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Bechle M, Millet DB, Marshall JD. Ambient NO 2 Air Pollution and Public Schools in the United States: Relationships with Urbanicity, Race-Ethnicity, and Income. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:844-850. [PMID: 37840817 PMCID: PMC10569168 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Schools may have important impacts on children's exposure to ambient air pollution, yet ambient air quality at schools is not consistently tracked. We characterize ambient air quality at home and school locations in the United States using satellite-based empirical model (i.e., land use regression) estimates of outdoor annual nitrogen dioxide (NO2). We report disparities by race-ethnicity and impoverishment status, and investigate differences by level of urbanicity. Average NO2 levels at home and school for racial-ethnic minoritized students are 18-22% higher than average (and 37-39% higher than for non-Hispanic, white students). Minoritized students are less likely than their white peers to live (0.55 times) and attend school (0.58 times) in areas below the World Health Organization's NO2 guideline. Predominantly minoritized schools (i.e., >50% minoritized students) are less likely than predominantly white schools (0.43 times) to be in locations below the guideline. Income and race-ethnicity impacts are intertwined, yet in large cities, racial disparities persist after controlling for income.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew
J. Bechle
- Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 201 More Hall, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Dylan B. Millet
- Department
of Soil, Water, and Climate, University
of Minnesota, 439 Borlaug
Hall, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 201 More Hall, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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2
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Faridi S, Allen RW, Brook RD, Yousefian F, Hassanvand MS, Carlsten C. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis on portable air cleaners and blood pressure: Recommendations for users and manufacturers. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 263:115227. [PMID: 37421892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution is a leading contributor to the global burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One important underlying mechanism is an increase in blood pressure (BP). A growing number of studies have reported a beneficial effect of portable air cleaners (PACs) on systolic and diastolic BP; SBP and DBP. We conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using true versus sham mode filtration reporting the effects on BP. Of 214 articles identified up to February 5, 2023, seventeen (from China, USA, Canada, South Korea and Denmark) enrolling approximately 880 participants (484 female) met the inclusion criteria for meta-analyses. Aside from studies conducted in China, research on PACs and BP has been conducted in relatively low pollution settings. Mean indoor PM2.5 concentrations during the active and sham mode purification were 15.9 and 41.2 µg/m3, respectively. The mean efficiency of PACs against indoor PM2.5 was 59.8 % (ranging from 23 % to 82 %). True mode filtration was associated with a pooled mean difference of - 2.35 mmHg (95 % confidence interval [CI]: - 4.5, - 0.2) and - 0.81 mmHg (95 % CI: - 1.86, 0.24) in SBP and DBP, respectively. After removing the studies with high risk of bias, the magnitude of the pooled benefits on SBP and DBP increased to - 3.62 mmHg (95 % CI: - 6.69, - 0.56) and - 1.35 mmHg (95 % CI: - 2.29, - 0.41), respectively. However, there are several barriers to the use of PACs, specifically in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), such as the initial purchase cost and filter replacements. There may be several avenues to help overcome these economic burdens and improve cost effectiveness, such as implementing government or other subsidized programs to distribute PACs targeting vulnerable and higher-risk individuals. We propose that environmental health researchers and healthcare providers should be better trained to educate the public regarding the use of PACs to reduce the impacts of PM2.5 on cardiometabolic diseases globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasan Faridi
- Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
| | - Ryan W Allen
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Fatemeh Yousefian
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Mohammad Sadegh Hassanvand
- Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Christopher Carlsten
- Air Pollution Exposure Lab and Legacy for Airway Health, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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3
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Rawat N, Kumar P. Interventions for improving indoor and outdoor air quality in and around schools. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159813. [PMID: 36411671 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159813] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Students spend nearly one third of their typical day in the school environment, where they may be exposed to harmful air pollutants. A consolidated knowledge base of interventions to reduce this exposure is required for making informed decisions on their implementation and wider uptake. We attempt to fill this knowledge gap by synthesising the existing scientific literature on different school-based air pollution exposure interventions, their efficiency, suitability, and limitations. We assessed technological (air purifiers, HVAC - Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning etc.), behavioural, physical barriers, structural, school-commute and policy and regulatory interventions. Studies suggest that the removal efficiency of air purifiers for PM2.5, PM10, PM1 and BC can be up to 57 %, 34 %, 70 % and 58 %, respectively, depending on the air purification technology compared with control levels in classroom. The HVAC system combined with high efficiency filters has BC, PM10 and PM2.5 removal efficiency up to 97 %, 34 % and 30 %, respectively. Citizen science campaigns are effective in reducing the indoor air pollutants' exposure up to 94 %. The concentration of PM10, NO2, O3, BC and PNC can be reduced by up to 60 %, 59 %, 16 %, 63 % and 77 %, respectively as compared to control conditions, by installing green infrastructure (GI) as a physical barrier. School commute interventions can reduce NO2 concentration by up to 23 %. The in-cabin concentration reduction of up to 77 % for PM2.5, 43 % for PNC, 89 % for BC, 74 % for PM10 and 75 % for NO2, along with 94 % reduction in tailpipe emission of total particles, can be achieved using clean fuels and retrofits. No stand-alone method is found as the absolute solution for controlling pollutants exposure, their combined application can be effective in most of the scenarios. More research is needed on assessing combined interventions, and their operational synchronisation for getting the optimum results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Rawat
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), School of Sustainability, 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), School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom.
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4
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Milando CW, Carnes F, Vermeer K, Levy JI, Fabian MP. Sensitivity of modeled residential fine particulate matter exposure to select building and source characteristics: A case study using public data in Boston, MA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 840:156625. [PMID: 35691344 PMCID: PMC9272360 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Many techniques for estimating exposure to airborne contaminants do not account for building characteristics that can magnify contaminant contributions from indoor and outdoor sources. Building characteristics that influence exposure can be challenging to obtain at scale, but some may be incorporated into exposure assessments using public datasets. We present a methodology for using public datasets to generate housing models for a test cohort, and examined sensitivity of predicted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures to selected building and source characteristics. We used addresses of a cohort of children with asthma and public tax assessor's data to guide selection of floorplans of US residences from a public database. This in turn guided generation of coupled multi-zone models (CONTAM and EnergyPlus) that estimated indoor PM2.5 exposure profiles. To examine sensitivity to model parameters, we varied building floors and floorplan, heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) type, room or floor-level model resolution, and indoor source strength and schedule (for hypothesized gas stove cooking and tobacco smoking). Occupant time-activity and ambient pollutant levels were held constant. Our address matching methodology identified two multi-family house templates and one single-family house template that had similar characteristics to 60 % of test addresses. Exposure to infiltrated ambient PM2.5 was similar across selected building characteristics, HVAC types, and model resolutions (holding all else equal). By comparison, exposures to indoor-sourced PM2.5 were higher in the two multi-family residences than the single family residence (e.g., for cooking PM2.5 exposure, by 26 % and 47 % respectively) and were sensitive to HVAC type and model resolution. We derived the influence of building characteristics and HVAC type on PM2.5 exposure indoors using public data sources and coupled multi-zone models. With the important inclusion of individualized resident behavior data, similar housing modeling can be used to incorporate exposure variability in health studies of the indoor residential environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad W Milando
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Fei Carnes
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Kimberly Vermeer
- Urban Habitat Initiatives Inc., 328A Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116, USA
| | - Jonathan I Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - M Patricia Fabian
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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5
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O'Leary BF, Hill AB, Akers KG, Esparra-Escalera HJ, Lucas A, Raoufi G, Huang Y, Mariscal N, Mohanty SK, Tummala CM, Dittrich TM. Air quality monitoring and measurement in an urban airshed: Contextualizing datasets from the Detroit Michigan area from 1952 to 2020. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 809:152120. [PMID: 34871691 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
With urban air quality being a pressing public health concern, community members are becoming increasingly engaged in determining the links between air quality and human health. Although new measurement tools such as low-cost sensors make local data more accessible, a better understanding of gaps in regional datasets is needed to develop effective metropolitan-scale solutions. Using scoping review methodology, we compiled 214 published journal articles and grey literature reports of air quality data from the Detroit, Michigan area from 1952 through 2020. This critical scoping review focuses on air quality datasets, but related topics such as health studies and community-based participatory science studies were examined from the included articles. Most of these publications were peer-reviewed journal articles published after 2001. Particulate matter, nitrous oxides, and sulfur dioxide were the most commonly studied air pollutants, and asthma was the most frequently associated health outcome paired with air pollution datasets. Few publications reported methods for community-based participatory science. This critical scoping review establishes a foundation of historical air quality data for the Detroit metropolitan area and a set of evaluation criteria that can be replicated in other urban centers. This foundation enables future detailed analysis of air quality datasets and showcases strategies for implementing effective community science programs and monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan F O'Leary
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Alex B Hill
- Center for Urban Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Katherine G Akers
- Shiffman Medical Library, Wayne State University, 320 E. Canfield St., Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | | | - Allison Lucas
- Department of Communication, Wayne State University, 585 Manoogian Hall, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Gelareh Raoufi
- College of Education, Wayne State University, 441 Education Building, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Yaoxian Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Noribeth Mariscal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Sanjay K Mohanty
- Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Chandra M Tummala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Timothy M Dittrich
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
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6
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Liu Y, Zhou B, Wang J, Zhao B. Health benefits and cost of using air purifiers to reduce exposure to ambient fine particulate pollution in China. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 414:125540. [PMID: 33684813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the cost-effectiveness of possible interventions to reduce air pollution levels is crucial to developing sustainable mitigation and adaption strategies. Although people spend more than 80% of their time indoors, the role of air purifiers in mitigating personal exposure to indoor PM2.5 of outdoor origin has not yet been quantified, especially in under-developed regions. Here, we performed a comprehensive simulation at the 10 km × 10 km geographical resolution in mainland China to quantify the health benefits and costs of indoor air purification in four intervention scenarios, S1 to S4, where target indoor PM2.5 concentrations were 35, 25, 15, and 10 μg/m3. In intervention scenarios S1 to S4, 93,200 (95% uncertainty interval 78,900-113,600), 115,300 (97,700-140,800), 163,400 (138,300-198,800), and 207,900 (176,300-251,800) deaths that cost 82, 175, 438, and 798 billion Chinese Yuan can be avoided and 93%, 80%, 53%, and 26% of the cities have a positive net monetary benefit. We found that achieving indoor PM2.5 concentration of 35 or 25 μg/m3 using air purifiers is cost-effective at reducing PM2.5 related deaths and PM2.5 concentration of 25 μg/m3 is a suitable indoor PM2.5 target for China. Multifaceted efforts are necessary to ensure equitable access to air purifiers and the knowledge to effectively operate them to make sure the benefits reach the whole population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Liu
- Department of Building Science, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom
| | - Jianghao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Sustainable Urbanization Lab, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Bin Zhao
- Department of Building Science, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Indoor Air Quality Evaluation and Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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7
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Holm SM, Miller MD, Balmes JR. Health effects of wildfire smoke in children and public health tools: a narrative review. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2021; 31:1-20. [PMID: 32952154 PMCID: PMC7502220 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-020-00267-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Wildfire smoke is an increasing environmental health threat to which children are particularly vulnerable, for both physiologic and behavioral reasons. To address the need for improved public health messaging this review summarizes current knowledge and knowledge gaps in the health effects of wildfire smoke in children, as well as tools for public health response aimed at children, including consideration of low-cost sensor data, respirators, and exposures in school environments. There is an established literature of health effects in children from components of ambient air pollution, which are also present in wildfire smoke, and an emerging literature on the effects of wildfire smoke, particularly for respiratory outcomes. Low-cost particulate sensors demonstrate the spatial variability of pollution, including wildfire smoke, where children live and play. Surgical masks and respirators can provide limited protection for children during wildfire events, with expected decreases of roughly 20% and 80% for surgical masks and N95 respirators, respectively. Schools should improve filtration to reduce exposure of our nation's children to smoke during wildfire events. The evidence base described may help clinical and public health authorities provide accurate information to families to improve their decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Holm
- Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Children's Environmental Health Center, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland, CA, USA.
| | - Mark D Miller
- Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Children's Environmental Health Center, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - John R Balmes
- Western States Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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8
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Allen RW, Barn P. Individual- and Household-Level Interventions to Reduce Air Pollution Exposures and Health Risks: a Review of the Recent Literature. Curr Environ Health Rep 2020; 7:424-440. [PMID: 33241434 PMCID: PMC7749091 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-020-00296-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We reviewed recent peer-reviewed literature on three categories of individual- and household-level interventions against air pollution: air purifiers, facemasks, and behavior change. RECENT FINDINGS High-efficiency particulate air/arresting (HEPA) filter air purifier use over days to weeks can substantially reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations indoors and improve subclinical cardiopulmonary health. Modeling studies suggest that the population-level benefits of HEPA filter air purification would often exceed costs. Well-fitting N95 and equivalent respirators can reduce PM2.5 exposure, with several randomized crossover studies also reporting improvements in subclinical cardiovascular health. The health benefits of other types of face coverings have not been tested and their effectiveness in reducing exposure is highly variable, depends largely on fit, and is unrelated to cost. Behavior modifications may reduce exposure, but there has been little research on health impacts. There is now substantial evidence that HEPA filter air purifiers reduce indoor PM2.5 concentrations and improve subclinical health indicators. As a result, their use is being recommended by a growing number of government and public health organizations. Several studies have also reported subclinical cardiovascular health benefits from well-fitting respirators, while evidence of health benefits from other types of facemasks and behavior changes remains very limited. In situations when emissions cannot be controlled at the source, such as during forest fires, individual- or household-level interventions may be the primary option. In most cases, however, such interventions should be supplemental to emission reduction efforts that benefit entire communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W Allen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
| | - Prabjit Barn
- Legacy for Airway Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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9
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Laguerre A, George LA, Gall ET. High-Efficiency Air Cleaning Reduces Indoor Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Alters Indoor Air Chemistry in a Near-Roadway School. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:11798-11808. [PMID: 32841011 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Schools in proximity to roadways expose students to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP). We investigate impacts of air-cleaning on indoor TRAP levels and indoor chemistry in a renovated school adjacent an interstate highway. We monitor air pollutants pre- and post-renovation and quantify efficiency of particle (MERV8 and 16 filters) and gas (functionalized activated carbon) air-cleaning. Time-resolved measurements show air-cleaning systems are effective, with in situ particle removal efficiency >94% across 10 nm to 10 μm. Activated carbon removed BTEX and NO2 with variability in removal efficiency. Over eight months of monitoring, NO2 removal efficiency was 96% initially and decreased to 61%; and BTEX removal efficiency was >80% or increased to >80%. Air-cleaning reduced indoor TRAP to below or near urban background. Air-cleaning systems suppressed indoor chemistry by reducing indoor levels of oxidants (NO2, O3) and reactive organics of indoor origin. When the air cleaning system was inactive, our data show that indoor SOA formation within the school was elevated. Loss rates of NO2 and O3 through the air-cleaning system were ∼1.5-2.4 h-1 and ∼2.3 h-1, respectively. Air-cleaning was 83% and 69% efficient, respectively, in removing monoterpenes and isoprene. By suppressing precursors, scaling calculations show air-cleaning prevented ∼3.4 mg/h of indoor SOA formation due to indoor ozone-monoterpene chemistry. For comparison, we estimate that filtration removed ∼130 mg/h of PM0.01-0.3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Laguerre
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Portland State University, 1930 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 400, Portland, Oregon 97201, United States
| | - Linda A George
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon 97201, United States
| | - Elliott T Gall
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Portland State University, 1930 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 400, Portland, Oregon 97201, United States
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10
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Moreno-Rangel A, Baek J, Roh T, Xu X, Carrillo G. Assessing Impact of Household Intervention on Indoor Air Quality and Health of Children with Asthma in the US-Mexico Border: A Pilot Study. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 2020:6042146. [PMID: 32831855 PMCID: PMC7421793 DOI: 10.1155/2020/6042146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have investigated household interventions to enhance indoor air quality (IAQ) and health outcomes in relatively low-income communities. This study aims to examine the impact of the combined intervention with asthma education and air purifier on IAQ and health outcomes in the US-Mexico border area. An intervention study conducted in McAllen, Texas, between June and November 2019 included 16 households having children with asthma. The particulate matter (PM2.5) levels were monitored in the bedroom, kitchen, and living room to measure the IAQ for 7 days before and after the intervention, respectively. Multiple surveys were applied to evaluate changes in children's health outcomes. The mean PM2.5 levels in each place were significantly improved. Overall, they significantly decreased by 1.91 μg/m3 on average (p < 0.05). All surveys showed better health outcomes; particularly, quality of life for children was significantly improved (p < 0.05). This pilot study suggests that the combined household intervention might improve IAQ in households and health outcomes for children with asthma and reduce health disparities in low-income communities. Future large-scale studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of this household intervention to improve IAQ and asthma management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Moreno-Rangel
- Lancaster Institute of Contemporary Arts, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Lancaster University, Bailrigg LA1 4YW, UK
| | - Juha Baek
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Road, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Taehyun Roh
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Road, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Road, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Genny Carrillo
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 212 Adriance Lab Road, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Program on Asthma Research and Education, Texas A&M School of Public Health, McAllen Campus, 2102 S. McColl Road, McAllen, TX 78503, USA
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11
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Pulimeno M, Piscitelli P, Colazzo S, Colao A, Miani A. Indoor air quality at school and students' performance: Recommendations of the UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development & the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA). Health Promot Perspect 2020; 10:169-174. [PMID: 32802752 PMCID: PMC7420173 DOI: 10.34172/hpp.2020.29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The issue of indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns 64 million students across Europe, but it is still a neglected topic, although it impacts both their health and learning outcomes. Classroommicroclimate is the first key factor determining a healthy or unhealthy school environment, and it is influenced by ventilation, temperature and humidity rate. Classrooms are usually crowded, overheated and poorly ventilated, thus resulting in possible increases of carbon dioxide (CO2), that can cause several problems when its concentrations exceed the value of 0.15 percentage volume of CO2 (1500 ppm) or even at lower levels (1000 ppm). CO2 can also arise from outside the school, being widely produced by the combustion of fossils or road traffic. Anthropogenic activities are responsible for the emission of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH) too, which represent other possible external contaminants potentially impairing IAQ. Furtherdangerous exposures for students' health are those related to natural emission of gas Radon, which typically accumulates in poorly ventilated classrooms, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs, released by building materials, paints, furnishings, detergents), while chemicals substances (i.e.cyanoacrylate, lead, cadmium, nickel) might be contained in school materials. Finally, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) originating from road traffic, domestic heating or industrial activities represent additional possible contaminants impacting schools' air quality. Poor IAQ might result in mild adverse events (i.e. headaches, nausea etc.) or cause respiratory problems. More frequently, IAQ affects students' attention and their school performances, as widely documented by many studies. Standardized tests administered to pupils exposed to poor IAQ (to assess reading and mathematical abilities) systematically result in worse outcomes compared to students staying in healthy classroom environments. In this paper, we present recommendations of UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development and Italian Society of Environmental Medicine(SIMA) to ensure an optimal IAQ at school, including some post-COVID-19 issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Pulimeno
- UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development, Naples, Italy.,Doctorate in Human Relations Sciences, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Prisco Piscitelli
- UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development, Naples, Italy.,Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA), Milan, Italy
| | - Salvatore Colazzo
- UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development, Naples, Italy.,Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Annamaria Colao
- UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development, Naples, Italy.,Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University School of Medicine, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Miani
- UNESCO Chair on Health Education and Sustainable Development, Naples, Italy.,Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA), Milan, Italy
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Effects of the Use of Air Purifier on Indoor Environment and Respiratory System among Healthy Adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17103687. [PMID: 32456250 PMCID: PMC7277583 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17103687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Air purifiers have become popular among ordinary families. However, it remains controversial whether indoor air purification improves the respiratory health of healthy adults. A randomized crossover intervention study was conducted with 32 healthy individuals. The subjects were categorized into two groups. One group continuously used true air purifiers, and the other followed with sham air purifiers for 4 weeks. Following this first intervention, all the subjects underwent a 4-week washout period and continued with the second 4-week intervention with the alternate air purifiers. We collected fine particulate matter (PM) ≤ 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), coarse particulate matter between 2.5 and 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10–2.5) and ozone (O3). The subjects’ pulmonary function and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) were measured during the study period. The indoor PM2.5 concentrations decreased by 11% with the true air purifiers compared to those with sham air purifiers. However, this decrease was not significant (p = 0.08). The air purification did not significantly improve the pulmonary function of the study subjects. In contrast, an increase in the indoor PM10–2.5 and O3 concentration led to a significant decrease in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0)/forced vital capacity (FVC) and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), respectively. In conclusion, air purification slightly improved the indoor PM2.5 concentrations in ordinary homes but had no demonstrable impact on improving health.
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Wu J, Zhong T, Zhu Y, Ge D, Lin X, Li Q. Effects of particulate matter (PM) on childhood asthma exacerbation and control in Xiamen, China. BMC Pediatr 2019; 19:194. [PMID: 31196028 PMCID: PMC6563520 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-019-1530-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The short-term effects of particulate matter (PM) exposure on childhood asthma exacerbation and disease control rate is not thoroughly assessed in Chinese population yet. The previous toxic effects of PM exposure are either based on long-term survey or experimental data from cell lines or mouse models, which also needs to be validated by real-world evidences. METHODS We evaluated the short-term effects of PM exposure on asthma exacerbation in a Chinese population of 3106 pediatric outpatientsand disease control rate (DCR) in a population of 3344 children using case-crossover design. All the subjects enrolled are non-hospitalized outpatients. All data for this study were collected from the electronic health record (EHR) in the period between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2018 in Xiamen, China. RESULTS We found that exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 within the past two weeks was significantly associated with elevated risk of exacerbation (OR = 1.049, p < 0.001 for PM2.5and OR = 1.027, p < 0.001 for PM10). In addition, exposure to PM10 was associated with decreased DCR (OR = 0.976 for PM10, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that exposure to both PM10 and PM2.5 has significant short-term effects on childhood asthma exacerbation and DCR, which serves as useful epidemiological parameters for clinical management of asthma risk in the sensitive population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhun Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, No.55 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003 China
| | - Taoling Zhong
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, South Xiang’an Road, Xiamen, 361102 China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, No.55 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003 China
| | - Dandan Ge
- Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, No.55 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003 China
| | - Xiaoliang Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, No.55 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003 China
| | - Qiyuan Li
- Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, No.55 Zhenhai Road, Xiamen, 361003 China
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, South Xiang’an Road, Xiamen, 361102 China
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