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Alghamdi MA, Hassan SK, Shetaya WH, Al Sharif MY, Nawab J, Khoder MI. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in indoor mosques dust in Saudi Arabia: Levels, source apportionment, human health and carcinogenic risk assessment for congregators. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174331. [PMID: 38945247 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174331] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Mosques are important places for Muslims where they perform their prayers. The congregators are exposed to hazardous pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with dust. However, studies on PAHs exposure in religious places are scarce. Air-condition filter (ACF) dust can correspond to air quality to a certain extent, since dust particles derived from indoor and outdoor places stick to it. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the 16 EPA PAHs in ACF dust from mosques to determine their levels, profiles, sources and risks. Average Σ16 PAHs concentrations were 1039, 1527, 2284 and 5208 ng/g in AC filter dust from mosques in residential (RM), suburban (SM), urban (UM) and car repair workshop (CRWM), respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Based on the molecular diagnostic PAH ratios, PAHs in mosques dust is emitted from local incomplete fuel combustion, as well as complete fossil fuels combustion sources (pyrogenic), petroleum spills, crude and fuel oil, traffic emissions, and other possible sources of industrial emissions in different functional areas. The incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) values for children and adults across the different types of mosques follow the order: CRWM > UM > SM > RM. ILCRs values for both children and adults were found in order: dermal contact > ingestion > inhalation. The cancer risk levels via ingestion for children were relatively higher than the adults. The values of cancer risk for children and adults via dermal contact and ingestion (except in RM) were categorized in the 'potentially high risk' category (> 10-4). The mean values of total cancer risks (CR) for children (5.74 × 10-3) and adults (5.07 × 10-3) in mosques also exceeded the accepted threat value (>10-4). Finally, it is recommended that regular and frequent monitoring of PAHs should be carried out in mosques to improve the quality and maintain the health of congregators around the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansour A Alghamdi
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80208, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Salwa K Hassan
- Air Pollution Research Department, Environment and Climate Change Research Institute, National Research Centre, El Behooth Str., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Waleed H Shetaya
- Air Pollution Research Department, Environment and Climate Change Research Institute, National Research Centre, El Behooth Str., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Marwan Y Al Sharif
- Department of Environment, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80208, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Javed Nawab
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Kohat University of Science & Technology, Kohat, Pakistan
| | - Mamdouh I Khoder
- Air Pollution Research Department, Environment and Climate Change Research Institute, National Research Centre, El Behooth Str., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
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Vaezafshar S, Siegel JA, Jantunen L, Diamond ML. Widespread occurrence of pesticides in low-income housing. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024; 34:735-744. [PMID: 38909155 PMCID: PMC11303252 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00665-y] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low socioeconomic status (SES) residents living in social housing, which is subsidized by government or government-funded agencies, may have higher exposures to pesticides used in indoor residences since pesticides are applied due to structural deficiencies, poor maintenance, etc. OBJECTIVE: To estimate exposure of residents in low-SES social housing built in the 1970s to legacy and current-use pesticides and to investigate factors related to exposures. METHODS Twenty-eight particle-phase pesticides were measured in the indoor air of 46 units in seven low-income social housing, multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) in Toronto, Canada using portable air cleaners deployed for 1 week in 2017. Pesticides analyzed were legacy and current use in the classes: organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, and strobilurins. RESULTS At least one pesticide was detected in 89% of the units with detection frequencies (DF) for individual pesticides of up to 50%, including legacy organochlorines and current-use pesticides. Current-use pyrethroids had the highest DF and concentrations, with the highest particle-phase concentration for pyrethrin I at 32,000 pg/m3. Heptachlor, restricted for use in Canada in 1985, had the highest estimated maximum total air (particle plus gas phase) concentration of 443,000 pg/m3. Heptachlor, lindane, endosulfan I, chlorothalonil, allethrin, and permethrin (except in one study) had higher concentrations than those measured in low-income residences reported elsewhere. In addition to the intentional use of pesticides to control pests and their use in building materials and paints, tobacco smoking was significantly correlated with the concentrations of five pesticides used on tobacco crops. The distribution of pesticides with high DF in individual buildings suggested that pest eradication programs by the building management and/or pesticide use by residents were the major sources of measured pesticides. IMPACT Low-income social housing fills a much-needed demand, but the residences are prone to pest infestation and hence pesticide use. We found exposure to at least 1 of 28 particle-phase pesticides in 89% of all 46 units tested, with the highest DF and concentrations for current-use pyrethroids and long-banned organochlorines (e.g., DDT, heptachlor) due to very high persistence indoors. Also measured were several pesticides not registered for use indoors, e.g., strobilurins used to treat building materials and pesticides used on tobacco crops. These results, which are the first Canadian data for most pesticides indoors, show widespread exposure to numerous pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Vaezafshar
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B1, Canada
| | - Jeffrey A Siegel
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada
| | - Liisa Jantunen
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B1, Canada.
- Air Quality Processes Research, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Egbert, ON, L0L 1N0, Canada.
| | - Miriam L Diamond
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B1, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada
- School of Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E8, Canada
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Fernández de Mera IG, Granda C, Villanueva F, Sánchez‐Sánchez M, Moraga‐Fernández A, Gortázar C, de la Fuente J. HEPA filters of portable air cleaners as a tool for the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. INDOOR AIR 2022; 32:e13109. [PMID: 36168219 PMCID: PMC9538271 DOI: 10.1111/ina.13109] [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: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Studies about the identification of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor aerosols have been conducted in hospital patient rooms and to a lesser extent in nonhealthcare environments. In these studies, people were already infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, in the present study, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in HEPA filters housed in portable air cleaners (PACs) located in places with apparently healthy people to prevent possible outbreaks. A method for detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in HEPA filters was developed and validated. The study was conducted for 13 weeks in three indoor environments: school, nursery, and a household of a social health center, all in Ciudad Real, Spain. The environmental monitoring of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 was conducted in HEPA filters and other surfaces of these indoor spaces for a selective screening in asymptomatic population groups. The objective was to limit outbreaks at an early stage. One HEPA filter tested positive in the social health center. After analysis by RT-PCR of SARS-CoV-2 in residents and healthcare workers, one worker tested positive. Therefore, this study provides direct evidence of virus-containing aerosols trapped in HEPA filters and the possibility of using these PACs for environmental monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 while they remove airborne aerosols and trap the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel G. Fernández de Mera
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM‐CSIC‐JCCM)Ronda de ToledoCiudad RealSpain
| | - Carmen Granda
- Residencias CADIG Guadiana I y IICentro de Salud Ciudad Real ISpain
| | - Florentina Villanueva
- Instituto de Investigación en Combustión y Contaminación AtmosféricaUniversidad de Castilla‐La ManchaCiudad RealSpain
- Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla‐La ManchaPaseo de la Innovación 1AlbaceteSpain
| | - Marta Sánchez‐Sánchez
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM‐CSIC‐JCCM)Ronda de ToledoCiudad RealSpain
| | - Alberto Moraga‐Fernández
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM‐CSIC‐JCCM)Ronda de ToledoCiudad RealSpain
| | - Christian Gortázar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM‐CSIC‐JCCM)Ronda de ToledoCiudad RealSpain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (UCLM‐CSIC‐JCCM)Ronda de ToledoCiudad RealSpain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health SciencesOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
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Wan Y, Diamond ML, Siegel JA. Quantitative filter forensics for semivolatile organic compounds in social housing apartments. INDOOR AIR 2022; 32:e12994. [PMID: 35225385 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12994] [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: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Residents from low-income social housing are vulnerable to adverse health effects from indoor air pollution. Particle-bound concentrations of eight phthalates and 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor air were measured using quantitative filter forensics with portable air cleaners deployed for three one-week periods from 2015 to 2017. The sample included 143 apartments across seven multi-unit social housing buildings in Toronto, Canada, that went through energy retrofits in 2016. Eight phthalates and six PAHs were found in more than 50% of the apartments in either of the three sampling periods. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and phenanthrene were the dominant phthalate and PAH, with median concentrations of 146, 143, and 130 ng/m3 and 1.51, 0.58, and 0.76 ng/m3 in the late spring of 2015, and after retrofits in late spring 2017 and winter of 2017, respectively. SVOC concentrations were generally lower after energy retrofits, with significant differences for phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene. Lower concentrations post-retrofit may be related to less overheating and less need for opening windows. Concentrations of phthalates and PAHs in this study were similar to or higher than those reported in the literature. Results suggest that the use of portable air filters is a promising method to assess concentrations of indoor particle-bound SVOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchao Wan
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Miriam L Diamond
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- School of Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeffrey A Siegel
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Compendium of analytical methods for sampling, characterization and quantification of bioaerosols. ADV ECOL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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6
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Maestre JP, Jarma D, Yu JRF, Siegel JA, Horner SD, Kinney KA. Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal in a home with COVID-19 positive occupants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 778:146201. [PMID: 34030356 PMCID: PMC7942153 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Although many COVID-19 patients isolate and recover at home, the dispersal of SARS-CoV-2 onto surfaces and dust within the home environment remains poorly understood. To investigate the distribution and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in a home with COVID-19 positive occupants, samples were collected from a household with two confirmed COVID-19 cases (one adult and one child). Home surface swab and dust samples were collected two months after symptom onset (and one month after symptom resolution) in the household. The strength of the SARS-CoV-2 molecular signal in fomites varied as a function of sample location, surface material and cleaning practices. Notably, the SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal was detected at several locations throughout the household although cleaning appears to have attenuated the signal on many surfaces. Of the 24 surfaces sampled, 46% were SARS-CoV-2 positive at the time of sampling. The SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in dust recovered from floor and HVAC filter samples ranged from 104 to 105 N2 gene copies/g dust. While detection of viral RNA does not imply infectivity, this study confirms that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal can be detected at several locations within a COVID-19 isolation home and can persist after symptoms have resolved. In addition, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 (normalized per unit mass of dust) recovered in home HVAC filters may prove useful for estimating SARS-CoV-2 airborne levels in homes. In this work, using the quantitative filter forensics methodology, we estimated an average integrated airborne SARS-CoV-2 concentration of 69 ± 43 copies/m3. This approach can be used to help building scientists and engineers develop best practices in homes with COVID-19 positive occupants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan P Maestre
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - David Jarma
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jia-Rong F Yu
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Siegel
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharon D Horner
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kerry A Kinney
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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Mahdavi A, Siegel JA. Quantitative filter forensics: Size distribution and particulate matter concentrations in residential buildings. INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:1050-1060. [PMID: 33368774 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12782] [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: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We applied filter forensics, the analysis of dust from the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) filters, to measure particle size distribution in 21 residences in Toronto, Canada over a year. Four filters with different nominal efficiencies (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 8-14 from ASHRAE Standard 52.2) were deployed in each residence each for three months, while the effective filtration volumes (the product of flow rate, runtime, and in-situ filter efficiency) were characterized over each filter lifetime. Using extraction and laser diffraction, we found that approximately 90% of the volumetric distributions were >10 µm and the volume median diameter (VMD) ranged from 23.4 to 75.1 µm. Using quantitative filter forensics (QFF), total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations ranged from 2.9 to 823.7 µg/m3 (median = 89.8 µg/m3 ) with a moderate correlation with the content of TSP on the filters (in terms of g) and with the TSP effective filtration volume (m3 ) indicating the importance of both filter forensics and HVAC metadata parameters to QFF concentration estimates. There was no strong correlation between PM10 or PM2.5 concentrations and hourly airborne particle number concentrations measured by low-cost sensors suggesting an evaluation of QFF is warranted, particularly for the exploration of smaller particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mahdavi
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto (UofT), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeffrey A Siegel
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto (UofT), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto (UofT), Toronto, ON, Canada
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Mahdavi A, Dingle J, Chan AWH, Siegel JA. HVAC filtration of particles and trace metals: Airborne measurements and the evaluation of quantitative filter forensics. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 271:116388. [PMID: 33388682 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116388] [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: 10/18/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Filters installed in the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems can serve as air-cleaning and sampling devices for indoor particles. The purpose of this article is to evaluate these dual roles. An occupied home with a central HVAC system equipped with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV, from ASHRAE Standard 52.2) 11 filter was monitored for six weeks. Weekly airborne gravimetric and real-time sampling was performed to measure the particle size distribution and the concentration of total suspended particles (TSP), PM10, PM2.5, PM1, and 12 trace metals. The weekly system runtimes were intentionally changed to provide a wide range of weekly filtration volumes. The quantitative filter forensics (QFF) concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and trace metals were calculated using the analysis of the dust collected on the HVAC filter, the filtration volume, and filter in-situ efficiency. The results indicated that filtration was not influential to remove PM and trace metals as the concentrations during the weeks with continuous HVAC operation were not consistently lower than those during the other weeks. This suggests the dominance of other particle and trace metal source and loss mechanisms weakens the influence of filtration in this home. The QFF evaluation results indicated that the concentration of TSP and over half of the tested trace metals (e.g., Pb, Cd, Ni, V, Sb, K, and Sr) could be estimated by QFF within a factor of two when compared to airborne sampling results. PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 concentrations were significantly underestimated by QFF potentially due to the limitations of size distribution analysis by a laser diffraction particle sizer (LDPS) for the detection of <1 μm particles. Overall, while QFF was promising for TSP and some trace metals, improvement in size distribution analysis could extend the application of QFF for airborne sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mahdavi
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Justin Dingle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Arthur W H Chan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jeffrey A Siegel
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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Jílková SR, Melymuk L, Klánová J. Emerging investigator series: air conditioning filters as a sampler for semi-volatile organic compounds in indoor and near-building air. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:2322-2331. [PMID: 33130833 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00284d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Organic compounds like flame retardants (FRs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are consistently found in both indoor and outdoor environments. There are many possible matrices for measurement of these compounds (e.g. indoor dust, air - passive and active air samples), but all methods have limitations, like the heterogeneous distribution of indoor dust, or noisy active air samplers. We used filters from building-wide heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units to evaluate levels of PAHs, PCBs, OCPs and NFRs in indoor and outdoor environments, and to evaluate whether this method is feasible for screening semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in indoor and near-building outdoor environments. Detectable levels of FRs, PCBs, OCPs and PAHs were found, demonstrating that HVAC filters do collect SVOCs, with generally higher levels of PAHs in the incoming air filters and higher levels of PCBs, OCPs and FRs in the outgoing air filters. Levels of FRs, PCBs and OCPs in outgoing air were comparable to those measured using conventional active air sampling in the same building. The advantages of using HVAC filters are (1) integrated and homogeneous samples, as the whole building is sampled over typically a long timescale (months), and (2) samples are easy and cheap to collect and do not require prior deployment of samplers. The key disadvantage is that HVAC filters are not designed for analytical chemistry and thus the filter materials can have variable or unknown gas sorption and particle capture, and can have strong matrix effects during analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa Melymuk
- RECETOX, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jana Klánová
- RECETOX, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Tran LK, He C, Phuc DH, Toms LML, Wang X, Xiu M, Mueller JF, Covaci A, Morawska L, Thai PK. Monitoring the levels of brominated and organophosphate flame retardants in passenger cars: Utilisation of car air filters as active samplers. J Environ Sci (China) 2020; 91:142-150. [PMID: 32172962 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2020.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Filters in residential and office air conditioning (A/C) systems have been used as sampling devices for monitoring different pollutants. However, cabin air filters (CAFs) in the A/C system of passenger cars have not been utilised for this purpose. In this study, we collected 22 used CAFs from passenger cars in Hanoi, Vietnam to analyse for 8 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 10 organophosphate esters (OPEs). All the analytes were detected in more than 50% of samples with the exception of BDE153 and BDE154. The average concentrations of ∑10OPEs and ∑8BDEs in the captured dust were 2600 and 40 ng/g, respectively with Tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) and BDE209 as the dominant congener in OPE and BDE groups, respectively. CAFs are a potential tool to qualitatively assess the levels of semi-volatile chemicals in suspended dust in cars as a screening step for exposure assessment of those chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long K Tran
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Chang He
- QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dam Hoang Phuc
- Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Leisa-Maree L Toms
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia
| | - Xianyu Wang
- QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Meng Xiu
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lidia Morawska
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Phong K Thai
- QAEHS, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
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Cox J, Mbareche H, Lindsley WG, Duchaine C. Field sampling of indoor bioaerosols. AEROSOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR AEROSOL RESEARCH 2019; 54:572-584. [PMID: 31777412 PMCID: PMC6880939 DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2019.1688759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Because bioaerosols are related to adverse health effects in exposed humans and indoor environments represent a unique framework of exposure, concerns about indoor bioaerosols have risen over recent years. One of the major issues in indoor bioaerosol research is the lack of standardization in the methodology, from air sampling strategies and sample treatment to the analytical methods applied. The main characteristics to consider in the choice of indoor sampling methods for bioaerosols are the sampler performance, the representativeness of the sampling, and the concordance with the analytical methods to be used. The selection of bioaerosol collection methods is directly dependent on the analytical methods, which are chosen to answer specific questions raised while designing a study for exposure assessment. In this review, the authors present current practices in the analytical methods and the sampling strategies, with specificity for each type of microbe (fungi, bacteria, archaea and viruses). In addition, common problems and errors to be avoided are discussed. Based on this work, recommendations are made for future efforts towards the development of viable bioaerosol samplers, standards for bioaerosol exposure limits, and making association studies to optimize the use of the big data provided by high-throughput sequencing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie Cox
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Hamza Mbareche
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Bioinformatics, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - William G. Lindsley
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Caroline Duchaine
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Bioinformatics, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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12
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Givehchi R, Maestre JP, Bi C, Wylie D, Xu Y, Kinney KA, Siegel JA. Quantitative filter forensics with residential HVAC filters to assess indoor concentrations. INDOOR AIR 2019; 29:390-402. [PMID: 30624800 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of the dust from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filters is a promising long-term sampling method to characterize airborne particle-bound contaminants. This filter forensics (FF) approach provides valuable insights about differences between buildings, but does not allow for an estimation of indoor concentrations. In this investigation, FF is extended to quantitative filter forensics (QFF) by using measurements of the volume of air that passes through the filter and the filter efficiency, to assess the integrated average airborne concentrations of total fungal and bacterial DNA, 36 fungal species, endotoxins, phthalates, and organophosphate esters (OPEs) based on dust extracted from HVAC filters. Filters were collected from 59 homes located in central Texas, USA, after 1 month of deployment in each summer and winter. Results showed considerable differences in the concentrations of airborne particle-bound contaminants in studied homes. The airborne concentrations for most of the analytes are comparable with those reported in the literature. In this sample of homes, the HVAC characterization measurements varied much less between homes than the variation in the filter dust concentration of each analyte, suggesting that even in the absence of HVAC data, FF can provide insight about concentration differences for homes with similar HVAC systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raheleh Givehchi
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Juan P Maestre
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Chenyang Bi
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Dennis Wylie
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Ying Xu
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Kerry A Kinney
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Jeffrey A Siegel
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Luhung I, Wu Y, Xu S, Yamamoto N, Wei-Chung Chang V, Nazaroff WW. Exploring temporal patterns of bacterial and fungal DNA accumulation on a ventilation system filter for a Singapore university library. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200820. [PMID: 30020972 PMCID: PMC6051664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Ventilation system filters process recirculated indoor air along with outdoor air. This function inspires the idea of using the filter as an indoor bioaerosol sampler. While promising, there remains a need to investigate several factors that could limit the accuracy of such a sampling approach. Among the important factors are the dynamics of microbial assemblages on filter surfaces over time and the differential influence of outdoor versus recirculated indoor air. Methods This study collected ventilation system filter samples from an air handling unit on a regular schedule over a 21-week period and analyzed the accumulation patterns of biological particles on the filter both quantitatively (using fluorometry and qPCR) and in terms of microbial diversity (using 16S rDNA and ITS sequencing). Results The quantitative result showed that total and bacterial DNA accumulated monotonically, rising to 41 ng/cm2 for total DNA and to 2.8 ng/cm2 for bacterial DNA over the 21-week period. The accumulation rate of bacterial DNA correlated with indoor occupancy level. Fungal DNA first rose to 4.0 ng/cm2 before showing a dip to 1.4 ng/cm2 between weeks 6 and 10. The dip indicated a possible artifact of this sampling approach for quantitative analysis as DNA may not be conserved on the filter over the months-long service period. The sequencing results indicate major contributions from outdoor air for fungi and from recirculated indoor air for bacteria. Despite the quantitative changes, the community structure of the microbial assemblages was stable throughout the 21-week sampling period, highlighting the robustness of this sampling method for microbial profiling. Conclusion This study supports the use of ventilation system filters as indoor bioaerosol samplers, but with caveats: 1) an outdoor reference is required to properly understand the contribution of outdoor bioaerosols; and 2) there is a need to better understand the persistence and durability of the targeted organisms on ventilation system filters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irvan Luhung
- SinBerBEST Program, Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore (BEARS), Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
| | - Yan Wu
- SinBerBEST Program, Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore (BEARS), Singapore, Singapore
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Siyu Xu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Naomichi Yamamoto
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Victor Wei-Chung Chang
- SinBerBEST Program, Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore (BEARS), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Victoria, Clayton, Australia
| | - William W. Nazaroff
- SinBerBEST Program, Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore (BEARS), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
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14
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Maestre JP, Jennings W, Wylie D, Horner SD, Siegel J, Kinney KA. Filter forensics: microbiota recovery from residential HVAC filters. MICROBIOME 2018; 6:22. [PMID: 29382378 PMCID: PMC5791358 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0407-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Establishing reliable methods for assessing the microbiome within the built environment is critical for understanding the impact of biological exposures on human health. High-throughput DNA sequencing of dust samples provides valuable insights into the microbiome present in human-occupied spaces. However, the effect that different sampling methods have on the microbial community recovered from dust samples is not well understood across sample types. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filters hold promise as long-term, spatially integrated, high volume samplers to characterize the airborne microbiome in homes and other climate-controlled spaces. In this study, the effect that dust recovery method (i.e., cut and elution, swabbing, or vacuuming) has on the microbial community structure, membership, and repeatability inferred by Illumina sequencing was evaluated. RESULTS The results indicate that vacuum samples captured higher quantities of total, bacterial, and fungal DNA than swab or cut samples. Repeated swab and vacuum samples collected from the same filter were less variable than cut samples with respect to both quantitative DNA recovery and bacterial community structure. Vacuum samples captured substantially greater bacterial diversity than the other methods, whereas fungal diversity was similar across all three methods. Vacuum and swab samples of HVAC filter dust were repeatable and generally superior to cut samples. Nevertheless, the contribution of environmental and human sources to the bacterial and fungal communities recovered via each sampling method was generally consistent across the methods investigated. CONCLUSIONS Dust recovery methodologies have been shown to affect the recovery, repeatability, structure, and membership of microbial communities recovered from dust samples in the built environment. The results of this study are directly applicable to indoor microbiota studies utilizing the filter forensics approach. More broadly, this study provides a better understanding of the microbial community variability attributable to sampling methodology and helps inform interpretation of data collected from other types of dust samples collected from indoor environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan P. Maestre
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Wiley Jennings
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Dennis Wylie
- Genome Sequencing and Analysis Facility, The University of Texas at Austin Center for Biomedical Research Support, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Sharon D. Horner
- School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Jeffrey Siegel
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kerry A. Kinney
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
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Luhung I, Wu Y, Xu S, Yamamoto N, Chang VWC, Nazaroff WW. DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186295. [PMID: 29023520 PMCID: PMC5638523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Biological particles deposit on air handling system filters as they process air. This study reports and interprets abundance and diversity information regarding biomass accumulation on ordinarily used filters acquired from several locations in a university environment. Methods DNA-based analysis was applied both to quantify (via DNA fluorometry and qPCR) and to characterize (via high-throughput sequencing) the microbial material on filters, which mainly processed recirculated indoor air. Results were interpreted in relation to building occupancy and ventilation system operational parameters. Results Based on accumulated biomass, average DNA concentrations per AHU filter surface area across nine indoor locations after twelve weeks of filter use were in the respective ranges 1.1 to 41 ng per cm2 for total DNA, 0.02 to 3.3 ng per cm2 for bacterial DNA and 0.2 to 2.0 ng DNA per cm2 for fungal DNA. The most abundant genera detected on the AHU filter samples were Clostridium, Streptophyta, Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Ktedonobacter for bacteria and Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Nigrospora, Rigidoporus and Lentinus for fungi. Conditional indoor airborne DNA concentrations (median (range)) were estimated to be 13 (2.6–107) pg/m3 for total DNA, 0.4 (0.05–8.4) pg/m3 for bacterial DNA and 2.3 (1.0–5.1) pg/m3 for fungal DNA. Conclusion Conditional airborne concentrations and the relative abundances of selected groups of genera correlate well with occupancy level. Bacterial DNA was found to be more responsive than fungal DNA to differences in occupancy level and indoor environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irvan Luhung
- Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yan Wu
- Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Siyu Xu
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Naomichi Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Victor Wei-Chung Chang
- Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
| | - William W. Nazaroff
- Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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