Assessment of Indoor Air Quality and Users Perception of a Renovated Office Building in Manchester

Exposure Levels of Airborne Fungi, Bacteria, and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Cotton Farms during Cotton Harvesting and Evaluations of N95 Respirators against These Bioaerosols

The USA is the third-leading cotton-producing country worldwide and cotton farming is common in the state of Georgia. Cotton harvest can be a significant contributor to airborne microbial exposures to farmers and nearby rural communities. The use of respirators or masks is one of the viable options for reducing organic dust and bioaerosol exposures among farmers. Unfortunately, the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR Part 1910.134) does not apply to agricultural workplaces and the filtration efficiency of N95 respirators was never field-tested against airborne microorganisms and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during cotton harvesting. This study addressed these two information gaps. Airborne culturable microorganisms were sampled using an SAS Super 100 Air Sampler in three cotton farms during cotton harvesting, and colonies were counted and converted to airborne concentrations. Genomic DNA was extracted from air samples using a PowerSoil^® DNA Isolation Kit. A series of comparative critical threshold (2^-ΔΔCT) real-time PCR was used to quantify targeted bacterial (16S rRNA) genes and major ARGs. Two N95 facepiece respirator models (cup-shaped and pleated) were evaluated for their protection against culturable bacteria and fungi, total microbial load in terms of surface ATP levels, and ARGs using a field experimental setup. Overall, culturable microbial exposure levels ranged between 10³ and 10⁴ CFU/m³ during cotton harvesting, which was lower when compared with bioaerosol loads reported earlier during other types of grain harvesting. The findings suggested that cotton harvesting works can release antibiotic resistance genes in farm air and the highest abundance was observed for phenicol. Field experimental data suggested that tested N95 respirators did not provide desirable >95% protections against culturable microorganisms, the total microbial load, and ARGs during cotton harvesting.

Aerial roots elevate indoor plant health: Physiological and morphological responses of three high-humidity adapted Araceae species to indoor humidity levels

Heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a global increase in urban greenspace appreciation. Indoor plants are equally important for improving mental health and air quality but despite evolving in humid (sub)tropical environments with aerial root types, planting systems ignore aerial resource supply. This study directly compared nutrient uptake preferences of aerial and soil-formed roots of three common houseplant species under high and ambient relative humidities. Growth and physiology parameters were measured weekly for Anthurium andreanum, Epipremnum aureum and Philodendron scandens grown in custom made growth chambers. Both aerial and soil-formed roots were then fed mixtures of nitrate, ammonium and glycine, with one source labelled with ¹⁵ N to determine uptake rates and maximum capacities. Aerial roots were consistently better at nitrogen uptake than soil roots but no species, root type or humidity condition showed a preference for a particular nitrogen source. All three species grew more in high humidity, with aerial roots demonstrating the greatest biomass increase. Higher humidities for indoor niches, together with fertiliser applications to aerial roots will support indoor plant growth, creating lush calming indoor environments for people inhabitants.

Post-Occupancy Evaluation's (POE) Applications for Improving Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ)

To improve buildings and their characteristics, the feedback provided directly by users is generally fundamental in order to be able to adapt the technical and structural functions to the well-being of users. The post-occupancy evaluation (POE) fits perfectly into this context. The POE, through qualitative and quantitative information on the interior environment, makes it possible to identify the differences between the performances modeled in the design phase and the real performances experienced by the occupants. This review of 234 articles, published between 2006 and 2022, aims to analyze and compare the recent literature on the application of the POE methodology. The aim was to provide both a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the main factors that comprise the indoor environmental quality (IEQ). The study highlighted the factors that comprise the quality of the indoor environment, as well as the variables that are usually analyzed to describe the well-being of the occupants. The results suggested which are the most common approaches in carrying out POE studies and will identify the factors that most influence the determination of the good quality of an indoor environment.

Changes in Reported Symptoms Attributed to Office Environments in Sweden between 1995 and 2020

Non-specific building-related symptoms (NBRSs) describe various symptoms in those affected. Questionnaires are the first step in investigating suspected NBRSs in office environments and have been used for over two decades. However, changes in reporting of symptoms among office workers over time are currently unknown. The overall aim was thus to investigate if reported symptoms and perceived causality to the office environment have changed during 25 years of using the MM 040 NA Office questionnaire. A cross-sectional study of 26,477 questionnaires from 1995-2020 was conducted, where 12 symptoms and perceived causality to office environment were examined using logistic regression analyses of 5-year groups adjusted for sex and atopy. Reporting trends in the year groups varied slightly among symptoms, but eight symptoms were statistically significant in the 2015-2020 group compared to the 1995-1999 group. Seven symptoms had increased: fatigue, heavy-feeling head, headache, difficulties concentrating, itchy/irritated eyes, congested/runny nose, and dry/red hands. One symptom decreased: hoarseness/dry throat. Perceived causality of symptoms to the office environment decreased to a statistically significant degree in 2015-2020 for 11 symptoms, and there was an overall trend of decreasing perceived causality throughout the year groups for most symptoms. The observed time trends suggest a need for up-to-date reference data, to keep up with changes in symptom reporting in office environments over time.

Indoor Air Quality Monitoring and Characterization of Airborne Workstations Pollutants within Detergent Production Plant

The indoor air quality (IAQ) of five workstations within a detergent production unit was monitored. Particulate matter (PM) was measured using a gravitational settlement method, and later characterized. To ascertain the quality of indoor air within the workstations, which could directly or indirectly affect the health and performance of the workers, a physical inspection of the plant premises was undertaken. The mean value of the following air-quality parameters; particulate matter(PM_2.5), particulate matter (PM₁₀), formaldehyde (HCHO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature (T) and percent relative humidity (%RH) were obtained within the range of 24.5-48.5 µg/m³, 26.75-61.75 µg/m³, 0.0-0.012 mg/m³, 0.09-1.35 mg/m³, 1137-1265 ppm, 25.65-28.15 °C and 20.13-23.8%, respectively. Of the particulate matter components characterized, sodium oxide (Na₂O)-25.30 mg/m³, aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃)-22.93 mg/m³, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)-34.17 mg/m³, sulfur trioxide (SO₃)-41.57 mg/m³, calcium oxide (CaO)-10.94 mg/m³ and iron III oxide (Fe₂O₃)-19.23 mg/m³, were of significance. These results, compared with international standards for industrial indoor air quality, suggest that indoor air contamination emanating from the chemicals used in production workstations is traced to the design of the plant structures and the activities carried out within the workstations.

Characterizing Key Volatile Pollutants Emitted from Adhesives by Chemical Compositions, Odor Contributions and Health Risks

As one of the major sources of volatile pollutants in indoor air, gaseous emissions from adhesives during interior decoration have attracted increasing concern. Identifying major volatile pollutants and the risk in adhesive gaseous emissions is of great significance, but remains rarely reported. In the present research, we assessed the major volatile pollutants emitted from white emulsion adhesive and silicone adhesive samples (n = 30) from three aspects: chemical composition, odor and health risk contributions. The results showed that a total of 21 volatile pollutants were detected. Significantly, xylene was the most concentrated compound from white emulsion adhesives, accounting for 45.51% of the total concentrations. Butanone oxime was the most concentrated compound in silicone adhesives, accounting for 69.86% of the total concentrations. The trends in odor concentration (evaluated by the odor activity value method) over time were well correlated with the total chemical concentrations. Xylene (58.00%) and butanone oxime (76.75%) showed the highest odor contribution, respectively. Moreover, from an integrated perspective of chemical emissions, odor and health risk contributions, xylene, ethylbenzene, ethyl acetate and benzene were identified as the key volatile pollutants emitted from the white emulsion adhesives, while butanone oxime, butanone, and ethanol were the key volatile pollutants emitted from the silicone adhesives. This study not only identified the key volatile pollutants but also provided characteristics of odor and health risks of gas emitted from adhesives.

Occupant health in buildings: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opinions of building professionals and implications on research

The objectives of this study are to investigate building professionals' experience, awareness, and interest in occupant health in buildings, and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their opinions, as well as to compare the research on occupant health in buildings to professionals' opinions. To address these objectives, a mixed research methodology, including a thorough review of the literature (NL = 190) and an online survey (NS = 274), was utilized. In general, there is an increasing research interest in occupant health and a heightened interest in health-related projects, among professionals, following the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, among the nine different building attributes examined, indoor air quality was the most researched building attribute with a focus on occupant health and was also presumed to be the most important by the professionals. Professionals considered fatigue and musculoskeletal pain to be the most important physical well-being issues, and stress, anxiety, and depression to be the most important mental well-being issues that need to be the focus of design, construction, and operation of buildings to support and promote occupant health, while eye-related symptoms and loss of concentration were the most researched physical and mental well-being symptoms in the literature, respectively. Finally, professionals indicated that COVID-19 pandemic had significant effect on their perspectives regarding buildings' impact on occupant health and they believed future building design, construction and operation will focus more on occupant health because of the pandemic experience.

Quantification of Air Change Rate by Selected Methods in a Typical Apartment Building

An important parameter that affects indoor climate of buildings and also ventilation heat losses and gains is the speed of air change between the outdoor environment and the interior of buildings. Indoor air quality is therefore significantly associated with ventilation. Quantification of air change rate is complicated, because it is impacted by many parameters, the most variable of which is air flow. This study focuses on the determination and comparison of air change rate values in two methods by quantification of the aerodynamic coefficient Cp = Cpe − Cpi, so-called “aerodynamic quantification of the building” and the methodology based on “experimental measurements of carbon dioxide”. The study describes and takes into account the effect of wind, building parameters and air permeability for the building using “aerodynamic quantification of the building”. The paper compares these calculated results with the values obtained from experimental measurements method of carbon dioxide in a selected reference room in apartment building and evaluates the accuracy of the prediction of the air exchange rate obtained by these methods. At higher wind speeds the values of air change rate with considering the effect of openings are closer to the values obtained based on experimental measurements of carbon dioxide and the difference between the values without considering the effect of openings increases significantly.