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Mansor AA, Abdullah S, Ahmad AN, Ahmed AN, Zulkifli MFR, Jusoh SM, Ismail M. Indoor air quality and sick building syndrome symptoms in administrative office at public university. DIALOGUES IN HEALTH 2024; 4:100178. [PMID: 38665133 PMCID: PMC11043824 DOI: 10.1016/j.dialog.2024.100178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is an illness among workers linked to time spent in a building. This study aimed to investigate the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) among administrative office workers. The IAQ parameters consist of ventilation performance indicators, and physical and chemical parameters were measured using specified instruments for three days during weekdays. The SBS symptoms were assessed by a questionnaire adopted from the Industry Code of Practice of Indoor Air Quality (ICOP-IAQ) 2010 among 19 employees from the office in East Coast Malaysia. Relationship between past symptoms and present symptoms which are draught (past symptoms) with feeling heavy headed (present symptoms) (r = 0.559, p < 0.05), room temperature too high (past symptoms) was highly correlated with feeling heavy headed (present symptoms) (r = 0.598, p < 0.01) and cough (present symptoms) (r = 0.596, p < 0.01). Room temperature (past symptoms) has a positive medium relationship with cough (present symptoms) (r = 0.477, p < 0.05) and scaling itching scalp or ears (present symptoms) has a relationship between stuffy bad air (r = 0.475, p < 0.05) and dry air (r = 0.536, p < 0.05). There was a significant association between RH with drowsiness (χ2 = 7.090, p = 0.049) and dizziness (χ2 = 7.090, p = 0.049). The association was found between temperature and SBS symptoms between temperature with headache (χ2 = 7.574, p = 0.051), feeling heavy-headed (χ2 = 8.090, p = 0.046), and skin rash itchiness (χ2 = 7.451, p = 0.044). Air movement also showed a positive association with symptoms of feeling heavy-headed (x2 = 8.726, p = 0.021). PM10 has positive significance with SBSS which are feeling heavy-headed (χ2 = 7.980, p = 0.023), and eyer's irritation (χ2 = 7.419, p = 0.038). The conclusion of this study showed that there were positive significant between temperature and relative humidity toward SBSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalina Abu Mansor
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Samsuri Abdullah
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia
- Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 20130, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Aimi Nursyahirah Ahmad
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Ali Najah Ahmed
- School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | | | - Suriani Mat Jusoh
- Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 20130, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Marzuki Ismail
- Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Terengganu, Malaysia
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 20130, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
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Wang L, Gao K, Li W, Lu L. Research progress on the characteristics, sources, and environmental and potential health effects of water-soluble organic compounds in atmospheric particulate matter. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:11472-11489. [PMID: 38198085 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31723-x] [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: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Water-soluble organic compounds (WSOCs) have received extensive attention due to their indistinct chemical components, complex sources, negative environmental impact, and potential health effects. To the best of our knowledge, until now, there has been no comprehensive review focused on the research progress of WSOCs. This paper reviewed the studies on chemical constituent and characterization, distribution condition, sources, environmental impact, as well as the potential health effects of WSOCs in the past 13 years. Moreover, the main existing challenges and directions for the future research on WSOCs were discussed from several aspects. Because of the complex composition of WSOCs and many unknown individual components that have not been detected, there is still a need for the identification and quantification of WSOCs. As modern people spend more time in indoor environments, it is meaningful to fill the gaps in the component characteristics and sources of indoor WSOCs. In addition, although in vitro cell experiments have shown that WSOCs could induce cellular oxidative stress and trigger the inflammatory response, the corresponding mechanisms of action need to be further explored. The current population epidemiology research of WSOCs is missing. Prospectively, we propose to conduct a comprehensive and simultaneous analysis strategy for concentration screening, source apportionment, potential health effects, and action mechanisms of WSOCs based on high throughput omics coupled with machine learning simulation and prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linxiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Beijing On Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Gao
- Key Laboratory of Beijing On Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Beijing On Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Lu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing On Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People's Republic of China
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Center of Excellence for Environmental Safety and Biological Effects, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People's Republic of China
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Saraga DΕ, Querol X, Duarte RMBO, Aquilina NJ, Canha N, Alvarez EG, Jovasevic-Stojanovic M, Bekö G, Byčenkienė S, Kovacevic R, Plauškaitė K, Carslaw N. Source apportionment for indoor air pollution: Current challenges and future directions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165744. [PMID: 37487894 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Source apportionment (SA) for indoor air pollution is challenging due to the multiplicity and high variability of indoor sources, the complex physical and chemical processes that act as primary sources, sinks and sources of precursors that lead to secondary formation, and the interconnection with the outdoor environment. While the major indoor sources have been recognized, there is still a need for understanding the contribution of indoor versus outdoor-generated pollutants penetrating indoors, and how SA is influenced by the complex processes that occur in indoor environments. This paper reviews our current understanding of SA, through reviewing information on the SA techniques used, the targeted pollutants that have been studied to date, and their source apportionment, along with limitations or knowledge gaps in this research field. The majority (78 %) of SA studies to date focused on PM chemical composition/size distribution, with fewer studies covering organic compounds such as ketones, carbonyls and aldehydes. Regarding the SA method used, the majority of studies have used Positive Matrix Factorization (31 %), Principal Component Analysis (26 %) and Chemical Mass Balance (7 %) receptor models. The indoor PM sources identified to date include building materials and furniture emissions, indoor combustion-related sources, cooking-related sources, resuspension, cleaning and consumer products emissions, secondary-generated pollutants indoors and other products and activity-related emissions. The outdoor environment contribution to the measured pollutant indoors varies considerably (<10 %- 90 %) among the studies. Future challenges for this research area include the need for optimization of indoor air quality monitoring and data selection as well as the incorporation of physical and chemical processes in indoor air into source apportionment methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dikaia Ε Saraga
- Atmospheric Chemistry & Innovative Technologies Laboratory, INRASTES, NCSR Demokritos, Aghia Paraskevi, Athens 15310, Greece.
| | - Xavier Querol
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Regina M B O Duarte
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Noel J Aquilina
- Department of Chemistry - Faculty of Science, Chemistry Building, University of Malta, Malta
| | - Nuno Canha
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C(2)TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - Elena Gómez Alvarez
- Department of Agronomy, University of Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Milena Jovasevic-Stojanovic
- Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Gabriel Bekö
- Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; Healthy and Sustainable Built Environment Research Centre, Ajman University, Ajman, P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates
| | - Steigvilė Byčenkienė
- Department of Environmental Research, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Saulėtekio ave. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Kristina Plauškaitė
- Department of Environmental Research, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Saulėtekio ave. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Nicola Carslaw
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, UK
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Herbig B, Norrefeldt V, Mayer F, Reichherzer A, Lei F, Wargocki P. Effects of increased recirculation air rate and aircraft cabin occupancy on passengers' health and well-being - Results from a randomized controlled trial. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114770. [PMID: 36370817 PMCID: PMC9760572 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aircraft cabins are special environments. Passengers sit in close proximity in a space with low pressure that they cannot leave. The cabin is ventilated with a mixture of outside and recirculated air. The volume of outside air impacts the carbon footprint of flying. Higher recirculation air rates could be considered to save energy and divert less kerosene from producing thrust. OBJECTIVES To investigate whether higher recirculation air rates in aircraft cabins negatively affect passengers' health and well-being and if occupancy plays a role in this. METHODS In a 2 (occupancy: full and half-occupied) X 4 (ventilation regime) factorial design with stratified randomization, participants were exposed in an aircraft segment in a low-pressure tube during a 4-h simulated flight. Ventilation regimes consisted of increasing proportions of recirculated air up to a maximum CO2 concentration of 4200 ppm. Participants rated comfort, health symptoms, and sleepiness multiple times. Heart rate (variability), as stress marker, was measured continuously. RESULTS 559 persons representative of flight passengers regarding age (M = 42.7, SD = 15.9) and sex (283 men) participated. ANCOVA results showed hardly any effect of both factors on self-reported health symptoms, strong main effects of occupancy on comfort measures, and interaction effects for sleepiness and physiological stress parameters: Participants in the half-occupied cabin hardly reacted to increased recirculation air rates and show overall more favorable responses. Participants in the fully occupied cabin reported higher sleepiness and had stress reactions when the recirculation air rate was high. DISCUSSION This large-scale RCT shows the importance of occupancy, a previously neglected factor in indoor air research. The proximity of other people seems to increase stress and exacerbate reactions to air quality. Further studies on causal pathways are needed to determine if recirculation air rates can be increased to reduce the carbon footprint of flying without detrimental effects on passengers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Herbig
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Victor Norrefeldt
- Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP, Holzkirchen Branch, Germany
| | - Florian Mayer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP, Holzkirchen Branch, Germany
| | - Anna Reichherzer
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Fang Lei
- International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pawel Wargocki
- International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Segovia-Hernández JG, Hernández S, Cossío-Vargas E, Sánchez-Ramírez E. Tackling sustainability challenges in Latin America and Caribbean from the chemical engineering perspective: A literature review in the last 25 years. Chem Eng Res Des 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2022.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Justo Alonso M, Moazami TN, Liu P, Jørgensen RB, Mathisen HM. Assessing the indoor air quality and their predictor variable in 21 home offices during the Covid-19 pandemic in Norway. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2022; 225:109580. [PMID: 36097587 PMCID: PMC9452402 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
In this study, concentrations of pollutants: formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO2), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and parameters: indoor room temperature and relative humidity (RH) were measured in 21 home offices for at least one week in winter in Trondheim, Norway. Eleven of these were measured again for the same duration in summer. Potentially explanatory variables of these parameters were collected, including building and renovation year, house type, building location, trickle vent status, occupancy, wood stove, floor material, pets, RH, and air temperature. The association between indoor air pollutants and their potential predictor variables was analyzed using generalized estimation equations to determine the significant parameters to control pollutants. Significantly seasonal differences in concentrations were observed for CO2 and formaldehyde, while no significant seasonal difference was observed for TVOC. For TVOC and formaldehyde, trickle vent, RH, and air temperature were among the most important predictor variables. Although higher concentrations of CO2 were measured in cases where the trickle vent was closed, the most important predictor variables for CO2 were season, RH, and indoor air temperature. The formaldehyde concentrations were higher outside working hours but mostly below health thresholds recommendations; for CO2, 11 of the measured cases had indoor concentrations exceeding 1000 ppm in 10% of the measured time. For TVOC, the concentrations were above the recommended values by WHO in 73% of the cases. RH was generally low in winter. The temperature was generally kept over the recommended level of 22-24 °C during working hours.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Justo Alonso
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering, NTNU, Kolbjørn Hejes v 1B, Trondheim, Norway
| | - T N Moazami
- Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, NTNU, Sem Sælands vei 5, Trondheim, Norway
| | - P Liu
- Department: Architecture, Materials and Structures SINTEF Community, Høgskoleringen 13, Trondheim, Norway
| | - R B Jørgensen
- Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, NTNU, Sem Sælands vei 5, Trondheim, Norway
| | - H M Mathisen
- Department of Energy and Process Engineering, NTNU, Kolbjørn Hejes v 1B, Trondheim, Norway
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Felgueiras F, Mourão Z, Moreira A, Gabriel MF. A systematic review of ventilation conditions and airborne particulate matter levels in urban offices. INDOOR AIR 2022; 32:e13148. [PMID: 36437647 DOI: 10.1111/ina.13148] [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: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Many working activities are carried out in office buildings that are located in urban areas. Several studies have shown that these workplaces are likely to present poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) due to inadequate ventilation rates, compromised thermal comfort conditions, and/or high concentration of air pollutants, such as particulate matter. This study aimed to review ventilation conditions, based on carbon dioxide (CO2 ) concentrations, and indoor airborne particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10 ) levels assessed in offices worldwide. The approach carried out in this work followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Six databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Inspec, Science Direct, and Dimensions) were used to search for peer-reviewed articles on the subject of IEQ, in particular, those reporting data for the levels of CO2 and particulate matter in offices, published during the last decade. Firstly, 394 records were identified, resulting in 23 articles included in the review after the screening process and the implementation of eligibility criteria. Based on the results and considering the mean concentration reported, office environments present, in general, acceptable ventilation conditions (mean: 665 ppm). However, the few cases of studies that reported CO2 values exceeding 1000 ppm identified situations of high occupancy density and inadequate operation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems as the unequivocal causative factors. In turn, PM2.5 and PM10 seemed to be IEQ parameters that are even more critical to be tackled in offices, with the reported overall mean values (36 and 63 μg/m3 ) exceeding the current World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (15 and 45 μg/m3 ). The highest aerosol concentrations were typically found in naturally ventilated buildings and were mostly associated with the influence of high levels of particles introduced indoors through the outdoor air. Overall, measures for improving IEQ in offices toward promoting healthy and safe environments for workers include strategies to periodically control IEQ, ensure the adequate percentage of fresh air and maintenance of the mechanical ventilation systems (operation, maintenance, and air filtration efficiency), and adjust occupancy to the room dimensions and ventilation conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fátima Felgueiras
- LAETA - INEGI, Associated Laboratory for Energy and Aeronautics, Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Porto, Portugal
- EPIUnit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Zenaida Mourão
- INESC TEC, Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, Porto, Portugal
| | - André Moreira
- EPIUnit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Basic and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Fonseca Gabriel
- LAETA - INEGI, Associated Laboratory for Energy and Aeronautics, Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Porto, Portugal
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Tracing of Heavy Metals Embedded in Indoor Dust Particles from the Industrial City of Asaluyeh, South of Iran. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19137905. [PMID: 35805563 PMCID: PMC9265302 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Assessment of indoor air quality is especially important, since people spend substantial amounts of time indoors, either at home or at work. This study analyzes concentrations of selected heavy metals in 40 indoor dust samples obtained from houses in the highly-industrialized Asaluyeh city, south Iran in spring and summer seasons (20 samples each). Furthermore, the health risk due to exposure to indoor air pollution is investigated for both children and adults, in a city with several oil refineries and petrochemical industries. The chemical analysis revealed that in both seasons the concentrations of heavy metals followed the order of Cr > Ni > Pb > As > Co > Cd. A significant difference was observed in the concentrations of potential toxic elements (PTEs) such as Cr, As and Ni, since the mean (±stdev) summer levels were at 60.2 ± 9.1 mg kg−1, 5.6 ± 2.7 mg kg−1 and 16.4 ± 1.9 mg kg−1, respectively, while the concentrations were significantly lower in spring (17.6 ± 9.7 mg kg−1, 3.0 ± 1.7 mg kg−1 and 13.5 ± 2.4 mg kg−1 for Cr, As and Ni, respectively). Although the hazard index (HI) values, which denote the possibility of non-carcinogenic risk due to exposure to household heavy metals, were generally low for both children and adults (HI < 1), the carcinogenic risks of arsenic and chromium were found to be above the safe limit of 1 × 10−4 for children through the ingestion pathway, indicating a high cancer risk due to household dust in Asaluyeh, especially in summer.
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Wallenius K, Hovi H, Remes J, Mahiout S, Liukkonen T. Volatile Organic Compounds in Finnish Office Environments in 2010-2019 and Their Relevance to Adverse Health Effects. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19074411. [PMID: 35410093 PMCID: PMC8999080 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19074411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
We gathered recent (2010-2019) data on the VOC and formaldehyde levels in Finnish non-industrial indoor work environments. The data comprised 9789 VOC and 1711 formaldehyde samples collected from the indoor air of offices, schools, kindergartens, and healthcare offices. We assessed the health risks by comparing the measured concentrations to the health-based RW I/II and EU-LCI reference values. The concentrations of individual VOCs and formaldehyde in these work environments were generally very low and posed no health risks. Total VOC concentration (TVOC) as well as concentrations of several individual compounds, including aromatic compounds, alkanes, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and formaldehyde, showed clearly decreasing trends. In contrast, several aldehydes, acids, and a few other compounds showed increasing trends. However, the increasing trends did not seem to affect the higher ends of the distributions, as the 95th percentile values remained fairly stable or decreased over the years. The VOC patterns in the environments of the offices, schools, kindergartens, and healthcare offices varied, probably reflecting the differences in typical activities and the use of materials. However, we do not expect these differences to be relevant to health outcomes.
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Saleem H, Zaidi SJ, Ismail AF, Goh PS. Advances of nanomaterials for air pollution remediation and their impacts on the environment. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 287:132083. [PMID: 34488054 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
One of the most favorable environmental applications of nanotechnology has been in air pollution remediation in which different nanomaterials are used as nanoadsorbents, nanocatalysts, nanofilters, and nanosensors. The nanomaterials have the ability to adsorb several contaminants existing in the air. Also, certain semiconducting nanomaterials materials can be used for photocatalytic remediation. Air contamination control can also be achieved by nanostructured membranes with pores sufficiently small to separate various pollutants from the exhaust. Nanomaterial enabled sensors are also used for the detection of harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Conversely, because of the uncertainties in addition to irregularities in size, shape as well as chemical compositions, the existence of some nanomaterials might cause harmful effects on the environment along with the health of people. Thus, concerns were expressed about the transport and conversion of nanoparticles discharged into the surroundings. This review critically examined and assessed the present literature on the application of nanomaterials in the air, together with its negative impacts. The main focus is placed on the application of carbon-based and metal-based nanomaterials for air pollution remediation. It is noted that these nanomaterials demonstrating fascinating properties for improving the environmental pollution remediation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haleema Saleem
- Center for Advanced Materials (CAM), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Ahmad Fauzi Ismail
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| | - Pei Sean Goh
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
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Indoor Air Quality and Health Outcomes in Employees Working from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12121665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Indoor air quality (IAQ) has a substantial impact on public health. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more employees have worked remotely from home to minimize in-person contacts. This pilot study aims to measure the difference in workplace IAQ before and during the pandemic and its impact on employees’ health. The levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and total volatile organic chemicals (tVOC) were measured in the employees’ offices before the COVID-19 pandemic and at homes while working from home during the pandemic using Foobot air monitors. The frequencies of six sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms were evaluated at each period of monitoring. The result showed PM2.5 levels in households while working from home were significantly higher than in offices while working at the office for all participants (p < 0.05). The PM2.5 levels in all households exceeded the health-based annual mean standard (12 µg/m3), whereas 90% of offices were in compliance. The tVOC levels were all below the standard (500 µg/m3). We also found a higher frequency of SBS symptoms were observed while working from home as the IAQ was worse at home. This study suggested that working from home might have a detrimental health impact due to poor IAQ and providing interventions to remote employees should be considered.
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Indoor Air Quality in Healthcare and Care Facilities: Chemical Pollutants and Microbiological Contaminants. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12101337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The indoor air quality of healthcare and care facilities is poorly studied. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively describe the chemical pollution and the microbiological contaminations of the indoor environment of these facilities. Methods: A wide range of chemical compounds (39 volatile and 13 semi-volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, fine particulate matter) and microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) were studied. Sampling campaigns were conducted in two French cities in summer 2018 and winter 2019 in six private healthcare facilities (general practitioner’s offices, dental offices, pharmacies) and four care facilities (nursing homes). Results: The highest median concentrations of chemical compounds (μg/m3) were measured for alcohols (ethanol: 378.9 and isopropanol: 23.6), ketones (acetone: 18.8), aldehydes (formaldehyde: 11.4 and acetaldehyde: 6.5) and terpenes (limonene: 4.3). The median concentration of PM2.5 was 9.0 µg/m3. The main bacteria of these indoor environments were Staphylococcus, Micrococcus and Bacillus genera, with median bacterial concentrations in the indoor air of 14 cfu/m3. The two major fungal genera were Cladosporium and Penicillium, with median fungal concentrations of 7 cfu/m3. Conclusions: Indoor air in healthcare and care facilities contains a complex mixture of many pollutants found in higher concentrations compared to the indoor air in French hospitals in a previous study.
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Alapieti T, Castagnoli E, Salo L, Mikkola R, Pasanen P, Salonen H. The effects of paints and moisture content on the indoor air emissions from pinewood (Pinus sylvestris) boards. INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:1563-1576. [PMID: 33939214 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12829] [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: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from building materials may significantly contribute to indoor air pollution, and VOCs have been associated with odor annoyance and adverse health effects. Wood materials together with coatings are commonly used indoors for furniture and large surfaces such as walls, floors, and ceilings. This leads to high surface-to-volume ratios, and therefore, these materials may participate remarkably to the VOC levels of indoor environment. We studied emissions of VOCs and carbonyl compounds from pinewood (Pinus sylvestris) boards of 10% and 16% moisture contents (MC) with three paints using small-scale test chambers (27 L). The emissions from uncoated pinewood and paints (on a glass substrate) were tested as references. The 28-day experiment showed that the VOC emissions from uncoated pinewood were lower from sample with 16% MC. Painted pinewood samples showed lower emissions compared to paints on glass substrate. Additionally, paints on 16% MC pinewood exhibited lower emissions than on drier 10% MC wood. The emissions from painted pinewood samples were dominated by paint-based compounds, but the share of wood-based compounds increased over time. However, we noticed differences between the paints, and wood-based emissions were clearly higher with the most permeable paint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuomas Alapieti
- Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | | | - Laura Salo
- Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Raimo Mikkola
- Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Pertti Pasanen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Heidi Salonen
- Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
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Rodríguez-González V, Sasaki M, Ishii J, Khan S, Terashima C, Suzuki N, Fujishima A. Indoor gas phase photoactivity of yttrium modified titanate films for fast acetaldehyde oxidation. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 275:129992. [PMID: 33662721 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129992] [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: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Photoactive materials hold structural and catalytic features that make them particularly suitable for environmental applications and in the present work, protonated H3Ti3O7-Y nanofiber-like materials were prepared via the microwave assisted hydrothermal technique. The as-prepared nanofibers exhibited high surface area with titanate structure. The nanofibers, before and after yttrium incorporation, were well-distributed and the fibrous morphology could be observed clearly; as the yttrium loading increased, ribbons and the anatase phase were formed. Practical films of these nanofibers confirmed their likely UV-photoactive properties with 200 ppm of acetaldehyde degradation within 25 min in the presence of 50% of humidity. Activity retention was achieved, keeping stability for 2 consecutive cycles at room temperature. Nowadays, the increase in home office work sets human health at risk, for the exposure to toxic volatile organic compounds and microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria is more frequent indoors. In this context, the synthesized photoactive yttrium-titanate films stand as upcoming practical UV-driven materials for cleaning pollution that concentrated urban activity and indoor environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Rodríguez-González
- Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (IPICyT), División de Materiales Avanzados, Camino a La Presa San José 2055, Lomas 4a. Sección 78216, San Luis Potosí, Mexico; Photocatalysis International Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, And Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan.
| | - Mao Sasaki
- Photocatalysis International Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, And Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan.
| | - Junki Ishii
- Photocatalysis International Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, And Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan.
| | - Sovann Khan
- Photocatalysis International Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, And Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan.
| | - Chiaki Terashima
- Photocatalysis International Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, And Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan; Research Center for Space Colony, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda-shi, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan; Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Shinshu University, Wakasato, Nagano, 380-8553, Japan.
| | - Norihiro Suzuki
- Photocatalysis International Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, And Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan; Research Center for Space Colony, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda-shi, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan.
| | - Akira Fujishima
- Photocatalysis International Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, And Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan.
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15
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Shen H, Hou W, Zhu Y, Zheng S, Ainiwaer S, Shen G, Chen Y, Cheng H, Hu J, Wan Y, Tao S. Temporal and spatial variation of PM 2.5 in indoor air monitored by low-cost sensors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 770:145304. [PMID: 33513497 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Indoor air pollution has significant adverse health impacts, but its spatiotemporal variations and source contributions are not well quantified. In this study, we used low-cost sensors to measure PM2.5 concentrations in a typical apartment in Beijing. The measurements were conducted at 15 indoor sites and one outdoor site on 1-minute temporal resolution (convert to 10-minute averages for data analysis) from March 14 to 24, 2020. Based on these highly spatially-and temporally-resolved data, we characterized spatiotemporal variations and source contributions of indoor PM2.5 in this apartment. It was found that indoor particulate matter predominantly originates from outdoor infiltration and cooking emissions with the latter contributing more fine particles. Indoor PM2.5 concentrations were found to be correlated with ambient levels but were generally lower than those outdoors with an average I/O of 0.85. The predominant indoor source was cooking, leading to occasional high spikes. The variations observed in most rooms lagged behind those measured outdoors and in the studied kitchen. Differences between rooms were found to depend on pathway distances from sources. On average, outdoor sources contributed 36% of indoor PM2.5, varying extensively over time and among rooms. From observed PM2.5 concentrations at the indoor sites, source strengths, and pathway distances, a multivariate regression model was developed to predict spatiotemporal variations of PM2.5. The model explains 79% of the observed variation and can be used to dynamically simulate PM2.5 concentrations at any site indoors. The model's simplicity suggests the potential for regional-scale application for indoor air quality modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huizhong Shen
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Weiying Hou
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yaqi Zhu
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shuxiu Zheng
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Subinuer Ainiwaer
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Guofeng Shen
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yilin Chen
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Hefa Cheng
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jianying Hu
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yi Wan
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shu Tao
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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Cattaneo A, Campo L, Iodice S, Spinazzè A, Olgiati L, Borghi F, Polledri E, Angelici L, Cavallo DM, Fustinoni S, Bollati V. Environmental and biological monitoring of personal exposure to air pollutants of adult people living in a metropolitan area. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 767:144916. [PMID: 33636771 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to air pollutants, and specifically to particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), may pose a relevant risk on human health. AIM To evaluate the personal exposure of adults living and working in Milan (Italy) by environmental and biological monitoring. METHODS Personal exposure of 51 volunteer adults to PM2.5, PM2.5-10 and selected VOCs, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, m + p-xylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, naphthalene, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, and limonene was assessed along a 24-h period via personal cascade impactors and radial diffusive samplers. Urine spot samples were collected to investigate the corresponding urinary biomarkers. Time-activity patterns were filled in by participants to explore the performed activities. Multiple regression models were applied to investigate the association between personal exposure, biomarker levels, and tobacco smoke, traffic exposure, commuting mode, cooking activities, and personal characteristics. RESULTS Median personal exposure to PM2.5, PM2.5-10, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene o-xylene, m + p-xylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, naphthalene, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, and limonene were 36.1, 7.8, 2.3, 7.8, 2.1, 1.8, 4.7, 0.8, 0.3, 1.4, 2.5, 1.6, and 59.9 μg/m3, respectively. Median levels of urinary benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene o-xylene, m + p-xylene, naphthalene, hexane, and heptane were 78.0, 88.1, 21.5, 15.2, 43.9, 21.0, 11.0, and 22.5 ng/L, respectively. For personal exposure, multiple regression models explained up to 67% (PM2.5) and 61% (benzene) of variability, with major contribution from commuting mode and environmental exposure. For biological monitoring, multiple regression analysis explained up to 74% of urinary benzene, with a major contribution given by creatinine, and secondary contributions by commuting mode, personal exposure to airborne benzene and smoking. CONCLUSIONS Personal exposure to air pollutants was lower than that measured in the past in Milan. Personal exposure was mainly driven by traffic variables, while internal dose was mainly driven by personal characteristics and smoking habit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cattaneo
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Laura Campo
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Simona Iodice
- EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Spinazzè
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Luca Olgiati
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Borghi
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Elisa Polledri
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Angelici
- EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Roma, Italy
| | - Domenico Maria Cavallo
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Silvia Fustinoni
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy; EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
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17
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García-Alonso S, Bernal-Páez AM, Pérez-Pastor RM. Reduced solvent and reagent amounts: effect on carbonyl dinitrophenylhydrazone measurements at low concentrations. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2021; 13:1976-1985. [PMID: 33913951 DOI: 10.1039/d0ay02288h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This work aims to advance towards a more affordable laboratory procedure for sample treatment to determine carbonyl compounds by derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). The proposal is based on reducing the amount of DNPH and solvents. A simple addition of standard carbonyls in a solution containing DNPH to prepare hydrazone standards is described and evaluated. Tedious recrystallization steps are avoided. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, tolualdehyde and hexanal, as carbonyl models, were quantified using a DNPH concentration of 400 μg mL-1 and 3.8 mM H2SO4 and by keeping for 24 hours at room temperature. Analytical coefficients of variation between 10 and 25% were found from the analysis of blanks under intermediate conditions (two different devices, very different concentrations of DNPH and analysis on two days). From these values of relative standard deviations and background levels, quantification limits were estimated between 15 and 40 ng mL-1. The reduction of reagent amounts allows the operator to better control the background levels in the use of DNPH, as well as making the method more cost-effective and easy to use. In short, it leads to a more sustainable adaptation of the classical method. The versatility in analytical application was tested to estimate the levels of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone in very different types of environmental samples. In particular, outdoor and indoor samples were collected in filters and impregnated cartridges, respectively. Moreover, tars in 2-propanol and particulate matter from gasification processes were also tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana García-Alonso
- CIEMAT, Technology Department, Chemistry Division, Avenida Complutense 40, Madrid, Spain.
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18
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Mannan M, Al-Ghamdi SG. Indoor Air Quality in Buildings: A Comprehensive Review on the Factors Influencing Air Pollution in Residential and Commercial Structure. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:3276. [PMID: 33810001 PMCID: PMC8004912 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide people tend to spend approximately 90% of their time in different indoor environments. Along with the penetration of outside air pollutants, contaminants are produced in indoor environments due to different activities such as heating, cooling, cooking, and emissions from building products and the materials used. As people spend most of their lives in indoor environments, this has a significant influence on human health and productivity. Despite the two decades of indoor air quality (IAQ) research from different perspectives, there is still a lack of comprehensive evaluation of peer-reviewed IAQ studies that specifically covers the relationship between the internal characteristics of different types of building environments with IAQ to help understand the progress and limitations of IAQ research worldwide. Therefore, this review of scientific studies presents a broad spectrum of pollutants identified in both residential and commercial indoor environments, highlighting the trends and gaps in IAQ research. Moreover, analysis of literature data enabled us to assess the different IAQs in buildings located in different countries/regions, thus reflecting the current global scientific understanding of IAQ. This review has the potential to benefit building professionals by establishing indoor air regulations that account for all indoor contaminant sources to create healthy and sustainable building environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sami G. Al-Ghamdi
- Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar;
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Sakellaris I, Saraga D, Mandin C, de Kluizenaar Y, Fossati S, Spinazzè A, Cattaneo A, Mihucz V, Szigeti T, de Oliveira Fernandes E, Kalimeri K, Mabilia R, Carrer P, Bartzis J. Association of subjective health symptoms with indoor air quality in European office buildings: The OFFICAIR project. INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:426-439. [PMID: 32966653 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the association between the building-related occupants' reported health symptoms and the indoor pollutant concentrations in a sample of 148 office rooms, within the framework of the European OFFICAIR research project. A large field campaign was performed in 37 office buildings among eight countries, which included (a) 5-day air sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aldehydes, ozone, and NO2 (b) collection of information from 1299 participants regarding their personal characteristics and health perception at workplace using online questionnaires. Stepwise and multilevel logistic regressions were applied to investigate associations between health symptoms and pollutant concentrations considering personal characteristics as confounders. Occupants of offices with higher pollutant concentrations were more likely to report health symptoms. Among the studied VOCs, xylenes were associated with general (such as headache and tiredness) and skin symptoms, ethylbenzene with eye irritation and respiratory symptoms, a-pinene with respiratory and heart symptoms, d-limonene with general symptoms, and styrene with skin symptoms. Among aldehydes, formaldehyde was associated with respiratory and general symptoms, acrolein with respiratory symptoms, propionaldehyde with respiratory, general, and heart symptoms, and hexanal with general SBS. Ozone was associated with almost all symptom groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Sakellaris
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, Greece
- Atmospheric Chemistry & Innovative Technologies Laboratory, INRASTES, National Center for Scientific Research "DEMOKRITOS", Athens, Greece
| | - Dikaia Saraga
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, Greece
- Atmospheric Chemistry & Innovative Technologies Laboratory, INRASTES, National Center for Scientific Research "DEMOKRITOS", Athens, Greece
| | - Corinne Mandin
- CSTB-Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment, Université Paris Est, Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 2, France
| | - Yvonne de Kluizenaar
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), The Hague, The Netherlands
| | | | - Andrea Spinazzè
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Como, Italy
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Como, Italy
| | - Victor Mihucz
- Cooperative Research Centre for Environmental Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | | | - Krystallia Kalimeri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, Greece
| | - Rosanna Mabilia
- Department of Biology, Agriculture and Food Science, National Research Council, Roma, Italy
| | - Paolo Carrer
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences-Hospital "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - John Bartzis
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, Greece
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Assessment of Indoor Benzene and Its Alkyl Derivatives Concentrations in Offices Belonging to University of Technology (Poland). ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12010051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Indoor air contamination in office rooms is regarded as one of the most important issues in the protection of workers’ health, because contaminants, even those occurring at low concentrations, can cause health problems for the office staff in view of the long exposure time. This paper presents the results of measurements of benzene and its alkyl derivatives (toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, styrene, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene)—known indicators of human exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air in newly renovated offices at University of Technology (Upper Silesia, Poland). Monthly samples of indoor and outdoor air were collected during the years 2018–2019 by passive methods and analyzed by thermal desorption-gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (TD-GC/FID). In the first month of measurements average concentrations of the sum of five VOCs under consideration was 127.7 µg/m3, then in subsequent months between 15.1 µg/m3 to 87.3 µg/m3. The average concentration of carcinogenic benzene was below 1.5 μg/m3. Toluene had the highest concentration among studied VOCs, accounting for as high as 60% and 84% of the total indoor and outdoor VOCs, respectively. High indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios for ethylbenzene (7.1), m,p-xylene (9.8), and styrene (12.5) indicate the dominant role of indoor sources.
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