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Urban yellow dust deposition is a common phenomenon in many parts of the world, which is sometimes called "sulfur shower," "sulfur rain," or "pollen storm." Most people, especially those living in the vicinity of industrial facilities, wrongly perceive the yellow dust as sulfur when in fact it is pollen. The misunderstanding increases risk perception as people believe the "yellow powder" is a serious threat to their health. Based on simple observations, it is virtually impossible to differentiate sulfur from pollen, so risk communication should consider the chemical, biological, and toxicological aspects of these agents. In this review, we clarify that industrial emissions of sulfur are under the form of sulfides, oxides, and other volatile compounds which are gaseous and noncolored, and we explain that it is chemically impossible for gaseous sulfur to become solid yellow sulfur under normal environmental conditions. We also describe pollen and its release from trees, shrubs, and herbs a process influenced by atmospheric conditions. We suggest take-home messages that risk communicators may use when explaining the phenomenon to their communities.

As part of ongoing epidemiological studies for assessing the association between exposure to dust from taconite operations and the development of respiratory diseases, the goal of this study was to reconstruct the exposures of workers to elongate mineral particle (EMP) in the Minnesota taconite mining industry from 1955-2010. Historical NIOSH-7400 and equivalent EMP personal exposure data were extracted from two sources: (1) the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) online database recorded for all inspection results since 1978 with 655 EMP monitoring records from 1978-2010 for 13 MSHA Mine IDs associated with this study; and (2) the mining companies' internal monitoring reports contained 96 personal EMP exposure records. NIOSH-7400 EMP personal exposures were measured for workers in different jobs in all active mines in 2010 by obtaining 1,285 personal samples. After data treatment, all data were grouped into seven mines and eight departments. Within each mine-department, the yearly EMP mean concentration in f/cc for each year of operation was predicted using two approaches. The performance of two approaches varied by situation. The assumptions underlying each approach described in this article have limitations. A linear regression based on limited historical measurements and those made in 2010-2011 (Approach 1) does not yield reasonable and plausible values of the slope. Approach 2 assumes that the EMP and the respirable dust in the same department share the same historical time trend. This approach allowed us to avail of the more reasonable slope estimates from the historical respirable dust data set and yielded more plausible historical exposure estimates for most locations. This work with two different job exposure matrix (JEMs) provides a unique research opportunity to study the potential impact of exposure assessment to epidemiological results. Both JEMs are being used to assess associations between EMP and respiratory disease in epidemiological studies.

Microbial contamination poses a threat to both the preservation of library and archival collections and the health of staff and users. This study investigated the microbial communities and potential health risks associated with the UNESCO-classified Norwegian Sea Trade Archive (NST Archive) collection exhibiting visible microbial colonization and staff health concerns. Dust samples from book surfaces and the storage environment were analysed using culturing methods, qPCR, Next Generation Sequencing, and mycotoxin, cytotoxicity, and azole resistance assays. Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Cladosporium sp. were the most common fungi identified, with some potentially toxic species like Stachybotrys sp., Toxicladosporium sp., and Aspergillus section Fumigati. Fungal resistance to azoles was not detected. Only one mycotoxin, sterigmatocystin, was found in a heavily contaminated book. Dust extracts from books exhibited moderate to high cytotoxicity on human lung cells, suggesting a potential respiratory risk. The collection had higher contamination levels compared to the storage environment, likely due to improved storage conditions. Even though overall low contamination levels were obtained, these might be underestimated due to the presence of salt (from cod preservation) that could have interfered with the analyses. This study underlines the importance of monitoring microbial communities and implementing proper storage measures to safeguard cultural heritage and staff well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HR 1129 is a 4.8-mag star in the constellation Camelopardus, strangely (in view of its brightness) lacking a constellation designation. It has long been known to exhibit a composite spectrum consisting of a late-type primary and an early-type secondary. The radial velocity of the primary is easily measured, and was announced as variable nearly 100 years ago. A preliminary orbit with a period of 6150 d was given for it by one of the present authors in 1990; our new value is 6124 ± 3 d. The system has been resolved by speckle interferometry, but has not been measured systematically by that technique. The spectrum of the primary is found to be very similar to that of α Aqr (G2 Ib), although the parallax shows HR 1129 to be somewhat less luminous. The secondary spectrum has been isolated by subtraction and has proved to be that of a B7 star that is somewhat above the main sequence and may itself already be a giant. We present a comprehensive discussion of the spectra of both stars, and deduce that the system is considerably reddened: . By incorporating 25 measurements of the radial velocity of the secondary, we calculate a double-lined orbit solution which gives the mass ratio for the components as 1.109 ± 0.022; we determine individual masses of (primary) and (secondary). The orbit is viewed at an inclination of ∼ 87°, but there are no eclipses. However, around the phases of conjunction the Mg ii doublet near λ2800 Å, as seen in IUE spectra, exhibits evidence of two circumstellar absorption systems, which we interpret as a wind from the cool giant and a static shell around it. Substantial 100-μm emission recorded by IRAS points to the presence of warm circumbinary dust enveloping the system, and is likely to have originated in the stellar wind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An edge-cloud computing collaborative dust concentration detection architecture is proposed for real-time operation of intelligent algorithms to reduce the warning delay. And, an end-to-end three-channel convolutional neural network (E2E-SCNN) method is proposed in the paper to facilitate intelligent monitoring and management of dust concentration in tobacco production workshops. This model, which includes three sub-networks-a local feature branch, a global feature branch, and a spatial feature branch, learns the detail texture, overall layout, and spatial distribution information of the input image respectively. A fusion of the three complementary features is performed at the end of the network for the final dust concentration regression prediction. The design, when compared with the single network structure that directly regresses the entire image, is shown to more fully represent the overall information of the image and enhance monitoring performance. A richly annotated image dataset of tobacco production workshops is constructed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The prediction error of E2E-SCNN is compared with existing image estimation algorithms, dual-channel networks, and other methods on this dataset using indicators such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and R 2 . It is shown by the results that excellent performance is achieved by the E2E-SCNN algorithm, significantly surpassing other comparison methods. The paper demonstrates that the accuracy and robustness of dust concentration prediction can be greatly improved by using a three-channel convolutional neural network spatial information monitoring framework. This achievement provides an effective means for dust supervision and governance during the tobacco production process and offers a technical route that can be referred to for image analysis tasks in other similar fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The floor polish removal (FPR) and reapplication (FPA) are important cleaning tasks in public buildings that have hard floor surfaces. Usually, the FPR and FPA are conducted once or twice a year, during the periodic cleaning of these buildings. The FPR can be performed either chemically (CFPR) or by using dry scrubber (DFPR), when the polish is ground from the floor. In this study, cleaning workers' exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM) during the FPR and FPA, and the differences in the exposures between the two FPR methods were investigated. In total, three buildings located in Central Finland were included, and total of six cleaning workers (two per building) participated in the study. In Buildings 1 and 2, the CFPR and FPA were performed and in Building 3, the DFPR was conducted. TVOC (total volatile organic compounds) concentrations in the breathing zone of the workers during the CFPR were 8,740 and 390 µg/m 3 (SD 3,290 and 180 µg/m 3 ) for Buildings 1 and 2, respectively. During the DFPR in Building 3, the average TVOC concentration was 400 µg/m 3 (SD 180 µg/m 3 , stationary sampling). The TVOC concentrations during the FPA were high, 1,640 and 2,170 µg/m 3 on average (SD 1,570 and 930 µg/m 3 ) for Buildings 1 and 2, respectively. Glycol ethers were the most prominent VOCs during the CFPR and FPA, whereas carboxylic acids were the most common during the DFPR. The inhalable dust concentrations in the workers' breathing zone were noticeably higher during the DFPR (1.55 mg/m 3 on average, SD 0.01 mg/m 3 ) than the CFPR (0.24 mg/m 3 on average, SD 0.05 mg/m 3 ). Finnish occupational exposure limit value for organic inhalable dust is 5 mg/m 3 . As the products used during the CFPR and FPA contain glycol ethers and ethanolamines that are absorbed via the skin as well, the use of skin protection is recommended. Whereas the use of FFP3 respirators and skin protection are recommended during the DFPR to prevent the PM exposure.

Asthma prevalence has increased in epidemic proportions with urbanization, but growing up on traditional farms offers protection even today 1 . The asthma-protective effect of farms appears to be associated with rich home dust microbiota 2,3 , which could be used to model a health-promoting indoor microbiome. Here we show by modeling differences in house dust microbiota composition between farm and non-farm homes of Finnish birth cohorts 4 that in children who grow up in non-farm homes, asthma risk decreases as the similarity of their home bacterial microbiota composition to that of farm homes increases. The protective microbiota had a low abundance of Streptococcaceae relative to outdoor-associated bacterial taxa. The protective effect was independent of richness and total bacterial load and was associated with reduced proinflammatory cytokine responses against bacterial cell wall components ex vivo. We were able to reproduce these findings in a study among rural German children 2 and showed that children living in German non-farm homes with an indoor microbiota more similar to Finnish farm homes have decreased asthma risk. The indoor dust microbiota composition appears to be a definable, reproducible predictor of asthma risk and a potential modifiable target for asthma prevention.

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In this paper the results of carbon nanoparticle deposition on metal surface by impulse plasma deposition method (IPD) are presented. Graphite plates were used as sources of dust particles and copper substrates for their deposition. During the experimental work spherical nanocarbon particles with dimensions of 20-180 nm were obtained on the copper substrate and copper particles forming dendritic nanostructures on the substrate surface where their average size was 400 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current scenario, renewable energy resources play a vital role in developing countries. Photovoltaic panel-based power plants have great significance for the production of electrical energy, due to automated transitions, easy interaction, and low maintenance costs. The energy-production efficiency depends on various factors and environmental effects. The formulation of a thin layer of dust particles on solar panels diminishes their energy-production capacity due to the limiting of heat transfer to the semiconducting materials. The current paper deals with the design and fabrication of an automated water-jet-assisted robot used to clean the dust particle layer and bird droppings on PV panels. In the water-jet-assisted cleaning robot, there is a two-brush mechanism that works in concert with the rover's movement. A Bluetooth communication system plays a vital role by controlling the rover; this approach offers a perspective on a rover constructed with an Arduino-UNO micro-controller, along with an HC-05 Bluetooth sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate the performance of fibrous materials that meet the criteria for inlet air filtration in internal combustion engines. The characteristics of filtration efficiency and accuracy, as well as the characteristics of flow resistance, were determined based on the mass of dust accumulated in the filter bed during the filtration process. Single-layer filter materials tested included cellulose, polyester, and glass microfiber. Multilayer filter media such as cellulose–polyester–nanofibers and cellulose–polyester were also examined. A new composite filter bed—consisting of polyester, glass microfiber, and cellulose—and its filtration characteristics were evaluated. Utilizing specific air filtration quality factors, it was demonstrated that the composite is characterized by high pre-filtration efficiency (99.98%), a short pre-filtration period (qs = 4.21%), high accuracy (dpmax = 1.5–3 µm) for the entire lifespan of the filter, and a 60–250% higher dust absorption coefficient compared to the other tested materials. A filtration composite bed constructed from a group of materials with different filtration parameters can be, due to its high filtration efficiency, accuracy, and dust absorption, an excellent filter material for engine intake air. The composite's filtration parameters will depend on the type of filter layers and their order relative to the aerosol flow. This paper presents a methodology for the selection and testing of various filter materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is of great concern in the modern-day atmosphere owing to its association with a variety of health impacts, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Of the various size fractions of PM, it is the finer fractions that are most harmful to health, in particular ultrafine particles (PM0.1; UFPs), with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 100 nm. The smaller size fractions, of ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5; fine particles) and ≤0.1 µm (PM0.1; ultrafine particles), have been shown to have numerous linkages to negative health effects; however, their collection/sampling remains challenging. This review paper employed a comprehensive literature review methodology; 200 studies were evaluated based on the rigor of their methodologies, including the validity of experimental designs, data collection methods, and statistical analyses. Studies with robust methodologies were prioritised for inclusion. This review paper critically assesses the health risks associated with fine and ultrafine particles, highlighting vehicular emissions as the most significant source of particulate-related health effects. While coal combustion, diesel exhaust, household wood combustors' emissions, and Earth's crust dust also pose health risks, evidence suggests that exposure to particulates from vehicular emissions has the greatest impact on human health due to their widespread distribution and contribution to air pollution-related diseases. This article comprehensively examines current sampling technologies, specifically focusing on the collection and sampling of ultrafine particles (UFP) from ambient air to facilitate toxicological and physiochemical characterisation efforts. This article discusses diverse approaches to collect fine and ultrafine particulates, along with experimental endeavours to assess ultrafine particle concentrations across various microenvironments. Following meticulous evaluation of sampling techniques, high-volume air samplers such as the Chem Vol Model 2400 High Volume Cascade Impactor and low-volume samplers like the Personal Cascade Impactor Sampler (PCIS) emerge as effective methods. These techniques offer advantages in particle size fractionation, collection efficiency, and adaptability to different sampling environments, positioning them as valuable tools for precise characterisation of particulate matter in air quality research and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition technology of coal and gangue is one of the key technologies of intelligent mine construction. Aiming at the problems of the low accuracy of coal and gangue recognition models and the difficult recognition of small-target coal and gangue caused by low-illumination and high-dust environments in the coal mine working face, a coal and gangue recognition model based on the improved YOLOv7-tiny target detection algorithm is proposed. This paper proposes three model improvement methods. The coordinate attention mechanism is introduced to improve the feature expression ability of the model. The contextual transformer module is added after the spatial pyramid pooling structure to improve the feature extraction ability of the model. Based on the idea of the weighted bidirectional feature pyramid, the four branch modules in the high-efficiency layer aggregation network are weighted and cascaded to improve the recognition ability of the model for useful features. The experimental results show that the average precision mean of the improved YOLOv7-tiny model is 97.54%, and the FPS is 24.73 f·s−1. Compared with the Faster-RCNN, YOLOv3, YOLOv4, YOLOv4-VGG, YOLOv5s, YOLOv7, and YOLOv7-tiny models, the improved YOLOv7-tiny model has the highest recognition rate and the fastest recognition speed. Finally, the improved YOLOv7-tiny model is verified by field tests in coal mines, which provides an effective technical means for the accurate identification of coal and gangue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asphalt mixes comprise aggregates, additives and bitumen. The aggregates are of varying sizes, and the finest category, referred to as sands, encompasses the so-called filler particles present in the mixture, which are smaller than 0.063 mm. As part of the H2020 CAPRI project, the authors present a prototype for measuring filler flow, through vibration analysis. The vibrations are generated by the filler particles crashing to a slim steel bar capable of withstanding the challenging conditions of temperature and pressure within the aspiration pipe of an industrial baghouse. This paper presents a prototype developed to address the need for quantifying the amount of filler in cold aggregates, considering the unavailability of commercially viable sensors suitable for the conditions encountered during asphalt mix production. In laboratory settings, the prototype simulates the aspiration process of a baghouse in an asphalt plant, accurately reproducing particle concentration and mass flow conditions. The experiments performed demonstrate that an accelerometer positioned outside the pipe can replicate the filler flow within the pipe, even when the filler aspiration conditions differ. The obtained results enable extrapolation from the laboratory model to a real-world baghouse model, making it applicable to various aspiration processes, particularly those involving baghouses. Moreover, this paper provides open access to all the data and results used, as part of our commitment to the CAPRI project, with the principles of open science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalate monoesters (mPAEs) possess biological activity that matches or even exceeds that of their parent compounds, phthalate esters (PAEs), negatively impacting humans. Indoor dust is the main carrier of indoor pollutants. In this study, indoor dust samples were collected from 46 households in Changchun City, Jilin Province, in May 2019, and particulate and flocculent fibrous dust was used as the research target to analyze the concentration and compositional characteristics of mPAEs, primary metabolites of five significant PAEs. The influence of factors such as architectural features and living habits in residential areas on exposure to mPAEs was explored. Ten suspected enzyme genes along with two metabolic pathways with the ability to degrade PAEs were screened using PICRUSt2. The results showed that the total concentrations of the five mPAEs in the indoor dust samples were particulate dust (11.49-78.69 μg/g) and flocculent fibrous dust (21.61-72.63 μg/g), respectively. The molar concentration ratio (R C ) of mPAEs to corresponding PAEs significantly differed among chemicals, with MMP/DMP and MEP/DEP sporting the highest R C values. Different bacterial types have shown distinct influences against mPAEs and PAEs. Enzyme function and metabolic pathway abundance had a significant effect on the concentration of some mPAEs, mPAEs are most likely derived from microbial degradation of PAEs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Workers exposed to dust for extended periods may experience varying degrees of cognitive impairment. However, limited research exists on the associated risk factors. This study aims to identify key variables using machine learning algorithms (ML) and develop a model to predict the occurrence of mild cognitive impairment in miners., Methods: A total of 1938 miners were included in the study. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were employed to identify independent risk factors for cognitive impairment among miners. The dataset was randomly divided into a training set and a validation set in an 8:2 ratio of 1550 and 388 individuals, respectively. An additional group of 351 miners was collected as a test set for cognitive impairment assessment. Seven machine learning algorithms, including XGBoost, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Complement Naive Bayes, Multi-layer Perceptron, Support Vector Machine, and K-Nearest Neighbors, were used to establish a predictive model for mild cognitive impairment in the dust-exposed population, based on baseline characteristics of the workers. The predictive performance of the models was evaluated using the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC), and the XGBoost model was further explained using the Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) package. Cognitive function assessments using rank sum tests were conducted to compare differences in cognitive domains between the mild cognitive impairment group and the normal group., Results: Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that education level, Age, Work years, SSRS (Self-Rating Scale for Stress), and HAMA (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale) were independent risk factors for cognitive impairment among dust-exposed workers. Comparative analysis of the performance of the seven machine learning algorithms demonstrated that XGBoost (training set: AUC=0.959, validation set: AUC=0.795) and Logistic Regression (training set: AUC=0.818, validation set: AUC=0.816) models exhibited superior predictive performance. Results from the test set showed that the AUC of the XGBoost model (AUC=0.913) outperformed the Logistic Regression model (AUC=0.778). Miners with mild cognitive impairment exhibited significant impairments (p<0.05) in visual-spatial abilities, attention, abstract thinking, and memory areas., Conclusion: Machine learning algorithms can predict the risk of cognitive impairment in this population, with the XGBoost algorithm showing the best performance. The developed model can guide the implementation of appropriate preventive measures for dust-exposed workers., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Sheng Xue reports was provided by Anhui University of Science and Technology. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Materials in car cabins contain performance-enhancing semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). As these SVOCs are not chemically bound to the materials, they can emit from the materials at slow rates to the surrounding, causing human exposure. This study aimed at increasing the understanding on abundance of SVOCs in car cabins by studying 18 potential endocrine disrupting chemicals in car cabin air (gas phase and airborne particles) and dust. We also studied how levels of these chemicals varied by temperature inside the car cabin along with ventilation settings, relevant to human exposure. A positive correlation was observed between temperature and SVOC concentration in both the gas and the particle phase, where average gas phase levels at 80 °C were a factor of 18-16,000 higher than average levels at 25 °C, while average particle phase levels were a factor of 4.6-40,000 higher for the studied substances. This study also showed that levels were below the limit of detection for several SVOCs during realistic driving conditions, i.e., with the ventilation activated. To limit human exposure to SVOCs in car cabins, it is recommended to ventilate a warm car before entering and have the ventilation on during driving, as both temperature and ventilation have a significant impact on SVOC levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become a global public health problem. Risk factors for COPD include smoking, occupational dust, air pollutants, and genetic, developmental, and social factors. The list of occupational diseases of the International Labour Organization, the European Union and Taiwan, China all includes COPD caused by occupational dust. At present, there is no diagnostic standard for COPD caused by occupational dust in the mainland of China. In order to promote the full protection of workers' rights and interests and better prevent occupational COPD, this paper reviewed the association between occupational dust and COPD, so as to draw public attention to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by occupational dust.

Climate change is affecting both the frequency and scale of wildfires, as well as the increase in the number of days with Saharan dust intrusions. Traditionally, studies have focused on the extent to which the increase in fine particulate matter (PM) has had an impact on cardio-respiratory diseases, but (apart from PM) not on how the meteorological and pollution conditions in these situations affect other diseases, such as those linked to mental health. This study therefore sought to ascertain how daily mean PM 10 , PM 2.5 , NO 2 , O 3 concentrations and daily maximum temperature in heat waves influence daily emergency hospital admissions in Spain caused by mental and behavioural disorders, depression and anxiety on days with PM from biomass combustion and/or Saharan dust intrusions, as compared to days without such conditions, across the period 2009-2018. Our results indicate that on days on which there is biomass combustion, PM concentrations have a statistically significant effect on emergency admissions due to mental disorders, probably related with the toxicity of these particles. Yet on days with intrusions of Saharan dust rather than PM, it is the other variables considered in the analysis that are most closely linked to these types of admissions. The results of this study thus point to the need to implement public health prevention plans which take into account the joint effect of various environmental risk factors that act synergistically in given situations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

N,N'-Substituted p-phenylenediamines (PPDs) are widely used as antioxidants in the rubber industry and are released into the environment in large quantities during the production and use of rubber products. We quantified PPDs and PPD quinone derivatives (PPD-Qs) in rubber consumer products, including car tires, rubber belts, rubber gloves, rubber cables, and rubber hoses, to obtain information on the degree of weathering over time during their use. Additionally, we investigated the occurrences and sources of PPDs and PPD-Qs in dust samples collected from four typical urban environments (roads, parking lots, automotive repair shops, and residences). The detected compounds included the highly toxic N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine quinone, which can cause acute mortality of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Concentrations of PPDs in the automotive repair shops reached 56.0 μg/g, and were much higher than in the other environments, while the residential samples had the lowest contaminant concentrations. In road and residential samples, N,N'-di-2-naphthyl-p-phenylenediamine accounted for 17 %-30 % of the PPDs, and may have originated from different sources. We preliminarily identified 32 transformation products, and 11 of these were N,N'-di-2-naphthyl-p-phenylenediamine transformation products. The average daily intakes of PPDs and PPD-Qs were calculated to assess the health risks of dust exposure in each environment. Workers had high total intakes of PPD [60.3 ng/(kg day)] and PPD-Qs [20.1 ng/(kg day)], and were at some risk of occupational exposure. These results improve our understanding of the environmental occurrences, sources, transformation, and health risks of PPDs and PPD-Qs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Few studies of the relationship between residential proximity to agricultural pesticide applications and pesticide levels in the home have incorporated crop location or wind direction. We evaluated the relationship between agricultural pesticide applications using the California Pesticide Use Reporting (CPUR) database and pesticide concentrations in carpet dust accounting for land use and wind direction., Methods: We measured concentrations (ng/g) of seven herbicides and two fungicides in carpet dust samples from 578 California homes (2001-2007). We created three metrics by computing the density (kg/km 2 ) of use of each pesticide reported in CPUR within 0.5-, 1-, 2-, and 4-km buffers around homes 180- and 365-days before sampling (CPUR metric). We apportioned applications to the crop area within the buffers (CROP-A metric) and weighted CPUR applications by the proportion of days that the home was within ±45° of the downwind direction (W-CPUR metric). We modeled natural-log concentrations (Tobit regression) and dust detections (logistic regression) adjusting for season/year, occupation, and home/garden use., Results: Detections were >90 % for glyphosate, 2,4-D, and simazine. Detection rates and dust concentrations increased with increasing CPUR densities for all herbicides and one fungicide. Compared to homes without applications within 4 km, the highest tertile of 365-day glyphosate use was associated with ∼100 % higher concentrations (CPUR T3>9.2kg/km 2 % change  = 110, 95 %CI = 55, 183; CROP-A T3>13.4kg/km 2 % change  = 102, 95 %CI = 50, 171). The highest density tertiles of 2,4-D, simazine, and trifluralin were associated with 2- to 6-times higher concentrations, respectively; that was similar across metrics. Across all metrics, agricultural use of dacthal, dicamba, and iprodione were associated with 5- to 10-times higher odds of dust detections. Associations were unclear for 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid and null for chlorothalonil.T3>2.1kg/km 2 % change  = 102, 95 %CI = 50, 171). The highest density tertiles of 2,4-D, simazine, and trifluralin were associated with 2- to 6-times higher concentrations, respectively; that was similar across metrics. Across all metrics, agricultural use of dacthal, dicamba, and iprodione were associated with 5- to 10-times higher odds of dust detections. Associations were unclear for 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid and null for chlorothalonil., Conclusions: Agricultural herbicide and fungicide use was an important determinant of indoor contamination within 4 km of homes. Accounting for crops and wind direction did not substantially change these relationships., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide, with concerns over human exposure and potential health risks. Nevertheless, little is known about the sources of human exposure to glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). In this study, we measured glyphosate and AMPA in 99 indoor dust samples collected from urban homes in sixteen states in the USA. Glyphosate and AMPA were detected in all samples at geometric mean (GM) concentrations of 193 and 30.8 ng/g, respectively. We found a strong and significant positive correlation between glyphosate and AMPA concentrations (r = 0.70, p < 0.01), indicating that the latter mainly originated from glyphosate. The concentrations of glyphosate (r = 0.40, p < 0.01) and AMPA (r = 0.33, p < 0.01) in indoor dust were significantly correlated with the county-wide agricultural usage of this herbicide. Human exposure to glyphosate and AMPA through dust ingestion were in the ranges of 0.05-0.85 and 0.01-0.14 ng/kg body weight (BW)/day, respectively, for various age groups, which were more than two orders of magnitude below the acceptable daily intake for glyphosate (500 μg/kg BW/day). Further studies are needed to identify the sources and health outcomes of human exposure to glyphosate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Urban road dust (URD) is essential for transporting heavy metals (HMs), which can be a major danger to both the environment and human health. Moreover, URD has the potential to be carried into bodies of water, leading to contamination of the aquatic ecosystem. A study was conducted in Xi'an, a city in northwestern China known for high air pollution levels, during January 2024 - a period characterized by peak pollution due to frequent low wind speeds and temperature inversions. The research investigated the presence of 10 types of HMs (Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, Pb, As, Ni, Hg, Co, and Mn) in URD. Findings revealed elevated levels of Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, Pb, As, and Hg in URD compared to background levels. Hg showed the most significant contamination (moderate to heavy), followed by moderate contamination of Cd, and lower levels of As, Zn, and Cu. The main sources of HMs were traffic (58.2%), mixed natural and industrial (30.3%), and industrial (11.5%). The ecological risk in the area was deemed to be very high, primarily because of Hg and Cd. Based on probabilistic health risk assessments, it was determined that non-carcinogenic risks were deemed acceptable for all groups. Nevertheless, the possibility of carcinogenic risks should not be disregarded. Strategies for controlling ecological-health risks prioritize mixed natural and industrial sources, with a focus on Hg, Cd, and As in URD. The results offer a foundation for policymakers to create specific control strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

An integrated study on the levels of 7 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in house dust and breast milk samples from women (N = 30) living in these households was conducted. ∑PBDEs ranged from -1 dust (median 4.9 ng g -1 dust), and from 0.16 to 6.3 ng g -1 lipid weight (lw) (median 0.49 ng g -1 lw), in house dust and breast milk samples, respectively. Statistically significant correlations were observed between the mass fractions of BDE-153 from breast milk, and BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-100 from house dust, congeners that all originate from the "penta" formulation, indicating its dominance as PBDE exposure source in the examined household dusts. The number of electronic and electrical devices, and age of the building were positive, and the number of upholstered furniture and household area were negative predictors of PBDE dust levels. Mothers age was negative predictor of the PBDE levels in breast milk, possibly due to dilution of PBDEs in total body fat accumulated over the years. The results of health risk assessment suggest that detected PBDE levels don't pose non-carcinogenic risk to the study population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Children, the most vulnerable group in urban populations, are susceptible to the effects of pollution in urban environments. It is significant to evaluate the influence of rare earth elements (REEs) from kindergartens dust (KD) in Beijing on children's health. This study collected surface dust from 73 kindergartens in 16 districts of the mega-city of Beijing, and the concentrations of 14 REEs in KD, including La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu, were detected. The contamination levels, source apportionment, and health exposure risk of REEs were comprehensively investigated. The results indicate that the contamination levels of 14 REEs are within the acceptable range. Nevertheless, Eu, Ce, La, Pr, Nd, Gd, and Sm show high enrichment due to anthropogenic influence. Besides, KD is rich in light rare earth elements (LREEs) (90.97 mg kg -1 ) compared to heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) (8.65 mg kg -1 ). The distribution parameter patterns of REEs suggest that complicated anthropogenic sources influence the enrichment of REEs in KD. The main sources of REEs in KD include natural sources (40.64%), mixed high-tech industries and construction (33.89%), and mixed coal-fired, historical industrial, and transportation sources (26.47%). The primary pathway for daily intake of REEs in children is through ingestion, which presents a low but not negligible health risk. This study provides guidance for the effective risk management of REEs in KD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aerosol proteins, as core biological components of bioaerosols, are garnering increasing attention due to their environmental significance, including their roles in atmospheric processes and associated health risks. However, observational data on the proteins are very limited, leaving their distribution and variation in the atmosphere poorly understood. To investigate the long-distance transport of proteins with Asian dust in the Northern Hemisphere middle latitude westerlies to remote downwind areas, we quantified the soluble proteins in aerosol particles, referred to as aerosol soluble proteins (ASPs), collected in the coastal city of Kumamoto, Japan, during the spring of 2023, when three dust events occurred. The concentration of ASPs ranged from 0.22 to 1.68 μg m -3 , with an average concentration of 0.73 ± 0.36 μg m -3 under dust conditions and 0.31 ± 0.05 μg m -3 under non-dust conditions. During the dust periods, the largest concentration of ASPs (1.68 μg m -3 ) coincided with the peak concentration of suspended particulate matter, and the concentration strongly correlated with the mass concentration of particles larger than 2.5 μm, indicating a close dependence of ASPs on dust particles. Primary estimations indicated a dry deposition flux of ASPs at approximately 1.10 ± 0.87 mg m -2 d -1 under the dust conditions. These results prove that Asian dust efficiently transports proteins, facilitating their dispersion in the atmosphere., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Silicosis is an irreversible interstitial lung fibrosis resulting from persistent inflammation induced by long-term inhalation of SiO 2 dust. Treatment and early diagnosis are extremely challenging due to the lack of specific targets and biomarkers. MiRNAs play an important role in the early diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, due to their stability, small variations, and easy detection. Exosomes have become fashionable candidates to deliver miRNAs. However, the specific role of exosomes-loaded miRNAs in silicosis inflammation and fibrosis remains unclear. In the present study, the expression profile of serum exosomal miRNAs in the peripheral blood of silicosis patients was determined by transcritome sequencing. MiR-23a-3p was recognized as a protector against silicosis by bioinformatic analysis. The expression and regulatory axis of miR-23a-3p and its predicted target gene CUL3 were then confirmed. The therapeutic role of the miR-23a-3p/CUL3 axis and its alleviating effect on SiO 2 -induced apoptosis were verified in mice and in epithelial cells. Furthermore, the communication of exosomes carrying miR-23a-3p between macrophages and epithelial cells was demonstrated using a cell co-culture model. Our results suggest that exosomal miR-23a-3p could be prospective as a biomarker in early diagnose for SiO 2 -induced lung fibrosis, and provided new threads for the treatment of silicosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A large number of pesticides have been widely manufactured and applied, and are released into the environment with negative impact on human health. Pesticides are largely used in densely populated urban environments, in green zones, along roads and on private properties. In order to characterize the potential exposure related health effects of pesticide and their occurrence in the urban environment, 222 pesticides were screened and quantified in 228 road dust and 156 green-belt soil samples in autumn and spring from Harbin, a megacity in China, using GC-MS/MS base quantitative trace analysis. The results showed that a total of 33 pesticides were detected in road dust and green-belt soil, with the total concentrations of 650 and 236 ng/g (dry weight = dw), respectively. The concentrations of pesticides in road dust were significantly higher than that in green-belt soil. Pesticides in the environment were influenced by the seasons, with the highest concentrations of insecticides in autumn and the highest levels of herbicides in spring. In road dust, the concentrations of highways in autumn and spring (with the mean values of 94.1 and 68.2 ng/g dw) were much lower than that of the other road classes (arterial roads, sub-arterial roads and branch ways). Whereas in the green-belt soil, there was no significant difference in the concentration of pesticides between the different road classes. A first risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of the pesticides, the results showed that the highest hazard index (HI) for a single pesticide in dust and soil was 0.12, the hazard index for children was higher than that for adults, with an overall hazard index of less than 1. Our results indicated that pesticide levels do not have a significant health impact on people., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Nano-concrete, which is an admixture of nanomaterials in concrete recipes, has been investigated to overcome the limitations of existing concrete, such as its stability and strength. However, there is no information on the human health effects of broken-down dust released during the construction and demolition efforts. In this study, we prepared an inhalable fraction of multi-walled carbon nanotube-containing nano-concrete dust and performed comparative toxicity studies with conventional concrete dust and DQ12 using a rat intratracheal instillation model. Although the recipes for concrete and nano-concrete are entirely different, the pulverized dust samples showed similar physicochemical properties, such as 0.46-0.48 µm diameter and chemical composition. Both concrete and nano-concrete dust exhibited similar patterns and magnitudes, representing acute neutrophilic inflammation and chronic active inflammation with lymphocyte infiltration. The toxicity endpoints of the tested particles at both time points showed an excellent correlation with the reactive oxygen species levels released from the alveolar macrophages, highlighting that alveolar macrophages are the primary target cells and that the oxidative stress paradigm is the main toxicity mechanism of the tested particles. In addition, the toxicity potentials of both concrete and nano-concrete dust were more than 10 times lower than that of DQ12., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The increasing prevalence of coal mine dust-related lung diseases in coal miners calls for urgent and meticulous scrutiny of airborne respirable coal mine dust (RCMD), specifically focusing on particles at the nano-level. This necessity is driven by expanding research, including the insights revealed in this paper, that establish the presence and significantly increased toxicity of nano-sized coal dust particles in contrast to their larger counterparts. This study presents an incontrovertible visual proof of these tiny particulates in samples collected from underground mines, utilizing advanced techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The intricate elemental composition of nano-sized coal dust identified through EDS analysis reveals the presence of elements such as silica and iron, which are known to contribute to lung pathologies when inhaled over prolonged periods. The outcomes of the statistical analyses reveal significant relationships between particle size and elemental composition, highlighting that smaller particles tend to have higher carbon content, while larger particles exhibit increased concentrations of elements like silica and aluminum. These analyses underscore the complex interactions within nano-sized coal dust, providing critical insights into their behavior, transport, and health impacts. The nano-sized coal dust could invade the alveoli, carrying these toxic elements from where they are impossible to exhale. The revelation of nano-sized coal dust's existence and the associated health hazards necessitate their incorporation into the regulatory framework governing the coal mining industry. This study lays the groundwork for heightened protective measures for miners, urging the invention of state-of-the-art sampling instruments, comprehensive physicochemical profiling of RCMD nanoparticles, and the pursuit of groundbreaking remedies to neutralize their toxic impact. These findings advocate for a paradigm shift in how the coal mining industry views and handles particulate matter, proposing a re-evaluation of occupational health standards and a call to action for protecting coal miners worldwide., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Few studies have considered household interventions for reducing endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposures. We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, originally designed to reduce lead exposure, to evaluate if the intervention lowered EDC exposures in young children. Study participants were children from the Cincinnati, Ohio area (n = 250, HOME Study). Prenatally, families received a housing intervention that included paint stabilization and dust mitigation, or as a control, injury prevention measures. At 24-months, we measured organophosphate esters (OPEs) and phthalates or their metabolites in dust and urine. We measured perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in dust and serum at 24- and 36-months, respectively. We assessed associations between dust and biomarker EDCs using Spearman correlations, characterized EDC mixtures via principal components analysis, and investigated treatment effects using linear regression. To mitigate selection bias, we fit statistical models using inverse probability of retention weights. Correlations between dust EDCs and analogous biomarkers were weak-to-moderate (ρ's ≤ 0.3). The intervention was associated with 23 % (95 % CI: -38, -3) lower urinary DEHP metabolites and, in a per-protocol analysis, 34 % lower (95 % CI: -55, -2) urinary MBZP. Additionally, among Black or African American children, the intervention was associated with lower serum concentrations of several PFAS (e.g., -42 %; 95 % CI: -63, -8 for PFNA). Household interventions that include paint stabilization and dust mitigation may reduce childhood exposures to some phthalates and PFAS in Blacks/African Americans. These findings highlight the need for larger studies with tailored and sustained housing interventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This work focuses on dust detection, and estimation of vegetation in coal mining sites using the vegetation indices (VIs) differences model and PRISMA hyperspectral imagery. The results were validated by ground survey spectral and foliar dust data. The findings indicate that the highest Separability (S), Coefficient of discrimination (R 2 ), and lowest Probability (P) values were found for the narrow-banded Narrow-banded Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Transformed Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (TSAVI), and Tasselled Cap Transformation Greenness (TC-greenness) indices. These indices have been utilized for the Vegetation Combination (VC) index analysis. Compared to other VC indices, this VC index revealed the highest difference (29.77%), which led us to employ this index for the detection of healthy and dust-affected areas. The foliar dust model was developed for the estimation and mapping of dust impact on vegetation using the VIs differences models (VIs diff models), laboratory dust amounts, and leaf spectral regression analysis. Based on the highest R 2 (0.90), the narrow-banded TC-greenness differenced VI was chosen as the best VI, and the coefficient (L) value (-7.75gm/m 2 ) was used for estimating the amount of foliar dust in coal mining sites. Compared to other indices-based difference dust models, the narrow-banded TC-greenness difference image had the highest R 2 (0.71) and lowest RMSE (4.95 gm/m 2 ). According to the findings, the areas with the highest dust include those with mining haul roads, transportation, rail lines, dump areas, tailing ponds, backfilling, and coal stockyard sides. This study also showed a significant inverse relationship (R 2  = 0.84) among vegetation dust classes, leaf canopy spectrum, and distance from mines. This study provides a new way for estimating dust on vegetation based on advanced hyperspectral remote sensing (PRISMA) and field spectral analysis techniques that may be helpful for vegetation dust monitoring and environmental management in mining sites., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mediterranean countries are often affected by desert dust storms, which have significant effects on the environment and public health. We compared airborne particle radioactivity levels during desert dust and non-dust days in Cyprus. Gross α- and β-radioactivity from Total Suspended Particle (TSP) samples, collected at two urban routine monitoring stations in Limassol and Nicosia, were available for the period 2017-2020 and 2008-2020, respectively. Radionuclides 137 Cs and 40 K, from TSP samples, were also available from a semi-industrial monitoring station in Nicosia during 2008-2020. Information on desert dust presence, dust origin, particulate matter (PM) levels, and solar activity (KP index and solar sunspot numbers - SSN) were also obtained. We used linear regression models adjusting for seasonality and long-term trends, and solar activity to assess the effect of dust storms on TSP gross α- and β-, and 137 Cs and 40 K radioactivity levels. Gross α- and β-radioactivity, and 137 Cs and 40 K radioactivity levels were significantly higher on days with desert dust compared to days characterized with no influence of desert dust. Levels of gross α- and β-radioactivity during dust days were higher when dust originated from the Middle East deserts than from the Sahara Desert. The same trend was observed for the ratios 137 Cs to 40 K and 137 Cs to PM 10 . Conversely, ratios of TSP gross α- and β-radioactivity to PM 10 were significantly lower during desert dust days in comparison to days without dust influence. This study suggests that desert dust increase both TSP gross α- and β-radioactivity, as well as 137 Cs and 40 K radioactivity levels. Further studies should clarify the contribution of anthropogenic and other natural sources to the emission or transportation of particles radioactivity, to better mitigate future exposures., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Phthalate acid esters (PAEs), as a common group of plasticizers, are widely present in indoor environments and pose a risk to human health. Indoor dust samples collected from dormitory, classroom, laboratory, and office in several universities in China, were analyzed for seven types of PAEs. The total concentrations of seven PAEs (Σ 7 PAEs) ranged from 4.87 to 360 μg/g, with a median concentration of 51 μg/g, which is lower than that reported by other studies. Using the median concentration of Σ 7 PAEs as a metric, we assessed the levels of contamination in different microenvironments, resulting in the following ranking: dormitory > classroom > laboratory > office. There are significant differences in the levels of individual PAEs in different microenvironments. Radiation from sunlight, ventilation rates, cleaning frequency, and sprays were influential factors for the concentrations of individual PAEs in indoor dust. The indoor environmental conditions and consumption patterns profoundly affect PAEs levels. The sources of PAEs in classroom and office were more complex than in dormitory and laboratory. Daily intakes of PAEs were used to calculate carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human risk for males and females, indicating a low health risk to humans. This is the first study to assess the risk of PAEs in university microenvironments and provides a valuable reference for further research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Exposure to particulate matter and endotoxin can lead to acute and chronic respiratory problems in workers. A study was conducted to quantify particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 μm (PM10) and endotoxin levels in rice mills in northeast India. Sixty-four PM10 dust samples were collected from eight rice mills at two locations: the feeding and polishing sections for two varieties of paddy: Ranjit and Hali. Endotoxin exposures were analyzed using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL) gel clot test. The results showed that the geometric mean of the 8-h time-weighted average (TWA) PM10 dust concentration and endotoxin level in the rice mills were 10.69 mg/m³ and 2.2 EU/m³, respectively. Dust and endotoxin exposure were higher in the feeding section than in the polishing section. Endotoxin exposure in the feeding section during the milling of the Hali variety of paddy was 56.0 % higher than the milling of the Ranjit variety. Additionally, endotoxin exposure during the milling of the Hali variety was 24.2 % higher than that of the milling of the Ranjit variety in the polishing section. The dust exposure in the rice mills was 194.5 % higher than the standards set up by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. However, the exposure to endotoxin in rice mills was approximately 40.10 times below the recommended limit of 90 EU/m 3 ., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This work explores the efficiency of honey bees (Apis mellifera) as biosamplers of metal pollution. To understand this, we selected two cities with different urbanization (a medium-sized city and a megacity), and we collected urban dust and honey bees captured during flight. We sampled two villages and a university campus as control areas. The metal content in dust was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the shape and size distribution of the particles, and to characterize the semiquantitative chemical composition of particles adhered to honey bee's wings. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) shows a distinctive urban dust geochemical signature for each city, with component 1 defining V-Cr-Ni-Tl-Pt-Pb-Sb as characteristic of Mexico City and Ce-As-Zr for dust from Hermosillo. Particle count using SEM indicates that 69% and 63.4% of the resuspended dust from Hermosillo and Mexico City, respectively, corresponds to PM 2.5 . Instead, the particle count measured on the honey bee wings from Hermosillo and Mexico City is mainly PM 2.5 , 91.4% and 88.9%, respectively. The wings from honey bees collected in the villages and the university campus show much lower particle amounts. AFM-histograms confirmed that the particles identified in Mexico City have even smaller sizes (between 60 and 480 nm) than those in Hermosillo (between 400 and 1400 nm). Particles enriched in As, Zr, and Ce mixed with geogenic elements such as Si, Ca, Mg, K, and Na dominate honey bee' wings collected in Hermosillo. In contrast, those particles collected from Mexico City contain V, Cr, Ni, Tl, Pt, Pb, and Sb. Such results agree with the urban dust data. This work shows that honey bees are suitable biosamplers for the characterization of fine dust fractions by microscopy techniques and reflect the urban pollution of the sites., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Land use and land cover change (LUCC) can alter surface properties, such as albedo, roughness, and vegetation coverage, directly affecting dust emissions and aerosol concentrations, leading to variations in direct radiative forcing (DRF) of dust aerosols and consequently impacting the climate. This study utilized the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) to quantify the impact of LUCC in northern China from 2000 to 2020 on dust aerosol DRF. Results indicated that LUCC's influence on shortwave radiative forcing of dust was significantly greater than its influence on longwave radiative forcing and exhibited obvious seasonal variations. Overall, LUCC can cause net direct radiative forcing to increase by 5.3 W m -2 at the surface and decrease by 7.8 W m -2 in the atmosphere. Different types of LUCC transformation showed distinct impacts on dust aerosol DRF, with the conversion from sparse vegetation to barren land had the most significant effect on net radiative intensity, resulting in a decrease of 8.1 W m -2 at the surface, an increase of 12.2 W m -2 in the atmosphere, and an increase of 4.1 W m -2 at the top of the atmosphere. Conversely, the conversion from barren land to sparse vegetation led to surface cooling and atmospheric warming. These findings are of great significance for enhancing our knowledge of the effects of LUCC on the radiative balance of dust aerosols., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)