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• A practical method to identify SVOC sources in indoor environments is developed. • In-situ SVOC sampling replaces disruptive procedures. • Direct thermal desorption of SVOCs improves analytical efficiency. • The method could facilitate SVOC control and surveillance of emerging pollutants. Indoor semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) pose a substantial threat to human health. However, identifying the sources of these emissions has been challenging owing to the scarcity of convenient and practical on-site methodologies. Herein, a novel method for source screening was proposed using aluminum silicate sampling strips to adsorb SVOCs from the surface air of indoor materials. The adsorbed SVOC levels indicate the emission intensity of these materials into indoor environments. Additionally, compact sampling strips can be readily fixed to any vertical surface using a static sticker, facilitating the characterization of various materials in practical settings. Laboratory-simulated experiments demonstrated the capability of the proposed method to differentiate between source and non-source materials within a 10-cm distance in the same space. In practical scenarios, the primary emission sources identified via this method exhibited a consistent correlation with the contents of the corresponding materials obtained from the traditional solvent-extraction method. As the adsorbed SVOCs were directly transferred to a GC–MS through thermal desorption instead of the solvent-extraction procedure, the proposed method demonstrated several-fold improvements in analytical sensitivity and efficiency. Using this versatile screening technique, some emerging and important SVOC species were identified within specific indoor materials. Eliminating these sources has been demonstrated as an effective approach to mitigate SVOC pollution. Overall, the proposed method offers a powerful tool for managing indoor pollutants and safeguarding human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indoors is thought to be associated with several adverse health effects. However, we still lack concentration–response (C‐R) relationships between VOC levels in civil buildings and various health outcomes. For this paper, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies to summarize related associations and C‐R relationships. Four databases were searched to collect all relevant studies published between January 1980 and December 2017. A total of 39 studies were identified in the systematic review, and 32 of these were included in the meta‐analysis. We found that the pooled relative risk (RR) for leukemia was 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01–1.05) per 1 μg/m3 increase of benzene and 1.25 (95%CI: 1.14–1.37) per 0.1 μg/m3 increase of butadiene. The pooled RRs for asthma were 1.08 (95% CI: 1.02–1.14), 1.02 (95% CI: 1.00–1.04), and 1.04 (95% CI: 1.02–1.06) per 1 μg/m3 increase of benzene, toluene, and p‐dichlorobenzene, respectively. The pooled RR for low birth weight was 1.12 (95% CI: 1.05–1.19) per 1 μg/m3 increase of benzene. Our findings provide robust evidence for associations between benzene and leukemia, asthma, and low birth weight, as well as for health effects of some other VOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A questionnaire survey on dermal symptoms and home environment was performed in eight Chinese cities (40 279 participants). Data on city level temperature, precipitation, PM10, NO2, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were collected. In total, 2.2% had eczema, 2.4% facial erythema (FE) and 2.6% seborrheic dermatitis symptoms (SD). Higher temperature was associated with eczema (OR = 1.09). Higher GDP per capita was related to less SD. Higher PM10 was related to SD. Suburban living was protective for eczema (OR = 0.77) (vs. urban). Living in old buildings (built before 1991) was related to eczema (OR = 1.42). Living near heavily trafficked roads was related to FE (OR = 1.33) and SD (OR = 1.35). Having new furniture was related to all symptoms (OR = 1.26–1.47). Burning mosquito coils (OR = 1.37–1.57) and incense (OR = 1.33–1.37) were associated with eczema, FE, or SD. Presence of cockroaches and rats/mice was associated with FE or SD (OR = 1.31–1.40). Using air conditioner, daily cleaning and frequently exposing bedding to sunshine were protective (OR = 0.60–0.83). In conclusion, higher temperature, higher PM10, urban living, living near heavily trafficked roads, old buildings, new furniture, burning mosquito coils and incense, and presence of cockroaches/rats/mice increased the risk of eczema, FE, or SD. Higher GDP, air conditioner, daily cleaning, and exposing bedding to sunshine were protective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive literature has reported adverse effects on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on children's health. We aim to analyze associations of ETS with dry night cough, croup, pneumonia, and frequent common cold and to disentangle the effects of prenatal, infancy and childhood exposure by multilevel logistic regression. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 41,176 children aged 3–8 years in 8 major cities of China during 2010–2011, and obtained demographic information, smoke exposure information, and respiratory outcomes. Parents' smoking habit and indoor tobacco smoke odor were considered as two indicators of ETS. The prevalences of respiratory outcomes were 6.0% for croup, 9.5% for frequency common cold, 17.1% for dry night cough and 32.3% for pneumonia respectively in the study. The associations between respiratory outcomes and parental smoking were not obvious, while indoor tobacco smoke odor was clearly and strongly associated with most respiratory outcomes, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.06 to 1.95. Both infancy and childhood exposure to tobacco smoke odor were independent risk factors, but infancy exposure had a higher risk. The results explore that ETS increased the risk of respiratory outcomes in children, highlighting the need for raising awareness about the detrimental effects of tobacco smoke exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An experimental equipment for adsorption desalination system with falling-film evaporator and heat recovery between adsorber and desorber beds was designed and established. The running performance of the system was investigated experimentally in steady condition. The yield and quality of product water were tested. The results show that the specific daily water production and performance ratio are 4.69 and 0.766, respectively. The heat transfer between tube and shell side in falling-film evaporator is mainly influenced by the amount of vapor desorbed from adsorbents. The utilization of heat recovery cannot increase the water production, but it can save energy. The heat recovery efficiency is 74.7% in every process of heat recovery. All indexes of produced water meet the standard of drinking water in China. Highlights • An adsorption desalination system with heat recovery was designed and established. • The heat recovery efficiency can reach 70.6% by using heat recovery measure. • The specific daily water production and performance ratio of 4.69 and 0.766 • All indexes of produced water meet the standard of drinking water in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous questionnaire-based studies were conducted to investigate associations of home environment with childhood health, whereas few studies confirmed validity of parents-reported questionnaire regarding dwelling characteristics and dampness-related indicators. According to data obtained by standard questions regarding these items via on-site inspection in 454 residences with young children during 2013–2014, and data collected for these items from their parents-reported questionnaires in cross-sectional survey during 2011–2012 in Shanghai, China, this paper validated consistencies of information for these items between the two phases, thus to confirm validity of parents-reported questionnaire regarding these items. According to Kappa ( k ) values, parents and inspectors had moderate/substantial consistencies regarding dwelling characteristics ( k = 0.212–0.894), but had slight consistencies regarding dampness-related indicators and indoor odors (absolute k = 0.019–0.144). However, according to the observed, positive, and negative proportional agreement (P o , P pos , and P neg ), parents and inspectors had substantial/prefect consistencies in most of the studied items (P o = 0.45–0.96). These trends of consistencies for different items had no notable differences, regardless of father or mother as the questionnaire-reporter, and among the residences inspected in different seasons. This study suggests parents-reported questionnaire could be a reliable and valid method to indicate the overall status of dwelling characteristics and home dampness-related exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Early life exposure to traffic pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) plays a key role in childhood asthma. • Pre- or post-natal exposure to increased temperature and extreme hot day elevates asthma risk. • Co-exposure to both high temperatures and air pollution significantly increases risk of asthma. • Boys and younger children are more susceptible to postnatal heat-particle interaction on asthma. • Our study suggests a hypothesis of "fetal origin of asthma" via temperature-pollution interaction. Although mounting evidence has associated air pollution and environmental temperature with children's health problems, it is unclear whether there is an interaction between these factors on childhood asthma. To explore the effects of temperature-pollution interactions during pre- and post-natal periods on asthma among pre-schoolers. A retrospective cohort study of 39,782 pre-schoolers was performed during 2010–2012, in seven cities in China. Exposure to three temperature indicators (TI) and three critical ambient air pollutants, including particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM 10), sulfur dioxide (SO 2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) as proxies of industrial and vehicular air pollution, was estimated by an inverse distance weighted (IDW) method. Two-level logistical regression analysis was used to examine the association between both pre- and post-natal exposure and childhood asthma in terms of odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI). Asthma prevalence in pre-schoolers at age of 3–6 years (6.9 %) was significantly associated with traffic-related air pollutant (NO 2) exposure, with ORs (95 % CI) of 1.17 (1.06, 1.28), 1.19 (1.05–1.34) and 1.16 (1.03–1.31) for an IQR increase in NO 2 exposure during lifetime, pregnancy, and entire postnatal period respectively. Furthermore, childhood asthma was positively associated with exposure to increased temperature during lifetime, pregnancy, and entire postnatal period with ORs (95 % CI) = 1.89 (1.66, 2.16), 1.47 (1.34, 1.61), and 1.15 (1.11, 1.18) respectively, while was negatively associated with decreased temperatures. Childhood asthma was positively related with exposure to extreme heat days (EHD) during postnatal period particularly in first year of life respectively with ORs (95 % CI) = 1.23 (1.04, 1.46) and 1.26 (1.07, 1.47), but was not related with extreme cold days (ECD) exposure. A combination of high air pollutant levels and high temperatures significantly increased the risk of asthma during both pre- and post-natal periods. Strikingly, we found a significantly positive interaction of temperature and PM 10 or SO 2 on asthma risk among boys and younger children. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to ambient air pollution and high temperatures are independently and jointly associated with asthma risk in early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Maternal exposure to PM 2.5 and chemical constituents, especially BC, increased the risks of AR in preschool children. • There was a geographical heterogeneity of the associations between prenatal PM 2.5 /constituents and children's AR. • Postnatal exclusive breastfeeding (>6 months） could alleviate the adverse effects of prenatal exposure to PM 2.5 but varied between regions. Increasing prevalence of childhood allergic rhinitis(AR) needs a deeper understanding on the potential adverse effects of early life exposure to air pollution. The main aim was to evaluate the effects of maternal exposure to PM 2.5 and chemical constituents during pregnancy on preschool children's AR, and further to explore the modification effects of regions and exclusive breastfeeding. A multi-center population-based study was performed in 6 cities from 3 regions of China in 2011–2012. Maternal exposure to ambient PM 2.5 and main chemical constituents(BC, OM, SO 4 2−, NO 3 −, NH 4 +) during pregnancy was assessed and a longitudinal prospective analysis was applied on preschool children's AR. The modification effects of regions and exclusive breastfeeding were investigated. A total of 8.8% and 9.8% of children reported doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis(DDAR) and current hay fever, respectively, and 48.6% had less than 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding. The means of PM 2.5 during pregnancy were 52.7 μg/m3, 70.3 μg/m3 and 76.4 μg/m3 in the east, north and central south of China, respectively. Multilevel log-binomial model regression showed that each interquartile range(IQR) increase of PM 2.5 during pregnancy was associated with an average increase in prevalence ratio (PR) of DDAR by 1.43(95% confidence interval(CI): 1.11, 1.84) and current hay fever by 1.79(95% CI: 1.26, 2.55), respectively. Among chemical constituents, black carbon (BC) had the strongest associations. Across 3 regions, the eastern cities had the highest associations, followed by those in the central south and the north. For those equal to or longer than 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, the associations were significantly reduced. Children in east of China had the highest risks of developing AR per unit increase of maternal exposure to PM 2.5 during pregnancy, especially BC constituent. Remarkable decline was found in association with an increase in breastfeeding for ≥6 months, in particular in east of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Common VOCs and characteristic VOCs between aircraft cabin and building environment were discussed. • Six key VOCs (formaldehyde, benzene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and naphthalene) that merit priority attention in aircraft cabins were proposed. • Neural network algorithm was introduced for the prediction of TVOC on flights. • The hierarchical design of pollutant concentration limits was recommended for aircraft cabin. The identification of key VOCs during flights is important in creating a satisfactory aircraft cabin environment. Two VOC databases for the building indoor environment (from 251 occupied residences) and the aircraft cabin environment (from 56 commercial flights) were compared, to determine the common compounds (detection rate (DR) > 70%) in the two environments and the characteristic VOCs (only those with high DR during flights) in aircraft cabins. Possible VOC emission sources in flights were also discussed. As TVOC is usually viewed as a general indicator of air quality, the prediction of TVOC concentration was carried out using BP neural network algorithm, and the average error between the predicted and measured values was 55.35 μg/m3 (R2 = 0.80). Meanwhile, the VOCs' inhalation cancer/non-cancer risks to crew members and passengers were calculated on the basis of detection rates, exposure concentrations, and health risk assessments. Six compounds (i.e., formaldehyde, benzene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and naphthalene) were proposed as the key VOCs in the existing aircraft cabin environment, presenting a risk to crew members that is higher than the US EPA proposed acceptable level (evaluated mean value > 1E-06). The estimated lifetime excess cancer/non-cancer risks for passengers were all below the assessment criteria. Based on a summary of various VOC limits in five built environments, hierarchical design of VOC concentration limits is recommended for the aircraft environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Prenatal air pollution (PM 2.5 and PM 10) can increase furry pet related symptoms among pre-school children in China. • Indoor mould, dampness and window pane condensation can increase furry pet related symptoms and diagnosed rhinitis. • Early life cat and dog keeping can increase furry pet related symptoms and diagnosed rhinitis. • Prenatal farm exposure and living in less urbanized areas can protect against rhinitis not related to furry pets. Few Chinese population studies exist on early life risk factors for furry pet allergy. We studied childhood respiratory symptoms when in contact with furry pets in relation to early life exposure. Moreover, we studied similar environmental associations for rhinitis not related to furry pets. Children aged 3–6 y from day care centres in seven Chinese cities participated (N = 39,782). Parents answered a questionnaire on home environment and children's health, including rhinoconjunctivitis and wheeze when in contact with furry pets, and diagnosed rhinitis. Prenatal and postnatal outdoor temperature, PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and NO 2 were calculated using data from monitoring stations. Associations were estimated by multilevel logistic regression. Totally 2% had cats, 4% dogs, and 3.2% had rhinoconjunctivitis or wheeze when in contact with furry pets (FP symptoms). Moreover, 1.1% had furry pet related diagnosed rhinitis and 7.5% had diagnosed rhinitis not related to furry pets (other diagnosed rhinitis). Prenatal PM 2.5 and PM 10 , especially in second trimester, and a colder climate were risk factors for FP symptoms. ETS, dampness and mould, condensation on windows in wintertime, and cats and dog keeping were associated with FP symptoms. Breast feeding and frequent window opening were protective. Similar indoor associations were found for furry pet related diagnosed rhinitis. ETS, dampness and mould, window condensation, urbanization and mechanical exhaust ventilation were risk factors for other diagnosed rhinitis. Cooking with an electric stove and early life exposure to animals (cats, dogs, farm environment during pregnancy) were protective for diagnosed rhinitis not related to furry pets. Prenatal outdoor PM 10 and PM 2.5 can be risk factors for symptoms suggestive of furry pet allergy. Early life dampness and mould can be risk factors for rhinitis related and not related to furry pets. Exposure to animals (cats, dogs, farm environment) may reduce diagnosed rhinitis not related to furry pets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a serious global shortage of freshwater resources, the use of adsorption desalination technology has great potential. A pilot-scale adsorption desalination system with water production of 100 kg/h was developed based on the optimization and improvement of the small-scale system in this paper. The seawater evaporation and water production of the system was investigated experimentally under steady conditions. The results showed that the rate of water production was >100 kg/h when the temperature of the hot-water entering the desorber bed was 55 °C and the flow rate was 28 m3/h. With an increment of hot-water temperature and flow rate, the water production rate increased, reaching 191.3 kg/h when the temperature of the hot-water was 80 °C. However, the volatile phenols, Fe, pH and chroma of the water that was produced exceeded the limits prescribed in the Standards for Drinking Water Quality in China (GB 5749-2006). • A pilot-scale AD system with water production of 100 kg/h was developed. • The pilot-scale AD system was improved based on the small-scale system. • The system could operate at the hot-water temperature of 55 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increased concern on indoor air quality (IAQ) in residences since the majority of individuals' time is mainly spent indoors. We inspected and measured indoor environmental parameters in 399 homes in northeast China in order to study IAQ. We systematically measured multilevel environmental parameters (physical, chemical, and biological) in children's bedrooms during all seasons. The results indicated that the median values for indoor temperature, relative humidity, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), and formaldehyde concentrations throughout the year were within the Chinese national standards. However, the median carbon dioxide concentrations exceeded 1000 ppm during spring, autumn, and winter. In the same seasons, the air change rate (ACR) was below the minimum required level of 0.5 h -1 . Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP) were predominantly detected in settled dust, displaying median concentrations of 126.9, 41.5, and 16.3 μg/g, respectively. Notably, phthalate concentrations were significantly higher in urban houses as compared to rural houses. Furthermore, median concentrations of Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) and endotoxin were 689.4 ng/g and 3689.1 EU/g, respectively, trending higher in winter than summer. There was a negative correlation between ACR and chemical pollutants (TVOC, formaldehyde, and DiBP). In conclusion, northeast Chinese homes had poor indoor air quality with ubiquitous exposure to modern chemical compounds and insufficient ventilation., 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: High-level exposure to indoor air pollutants (IAPs) and their corresponding adverse health effects have become a public concern in China in the past 10 years. However, neither national nor provincial level burden of disease attributable to multiple IAPs has been reported for China. This is the first study to estimate and rank the annual burden of disease and the financial costs attributable to targeted residential IAPs at the national and provincial level in China from 2000 to 2017., Methods: We first did a systematic review and meta-analysis of 117 articles from 37 231 articles identified in major databases, and obtained exposure-response relationships for the candidate IAPs. The exposure levels to these IAPs were then collected by another systematic review of 1864 articles selected from 52 351 articles. After the systematic review, ten IAPs with significant and robust exposure-response relationships and sufficient exposure data were finally targeted: PM 2·5 , nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, radon, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and p-dichlorobenzene. The annual exposure levels in residences were then evaluated in all 31 provinces in mainland China continuously from 2000 to 2017, using the spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression model to analyse indoor originating IAPs, and the infiltration factor method to analyse outdoor originating IAPs. The disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to the targeted IAPs were estimated at both national and provincial levels in China, using the population attributable fraction method. Financial costs were estimated by an adapted human capital approach., Findings: From 2000 to 2017, annual DALYs attributable to the ten IAPs in mainland China decreased from 4620 (95% CI 4070-5040) to 3700 (3210-4090) per 100 000. Nevertheless, in 2017, IAPs still ranked third among all risk factors, and their DALYs and financial costs accounted for 14·1% (95% CI 12·3-15·6) of total DALYs and 3·45% (3·01-3·82) of the gross domestic product. Specifically, the rank of ten targeted IAPs in order of their contribution to DALYs in 2017 was PM 2·5 , carbon monoxide, radon, benzene, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, toluene, and p-dichlorobenzene. The DALYs attributable to IAPs were 9·50% higher than those attributable to outdoor air pollution in 2017. For the leading IAP, PM 2·5 , the DALYs attributable to indoor origins are 18·3% higher than those of outdoor origins., Interpretation: DALYs attributed to IAPs in China have decreased by 20·0% over the past two decades. Even so, they are still much higher than those in the USA and European countries. This study can provide a basis for determining which IAPs to target in various indoor air quality standards and for estimating the health and economic benefits of various indoor air quality control approaches, which will help to reduce the adverse health effects of IAPs in China., Funding: The National Key Research and Development Program of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of China., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

People spend a considerable portion of their lives indoors; thus, the quality of the indoor environment is crucial. Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are among the primary indoor pollutants responsible for various health risks. This paper systematically reviews the impact of SVOC exposure on human health in Chinese built environments. Based on a set of criteria, we judged 12 publications as providing sufficient information on both SVOC exposure and health effects to inform the relationship. Out of six studies on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), three observed a positive association between PAH exposure and lung cancer. Out of six studies of phthalate exposure, two studies reported a significant positive association between DEP and DiBP and asthma, between DEP and DEHP and dry cough among children, and between DBP and rhinitis among younger adults. The results of this review suggest that there might be a link between phthalate exposure and asthma and allergies, as well as a link between PAH exposure and lung cancer. However, due to the limited number of studies conducted, more evidence is necessary to definitively guide the establishment of standards for SVOC control in China.

Phthalates are ubiquitous 'modern' chemical compounds with potential negative impacts on children's health. A nested case-control study was designed to investigate associations of phthalate exposure with children's asthma and allergic symptoms. We collected 243 first morning urine samples from 4-8-year-old children in Tianjin, China. Eight metabolites (i.e., mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxylpentyl) phthalate (MECPP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP)) of five phthalates were analyzed using HPLC-MS. MiBP, MnBP and MECPP were the dominant phthalate metabolites in urine of children in Tianjin with median concentrations of 31.6 μg/L, 26.24 μg/L and 46.12 μg/L, respectively. We found significantly positive associations of diagnosed asthma with MnBP (adjusted odds ratios (AOR): 1.96; 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 1.07-3.61), MEHHP (AOR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.08-3.71) and MEOHP (AOR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.06-4.10). Our study indicates that phthalate exposure in childhood, especially to di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), may be a risk factor for children's asthma.

House dust mites produce well-known allergens for asthma and allergy among children. To study house dust mite allergen exposure level in northeast China and characterize its association with indoor environmental factors and cleaning habits, we inspected 399 homes in Tianjin area and collected dust from mattresses. Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) were detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The medians of total allergen concentrations for spring, summer, autumn, and winter were 524 ng/g, 351 ng/g, 1022 ng/g, and 1010 ng/g. High indoor air relative humidity (RH), low air change rate, indoor dampness, and frequent changing of quilt cover/bedsheet/pillow case were significantly associated with high house dust mite allergen concentration (relative risk [RR]: RH, 1.18-1.34; air change rate, 0.97-1.00; dampness, 2.92-3.83; changing quilt cover/bedsheet/pillow case, 0.66-0.75). The decrease in the absolute humidity gradient between indoors and outdoors that occurs with increased air change rate may explain why a high ventilation reduces house dust mite allergen concentration. The findings of this study show the importance of ventilation and cleaning for controlling house dust mite allergens. We found that the decrease in additional absolute humidity (e.g., humidity indoor -humidity outdoor ) with increased air change rate may be the main reason that a high ventilation rate reduces house dust mite allergen concentration. Ventilation and cleaning should be both considered for creating a healthy home environment., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This paper provides a method for evaluating indoor phthalate exposure levels in collected dust, including dust collection, chemical analysis and quality control. Indoor dusts were collected with a self-made equipment and pretreated by the Soxhlet extractor method. Six phthalates, i.e., diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBzP), di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-isononyl phthalate (DiNP) in the dust were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). •Measures were taken to avoid background contamination of phthalates during sampling and chemical analysis to accurately evaluate the indoor phthalates exposure levels.•Filter sock and self-made mouthpiece mounted on vacuum cleaner were made of nylon and aluminum respectively.•Dust from surface of plastic products was avoided. The pretreatment of vessels and analysis of blank samples were conducted to reduce "noise" from background contamination., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Purpose: In the past 60 years, the prevalences of asthma and allergy among children have increased around the world. Neither genetic nor outdoor environmental factors can explain this increase., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 7366 children in Tianjin, China, on associations of home environment and lifestyles with asthma and allergy., Results: The prevalences of diagnosed asthma, rhinitis and eczema among 0- to 8-year-old children in the Tianjin area were 4%, 9% and 39%. Home environment and lifestyle, together with infections, were strong risk factors. For asthma and allergy, the population attributable fraction (PAF) due to modern floors and wall coverings (i.e., laminated wooden floors and painted walls compared to tile floors and lime-coated walls) was 22%. Window condensation in winter and air conditioner use in summer, both of which are proxies for less ventilation, accounted for 7-17% of rhinitis and eczema. Cesarean delivery accounted for 10% of eczema symptoms. We developed a modern life index from appropriate home characteristics and lifestyle and food consumption habits and found it to have a clear dose-response relationship with asthma and allergy in Tianjin children., Conclusions: The results indicate that a "modern" home environment together with a modern lifestyle is associated with increased prevalences of asthma and allergies among children. Appropriate indoor environmental interventions and education of children's caregivers are important in the management of childhood asthma and allergy.

The urbanization and industrialization in China is accompanied by bad air quality, and the prevalence of asthma in Chinese children has been increasing in recent years. To investigate the associations between ambient PM 2.5 levels and asthmatic and allergic diseases or symptoms in preschool children in China, we assigned PM 2.5 exposure data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project to 205 kindergartens at a spatial resolution of 0.1° × 0.1° in six cities in China (Shanghai, Nanjing, Chongqing, Changsha, Urumqi, and Taiyuan). A hierarchical multiple logistical regression model was applied to analyze the associations between kindergarten-level PM 2.5 exposure and individual-level outcomes of asthmatic and allergic symptoms. The individual-level variables, including gender, age, family history of asthma and allergic diseases, breastfeeding, parental smoking, indoor dampness, interior decoration pollution, household annual income, and city-level variable-annual temperature were adjusted. A total of 30,759 children (average age 4.6 years, 51.7% boys) were enrolled in this study. Apart from family history, indoor dampness, and decoration as predominant risk factors, we found that an increase of 10 μg/m 3 of the annual PM 2.5 was positively associated with the prevalence of allergic rhinitis by an odds ratio (OR) of 1.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11, 1.29) and diagnosed asthma by OR of 1.10 (95% CI 1.03, 1.18). Those who lived in non-urban (vs. urban) areas were exposed to more severe indoor air pollution arising from biomass combustion and had significantly higher ORs between PM 2.5 and allergic rhinitis and current rhinitis. Our study suggested that long-term exposure to PM 2.5 might increase the risks of asthmatic and allergic diseases or symptoms in preschool children in China. Compared to those living in urban areas, children living in suburban or rural areas had a higher risk of PM 2.5 exposure., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)