bermon S. Air Quality Sensors Systems as Tools to Support Guidance in Athletics Stadia for Elite and Recreational Athletes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:3561. [PMID: 35329250 PMCID: PMC8950704 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
While athletes have high exposures to air pollutants due to their increased breathing rates, sport governing bodies have little guidance to support events scheduling or protect stadium users. A key limitation for this is the lack of hyper-local, high time-resolved air quality data representative of exposures in stadia. This work aimed to evaluate whether air quality sensors can describe ambient air quality in Athletics stadia. Sensing nodes were deployed in 6 stadia in major cities around the globe, monitoring NO2, O3, NO, PM10, PM2.5, PM1, CO, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. Results demonstrated that the interpretation of hourly pollutant patterns, in combination with self-organising maps (SOMs), enabled the interpretation of probable emission sources (e.g., vehicular traffic) and of atmospheric processes (e.g., local vs. regional O formation). The ratios between PM size fractions provided insights into potential emission sources (e.g., local dust re-suspension) which may help design mitigation strategies. The high resolution of the data facilitated identifying optimal periods of the day and year for scheduling athletic trainings and/or competitions. Provided that the necessary data quality checks are applied, sensors can support stadium operators in providing athlete communities with recommendations to minimise exposure and provide guidance for event scheduling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mar Viana
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Kostas Karatzas
- Environmental Informatics Research Group, School of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (K.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Athanasios Arvanitis
- Environmental Informatics Research Group, School of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (K.K.); (A.A.)
| | - Cristina Reche
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
| | | | | | - Paolo Emilio Adami
- Health and Science Department, World Athletics, 98000 Monaco, Monaco; (P.E.A.); (F.G.); (S.B.)
- Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé (LAMHESS), Université Côte d’Azur, 06000 Nice, France
| | - Fréderic Garrandes
- Health and Science Department, World Athletics, 98000 Monaco, Monaco; (P.E.A.); (F.G.); (S.B.)
- Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé (LAMHESS), Université Côte d’Azur, 06000 Nice, France
| | - Stéphane Bermon
- Health and Science Department, World Athletics, 98000 Monaco, Monaco; (P.E.A.); (F.G.); (S.B.)
- Laboratoire Motricité Humaine Expertise Sport Santé (LAMHESS), Université Côte d’Azur, 06000 Nice, France
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Huo Y, Guo H, Lyu X, Yao D. Emission characteristics, sources, and airborne fate of speciated organics in particulate matters in a Hong Kong residence. INDOOR AIR 2022; 32:e13017. [PMID: 35347786 DOI: 10.1111/ina.13017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A growing number of studies warn of the adverse health effects of indoor particulate matters (PM). However, little is known about the molecular compositions and emission characteristics of PM-bound organics (OM) indoors, a critical group of species with highest concentration and complexity in indoor PM. In a Hong Kong residence where prescribed activities were performed with normal frequency and intensity, we found that the activities significantly elevated not only the total concentration but also the fraction of OM in indoor PM. However, the concentration of the total PM-bound OM outdoors (10.3 ± 0.7 μg/m3 ) surpassed that for the indoor counterpart during the undisturbed period (8.2 ± 0.1 μg/m3 ), that is, period when there was no activity with high emission of PM but the residual effects of previous activities might remain. Emissions of indoor activities involving combustion or high-temperature processes significantly elevated the indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios for a majority of organic species. In addition, gas-to-particle partitioning, secondary formation, carrying-over (residues of pollutants in the air), and re-emission also modulated the I/O ratios of some compounds. Chemically comprehensive emission profiles of speciated organics were obtained for 5 indoor activities in the residence. While the indoor contribution to PM-bound OM was estimated to be not higher than 13.1% during the undisturbed period, carrying-over and/or re-emission seemed to exist for certain compounds emitted from cigarette smoking and incense burning. This study enhances knowledge on emissions and airborne fate of speciated organics in indoor PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxi Huo
- Air Quality Studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Hai Guo
- Air Quality Studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaopu Lyu
- Air Quality Studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Dawen Yao
- Air Quality Studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Gao J, Qiu Z, Cheng W, Gao HO. Children's exposure to BC and PM pollution, and respiratory tract deposits during commuting trips to school. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 232:113253. [PMID: 35121261 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Although children have been identified as a vulnerable group highly susceptible to traffic-related air pollution, their exposure during school commutes to traffic-related pollutants and the relevant health impact is rarely studied. In this study, we measured black carbon (BC) and particulate matter (PM: PM1, PM2.5, and PM10) concentrations that children are exposed to during their multi-modal (walking, private cars, and e-bikes) commuting trips to schools in Xi'an, China. A multi-parameter inhalation rate assessment model was developed in combination with the Multi-Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD) model to quantify the deposition dose in different parts of children's respiratory system (head, tracheobronchial (TB), pulmonary (PUL)). Results show that walking to school exposed children to the lowest PM1, PM2.5, and BC concentrations, whereas riding an e-bike led to significantly elevated exposure to PM1 and BC than the other two modes. This is due to children's closer proximity to vehicle tail pipe emissions when they bike to school on road or roadside. The PM and BC concentrations showed remarkable increases in comparison to background concentrations during children's school commutes. Urban background (UB) concentration, traffic volume (TV), time of day, and meteorological parameters could influence a child's personal exposure, and the impact of each factor vary across different transportation modes. Particle size of the pollutant affects its deposition site in the respiratory system. Deposition fractions (DFs) and deposition doses in the head region (DF > 50%) were the highest for PM and BC, for which fine particles (BC, PM1, and PM2.5) were then most easily deposited in the PUL region while coarse particles rarely reach PUL. Children inhaled higher doses of polluted air during active commuting (walking) than passive commuting (private cars, e-bikes), due to longer times of exposure coupled with more active breathing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Gao
- School of Automobile, Chang'an University, Chang'an Road, Xi'an 710064 Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Zhaowen Qiu
- School of Automobile, Chang'an University, Chang'an Road, Xi'an 710064 Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Wen Cheng
- China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co., Ltd. (SINOTRUK), Huaao Road, Jinan, 250101 Shandong, PR China
| | - H Oliver Gao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University 468 Hollister Hall, Ithaca, 14853 NY, USA
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33
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Faria T, Martins V, Canha N, Diapouli E, Manousakas M, Fetfatzis P, Gini MI, Almeida SM. Assessment of children's exposure to carbonaceous matter and to PM major and trace elements. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:151021. [PMID: 34662608 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) pollution is one of the major environmental concerns due to its harmful effects on human health. As children are particularly vulnerable to particle exposure, this study integrates the concentration of PM chemical compounds measured in the micro-environments (MEs) where children spend most of their time to assess the daily exposure and inhaled dose. PM samples were analysed for organic and elemental carbon and for major and trace elements. Results showed that the MEs that contribute most to the children's daily exposure (80%) and inhaled dose (65%) were homes and schools. Results indicated that the high contribution of particulate organic matter (POM) indoors indicate high contributions of indoor sources to the organic fraction of the particles. The highest concentrations of PM chemical compounds and the highest Indoor/Outdoor ratios were measured in schools, where the contribution of mineral elements stands out due to the resuspension of dust caused by the students and to the chalk used in blackboards. The contribution of the outdoor particles to inhaled dose (24%) was higher than to the exposure (12%), due to the highest inhalation rates associated with the activities performed outdoor. This study indicates the importance of indoor air quality for the children's exposure and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Faria
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal.
| | - V Martins
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - N Canha
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - E Diapouli
- Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Energy and Safety, N.C.S.R. Demokritos, Agia Paraskevi, Attiki, Greece
| | - M Manousakas
- Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Energy and Safety, N.C.S.R. Demokritos, Agia Paraskevi, Attiki, Greece
| | - P Fetfatzis
- Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Energy and Safety, N.C.S.R. Demokritos, Agia Paraskevi, Attiki, Greece
| | - M I Gini
- Institute of Nuclear and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Energy and Safety, N.C.S.R. Demokritos, Agia Paraskevi, Attiki, Greece
| | - S M Almeida
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
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Villanueva F, Lara S, Notario A, Amo-Salas M, Cabañas B. Formaldehyde, acrolein and other carbonyls in dwellings of university students. Levels and source characterization. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 288:132429. [PMID: 34606894 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fifteen carbonyl compounds were investigated in the living rooms and bedrooms of 25 university student flats in the urban area of Ciudad Real (Central Southern Spain) in wintertime. Carbonyls were sampled using Radiello ® passive samplers refilled in the laboratory according to the method described in ISO 16000-3 Standard. The most abundant carbonyls in the living rooms and bedrooms were formaldehyde, acetone, acetaldehyde, hexaldehyde and butyraldehyde. The median concentration levels in the living rooms and bedrooms were: 28.6 and 34.2 μg m-3 for formaldehyde, 18.3 and 23.1 μg m-3 for acetone, 14.3 and 15.8 μg m-3 for acetaldehyde, 11.4 and 14.1 μg m-3 for hexaldehyde and 10.8 and 12.4 μg m-3 for butyraldehyde. The median concentration of formaldehyde, benzaldehyde, valeraldehyde and hexaldehyde was significantly higher in the bedrooms than in the living rooms. Indoor concentrations were significantly higher than outdoor concentrations for all carbonyl measured, indicating that sources in the indoor environment are prevailing in all flats. Principal component analysis, multiple linear regressions and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to investigate the origin, the indoor pollutants determinants and to establish common sources between carbonyls. Eight components were extracted from the application of PCA to the indoor and outdoor measurements accounting for 97.7% of the total variance. Formaldehyde, acetone, acetaldehyde and acrolein presented different indoor sources. In the multiple linear regression analysis, higher formaldehyde concentrations were found in those living rooms with wood floor and smoking was positively associated to acetone, propionaldehyde, benzaldehyde and isovaleraldehyde. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, propionaldehyde and benzaldehyde concentrations were compared with relevant international guidelines, being their concentrations below recommended values except acrolein, where all measured flats exceeded the reference levels; it would be important to focus on the characterization of emission sources of acrolein in indoor air in order to minimise the exposure and health risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florentina Villanueva
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores S/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla La Mancha, Paseo de La Innovación 1, 02006, Albacete, Spain.
| | - Sonia Lara
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores S/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Alberto Notario
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores S/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Avenida Camilo José Cela S/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Mariano Amo-Salas
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Departamento de Matemáticas, Facultad de Medicina, Camino de Moledores S/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Beatriz Cabañas
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores S/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Avenida Camilo José Cela S/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Kitagawa YKL, Kumar P, Galvão ES, Santos JM, Reis NC, Nascimento EGS, Moreira DM. Exposure and dose assessment of school children to air pollutants in a tropical coastal-urban area. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 803:149747. [PMID: 34487895 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study estimates exposure and inhaled dose to air pollutants of children residing in a tropical coastal-urban area in Southeast Brazil. For that, twenty-one children filled their time-activities diaries and wore the passive samplers to monitor NO2. The personal exposure was also estimated using data provided by the combination of WRF-Urban/GEOS-Chem/CMAQ models, and the nearby monitoring station. Indoor/outdoor ratios were used to consider the amount of time spent indoors by children in homes and schools. The model's performance was assessed by comparing the modelled data with concentrations measured by urban monitoring stations. A sensitivity analyses was also performed to evaluate the impact of the model's height on the air pollutant concentrations. The results showed that the mean children's personal exposure to NO2 predicted by the model (22.3 μg/m3) was nearly twice to those measured by the passive samplers (12.3 μg/m3). In contrast, the nearest urban monitoring station did not represent the personal exposure to NO2 (9.3 μg/m3), suggesting a bias in the quantification of previous epidemiological studies. The building effect parameterisation (BEP) together with the lowering of the model height enhanced the air pollutant concentrations and the exposure of children to air pollutants. With the use of the CMAQ model, exposure to O3, PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 was also estimated and revealed that the daily children's personal exposure was 13.4, 38.9, 32.9, and 9.6 μg/m3, respectively. Meanwhile, the potential inhalation daily dose was 570-667 μg for PM2.5, 684-789 μg for PM10, and 163-194 μg for PM1, showing to be favourable to cause adverse health effects. The exposure of children to air pollutants estimated by the numerical model in this work was comparable to other studies found in the literature, showing one of the advantages of using the modelling approach since some air pollutants are poorly spatially represented and/or are not routinely monitored by environmental agencies in many regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Kaore Lago Kitagawa
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil; Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, United Kingdom; Centro Integrado de Manufatura e Tecnologia (SENAI CIMATEC), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Elson Silva Galvão
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Jane Meri Santos
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Neyval Costa Reis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | | | - Davidson Martins Moreira
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil; Centro Integrado de Manufatura e Tecnologia (SENAI CIMATEC), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
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Wang J, Alli AS, Clark S, Hughes A, Ezzati M, Beddows A, Vallarino J, Nimo J, Bedford-Moses J, Baah S, Owusu G, Agyemang E, Kelly F, Barratt B, Beevers S, Agyei-Mensah S, Baumgartner J, Brauer M, Arku RE. Nitrogen oxides (NO and NO 2) pollution in the Accra metropolis: Spatiotemporal patterns and the role of meteorology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 803:149931. [PMID: 34487903 PMCID: PMC7611659 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Economic and urban development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) may be shifting the dominant air pollution sources in cities from biomass to road traffic. Considered as a marker for traffic-related air pollution in cities, we conducted a city-wide measurement of NOx levels in the Accra Metropolis and examined their spatiotemporal patterns in relation to land use and meteorological factors. Between April 2019 to June 2020, we collected weekly integrated NOx (n = 428) and NO2 (n = 472) samples at 10 fixed (year-long) and 124 rotating (week-long) sites. Data from the same time of year were compared to a previous study (2006) to assess changes in NO2 concentrations. NO and NO2 concentrations were highest in commercial/business/industrial (66 and 76 μg/m3, respectively) and high-density residential areas (47 and 59 μg/m3, respectively), compared with peri-urban locations. We observed annual means of 68 and 70 μg/m3 for NO and NO2, and a clear seasonal variation, with the mean NO2 of 63 μg/m3 (non-Harmattan) increased by 25-56% to 87 μg/m3 (Harmattan) across different site types. The NO2/NOx ratio was also elevated by 19-28%. Both NO and NO2 levels were associated with indicators of road traffic emissions (e.g. distance to major roads), but not with community biomass use (e.g. wood and charcoal). We found strong correlations between both NO2 and NO2/NOx and mixing layer depth, incident solar radiation and water vapor mixing ratio. These findings represent an increase of 25-180% when compared to a small study conducted in two high-density residential neighborhoods in Accra in 2006. Road traffic may be replacing community biomass use (major source of fine particulate matter) as the prominent source of air pollution in Accra, with policy implication for growing cities in SSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - Abosede Sarah Alli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - Sierra Clark
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Allison Hughes
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Majid Ezzati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics, Imperial College London, London, UK; Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Andrew Beddows
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Jose Vallarino
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James Nimo
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Solomon Baah
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - George Owusu
- Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Ernest Agyemang
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Frank Kelly
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Benjamin Barratt
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK; NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Sean Beevers
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Samuel Agyei-Mensah
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Raphael E Arku
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA.
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Gartland N, Aljofi HE, Dienes K, Munford LA, Theakston AL, van Tongeren M. The Effects of Traffic Air Pollution in and around Schools on Executive Function and Academic Performance in Children: A Rapid Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19020749. [PMID: 35055570 PMCID: PMC8776123 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This review summarises the extant literature investigating the relation between traffic-related air pollution levels in and around schools and executive functioning in primary-school-aged children. An electronic search was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, and Education Literature Datasets databases (February 2020). Review articles were also searched, and forwards and backwards searches of identified studies were performed. Included papers were assessed for quality. We included 9 separate studies (published in 13 papers). Findings suggest that indoor and outdoor particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) negatively influences executive function and academic achievement and that indoor and outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) adversely affects working memory. Evidence for the effects of particulate matter with a diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10) is limited but suggests potential wide-ranging negative effects on attention, reasoning, and academic test scores. Air pollution in and around schools influences executive function and appears to impede the developmental trajectory of working memory. Further research is required to establish the extent of these effects, reproducibility, consequences for future attainment, and place within the wider context of cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Gartland
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (H.E.A.); (L.A.M.); (A.L.T.); (M.v.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Halah E. Aljofi
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (H.E.A.); (L.A.M.); (A.L.T.); (M.v.T.)
| | - Kimberly Dienes
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK;
| | - Luke Aaron Munford
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (H.E.A.); (L.A.M.); (A.L.T.); (M.v.T.)
| | - Anna L. Theakston
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (H.E.A.); (L.A.M.); (A.L.T.); (M.v.T.)
| | - Martie van Tongeren
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; (H.E.A.); (L.A.M.); (A.L.T.); (M.v.T.)
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Lozano M, Murcia M, Soler-Blasco R, Casas M, Zubero B, Riutort-Mayol G, Gil F, Olmedo P, Grimalt JO, Amorós R, Lertxundi A, Vrijheid M, Ballester F, Llop S. Exposure to metals and metalloids among pregnant women from Spain: Levels and associated factors. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131809. [PMID: 34388877 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Humans are regularly exposed to metals and metalloids present in air, water, food, soil and domestic materials. Most of them can cross the placental barrier and cause adverse impacts on the developing foetus. OBJECTIVES To describe the prenatal concentrations of metals and metalloids and to study the associated sociodemographic, environmental and dietary factors in pregnant Spanish women. METHODS Subjects were 1346 pregnant women of the INMA Project, for whom the following metals arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), thallium (Tl) and zinc (Zn) were determined in urine, at both the first and the third trimesters of gestation. Sociodemographic, dietary and environmental information was collected through questionnaires during pregnancy. Multiple linear mixed models were built in order to study the association between each metal and metalloid concentrations and the sociodemographic, environmental and dietary factors. RESULTS The most detected compounds were As, Co, Mo, Sb, Se and Zn at both trimesters. Zn was the element found in the highest concentrations at both trimesters and Tl was detected in the lowest concentrations. We observed significant associations between As, Cd, Cu, Sb, Tl and Zn concentrations and working situation, social class and age. Seafood, meat, fruits, nuts, vegetables and alcohol intake affected the levels of all the metals but Cd and Cu. Proximity to industrial areas, fields and air pollution were related to all metals except Cd, Sb and Se. CONCLUSIONS This is the first large prospective longitudinal study on the exposure to metals and metalloids during pregnancy and associated factors to include several cohorts in Spain. The present study shows that some modifiable lifestyles, food intakes and environmental factors could be associated with prenatal exposure to metal(loid)s, which may be considered in further studies to assess their relationship with neonatal health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Lozano
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Mario Murcia
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Análisis de Sistemas de Información Sanitaria, Conselleria de Sanitat, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raquel Soler-Blasco
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maribel Casas
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Begotxu Zubero
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Health Research Institute, Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Gabriel Riutort-Mayol
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Spain
| | - Fernando Gil
- Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
| | - Pablo Olmedo
- Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
| | - Joan O Grimalt
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Rubén Amorós
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Aitana Lertxundi
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, University of Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Health Research Institute, Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Ballester
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Department of Nursing, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sabrina Llop
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Interaction between Thermal Comfort, Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation Energy Consumption of Educational Buildings: A Comprehensive Review. BUILDINGS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/buildings11120591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Thermal comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ) of educational buildings can affect students’ academic performance and well-being and are closely related to ventilation energy consumption. Demands of the indoor environmental quality within the classroom generally vary with the education levels and result in ventilation energy consumption accounting for a considerable proportion of the total energy use in bulk educational buildings. Its huge energy-saving potential is attracting worldwide attention from scholars and governments. Therefore, appropriate operation strategies of ventilation systems should be adopted to effectively reduce energy consumption without sacrificing thermal comfort and IAQ. However, the absence of relevant standards and guidelines for designing a quality classroom environment considering the special features of educational buildings remains an important research question. This study conducts a comprehensive review to determine research gaps and identify future directions for the interaction between thermal comfort, IAQ and ventilation energy consumption for educational buildings. The review results show that: (1) The thermal comfort prediction model should consider the influences of genders, ages and socioeconomic backgrounds; (2) The mixed-mode ventilation coupling the natural and mechanical approaches is preferred given its advantage of lower energy consumption and improved thermal comfort, but its control strategies need further exploration; (3) Optimizing passive design parameters of buildings (e.g., window to wall ratios, window orientations and sun shading installations) can significantly reduce the ventilation demands while maintaining indoor thermal comfort; (4) More studies are required for investigating thermal comfort in educational buildings during the heating period; and (5) IAQ of university buildings clearly requires further studies, especially on bacterial and fungal aerosol pollutants, for a more comprehensive assessment of the built environment.
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Gignac F, Barrera-Gómez J, Persavento C, Solé C, Tena È, López-Vicente M, Foraster M, Amato F, Alastuey A, Querol X, Llavador H, Apesteguia J, Júlvez J, Couso D, Sunyer J, Basagaña X. Short-term effect of air pollution on attention function in adolescents (ATENC!Ó): A randomized controlled trial in high schools in Barcelona, Spain. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 156:106614. [PMID: 34000503 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent evidence of the short-term impact of air pollution on youth cognitive functions is based primarily on observational studies. OBJECTIVES We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess whether purifying the air of the classrooms produced short-term changes in attention processes of adolescents. METHODS We recruited a total of 2,123 adolescents (13-16 years old) in 33 high schools in Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain). In each school, adolescents from each class were randomly split into two equal-sized groups and assigned to two different classrooms. A set of two air cleaner devices with the same appearance (one recirculating and filtrating the air and the other only recirculating the air) was used. Each one of the devices was placed at random at one of the two classrooms. Students were masked to intervention allocation and had to complete several computerized activities for 1.5 h, including an attention test (Flanker task) to be performed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. The response speed consistency, expressed as hit reaction time standard error (HRT-SE, in ms), was measured as the primary outcome. Analyses were conducted using conditional linear regressions with classroom as strata, adjusted for variables that may differ from one class to another such as temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration. RESULTS Average levels of PM2.5 and black carbon throughout the 1.5 h of experiment were 89% and 87%, respectively, lower in the classrooms with air cleaner than in the control classrooms. No differences were found in the median of HRT-SE between classrooms with cleaned air and normal air (percent change: 1.37%, 95% confidence interval: -2.81%, 5.56%). Sensitivity analyses with secondary attention outcomes resulted in similar findings. CONCLUSIONS Cleaning the air of a classroom to reduce exposure to air pollutants for 1.5 h did not have an impact on the attention function of adolescents. Still, in light of previous evidence suggesting an association between air pollution and attention, further experimental studies should explore other short-term timescales of exposure and age ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Gignac
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Barrera-Gómez
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cecilia Persavento
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Caterina Solé
- Centre de Recerca per a l'Educació Científica i Matemàtica (CRECIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Èlia Tena
- Centre de Recerca per a l'Educació Científica i Matemàtica (CRECIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mónica López-Vicente
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Foraster
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fulvio Amato
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Research Council (CSIC) Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrés Alastuey
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Research Council (CSIC) Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Querol
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish Research Council (CSIC) Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Jordi Júlvez
- Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Spain
| | - Digna Couso
- Centre de Recerca per a l'Educació Científica i Matemàtica (CRECIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Sunyer
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Xavier Basagaña
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain.
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Zhang L, Ou C, Magana-Arachchi D, Vithanage M, Vanka KS, Palanisami T, Masakorala K, Wijesekara H, Yan Y, Bolan N, Kirkham MB. Indoor Particulate Matter in Urban Households: Sources, Pathways, Characteristics, Health Effects, and Exposure Mitigation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:11055. [PMID: 34769574 PMCID: PMC8582694 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air with varying size, shape, and chemical composition which intensifies significant concern due to severe health effects. Based on the well-established human health effects of outdoor PM, health-based standards for outdoor air have been promoted (e.g., the National Ambient Air Quality Standards formulated by the U.S.). Due to the exchange of indoor and outdoor air, the chemical composition of indoor particulate matter is related to the sources and components of outdoor PM. However, PM in the indoor environment has the potential to exceed outdoor PM levels. Indoor PM includes particles of outdoor origin that drift indoors and particles that originate from indoor activities, which include cooking, fireplaces, smoking, fuel combustion for heating, human activities, and burning incense. Indoor PM can be enriched with inorganic and organic contaminants, including toxic heavy metals and carcinogenic volatile organic compounds. As a potential health hazard, indoor exposure to PM has received increased attention in recent years because people spend most of their time indoors. In addition, as the quantity, quality, and scope of the research have expanded, it is necessary to conduct a systematic review of indoor PM. This review discusses the sources, pathways, characteristics, health effects, and exposure mitigation of indoor PM. Practical solutions and steps to reduce exposure to indoor PM are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zhang
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Intelligent and New Energy Materials, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China;
- School of Health, Jiangsu Food & Pharmaceutical Science College, Huai’an 223003, China
| | - Changjin Ou
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Intelligent and New Energy Materials, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China;
| | - Dhammika Magana-Arachchi
- Molecular Microbiology and Human Diseases Project, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Road, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka; (D.M.-A.); (M.V.)
| | - Meththika Vithanage
- Molecular Microbiology and Human Diseases Project, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Road, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka; (D.M.-A.); (M.V.)
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Center, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda 10250, Sri Lanka
| | - Kanth Swaroop Vanka
- Priority Research Centre for Healthy Lungs, Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia;
| | - Thava Palanisami
- Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia;
| | - Kanaji Masakorala
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Ruhuna, Matara 80000, Sri Lanka;
| | - Hasintha Wijesekara
- Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya 70140, Sri Lanka;
| | - Yubo Yan
- Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai’an 223300, China
| | - Nanthi Bolan
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia;
| | - M. B. Kirkham
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;
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Heibati B, Rivas I, Veysi R, Hoek G, Perez-Martinez PJ, Karimi A. Evaluating size-fractioned indoor particulate matter in an urban hospital in Iran. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:521. [PMID: 34313867 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09327-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Hospitals host vulnerable people with potentially enhanced sensitivity to air pollutants. We measured particulate matter (PM) including PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 with a portable device in a hospital, a nearby reference building, and ambient air in Shiraz, Iran. Indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratio values were calculated to infer on the origin of size-fractioned PM. The mean hospital indoor concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 (4.7 and 38.7 μg/m3, respectively) but not PM1 were higher than in the reference building and lower than in ambient air. The highest hospital PM10 mean concentrations were found in the radiotherapy ward (77.5 μg/m3) and radiology ward (70.4 μg/m3) while the lowest were found in the bone marrow transplantation (BMT) ward (18.5 μg/m3) and cardiac surgery ward (19.8 μg/m3). The highest PM2.5 concentrations were found in the radiology (8.7 μg/m3) and orthopaedic wards (7.7 μg/m3) while the lowest were found in the BMT ward (2.8 μg/m3) and cardiac surgery ward (2.8 μg/m3). The I/O ratios and the timing of peak concentrations during the day (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.) indicated the main roles of outdoor air and human activity on the indoor levels. These suggest the need for mechanical ventilation with PM control for a better indoor air quality (IAQ) in the hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behzad Heibati
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ioar Rivas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), C/ Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rahmat Veysi
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Gerard Hoek
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3594cm, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Pedro Jose Perez-Martinez
- School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Urban Design, University of Campinas, Rua Saturnino de Brito, SP, 224, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Ali Karimi
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Alli AS, Clark SN, Hughes A, Nimo J, Bedford-Moses J, Baah S, Wang J, Vallarino J, Agyemang E, Barratt B, Beddows A, Kelly F, Owusu G, Baumgartner J, Brauer M, Ezzati M, Agyei-Mensah S, Arku RE. Spatial-temporal patterns of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and black carbon (BC) pollution in Accra. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2021; 16:074013. [PMID: 34239599 PMCID: PMC8227509 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac074a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is rapidly urbanizing, and ambient air pollution has emerged as a major environmental health concern in growing cities. Yet, effective air quality management is hindered by limited data. We deployed robust, low-cost and low-power devices in a large-scale measurement campaign and characterized within-city variations in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) pollution in Accra, Ghana. Between April 2019 and June 2020, we measured weekly gravimetric (filter-based) and minute-by-minute PM2.5 concentrations at 146 unique locations, comprising of 10 fixed (∼1 year) and 136 rotating (7 day) sites covering a range of land-use and source influences. Filters were weighed for mass, and light absorbance (10-5m-1) of the filters was used as proxy for BC concentration. Year-long data at four fixed sites that were monitored in a previous study (2006-2007) were compared to assess changes in PM2.5 concentrations. The mean annual PM2.5 across the fixed sites ranged from 26 μg m-3 at a peri-urban site to 43 μg m-3 at a commercial, business, and industrial (CBI) site. CBI areas had the highest PM2.5 levels (mean: 37 μg m-3), followed by high-density residential neighborhoods (mean: 36 μg m-3), while peri-urban areas recorded the lowest (mean: 26 μg m-3). Both PM2.5 and BC levels were highest during the dry dusty Harmattan period (mean PM2.5: 89 μg m-3) compared to non-Harmattan season (mean PM2.5: 23 μg m-3). PM2.5 at all sites peaked at dawn and dusk, coinciding with morning and evening heavy traffic. We found about a 50% reduction (71 vs 37 μg m-3) in mean annual PM2.5 concentrations when compared to measurements in 2006-2007 in Accra. Ambient PM2.5 concentrations in Accra may have plateaued at levels lower than those seen in large Asian megacities. However, levels are still 2- to 4-fold higher than the WHO guideline. Effective and equitable policies are needed to reduce pollution levels and protect public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abosede S Alli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Sierra N Clark
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Allison Hughes
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - James Nimo
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Solomon Baah
- Department of Physics, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Jiayuan Wang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
| | - Jose Vallarino
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Ernest Agyemang
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Benjamin Barratt
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Beddows
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Kelly
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - George Owusu
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Majid Ezzati
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Center for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Samuel Agyei-Mensah
- Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Raphael E Arku
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States of America
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Villanueva F, Notario A, Cabañas B, Martín P, Salgado S, Gabriel MF. Assessment of CO 2 and aerosol (PM 2.5, PM 10, UFP) concentrations during the reopening of schools in the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of a metropolitan area in Central-Southern Spain. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111092. [PMID: 33785326 PMCID: PMC8003457 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Public health authorities have been paramount in guaranteeing that adequate fresh air ventilation is promoted in classrooms to avoid SARS-CoV-2 transmission in educational environments. In this work it was aimed to assess ventilation conditions (carbon dioxide, CO2) and suspended particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10 and UFP) levels in 19 classrooms - including preschool, primary and secondary education - located in the metropolitan area of Ciudad Real, Central-Southern Spain, during the school's reopening (from September 30th until October 27th, 2020) after about 7 months of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. The classrooms that presented the worst indoor environmental conditions, according to the highest peak of concentration obtained, were particularly explored to identify the possible influencing factors and respective opportunities for improvement. Briefly, findings suggested that although ventilation promoted through opening windows and doors according to official recommendations is guaranteeing adequate ventilation conditions in most of the studied classrooms, thus minimizing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission, a total of 5 (26%) surveyed classrooms were found to exceed the recommended CO2 concentration limit value (700 ppm). In general, preschool rooms were the educational environments that registered better ventilation conditions, while secondary classrooms exhibited the highest peak and average CO2 concentrations. In turn, for PM2.5, PM10 and UFP, the concentrations assessed in preschools were, on average about 2-fold greater than the levels obtained in both primary and secondary classrooms. In fact, the indoor PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations substantially exceeded the recommended limits of 8hr-exposure, established by WHO, in 63% and 32% of the surveyed classrooms, respectively. Overall, it is expected that the findings presented in this study will assist the establishment of evidence-based measures (namely based on ensuring proper ventilation rates and air filtration) to mitigate preventable environmental harm in public school buildings, mainly at local and national levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florentina Villanueva
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla La Mancha, Paseo de la Innovación 1, 02006, Albacete, Spain
| | - Alberto Notario
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Avenida Camilo José Cela s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Beatriz Cabañas
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Avenida Camilo José Cela s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pilar Martín
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Avenida Camilo José Cela s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sagrario Salgado
- Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación Atmosférica, Camino de Moledores s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain; Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Avenida Camilo José Cela s/n, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Marta Fonseca Gabriel
- INEGI, Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Campus da FEUP, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias 400, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal.
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Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius. Chin Med J (Engl) 2021; 133:1516-1525. [PMID: 32568873 PMCID: PMC7386335 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000000913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The growing public health concern caused by non-communicable diseases in urban surroundings cannot be solved by health care alone; therefore a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory. This study aimed to evaluate the airborne aerosol pollution level in primary schools as possible factor influencing origin and course of the diseases in children. Methods Seasonal aerosol particle number concentration (PNC) and mass concentration (PMC) were studied in the randomly selected eleven primary schools in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, as model of a middle-size Eastern European city. Total PNC in the size range from 0.01 to >1.0 μm in diameter was measured using a condensation particle counter. Using an optical particle sizer, PNC was measured and PMC estimated for particles from 0.3 to 10.0 μm. A descriptive statistics was used to estimate the aerosol pollution levels. Results During all seasons, local cafeterias in the absence of ventilation were the main sources of the elevated levels of indoor PMC and PNC (up to 97,500 particles/cm3). The other sources of airborne particulates were the children's activity during the lesson breaks with PMC up to 586 μg/m3. Soft furniture, carpets in the classrooms and corridors were responsible for PMC up to 200 μg/m3. Outdoor aerosol pollution (up to 18,170 particles/cm3) was higher for schools in city center. Elevated air pollution in classrooms also resulted from intermittent sources, such as construction work during classes (200–1000 μg/m3) and petrol-powered lawn trimmers (up to 66,400 particles/cm3). Conclusion The results of our survey show that even in a relatively low polluted region of Eastern Europe there are big differences in aerosol pollution within middle-sized city. Additional efforts are needed to improve air quality in schools: more frequent wet cleaning, monitoring the operation of ventilation systems, a ban on construction works during school year, on a use of sandblasting mechanisms in the neighborhood of schools.
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Osborne S, Uche O, Mitsakou C, Exley K, Dimitroulopoulou S. Air quality around schools: Part I - A comprehensive literature review across high-income countries. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 196:110817. [PMID: 33524334 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Children are particularly vulnerable to the detrimental health impacts of poor air quality. In the UK, recent initiatives at local council level have focussed on mitigating children's air pollution exposure at school. However, an overview of the available evidence on concentration and exposure in school environments - and a summary of key knowledge gaps - has so far been lacking. To address this, we conducted a review bringing together recent academic and grey literature, relating to air quality in outdoor school environments - including playgrounds, drop-off zones, and the school commute - across high-income countries. We aimed to critically assess, synthesise, and categorise the available literature, to produce recommendations on future research and mitigating actions. Our searches initially identified 883 articles of interest, which were filtered down in screening and appraisal to a final total of 100 for inclusion. Many of the included studies focussed on nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM) in both the coarse and fine fractions, around schools across a range of countries. Some studies also observed ozone (O3) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) outside schools. Our review identified evidence that children can encounter pollution peaks on the school journey, at school gates, and in school playgrounds; that nearby traffic is a key determinant of concentrations outside schools; and that factors relating to planning and urban design - such as the type of playground paving, and amount of surrounding green space - can influence school site concentrations. The review also outlines evidence gaps that can be targeted in future research. These include the need for more personal monitoring studies that distinguish between the exposure that takes place indoors and outdoors at school, and a need for a greater number of studies that conduct before-after evaluation of local interventions designed to mitigate children's exposure, such as green barriers and road closures. Finally, our review also proposes some tangible recommendations for policymakers and local leaders. The creation of clean air zones around schools; greening of school grounds; careful selection of new school sites; promotion of active travel to and from school; avoidance of major roads on the school commute; and scheduling of outdoor learning and play away from peak traffic hours, are all advocated by the evidence collated in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Osborne
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Onyekachi Uche
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Christina Mitsakou
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Karen Exley
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Sani Dimitroulopoulou
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK.
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Requia WJ, Roig HL, Schwartz JD. Schools exposure to air pollution sources in Brazil: A nationwide assessment of more than 180 thousand schools. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 763:143027. [PMID: 33129521 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence demonstrates that children at schools who are exposed to increased concentrations of air pollutants may have a higher risk for several health problems, including cognitive deficits. In this paper we estimate the exposure to air pollution sources at 186,080 schools in Brazil. Specifically, we accounted for the exposure to three proxies of air pollution source emissions, including distance to roadways, the extent of roadways within a buffer around each school, and the number of wildfire occurrences within a buffer around each school. About 25% of the Brazilian schools evaluated in our study are located within a distance ≤250 m of a major roadway, have ≥2 km of roadway within a buffer of 1 km, and have ≥7 wildfires records within a buffer of 10 km. Our results indicate significant prevalence ratio of these schools exposed to air pollution sources when we stratified the analyses by socioeconomic factors, including geographic (public schools had an increased likelihood of being exposed), economic (low-income areas had an increased likelihood of being exposed), health (overall, areas with low public health status had an increased likelihood of being exposed), and educational conditions (overall, areas with low educational indicator had an increased likelihood of being exposed). For example, we estimated that private schools were 15% (95% CI: 13-17%) less likely to be located within 250 m of a major roadway compared with public schools; schools in areas with low child mortality were 35% (95% CI: 34-37%) less likely to be within 250 m of a major roadway; and schools in regions with low expected years of schooling were 25% (95% CI: 22-28%) more likely to be located within 250 m of a major roadway. The analysis of the spatial patterns shows that a substantial number of schools (36-54%, depending on the air pollution source) has a positive autocorrelation, suggesting that exposure level at these schools are similar to their neighbors. Estimating children's exposure to air pollutants at school is crucial for future public policies to develop effective environmental, transportation, educational, and urban planning interventions that may protect students from exposure to environmental hazards and improve their safety, health, and learning performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weeberb J Requia
- School of Public Policy and Government, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
| | - Henrique L Roig
- Geoscience Institute, University of Brasilia, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Joel D Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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Kumar P, Kalaiarasan G, Porter AE, Pinna A, Kłosowski MM, Demokritou P, Chung KF, Pain C, Arvind DK, Arcucci R, Adcock IM, Dilliway C. An overview of methods of fine and ultrafine particle collection for physicochemical characterisation and toxicity assessments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 756:143553. [PMID: 33239200 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) is a crucial health risk factor for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The smaller size fractions, ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5; fine particles) and ≤0.1 μm (PM0.1; ultrafine particles), show the highest bioactivity but acquiring sufficient mass for in vitro and in vivo toxicological studies is challenging. We review the suitability of available instrumentation to collect the PM mass required for these assessments. Five different microenvironments representing the diverse exposure conditions in urban environments are considered in order to establish the typical PM concentrations present. The highest concentrations of PM2.5 and PM0.1 were found near traffic (i.e. roadsides and traffic intersections), followed by indoor environments, parks and behind roadside vegetation. We identify key factors to consider when selecting sampling instrumentation. These include PM concentration on-site (low concentrations increase sampling time), nature of sampling sites (e.g. indoors; noise and space will be an issue), equipment handling and power supply. Physicochemical characterisation requires micro- to milli-gram quantities of PM and it may increase according to the processing methods (e.g. digestion or sonication). Toxicological assessments of PM involve numerous mechanisms (e.g. inflammatory processes and oxidative stress) requiring significant amounts of PM to obtain accurate results. Optimising air sampling techniques are therefore important for the appropriate collection medium/filter which have innate physical properties and the potential to interact with samples. An evaluation of methods and instrumentation used for airborne virus collection concludes that samplers operating cyclone sampling techniques (using centrifugal forces) are effective in collecting airborne viruses. We highlight that predictive modelling can help to identify pollution hotspots in an urban environment for the efficient collection of PM mass. This review provides guidance to prepare and plan efficient sampling campaigns to collect sufficient PM mass for various purposes in a reasonable timeframe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Kumar
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom; Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Gopinath Kalaiarasan
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra E Porter
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Pinna
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Michał M Kłosowski
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Demokritou
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Room 1310, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kian Fan Chung
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London SW3 6LY, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Pain
- Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - D K Arvind
- Centre for Speckled Computing, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland EH8 9AB, United Kingdom
| | - Rossella Arcucci
- Data Science Institute, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BU, United Kingdom
| | - Ian M Adcock
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London SW3 6LY, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Dilliway
- Department of Earth Science & Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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Rodríguez A, Seseña S, Sánchez E, Rodríguez M, Palop ML, Rodríguez Martín-Doimeadios RDC, Rodríguez Fariñas N. Temporal variability measurements of PM 2.5 and its associated metals and microorganisms on a suburban atmosphere in the central Iberian Peninsula. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:110220. [PMID: 32946891 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A novel and multidisciplinary observational analysis of atmospheric components in the Central Iberian Peninsula is presented here. PM2.5 concentrations and both populations of cultivable and non-cultivable microorganisms and concentrations of a wide range of trace elements associated have been simultaneously studied during multiple events along one year. The aim has been to characterize their potential relations and dependencies, and their seasonal, daily and hourly evolution. Tools that could explain the atmospheric mechanisms and sources from all these elements have been also evaluated. As it would be expected from a suburban environment, absolute levels obtained were not close to legislation limits. Anthropogenic and natural sources, such as heating home, soil resuspension, or Sahara dust intrusion; and atmospheric factors are responsible for higher PM2.5 and metals concentrations in months with both low and high temperatures. Daily and hourly evolution depends on University Campus activity, especially on traffic flow and resuspended dust due to human transit. No statistical significant differences on daily or seasonal scales between cultivable counts of fungi and bacteria were displayed. However, using the q-PCR technique, the bacterial population was lower in winter. Positive correlations between PM2.5 and relative humidity; and PM2.5 and cultivable microorganism have been established. It was also the case among 7 of the 11 trace elements, indicating then common natural or anthropogenic sources. In summary, this work illustrates the interest of a combined inspection of elements, interactions and dependencies when studying the unique and continuous atmospheric environment, which are typically analysed separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rodríguez
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, S/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain
| | - Susana Seseña
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, S/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain.
| | - Enrique Sánchez
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, S/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain
| | - María Rodríguez
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, S/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain
| | - M Llanos Palop
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, S/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain
| | | | - Nuria Rodríguez Fariñas
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avenida Carlos III, S/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain
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Chemical Composition and Source Apportionment of PM10 in a Green-Roof Primary School Building. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10238464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Research on air quality issues in recently refurbished educational buildings is relatively limited. However, it is an important topic as students are often exposed to high concentrations of air pollutants, especially in urban environments. This study presents the results of a 25-day experimental campaign that took place in a primary school located in a densely built-up area, which retains a green roof system (GRS). All measurements refer to mass concentrations and chemical analysis of PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometers), and they were implemented simultaneously on the GRS and within the classroom (C3) below during different periods of the year. The results demonstrated relatively low levels of PM10 in both experimental points, with the highest mean value of 72.02 μg m−3 observed outdoors during the cold period. Elemental carbon (EC) was also found be higher in the ambient environment (with a mean value of 2.78 μg m−3), while organic carbon (OC) was relatively balanced between the two monitoring sites. Moreover, sulfate was found to be the most abundant water soluble anion (2.57 μg m−3), mainly originating from ambient primary SO2 and penetrating into the classroom from windows. Additionally, the crustal origin of particles was shown in trace metals, where Al and Fe prevailed (9.55% and 8.68%, respectively, of the total PM10). Nevertheless, infiltration of outdoor particles within the classroom was found to affect indoor sources of metals. Finally, source apportionment using a positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor model demonstrated six main factors of emissions, the most important of which were vehicles and biomass burning (30.30% contribution), along with resuspension of PM10 within the classroom from human activities (29.89% contribution). Seasonal variations seem to play a key role in the results.
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