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Khoshakhlagh AH, Yazdanirad S, Ducatman A. Climatic conditions and concentrations of BTEX compounds in atmospheric media. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118553. [PMID: 38428562 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118553] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Climatic and meteorological conditions are among the factors affecting the ambient concentrations of BTEX compounds. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to interrogate the seasonal effect of climatic conditions on the concentrations of BTEX compounds. Three electronic bibliographic databases including Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were systematically searched up to November 14, 2023. The search algorithm followed PRISMA guidance and consisted of three groupings of keywords and their possible combinations. For various climatic conditions, the overall mean and 95% confidence interval (CI) of effect size related to BTEX concentrations were calculated using a random-effect model. In total, 104 articles were included for evaluation in this review. BTEX ambient concentration was higher in winter (ranging from 36 out of 79 relevant studies for xylene to 52 out of 97 relevant studies for benzene) followed by summer and autumn. For humidity conditions, the highest exposure values for BTEX were detected for rainy weather (ranging from 3 out of 5 relevant studies for toluene and xylene to 4 out of 5 relevant studies for benzene and ethyl benzene) compared to dry conditions. The pooled concentration (μg/m3) of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene were computed as 2.61, 7.12, 2.21, and 3.61 in spring, 2.13, 7.53, 1.61, and 2.75 in summer, 3.04, 9.59, 3.14, and 5.50 in autumn, and 3.56, 8.71, 2.35, and 3.91 in winter, respectively. Moreover, the pooled concentrations (μg/m3) of BTEX were measured as 2.98, 7.22, 1.90, and 3.03 in dry weather and 3.15, 6.30, 2.14, and 3.86 in rainy or wet weather, respectively. In most seasons, the ambient concentrations of BTEX were higher in countries with low and middle incomes and in Middle Eastern countries and East/Southeast Asia compared to those in other regions (P < 0.001). The increasing concentrations of BTEX in winter and autumn followed by the summer season and during rainy/wet weather appear to be reasonably consistent despite variations in study methods, quality, or geography. Therefore, it is recommended that more serious control measures are considered for decreasing exposure to BTEX in these climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossein Khoshakhlagh
- Department of Occupational Health, School of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
| | - Saeid Yazdanirad
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran; School of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Alan Ducatman
- School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
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Cheng HH, Lu IC, Huang PW, Wu YJ, Whang LM. Biological treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-containing wastewaters from wet scrubbers in semiconductor industry. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 282:131137. [PMID: 34470173 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated biological treatment for two kinds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-containing wastewaters collected from wet scrubbers in a semiconductor industry. Batch test results indicated that one wastewater containing highly volatile organic compounds was not suitable for aerated treatment conditions while the other containing much lower volatile organic compounds was suitable for aerobic treatment. Accordingly, two moving bed bioreactors, by adding commercial biocarrier BioNET, were operated under aerobic and anoxic conditions for treating low volatility wastewater (LVW) and high volatility wastewater (HVW), respectively. During 280 days of operation, the aerobic LVW bioreactor attained the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 98.9 mg-COD/L/h with 81% of COD removal efficiency at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1 day. The anoxic HVW bioreactor performed above 80% of COD removal efficiency with the highest COD removal rate of 16.5 mg-COD/L/h at HRT of 2 days after 380 days of operation. The specific COD removal rates at different initial substrate-to-biomass (S0/X0) ratios, using either suspended sludge or microorganisms attached onto BioNET from both bioreactors, followed the Monod-type kinetics, while the half-saturation coefficients were generally higher for the microorganisms onto BioNET due presumably to relatively poor mass transfer efficiency. Based on the results of microbial community analysis using the next generation sequencing technique, the dominant communities of suspended sludge and BioNET, including nitrifiers, denitrifiers, and degraders for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, were similar in the corresponded bioreactors, but microbial community shifts were observed with increased organic loadings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Hsuan Cheng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - I-Chun Lu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wei Huang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ju Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Ming Whang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan; Sustainable Environment Research Laboratory (SERL), National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan.
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Chang TY, Huang KH, Liu CS, Bao BY. Exposure to Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds and Hypertension among Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display Workers. ATMOSPHERE 2020; 11:718. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11070718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the concentration of indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to investigate the association between indoor VOCs exposure and the prevalence of hypertension among thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) workers. A total of 20 canisters were used to collect VOCs samples in the array, cell and module areas over 12 hours and VOCs concentrations were analyzed by the gas chromatography with mass spectrum. Individual information of health examination and lifestyles by self-administrated questionnaire were provided by 155 volunteers. The multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the associations between VOCs exposure, blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension. The four dominant VOCs were ethanol (1870.8 ± 1754.0 ppb), acetone (689.9 ± 587.4 ppb), isopropyl alcohol (177.1 ± 202.3 ppb) and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (98.2 ± 100.8 ppb), which were identified with the highest level in the module area for ethanol and acetone and in the array area for the others. Subjects exposed to a total level of ethanol, cyclohexanone and toluene ≥ 2500 ppb had an increased systolic blood pressure of 5.95 mmHg (95% confidence interval: 0.20–11.71; p = 0.043) compared with those exposed to <2500 ppb. Exposure to mixed VOCs in the indoor environment might be associated with elevated blood pressure among TFT-LCD workers.
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Indoor and Outdoor Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds and Health Risk Assessment in Residents Living near an Optoelectronics Industrial Park. ATMOSPHERE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos10070380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine indoor and outdoor levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to assess potential risks among residents living in the vicinity of an optoelectronics industrial park in 2006–2007. We used steel canisters to collect 72 indoor samples and 80 outdoor samples over 24 h. Gas chromatography with a mass-selective detector was used for qualitative and quantitative analyses. The amounts of time residents spent doing activities in different microenvironments were determined by the self-administered questionnaire. The chronic hazard index (HIc) and cancer risk were applied to assess the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of VOCs among residents. Four VOCs of ethanol (indoor: 77.8 ± 92.8 μg/m3; outdoor: 26.8 ± 49.6 μg/m3), toluene (67.0 ± 36.7 μg/m3; 56.9 ± 19.0 μg/m3), m/p-xylene (50.8 ± 66.1 μg/m3; 21.2 ± 20.3 μg/m3), and acetone (37.7 ± 27.5 μg/m3; 25.8 ± 9.8 μg/m3) were identified as dominant components in both the indoor and outdoor environments. Total VOCs and six VOCs of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene, o-xylene, and ethanol in indoor sites were significantly higher than those in outdoor sites (all p-values < 0.05). All estimated HIc values were less than unity and the cancer risk of benzene exposure was 1.8 × 10−4 (range: 9.3 × 10−5 to 3.4 × 10−4) based on resident time-weighted patterns. Strategies to reduce benzene exposure should be implemented to protect public health.
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Wang YC, Lin C, Lin YK, Wang YF, Weng WH, Kuo YM. Characteristics and determinants of ambient volatile organic compounds in primary schools. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2016; 18:1458-1468. [PMID: 27782257 DOI: 10.1039/c6em00491a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluates the effects of a sampling strategy that includes the sampling season, time period, ambient environment, and location on determining the concentrations and species of ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may affect children in primary schools. Air samples were collected from playgrounds in primary schools, with four sites near an oil refinery plant in Taoyuan and two sites in Zhongli (one site near a bus terminal and the other site in a suburban area) in Taiwan. The samples were obtained on eight occasions from August 2010 to June 2011. One sample was collected from 09:00 to 11:00 and the other was collected from 13:00 to 15:00 on each occasion using passive flow controller canisters (40 mL min-1 flow rate) assembled with silica-coated stainless steel. The United States Environmental Protection Agency Method TO-15 with Photochemical Assessment Monitoring System and Urban Air Toxics standards was used to analyze the samples. The ratios of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEXs) were also estimated. This study found that the sampling location and wind direction are the main determinants to monitor the concentrations and species of ambient VOCs, and the effects from the sampling season and time period are minor. Alkane, ketone, and aromatics have been ranked as the top three categories with high concentrations, and toluene, 2-butanone, and acetone have been detected with the highest concentrations among the investigated VOCs. Several VOCs emitted from stationary sources, including propane, isoprene, n-decane, chloromethane, chloroethene, chloroethane and 1,2-dichloroethane, were detected only in Taoyuan. Higher concentrations of VOC species associated with automobiles and common community sources were detected in Zhongli but not in Taoyuan. Among BTEXs ratios, toluene/ethylbenzene ratios were as high as 31.52 (standard deviation [S.D.] = 13.53) in Taoyuan and 13.66 (S.D. = 3.87) in Zhongli. Toluene/benzene ratios were as high as 15.7 in Taoyuan and 4.30 in Zhongli. This study suggests that the susceptible population exposed to ambient VOCs should be considered in planning public service facilities and the presence of VOCs should be investigated regularly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chun Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200 Chung-Pei Road, Chung Li 320, Taiwan.
| | - Chitsan Lin
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University, 142, Haijhuan Road, Nanzih District, Kaohsiung City 811, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Kai Lin
- Department of Health and Welfare, College of City Management, University of Taipei, 101, Sec. 2, Zhongcheng Road, Taipei City 111, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Fen Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200 Chung-Pei Road, Chung Li 320, Taiwan.
| | - Wei-Huang Weng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200 Chung-Pei Road, Chung Li 320, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Ming Kuo
- Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, 89 Wenhua 1st Street, Rende Shiang, Tainan County 717, Taiwan
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Lin RT, Christiani DC, Kawachi I, Chan TC, Chiang PH, Chan CC. Increased Risk of Respiratory Mortality Associated with the High-Tech Manufacturing Industry: A 26-Year Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13060557. [PMID: 27271647 PMCID: PMC4924014 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13060557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Global high-tech manufacturers are mainly located in newly industrialized countries, raising concerns about adverse health consequences from industrial pollution for people living nearby. We investigated the ecological association between respiratory mortality and the development of Taiwan's high-tech manufacturing, taking into account industrialization and socioeconomic development, for 19 cities and counties-6 in the science park group and 13 in the control group-from 1982 to 2007. We applied a linear mixed-effects model to analyze how science park development over time is associated with age-adjusted and sex-specific mortality rates for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Asthma and female COPD mortality rates decreased in both groups, but they decreased 9%-16% slower in the science park group. Male COPD mortality rates increased in both groups, but the rate increased 10% faster in the science park group. Science park development over time was a significant predictor of death from asthma (p ≤ 0.0001) and COPD (p = 0.0212). The long-term development of clustered high-tech manufacturing may negatively affect nearby populations, constraining health advantages that were anticipated, given overall progress in living standards, knowledge, and health services. National governments should incorporate the long-term health effects on local populations into environmental impact assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ro-Ting Lin
- Takemi Program in International Health, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - David C Christiani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Ta-Chien Chan
- Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
| | - Po-Huang Chiang
- Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Chang-Chuan Chan
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan.
- Global Health Center, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10055, Taiwan.
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Tsai JH, Huang YS, Shieh ZX, Chiang HL. Concentration characteristics of VOCs and acids/bases in the gas phase and water-soluble ions in the particle phase at an electrical industry park during construction and mass production. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2011; 46:540-551. [PMID: 21469015 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2011.551747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The electronics industry is a major business in the Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP). Particulate samples and 11 water-soluble ionic species in the particulate phase were measured by ionic chromatography (IC). Additionally, acid and base gases were sampled by denuder absorption and analyzed by IC. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were collected in stainless-steel canisters four times daily and analyzed via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Ozone formation potential (OFP) was measured using maximum increment reactivity. In addition, airborne pollutants during (1) construction and (2) mass production were measured. Particulate matter concentration did not increase significantly near the optoelectronic plant during construction, but it was higher than during mass production. SO(2), HNO(2) and NH(3) were the dominant gases in the denuder absorption system. Nitrate, sulfate, and ammonium ions predominated both in PM(2.5) and PM(10-2.5); but calcium ion concentration was significantly higher in PM(10-2.5) samples during construction. Toluene, propane, isopentane, and n-butane may have come from vehicle exhaust. Construction equipment emitted high concentrations of ethylbenzene, m-xylene, p-xylene, o-xylene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and toluene. During mass production, methyl ethyl ketone), acetone and ethyl acetate were significantly higher than during construction, although there was continuous rain. The aromatic group constituted >50% of the VOC concentration totals and contributed >70% of OFP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiun H Tsai
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Sustainable Environmental Research Center, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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Chang TY, Huang KH, Liu CS, Shie RH, Chao KP, Hsu WH, Bao BY. Exposure to volatile organic compounds and kidney dysfunction in thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) workers. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2010; 178:934-940. [PMID: 20227824 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2009] [Revised: 02/06/2010] [Accepted: 02/09/2010] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted during the manufacturing of thin film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs), exposure to some of which has been reported to be associated with kidney dysfunction, but whether such an effect exists in TFT-LCD industry workers is unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to VOCs and kidney dysfunction among TFT-LCD workers. The results showed that ethanol (1811.0+/-1740.4 ppb), acetone (669.0+/-561.0 ppb), isopropyl alcohol (187.0+/-205.3 ppb) and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) (102.9+/-102.0 ppb) were the four dominant VOCs present in the workplace. The 63 array workers studied had a risk of kidney dysfunction 3.21-fold and 3.84-fold that of 61 cell workers and 18 module workers, respectively. Workers cumulatively exposed to a total level of isopropyl alcohol, PGMEA and propylene glycol monomethyl ether> or =324 ppb-year had a significantly higher risk of kidney dysfunction (adjusted OR=3.41, 95% CI=1.14-10.17) compared with those exposed to <25 ppb-year after adjustment for potential confounding factors. These findings indicated that array workers might be the group at greatest risk of kidney dysfunction within the TFT-LCD industry, and cumulative exposure to specific VOCs might be associated with kidney dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ta-Yuan Chang
- Department of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan, ROC.
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