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Kim J, Shim IK, Won SR, Hwang ES, Lee Y, Park S, Ryu J, Lee J. Indoor air quality and its determinants in underground shopping malls in Korea. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 183:108395. [PMID: 38118208 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108395] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Underground shopping malls (USMs) are often open or semi-open environments with interconnected passageways, resulting in the sharing of indoor air. However, indoor air quality (IAQ) within these spaces can vary due to many diverse emission sources. We investigated the relationships between IAQ and geographical areas, as well as IAQ and store types, within USMs, in Korea. In 2020, we studied 10 different USMs, with a total of 128 outlets. We conducted comprehensive IAQ assessments (including measurements of fine particles (PM2.5), aldehydes, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) in stores, passages, and outdoor areas. The stores were categorized into three types: clothing, fashion accessories, and food services. Additionally, we measured environmental factors such as CO2 levels and presence of storefront walls. PM2.5 levels were higher outdoors, whereas aldehyde and VOC levels exhibited elevations within passages and the interior of stores than in the outdoor environment. The store-to-passage ratios for PM2.5, individual aldehydes, and VOC concentrations ranged from 1.06 to 4.93. Formaldehyde and total VOC (TVOC) concentrations were found to be elevated in clothing and fashion accessory stores, whereas PM2.5 concentrations were more prominent in food service establishments. Specific individual compounds, including propionaldehyde, hexaldehyde, benzene, n-heptane, toluene, n-octane, xylene, d-limonene, n-undecane, n-dodecane, and ethylbenzene concentrations exhibited associations with store types. Multivariate regression models demonstrated positive associations between most aldehydes and VOCs with CO2 concentrations and presence of storefront walls. This study underscored variations within USMs based on area and store type. Aldehyde and VOC concentrations were notably higher in clothing and fashion accessory stores than in food service outlets; these elevations were closely linked to CO2 levels and presence of storefront walls. These findings suggest that monitoring CO2 levels within USM stores, optimizing air-conditioning systems, and designing future stores without storefront walls can collectively contribute to an overall improvement of IAQ within USMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeonghoon Kim
- Indoor Environment and Noise Research Division, Environmental Infrastructure Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
| | - In-Keun Shim
- Indoor Environment and Noise Research Division, Environmental Infrastructure Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Ran Won
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Seol Hwang
- Indoor Environment and Noise Research Division, Environmental Infrastructure Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yumi Lee
- Indoor Environment and Noise Research Division, Environmental Infrastructure Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sujung Park
- Indoor Environment and Noise Research Division, Environmental Infrastructure Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungmin Ryu
- Indoor Environment and Noise Research Division, Environmental Infrastructure Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongchun Lee
- Indoor Environment and Noise Research Division, Environmental Infrastructure Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, Republic of Korea
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Zhou J, Fan L, Lin H, Zheng D, Yang L, Zhuo D, Zhuoma J, Li H, Zhang S, Ruan Z. Size-specific particulate matter and outpatient visits for allergic conjunctivitis in children: a time-stratified case-crossover study in Guangzhou, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:33949-33959. [PMID: 36502478 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24564-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
This time-stratified case-crossover study aims to quantify the risk of allergic conjunctivitis (AC) associated with short-term exposure to PMs (i.e., PM1, PM2.5, PMc, and PM10) among children in Guangzhou, China. We collected data on children's daily AC outpatient visits from the Guangzhou Women and Children Medical Center during February 20, 2016 to December 31, 2018, and also extracted air pollution and meteorological data in the same time frame. We used conditional logistic regression model to estimate the associations between PMs and AC outpatient visits, and conducted subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age, and season. During the study period, we recorded 39,330 children's outpatient visits for AC, including 27,638 boys and 11,692 girls. The associations between PMs and AC were general linear with no clear threshold, which were largest at the current days but remained positive for lag 1 to 3 days. For every 10 μg/m3 increase in daily PM1, PM2.5, PMc, and PM10 concentrations, the estimated risks of AC outpatient visits at the current days increased by 2.5% (OR = 1.025, 95% CI: 1.011-1.039), 1.8% (OR = 1.018, 95% CI: 1.009-1.027), 2.1% (OR = 1.021, 95% CI: 1.004-1.039), and 1.3% (OR = 1.013, 95% CI: 1.007-1.020), respectively. In addition, our stratified analyses revealed that girls and children aged 1 to 6 years were more sensitive to PM exposure, and the PM-associated risks for AC were more apparent in autumn and winter. Our study suggests that short-term exposure to PMs may induce AC in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lijun Fan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Department of Epidemiology & Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Gulou District, Jiangsu, 210096, Nanjing, China
| | - Hualiang Lin
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangdong, 510080, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dehui Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lihong Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dan Zhuo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Department of Epidemiology & Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Gulou District, Jiangsu, 210096, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiayang Zhuoma
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Department of Epidemiology & Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Gulou District, Jiangsu, 210096, Nanjing, China
| | - Huan Li
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangdong, 510080, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shiyu Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangdong, 510080, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zengliang Ruan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Department of Epidemiology & Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao, Gulou District, Jiangsu, 210096, Nanjing, China.
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangdong, 510080, Guangzhou, China.
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Liu H, Zhang X, Sun Z, Chen Y. Ambient Fine Particulate Matter and Cancer: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives. Chem Res Toxicol 2023; 36:141-156. [PMID: 36688945 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The high incidence of cancer has placed an enormous health and economic burden on countries around the world. In addition to evidence of epidemiological studies, conclusive evidence from animal experiments and mechanistic studies have also shown that morbidity and mortality of some cancers can be attributed to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure, especially in lung cancer. However, the underlying carcinogenetic mechanisms of PM2.5 remain unclear. Furthermore, in terms of risks of other types of cancer, both epidemiological and mechanistic evidence are more limited and scattered, and the results are also inconsistent. In order to sort out the carcinogenic effect of PM2.5, this paper reviews the association of cancers with PM2.5 based on epidemiological and biological evidence including genetic, epigenetic, and molecular mechanisms. The limitations of existing researches and the prospects for the future are also well clarified in this paper to provide insights for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanrui Liu
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
| | - Xiaoke Zhang
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
| | - Zhiwei Sun
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
| | - Yueyue Chen
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, and Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment Toxicology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, PR China
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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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Amato-Lourenço LF, de Souza Xavier Costa N, Dantas KC, Dos Santos Galvão L, Moralles FN, Lombardi SCFS, Júnior AM, Lindoso JAL, Ando RA, Lima FG, Carvalho-Oliveira R, Mauad T. Airborne microplastics and SARS-CoV-2 in total suspended particles in the area surrounding the largest medical centre in Latin America. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118299. [PMID: 34626707 PMCID: PMC8494494 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118299] [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: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been reported in the outdoor/indoor air of urban centres, raising health concerns due to the potential for human exposure. Since aerosols are considered one of the routes of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission and may bind to the surface of airborne MPs, we hypothesize that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could be associated with the levels of MPs in the air. Our goal was to quantify the SARS-CoV-2 RNA and MPs present in the total suspended particles (TSP) collected in the area surrounding the largest medical centre in Latin America and to elucidate a possible association among weather variables, MPs, and SARS-CoV-2 in the air. TSP were sampled from three outdoor locations in the areas surrounding a medical centre. MPs were quantified and measured under a fluorescence microscope, and their polymeric composition was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy coupled with attenuated total reflectance (ATR). The viral load of SARS-CoV-2 was quantified by an in-house real-time PCR assay. A generalized linear model (GzLM) was employed to evaluate the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 quantification on MPs and weather variables. TSP samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in 22 out of 38 samples at the three sites. Polyester was the most frequent polymer (80%) found in the samples. The total amount of MPs was positively associated with the quantification of SARS-CoV-2 envelope genes and negatively associated with weather variables (temperature and relative humidity). Our findings show that SARS-CoV-2 aerosols may bind to TSP, such as MPs, and facilitate virus entry into the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Fernando Amato-Lourenço
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA) Global Cities Program, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Kátia Cristina Dantas
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Alfredo Mendroni Júnior
- Laboratory of Medical Investigation in Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapy in OncoImmuno-Hematology (LIM-31), Department of Hematology, Hospital das Clínicas -HCFMUSP, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Angelo Lauletta Lindoso
- Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Infectiology Emilio Ribas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rômulo Augusto Ando
- Chemical Analyses Laboratory, Institute for Technological Research (IPT), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Gallego Lima
- Heart Institute (InCor), School of Medicine at Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Thais Mauad
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA) Global Cities Program, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Kumar P, Zavala-Reyes JC, Tomson M, Kalaiarasan G. Understanding the effects of roadside hedges on the horizontal and vertical distributions of air pollutants in street canyons. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106883. [PMID: 34583097 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Built-up environments limit air pollution dispersion in street canyons and lead to complex trade-offs between green infrastructure (GI) usage and its potential to reduce near-road exposure. This study evaluated the effects of an evergreen hedge on the distribution of particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10), black carbon (BC) and particle number concentrations (PNCs) in a street canyon in West London. Instrumentation was deployed around the hedge at 13 fixed locations to assess the impact of the hedge on vertical and horizontal concentration distributions. Changes in concentrations behind the hedge were measured with reference to the corresponding sampling point in front of the hedge for all sets of measurements. Results showed a significant reduction in vertical concentrations between 1 and 1.7 m height, with maximum reductions of -16% (PM1 and PM10) and -17% (PM2.5) at ∼1 m height. Horizontal concentrations revealed two zones between the building façade and the hedge, with opposite trends: (i) close to hedge (within 0.2 m), where a reduction of PM1 and PM2.5 was observed, possibly due to dilution, deposition and the barrier effect; and (ii) 0.2-3 m from the hedge, showing an increase of 13-37% (PM1) and 7-21% (PM2.5), possibly due to the blockage effect of the building, restricting dispersion. BC showed a significant reduction at breathing height (1.5 m) of between -7 and -50%, followed by -15% for PNCs in the 0.02-1 µm size range. The ELPI + analyser showed a peak of ∼30 nm. The presence of the hedge led to a ∼39 ± 32% decrease in total PNCs (0.006-10 µm), suggesting a greater removal in different modes, such as a 83 ± 12% reduction in nucleation mode (0.006-0.030 µm), 74 ± 15% in ultrafine (≤0.1 µm), and 34 ± 30% in accumulation mode (0.03-0.3 µm). These findings indicate graded filtering of particles by GI in a near-road street canyon environment. This insight will guide the improved design of GI barriers and the validation of microscale dispersion models.
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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, Surrey, United Kingdom.
| | - Juan C Zavala-Reyes
- 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
| | - Mamatha Tomson
- 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
| | - 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, Surrey, United Kingdom
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Tran PTM, Adam MG, Balasubramanian R. Assessment and mitigation of toddlers' personal exposure to black carbon before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study in Singapore. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 202:111711. [PMID: 34280416 PMCID: PMC9749899 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111711] [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: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Black carbon (BC), an important indicator of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) in urban environments, is receiving increased attention because of its adverse health effects. Personal exposure (PE) of adults to BC has been widely studied, but little is known about the exposure of young children (toddlers) to BC in cities. We carried out a pilot study to investigate the integrated daily PE of toddlers to BC in a city-state with a high population density (Singapore). We studied the impact of urban traffic on the PE of toddlers to BC by comparing and contrasting on-road traffic flow (i.e., volume and composition) in Singapore in 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and in 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Our observations indicate that the daily BC exposure levels and inhaled doses increased by about 25% in 2020 (2.9 ± 0.3 μg m-3 and 35.5 μg day-1) compared to that in 2019 (2.3 ± 0.4 μg m-3 and 28.5 μg day-1 for exposure concentration and inhaled dose, respectively). The increased BC levels were associated with the increased traffic volume on both weekdays and weekends in 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019. Specifically, we observed an increase in the number of trucks as well as cars/taxis and motorcycles (private transport) and a decline in the number of buses (public transport) in 2020. The implementation of lockdown measures in 2020 resulted in significant changes in the time, place and duration of PE of toddlers to BC. The recorded daily time-activity patterns indicated that toddlers spent almost all the time in indoor environments during the measurement period in 2020. When we compared different ventilation options (natural ventilation (NV), air conditioning (AC), and portable air cleaner (PAC)) for mitigation of PE to BC in the home environment, we found a significant decrease (>30%) in daily BC exposure levels while using the PAC compared to the NV scenario. Our case study shows that the PE of toddlers to BC is of health concern in indoor environments in 2020 because of the migration of the increased TRAP into naturally ventilated residential homes and more time spent indoors than outdoors. Since toddlers' immune system is weak, technological intervention is necessary to protect their health against inhalation exposure to air pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong T M Tran
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore; Faculty of Environment, University of Science and Technology, The University of Danang, 54 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Lien Chieu District, Danang City, Viet Nam
| | - Max G Adam
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore
| | - Rajasekhar Balasubramanian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117576, Singapore.
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Amato-Lourenço LF, de Souza Xavier Costa N, Dantas KC, Lombardi SCFS, Júnior AM, Lindoso JAL, Lima FG, Carvalho-Oliveira R, Mauad T. Quantification of airborne SARS-CoV-2 genomic particles in different hospital settings. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21284. [PMID: 34711888 PMCID: PMC8553841 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00761-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We quantified the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the air of different hospital settings and the autopsy room of the largest medical centre in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Real-time reverse-transcription PCR was used to determine the presence of the envelope protein of SARS-CoV-2 and the nucleocapsid protein genes. The E-gene was detected in 5 out of 6 samples at the ICU-COVID-19 ward and in 5 out of 7 samples at the ward-COVID-19. Similarly, in the non-dedicated facilities, the E-gene was detected in 5 out of 6 samples collected in the ICU and 4 out of 7 samples in the ward. In the necropsy room, 6 out of 7 samples were positive for the E-gene. When both wards were compared, the non-COVID ward presented a significantly higher concentration of the E-gene than in the COVID-19 ward (p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in E-gene concentration between the ICU-COVID-19 and the ICU (p = 0.548). Likewise, there was no significant difference among E-gene concentrations found in the autopsy room versus the ICUs and wards (dedicated or not) (p = 0.245). Our results show the widespread presence of aerosol contamination in different hospital units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Fernando Amato-Lourenço
- LIM-05, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA) Global Cities Program, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Dr. Arnaldo Avenue, 455, Room 1150, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, 01246903, Brazil.
| | | | - Kátia Cristina Dantas
- LIM-05, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Alfredo Mendroni Júnior
- Laboratory of Medical Investigation in Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapy in OncoImmuno-Hematology (LIM-31), Department of Hematology, Hospital das Clínicas - HCFMUSP, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Angelo Lauletta Lindoso
- Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias - Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Infectious Diseases Infectology Emilio Ribas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Gallego Lima
- Heart Institute (InCor), School of Medicine at Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Thais Mauad
- LIM-05, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA) Global Cities Program, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Abbass RA, Kumar P, El-Gendy A. Fine particulate matter exposure in four transport modes of Greater Cairo. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 791:148104. [PMID: 34126484 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The number of daily commuters in Greater Cairo has exceeded 15 million nevertheless personal exposure studies in transport microenvironments are limited. The aim of this study is to quantify PM2.5 exposure during peak hours in four transport modes of Greater Cairo - car (windows-open, windows-closed with recirculation and AC-on), microbus (windows-open), cycling and walking - and understand its underlying drivers. Data was collected using a pDR-1500 monitor and analysed to capture concentration variations, spatial variability, exposure doses, commuting costs versus inhaled doses, health burden and economic losses. Car with recirculation resulted in the least average PM2.5 concentrations (32 ± 6 μg/m3), followed by walking (77 ± 35 μg/m3), car with windows-open (82 ± 32 μg/m3), microbus with windows-open (96 ± 29 μg/m3) and cycling (100 ± 28 μg/m3). Evening hours observed average PM2.5 concentrations by 26-58% lesser than morning. Spatial variability analysis showed that 75th-90th percentile PM2.5 concentrations coincided with congested spots. Cycling and walking lanes are rare hence commuters are exposed to surges in PM2.5 concentrations when passing near construction and solid waste burning sites. Cycling and walking also resulted in inhaling 40-times and 32-times higher PM2.5 dose per kilometre than for car with recirculation. Commuting by microbus cost (with windows-open) ~45% of car cost (with recirculation) but it resulted in 4-times higher inhaled PM2.5 dose. As expected due to the lowest PM2.5 exposure concentrations, health burden resulting from car travel (with recirculation) caused the least death rates of 0.07 (95% CI 0.07-0.08) prematures deaths per 100,000 commuters/year while microbus with windows-open resulted in the highest death rates; 0.52 (95% CI 0.49-0.56). Microbus deaths represent 57% of national economic losses due to PM2.5 exposure amongst the four transport modes. This study provides real-time exposure data and analyses its implications on commuter health as a first step in informed decision-making and better urban planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Alaa Abbass
- 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
| | - 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.
| | - Ahmed El-Gendy
- Department of Construction Engineering, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
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