Indoor Air Quality in Elderly Centers: Pollutants Emission and Health Effects

Assessment of Portuguese fitness centers: Bridging the knowledge gap on harmful microbial contamination with focus on fungi

The lack of knowledge regarding the extent of microbial contamination in Portuguese fitness centers (FC) puts attendees and athletes at risk for bioaerosol exposure. This study intends to characterize microbial contamination in Portuguese FC by passive sampling methods: electrostatic dust collectors (EDC) (N = 39), settled dust (N = 8), vacuum filters (N = 8), and used cleaning mops (N = 12). The obtained extracts were plated in selective culture media for fungi and bacteria. Filters, EDC, and mop samples' extracts were also screened for antifungal resistance and used for the molecular detection of the selected Aspergillus sections. The detection of mycotoxins was conducted using a high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) system and to determine the cytotoxicity of microbial contaminants recovered by passive sampling, HepG2 (human liver carcinoma) and A549 (human alveolar epithelial) cells were employed. The results reinforce the use of passive sampling methods to identify the most critical areas and identify environmental factors that influence microbial contamination, namely having a swimming pool. The cardio fitness area presented the highest median value of total bacteria (TSA: 9.69 × 102 CFU m-2.day-1) and Gram-negative bacteria (VRBA: 1.23 CFU m-2.day-1), while for fungi it was the open space area, with 1.86 × 101 CFU m-2.day-1. Aspergillus sp. was present in EDC and in filters used to collect settled dust. Reduced azole susceptibility was observed in filters and EDC (on ICZ and VCZ), and in mops (on ICZ). Fumonisin B2 was the only mycotoxin detected and it was present in all sampling matrixes except settled dust. High and moderate cytotoxicity was obtained, suggesting that A549 cells were more sensitive to samples' contaminants. The observed widespread of critical toxigenic fungal species with clinical relevance, such as Aspergillus section Fumigati, as well as Fumonisin B2 emphasizes the importance of frequent and effective cleaning procedures while using shared mops appeared as a vehicle of cross-contamination.

The Impact of Low-Carbon City (LCC) on Elderly People’s Health: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in China

Rapid urbanization has increased haze pollution, affecting the health of elderly people. This study uses low-carbon city (LCC) data and examines the effects of LCCs on improving the health of elderly residents. Our main purpose is to explore the following question: Can the new urbanization model presented by the LCC alleviate haze pollution and enhance the health of middle-aged and elderly people? This study uses data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and the 2012 LCC pilot to explore whether the LCC can alleviate haze pollution and improve elderly people’s health. The study found that the building of LCCs can reduce blood pressure, improve vital capacity, decrease obesity, and improve memory levels, including short-term and long-term memory. The building of LCCs also reduces the probability of being exposed to haze pollution by increasing the city’s green total factor productivity and the use of green technologies. The study concludes that elderly people received health dividends as a result of the enhancement of living conditions, transportation, and medical support in the LCCs.