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Purpose: This study evaluated the pulmonary risk caused by possible respirable dust of Al2O3 and SiOx resulting from chairside tribochemical sandblasting procedures in a dental office. Materials and Methods: Dust was collected using a trap near the working field, and quantitative morphologic determination and identification were performed with SEM and EDAX. Forty blasting processes (total time 20 minutes) were aimed at a dummy to obtain maximum pollution of the workplace. Respirable dust fraction was measured using personal air samplers with an 8-µm cellulose-nitrate filter and a volume flow rate of 2 L/min. Mass of the respirable dust fraction was determined, and respirable free crystalline silica was identified with the help of infrared spectroscopy. Results: Blasting of metal or ceramic surfaces with tribochemical agents produces respirable and potentially harmful SiOx and Al2O3 particles with a diameter of less than 5 µm, showing a total concentration in the air of less than 0.3 mg/m³. With and without dental suction, the concentration of the respirable free crystalline silica was smaller than 0.02 mg/m³. Conclusion: Concern regarding the risk of chairside tribochemical methods and possible impairment of health of patients and dental staff is unfounded, even under extreme conditions or without protective measures, since the concentrations of SiOx found in the air of the workplace were far below the current threshold value of 0.15 mg/m³. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted DNA metabarcoding (based on the nuclear ITS2 region) to characterize indoor pollen samples (possibly accompanied by other plant fragments) and to discover whether there are seasonal changes in their taxonomic diversity. It was shown that DNA metabarcoding has potential to allow a good discovery of taxonomic diversity. The number of spermatophyte families and genera varied greatly among sampling sites (pooled results per building) and times, between 9-40 and 10-66, respectively. Comparable Shannon's diversity indices equaled 0.33-2.76 and 0.94-3.16. The total number of spermatophyte genera found during the study was 187, of which 43.9, 39.6, 7.5 and 9.1% represented wild, garden/crop and indoor house plants, and non-domestic fruit or other plant material, respectively. Comparable proportions of individual sequences equaled 77.4, 18.8, 2.7 and 1.1%, respectively. When comparing plant diversities and taxonomic composition among buildings or between seasons, no obvious pattern was detected, except for the second summer, when pollen coming from outdoors was highly dominant and the proportions of likely allergens, birch, grass, alder and mugwort pollen, were very high. The average pairwise values of SørensenChao indices that were used to compare similarities for taxon composition between samples among the samples from the two university buildings, two nurseries and farmhouse equaled 0.514, 0.109, 0.564, 0.865 and 0.867, respectively, while the mean similarity index for all samples was 0.524. Cleaning frequency may strongly contribute to the observed diversity. The discovery of considerable diversities, including pollen coming from outside, in both winter and summer shows that substantial amounts of pollen produced in summer enter buildings and stay there throughout the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research primarily deals with the photocatalytic degradation of methanol in indoor air using nanocoated indoor textiles used for curtains as household textiles. The woven polyester was coated by titanium dioxide by sol gel method, using silicon-based binder. The characterization of the coating has been done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image analysis, energy dispersive analysis using X-ray (EDAX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The DIY instrument providing the similar environment as of indoor was designed to assess the performance of the degradation of formaldehyde under UV light. The photocatalytic degradation rate was measured using the absorption value of the solutions obtained in the result of liquid chromatography of test solution and reagent solution. Different amount of dosages (1-3 %) and different time period of coatings (half hour to 3 h) have been evaluated for optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study six common user scenarios putatively influencing indoor air quality were performed in a model room constructed according to the specifications of the European Reference Room given in the new horizontal prestandard prEN 16516 to gain further information about the influence of user activities on indoor air quality. These scenarios included the use of cleaning agent, an electric air freshener, an ethanol fireplace and cosmetics as well as cigarette smoking and peeling of oranges. Four common indoor air pollutants were monitored: volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter (PM), carbonyl compounds and CO 2 . The development of all pollutants was determined during and after the test performance. For each measured pollutant, well-defined maximum values could be assigned to one or more of the individual user scenarios. The highest VOC concentration was measured during orange-peeling reaching a maximum value of 3547 μg m −3 . Carbonyl compounds and PM were strongly elevated while cigarette smoking. Here, a maximum formaldehyde concentration of 76 μg m −3 and PM concentration of 378 μg m −3 were measured. CO 2 was only slightly affected by most of the tests except the use of the ethanol fireplace where a maximum concentration of 1612 ppm was reached. Generally, the user scenarios resulted in a distinct increase of several indoor pollutants that usually decreased rapidly after the removal of the source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Airborne particulate matter (PM) is a widespread environmental exposure and leading health risk factor. The health effects of PM may be mediated by its oxidative potential; however, the combustion and non-combustion sources and components of PM responsible for its oxidative potential are poorly understood, particularly in low- and middle-income rural settings where coal and biomass burning for cooking and heating contribute to PM exposure. Methods We measured 24-h personal exposures to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) of 20 rural women in northern (Inner Mongolia) and southern (Sichuan) Chinese provinces who used solid fuels ( i.e. , coal, biomass). PM 2.5 exposures were characterized for mass, black carbon, water-soluble organic carbon, major water-soluble ions, and 47 elements. The oxidative potential of PM 2.5 exposures was measured using acellular (dithiothreitol-based) and cellular (macrophage-based) assays. We performed factor and correlation analyses using the chemical components of PM 2.5 to identify sources of exposure to PM 2.5 and their chemical markers. Associations between oxidative potential and chemical markers for major sources of PM 2.5 exposure were assessed using linear regression models. Results Women's geometric mean PM 2.5 exposures were 249 μg m − 3 (range: 53.9–767) and 83.9 μg m − 3 (range: 73.1–95.5) in Inner Mongolia and Sichuan, respectively. Dust, biomass combustion, and coal combustion were identified as the major sources of exposure to PM 2.5 . Markers for dust (iron, aluminum) were significantly associated with intrinsic oxidative potential [ e.g. , one interquartile range increase in iron (ppm) was associated with an 85.5% (95% CI: 21.5, 149) increase in cellular oxidative potential (μg Zymosan mg − 1 )], whereas markers for coal (arsenic, non-sulfate sulfur) and biomass (black carbon, cadmium) combustion were not associated with oxidative potential. Conclusions Dust was largely responsible for the intrinsic oxidative potential of PM 2.5 exposures of rural Chinese women, whereas biomass and coal combustion were not significantly associated with intrinsic oxidative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scientists conducting research into household air or dust pollution must decide whether, when, and how to disclose to study participants their individual results. A variety of considerations factor into this decision, but one factor that has not received attention until now is the possibility that study participants' receipt of their results might create legal duties under environmental, property, landlord -- tenant, or other laws. Objectives: This article examines relevant laws and regulations and explores the scope of participants' legal duties and the resulting legal and ethical consequences for researchers. Participants could be required in some situations to disclose the presence of certain chemicals when selling or renting their homes or to frequent visitors. The article discusses hypothetical case studies involving the reporting back of results regarding lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, and phthalates. Discussion: The potential legal duties of study participants have both ethical and legal implications for researchers. Issues include whether the legal consequences for participants should affect the decision whether to report back individual results, how researchers should disclose the legal risks to participants during the informed consent process, and whether researchers would be liable to study participants for legal or economic harm arising from reporting study results to them. The review provides recommendations for language that researchers could use in the informed consent process to disclose the legal risks. Conclusions: Researchers should still report back to participants who want to see their results, but they should disclose the risks of obtaining the information as part of the informed consent process. Citation: Goho SA. 2016. The legal implications of report back in household exposure studies. Environ Health Perspect 124:1662-1670; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP187 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the detection and mitigation of vapor intrusion from beneath buildings. Topics include the role of soil contamination with chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene or perc) in vapor intrusion, the use of air purifiers and vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and the roles of sewers and groundwater in vapor intrusion.

The daily concentration and chemical composition of PM2.5 was determined in indoor and outdoor 24-h samples simultaneously collected for a total of 5 weeks during a winter and a summer period in an apartment sited in Rome, Italy. The use of a specifically developed very quiet sampler (<35 dB) allowed the execution of the study while the family living in the apartment led its normal life. The indoor concentration of PM2.5 showed a small seasonal variation, while outdoor values were much higher during the winter study. Outdoor sources were found to contribute significantly to indoor PM concentration especially during the summer, when the apartment was naturally ventilated by opening the windows. During the winter the infiltration of outdoor PM components was lower and mostly regulated by the particle dimensions. Organics displayed In/Out ratios higher than unity during both periods; their indoor production increased significantly during the weekends, where the family stayed mostly at home. PM components were grouped into macrosources (soil, sea, secondary inorganics, traffic, organics). During the summer the main contributions to outdoor PM2.5 came from soil (30%), secondary inorganics (29%) and organics (22%). Organics dominated both indoor PM2.5 during the summer (60%) and outdoor and indoor PM2.5 during the winter (51% and 66%, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correctional centers (prisons) are one of the few non-residential indoor environments where smoking is still permitted. However, few studies have investigated indoor air quality ( IAQ) in these locations. We quantified the level of inmate and staff exposure to secondhand smoke, including particle number ( PN) count, and we assessed the impact of the smoking ban on IAQ. We performed measurements of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 and PN concentrations, personal PN exposure levels, volatile organic compounds ( VOCs), and nicotine both before and after a complete indoor smoking ban in an Australian maximum security prison. Results show that the indoor 24-h average PM2.5 concentrations ranged from 6 (±1) μg/m3 to 17 (±3) μg/m3 pre-ban. The post-ban levels ranged from 7 (±2) μg/m3 to 71 (±43) μg/m3. While PM2.5 concentrations decreased in one unit post-ban, they increased in the other two units. Similar post-ban increases were also observed in levels of PN and VOCs. We describe an unexpected increase of indoor pollutants following a total indoor smoking ban in a prison that was reflected across multiple pollutants that are markers of smoking. We hypothesise that clandestine post-ban smoking among inmates may have been the predominant cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited evidence has associated lower ventilation rates ( VRs) in schools with reduced student learning or achievement. We analyzed longitudinal data collected over two school years from 150 classrooms in 28 schools within three California school districts. We estimated daily classroom VRs from real-time indoor carbon dioxide measured by web-connected sensors. School districts provided individual-level scores on standard tests in Math and English, and classroom-level demographic data. Analyses assessing learning effects used two VR metrics: average VRs for 30 days prior to tests, and proportion of prior daily VRs above specified thresholds during the year. We estimated relationships between scores and VR metrics in multivariate models with generalized estimating equations. All school districts had median school-year VRs below the California VR standard. Most models showed some positive associations of VRs with test scores; however, estimates varied in magnitude and few 95% confidence intervals excluded the null. Combined-district models estimated statistically significant increases of 0.6 points ( P = 0.01) on English tests for each 10% increase in prior 30-day VRs. Estimated increases in Math were of similar magnitude but not statistically significant. Findings suggest potential small positive associations between classroom VRs and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple monitoring system of indoor air pollution is proposed by integrating a novel colorimetric detector of formaldehyde (HCHO) and a function of a built-in camera on mobile phone. The colorimetric detector employs a solid phase colorimetric reagent made from 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, ZnO, KIO4and agar, and changes colour from white to purple by exposure to HCHO gas. The degree of colour changes expressed in Red, Green and Blue model model responded to the HCHO concentration levels both in air and from building materials. Limit of quantitation of the detector with 24 h-exposure resulted in 0.011 mg/m3of air concentration which meets a requirement of methodology to detect indoor air quality guideline level of HCHO set by World Health Organization. The detector is also applicable to classify HCHO-emitting materials at least into Type 1, whose emission flux is greater than 120 μg/m2/h, and others. Then, variation of the acquired photo images was investigated by using various mobile phones and changing conditions of photography. As a result, the calibration of the measured colour intensity with a colour standard reduced the variation of the results and gave a significant output when the auto-focused images were taken under the condition of common indoor environment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The impact of indoor air pollution as a result of cooking with unprocessed biomass on membrane-bound and serum receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa ligand 1 (RANKL), its soluble decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteoclast precursor CD14+CD16+ monocytes was investigated. Seventy-four pre-menopausal women from eastern India using biomass and 65 control women who cooked with cleaner liquefied petroleum gas were enrolled. PM10 and PM2.5 levels in their indoor air were measured with real-time aerosol monitors. The levels of membrane-bound RANKL on leukocytes and percentage CD14+CD16+ monocytes in the subjects' blood were assayed by flow cytometry. Soluble RANKL and OPG in serum were measured by ELISA. The results showed that PM10 and PM2.5 levels were significantly higher in the indoor air of biomass-using households. Compared with the control women, the levels of CD4+ and CD19+ lymphocytes and circulating granulocytes with elevated levels of membrane-bound RANKL were higher in biomass users. The serum levels of RANKL were increased by 41% whereas serum OPG was reduced by 22% among biomass users. The absolute number of CD14+CD16+ monocytes was significantly increased in biomass users than the control women. After controlling for potential confounders, PM10 and PM2.5 levels were found to be positively associated with leukocyte and serum RANKL and CD14+CD16+ monocyte levels, but negatively with serum OPG. From these results, we can conclude that chronic exposure to biomass smoke increased membrane-bound and soluble RANKL and circulating osteoclast precursors but decreased OPG, suggesting an increased risk of bone resorption and consequent osteoporosis in biomass-exposed women of a child-bearing age. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The personal exposure of 51 graduate students to PM and BC in Shanghai was evaluated using portable PM and BC samplers. Global positioning systems and activity diaries were used to evaluate the microenvironments/activities that contributed to the total daily exposure of the participants, as well as to accurately estimate the PM and BC doses received by each participant. The mean PM and BC exposure concentrations were 110.0 and 5.3 μg m, respectively. These exposure levels were considered extremely high and comparable to those measured in a busy urban street canyon for 24 h. High daily inhaled doses in terms of both PM and BC concentrations were measured, obtaining 1062.2 and 45.9 μg day, respectively. Indoor activities significantly contributed to the students' daily dose. Eating contributed the least to PM and BC exposure, whereas outdoor activities contributed the most. PM dose intensity from indoor eating slightly exceeded BC dose intensity; conversely, transportation showed higher exposure for BC than PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the occurrence of nine phthalate diesters (phthalates) and 14 organophosphorus flame retardants ( PFRs) was investigated in 62 house dust samples collected from 19 buildings in Stockholm area during the year 2008. Eight phthalates were detected in almost all samples, with median concentrations ranging from 0.47 μg/g to 449 μg/g with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate being the most abundant compound. Twelve PFRs were detected with median concentrations ranging from 0.19 μg/g to 11 μg/g. Within this class of compounds, the most abundant were tris(2-chloroisopropyl) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate. Both classes of compounds were also measured in the air of the apartments, but no correlation between air and dust concentrations could be found. Based on these measurements, exposure, via house dust ingestion and air inhalation, was calculated for adults and toddlers, and compared to published limit values in order to estimate potential health risks. In an extreme exposure scenario for toddlers, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, and tributyl phosphate were close to the reference dose for chronic oral exposure or the tolerable daily intake. Standard Reference Material SRM 2585 was used as a quality control sample, and the levels of diisononyl and diisodecyl phthalates were determined in this material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured particulate matter ( PM), acrolein, and other indoor air contaminants in eight visits to grocery stores in California. Retail stores of other types (hardware, furniture, and apparel) were also sampled on additional visits. Based on tracer gas decay data, most stores had adequate ventilation according to minimum ventilation rate standards. Grocery stores had significantly higher concentrations of acrolein, fine and ultrafine PM, compared to other retail stores, likely attributable to cooking. Indoor concentrations of PM2.5 and acrolein exceeded health guidelines in all tested grocery stores. Acrolein emission rates to indoors in grocery stores had a mean estimate about 30 times higher than in other retail store types. About 80% of the indoor PM2.5 measured in grocery stores was emitted indoors, compared to only 20% for the other retail store types. Calculations suggest a substantial increase in outdoor air ventilation rate by a factor of three from current level is needed to reduce indoor acrolein concentrations. Alternatively, acrolein emission to indoors needs to be reduced 70% by better capturing of cooking exhaust. To maintain indoor PM2.5 below the California annual ambient standard of 12 μg/m3, grocery stores need to use air filters with an efficiency rating higher than the MERV 8 air filters commonly used today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades, the prevalence of childhood respiratory conditions has dramatically increased worldwide. Considering the time spent in enclosed spaces, indoor air pollutants are of major interest to explain part of this increase. This study aimed to measure the concentrations of pollutants known or suspected to affect respiratory health that are present in dwellings in order to assess children's exposure. Measurements were taken in 150 homes with at least one child, in Brittany (western France), to assess the concentrations of 18 volatile organic compounds (among which four aldehydes and four trihalomethanes) and nine semi-volatile organic compounds (seven phthalates and two synthetic musks). In addition to descriptive statistics, a principal component analysis ( PCA) was used to investigate grouping of contaminants. Formaldehyde was highly present and above 30 μg/m3 in 40% of the homes. Diethyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, and dimethylphthalate were quantified in all dwellings, as well as Galaxolide and Tonalide. For each chemical family, the groups appearing in the PCA could be interpreted in term of sources. The high prevalence and the levels of these compounds, with known or suspected respiratory toxicity, should question regulatory agencies to trigger prevention and mitigation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At city level, personal monitoring is the best way to assess people's exposure. However, it is usually estimated from a few monitoring stations. Our aim was to determine the exposure to black carbon ( BC) and BC dose for 45 schoolchildren with portable microaethalometers and to evaluate the relationship between personal monitoring and fixed stations at schools (indoor and outdoor) and in an urban background ( UB) site. Personal BC concentra-tions were 20% higher than in fixed stations at schools. Linear mixed-effect models showed low R2 between personal measurements and fixed stations at schools ( R2 ≤ 0.28), increasing to R2 ≥ 0.70 if considering only periods when children were at schools. For the UB station, the respective R2 were 0.18 and 0.45, indicating the importance of the distance to the monitoring station when assessing exposure. During the warm season, the fixed stations agreed better with personal measurements than during the cold one. Children spent 6% of their time on commuting but received 20% of their daily BC dose, due to co-occurrence with road traffic rush hours and the close proximity to the source. Children received 37% of their daily-integrated BC dose at school. Indoor environments (classroom and home) were responsible for the 56% BC dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the ubiquitous detection of polybrominated diphenyl ether ( PBDE) and organophosphate flame retardants ( PFRs) in indoor dust has raised health concerns, only very few epidemiological studies have assessed their impact on human health. Inhalation of dust is one of the exposure routes of FRs, especially in children and can be hazardous for the respiratory health. Moreover, PFRs are structurally similar to organophosphate pesticides, which have been associated with allergic asthma. Thus, we investigated whether the concentrations of PFRs and PBDEs in indoor dust are associated with the development of childhood asthma. We selected 110 children who developed asthma at 4 or at 8 years old and 110 matched controls from a large prospective birth cohort ( BAMSE - Barn, Allergy, Milieu Stockholm Epidemiology). We analyzed the concentrations of 7 PFRs and 21 PBDEs in dust collected around 2 months after birth from the mother's mattress. The abundance rank in dust was as follows: TBOEP⪢ TPHP>mmp- TMPP> EHDPHP~ TDCIPP> TCEP~ TCIPP~ BDE-209⪢ BDE-99> BDE-47> BDE-153> BDE-183> BDE-100. There was no positive association between the FRs in mattress dust and the development of childhood asthma. In contrast, dust collected from mattresses of the mothers of children who would develop asthma contained significant lower levels of TPHP and mmp- TMPP. This study provides data on a wide range of PFRs and PBDEs in dust samples and development of asthma in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between Indoor Air Quality ( IAQ) and ventilation in French classrooms. Various parameters were measured over one school week, including volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, particulate matter ( PM2.5 mass concentration and number concentration), carbon dioxide ( CO2), air temperature, and relative humidity in 51 classrooms at 17 schools. The ventilation was characterized by several indicators, such as the air exchange rate, ventilation rate ( VR), and air stuffiness index ( ICONE), that are linked to indoor CO2 concentration. The influences of the season (heating or non-heating), type of school (nursery or elementary), and ventilation on the IAQ were studied. Based on the minimum value of 4.2 l/s per person required by the French legislation for mechanically ventilated classrooms, 91% of the classrooms had insufficient ventilation. The VR was significantly higher in mechanically ventilated classrooms compared with naturally ventilated rooms. The correlations between IAQ and ventilation vary according to the location of the primary source of each pollutant (outdoor vs. indoor), and for an indoor source, whether it is associated with occupant activity or continuous emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of tests was conducted to characterize the indoor carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations resulting from portable electric generators operating in the attached garage of a test house under various use and environmental conditions. An extensive model validation effort using the multizone airflow and indoor air quality (IAQ) model CONTAM was carried out using the data from seven tests with a generator operating in the attached garage to compare predicted CO concentrations with measured values. The agreement between the measurements and predictions of the O2concentrations in the garage and the average CO concentration for the house zones was excellent for the data set as a whole. The agreement was somewhat worse for the garage CO concentrations. Overall, the house zone average and garage CO concentration predictions and measurements were within about 20% and 30%, respectively, when averaged over all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The annual burden of disease caused indoor air pollution, including polluted outdoor air used to ventilate indoor spaces, is estimated to correspond to a loss of over 2 million healthy life years in the European Union (EU). Based on measurements of the European Environment Agency (EEA), approximately 90 % of EU citizens live in areas where the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for air quality of particulate matter sized < 2.5 mm (PM2.5) are not met. Since sources of pollution reside in both indoor and outdoor air, selecting the most appropriate ventilation strategy is not a simple and straightforward task.Methods: A framework for developing European health-based ventilation guidelines was created in 2010-2013 in the EU-funded HEALTHVENT project. As a part of the project, the potential efficiency of control policies to health effects caused by residential indoor exposures of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), outdoor bioaerosols, volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon oxide (CO) radon and dampness was estimated. The analysis was based on scenario comparison, using an outdoor-indoor mass-balance model and varying the ventilation rates. Health effects were estimated with burden of diseases (BoD) calculations taking into account asthma, cardiovascular (CV) diseases, acute toxication, respiratory infections, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Results: The quantitative comparison of three main policy approaches, (i) optimising ventilation rates only; (ii) filtration of outdoor air; and (iii) indoor source control, showed that all three approaches are able to provide substantial reductions in the health risks, varying from approximately 20 % to 44 %, corresponding to 400 000 and 900 000 saved healthy life years in EU-26. PM2.5 caused majority of the health effects in all included countries, but the importance of the other pollutants varied by country.Conclusions: The present modelling shows, that combination of controlling the indoor air sources and selecting appropriate ventilation rate was the most effective to reduce health risks. If indoor sources cannot be removed or their emissions cannot be limited to an accepted level, ventilation needs to be increased to remove remaining pollutants. In these cases filtration of outdoor air may be needed to prevent increase of health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is increasing appreciation of the proportion of the health burden that is attributed to modifiable population exposure to environmental health hazards. To manage this avoidable burden in the United Kingdom (UK), government policies and interventions are implemented. In practice, this procedure is interdisciplinary in action and multi-dimensional in context. Here, we demonstrate how Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) can be used as a decision support tool to facilitate priority setting for environmental public health interventions within local authorities. We combine modelling and expert elicitation to gather evidence on the impacts and ranking of interventions. Methods: To present the methodology, we consider a hypothetical scenario in a UK city. We use MCDA to evaluate and compare the impact of interventions to reduce the health burden associated with four environmental health hazards and rank them in terms of their overall performance across several criteria. For illustrative purposes, we focus on heavy goods vehicle controls to reduce outdoor air pollution, remediation to control levels of indoor radon, carbon monoxide and fitting alarms, and encouraging cycling to target the obesogenic environment. Regional data was included as model evidence to construct a ratings matrix for the city. Results: When MCDA is performed with uniform weights, the intervention of heavy goods vehicle controls to reduce outdoor air pollution is ranked the highest. Cycling and the obesogenic environment is ranked second. Conclusions: We argue that a MCDA based approach provides a framework to guide environmental public health decision makers. This is demonstrated through an online interactive MCDA tool. We conclude that MCDA is a transparent tool that can be used to compare the impact of alternative interventions on a set of pre-defined criteria. In our illustrative example, we ranked the best intervention across the equally weighted selected criteria out of the four alternatives. Further work is needed to test the tool with decision makers and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The air quality of three different microenvironments (school, dwelling, and coffee bar) located in the city of Rome, Italy, was assessed. Indoor and outdoor concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with PM particles were determined during an intensive 3-week sampling campaign conducted in March 2013. In interiors, total particulate PAHs ranged from 1.53 to 4.96 ng/m while outdoor air contained from 2.75 to 3.48 ng/m. In addition, gaseous toxicants, i.e., NO, NO, SO, O, and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, and xylene isomers), were determined both in internal and external air. To solve the origin of indoor and outdoor PAHs, several source apportionment methods were applied. Multivariate analysis revealed that emissions from motor vehicles, biomass burning for heating purposes, and soil resuspension were the major sources of PAHs in the city. No linear correlation was established between indoor and outdoor values for PM and BTEX; the respective indoor/outdoor concentration ratios exceed unity except for PM in the no smoking home and benzene in all school floors. This suggests that important internal sources such as tobacco smoking, cleaning products, and resuspension dust contributed to indoor pollution. Using the monitoring stations of ARPA Lazio regional network as reference, the percentage within PAH group of benzo[a]pyrene, which is the WHO marker for the carcinogenic risk estimates, was ca. 50 % higher in all locations investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in air (TSP and PM) and dust samples collected from 16 households and the corresponding workplaces of eight volunteer citizens in Shanghai, China. The PBDEs concentrations in the workplace air (mean: 281 ± 126 pg m) were over two times higher than those in the household (121 ± 44.0 pg m), while the mean levels of PBDEs in dust were 995 ± 547 and 544 ± 188 ng g for workplace and household, respectively. BDE209 was the most abundant congener in all samples. PBDEs appeared to be composed of mostly small particles. The C/ C ratios of less brominated PBDEs in PM were higher than those in TSP, while the values were approximately constant for the more brominated PBDEs. A correlation analysis by network indicated different sources and behavior of the PBDE congeners. The results of a cluster analysis were displayed on a heat map that specified the source and abundance of each PBDE congener. The daily PBDE exposure via dust ingestion was the predominant part of the total intake and was more than 10 times higher than the intake via inhalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of the indoor air can provide very useful information for the artwork conservation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the microbial concentration inside six document repositories of the National Archive of the Republic of Cuba in two months of 1 year. The repositories are large, high, and have a natural cross-ventilation system. The microbial sampling was done in July 2010 (summer or rainy month) and February 2011 (winter or dry month) using the SAS Super 100 biocollector at 100 L/min. An appropriate selective culture media were used to isolate fungi and bacteria. A high total microbial concentration on the north side of the building in two studied months was observed. The fungal concentrations were significantly higher in July 2010 in all repositories, while the bacterial concentrations were significantly higher mostly in February 2011 only in repositories located on the first and second floor of the building. Eight fungal genera in the indoor air of all environments were isolated. Regardless of the side of the analyzed building, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Cladosporium were the predominant genera. Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger were the species isolated in almost all of the analyzed repositories in the studied months. Gram-positive bacteria prevailed among bacterial groups isolated from indoor air repositories, and some percentages corresponded to the genera Bacillus and Streptomyces. In Cuba, the temperature and relative humidity are high during the whole year but the natural ventilation plays an important role in retarding microbial growth on materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can still be measured in indoor air in many buildings built or renovated within the period from approximately 1950 until the late seventies. The increasing evidence of the importance of indoor exposure to PCBs has led to the initiation of remediation actions in many countries. Understandably, primary sources with original PCB content have been the main focus of the actions. However, removal of primary sources alone has shown to be insufficient in decreasing the high indoor PCB concentrations in contaminated buildings. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of tertiary PCB sources to indoor air concentrations and identify predictors of PCB air concentrations in contaminated buildings. In this study, 24 PCB congeners were measured in the indoor air of 83 contaminated apartments as well as in sealants sampled in a random subset of 20 apartments. The sealants were identified to be the primary source containing the original PCBs. For total PCBs, the median air concentration was 859 ng/m3 and the median concentration in contaminated sealants was 16.5% by weight. Analyses performed in the present study indicate that the influence of tertiary sources on indoor air concentrations may be substantial and that removal of tertiary sources may be needed when performing PCB remediation in buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the measurements of indoor radon and thoron concentrations in selected Northern Indian dwellings (differing in ventilation rate). These were carried out using single entry pin hole based radon thoron dosimeters. In order to correlate the indoor levels with source term, the radon and thoron exhalation rates from soil samples collected from the same dwellings were also measured. Active measurement techniques with scintillation radon monitor and scintillation thoron monitor were used for exhalation measurements from soil sample. For thoron exhalation rate measurements, a small volume chamber was used. The indoor radon and thoron concentration in different rooms varied from 14 to 97 Bq/m3 and 23 to 189 Bq/m3, respectively. The radon mass exhalation and thoron mass emanation rates of soil samples varied from 28.2 to 91.2 mBq/kg/h and 3.42 to 12.1 mBq/kg/h, respectively. A weak correlation was found between indoor concentration and soil exhalation rates for these dwellings. Indoor radon concentrations from various rooms in the dwellings were lower than the limit (100 Bq/m3) recommended by WHO (2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) with a ubiquitous environmental distribution. Their presence in cars is linked to their use as flame retardants in electronic items and instrument panels, high-impact plastics, foam and fabric of car seats. The goal of this study was to investigate the occurrence and concentration of PBDEs in dust samples collected from 19 randomly selected cars in normal use in Kuwait and to assess human non-dietary ingestion exposure to these compounds. The concentrations of the total target PBDEs, Σ14PBDEs, were log normally distributed and ranged from 68 to 17,200 ng/g. BDE-209 was the dominant congener in all cars examined with concentrations ranging from 52 to 16,100 ng/g which, on average, accounted for 77% of the Σ14PBDEs measured. Using the measured concentrations the estimated human non-dietary ingestion exposure based on median PBDE concentrations ranged from 0.034 ng/kg-bw/day for adults to 0.138 ng/kg-bw/day for toddlers. The exposure estimate for drivers was the highest at 0.170 ng/kg-bw/day. This study supports the previous findings of photolytic debromination of BDE-209 to lower brominated congeners known to be more bioaccumulative and toxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor and outdoor air samples were collected from two industrialized cities (Guangzhou and Foshan) in Southern China to determine the concentrations and diastereoisomer profiles of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in built environments. The mean concentrations of total HBCDs in air were 5.43 pg m−3 in homes, 8.21 pg m−3 in offices, 48.2 pg m−3 in other workplaces and 33.3 pg m−3 in the air outdoors. These HBCD levels are slightly higher than or comparable with those at the remote or urban sites in the United States, but are significantly lower than those in the European atmosphere. Diastereoisomer profiles of the samples indicated that α-HBCD was the dominant isomer, with a relative abundance ranging from 53.2% to 83.0%, which is notably different from its fractions in the air samples from the UK and the domestic technical-grade mixtures. Analysis of the gas-particle distribution showed that HBCDs were present predominantly (87.6–99.9%) in the particle phase. The estimated average daily human exposure to HBCDs via inhalation was 0.39 ng day−1 for adults, which is one order of magnitude lower than the values (5.0 and 5.47 ng day−1) for the UK adults reported in two other studies. Further air and dust sampling and continued monitoring are needed to improve our understanding of human exposure to HBCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the exposure to a broad-spectrum of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) from the indoor environment through bio-monitoring of people working in a building with PCB-containing materials and elevated PCB levels in the indoor air. Methods: A cross-sectional study comparing the plasma concentration of 27 PCB congeners in 15 people working in a PCB-contaminated building and 30 matched controls. Results: Median concentration of eight low-chlorinated PCB congeners was significantly higher in the exposed than in the control group. The sum of median concentrations of tri + tetra-chlorinated PCB was almost ten times higher in the exposed group than in the unexposed, and sums of dioxin-like and non-dioxin-like PCB were both relatively increased by 60 % in the exposed group. Conclusions: The occupational indoor environment may significantly add to PCB exposure, especially to the lower-chlorinated congeners. Health effect from this little-acknowledged exposure has not yet been documented, but data supporting lack of effect are sparse and research generating information on effect of exposure to specific congeners including at levels relevant for the indoor environment should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust storms have impacts on both human and physical environments, associated with an increase in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) concentrations. Most studies on exposure to PM have focused on the outdoor air, while information on indoor pollution, is still lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of desert dust events on PM concentrations in indoor environments. A total of over 200 real time measurements of PM were conducted in houses in the Negev Desert during dust storms. Indoor and outdoor PM concentrations were characterized, as well as the relationships between the two datasets. The findings indicated that atmospheric PM10 concentrations can increase from 20-120 µg⋅m-3 on non-dust days to more than 1500 µg⋅m-3 during dust events. Indoor concentrations can reach as high as 1000 µg⋅m-3. The calculated indoor/outdoor (I/O) PM ratio ranged from 0.79 for low-level storms to 0.58 during stronger events. Indoor PM concentrations were found to be dependent on the dust storm intensity (low, medium, high) and duration with a time lag. The information obtained in this study is critical for assessment of policy interventions to reduce exposure risk and health effects due dust storms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind-induced natural ventilation tower is one of the effective devices in enhancing indoor air quality. It can be designed and integrated as part of building components. This paper investigates the performance of various design configurations of a wind-induced natural ventilation tower with the focus on Venturi-shaped roofs and towers. The Venturi-shaped roofs and towers are used to create negative pressure in order to enhance the extraction air flow rates of the wind-induced natural ventilation tower. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to analyse each of the design configurations. The different design configurations are based on roof tilt angles, roofs' shapes, tower heights and shapes of the wind-induced natural ventilation tower. The parameters analysed are extraction air flow rates and air flow pattern. Based on the CFD simulation results of various design configurations, the 'biconcave'-shaped wind tower has the best design configuration with 14 568.66 m3/h extraction air flow rates at 0.8 m/s external wind velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential air exchange rates ( AERs) are vital in understanding the temporal and spatial drivers of indoor air quality ( IAQ). Several methods to quantify AERs have been used in IAQ research, often with the assumption that the home is a single, well-mixed air zone. Since 2005, Health Canada has conducted IAQ studies across Canada in which AERs were measured using the perfluorocarbon tracer ( PFT) gas method. Emitters and detectors of a single PFT gas were placed on the main floor to estimate a single-zone AER ( AER1z). In three of these studies, a second set of emitters and detectors were deployed in the basement or second floor in approximately 10% of homes for a two-zone AER estimate ( AER2z). In total, 287 daily pairs of AER2z and AER1z estimates were made from 35 homes across three cities. In 87% of the cases, AER2z was higher than AER1z. Overall, the AER1z estimates underestimated AER2z by approximately 16% ( IQR: 5-32%). This underestimate occurred in all cities and seasons and varied in magnitude seasonally, between homes, and daily, indicating that when measuring residential air exchange using a single PFT gas, the assumption of a single well-mixed air zone very likely results in an under prediction of the AER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baseline information on size-resolved bacterial, fungal, and particulate matter ( PM) indoor air concentrations and emission rates is presented for six school classrooms sampled in four countries. Human occupancy resulted in significantly elevated airborne bacterial (81 times on average), fungal (15 times), and PM mass (nine times) concentrations as compared to vacant conditions. Occupied indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios consistently exceeded vacant I/O ratios. Regarding size distributions, average room-occupied bacterial, fungal, and PM geometric mean particle sizes were similar to one another while geometric means estimated for bacteria, fungi, and PM mass during vacant sampling were consistently lower than when occupied. Occupancy also resulted in elevated indoor bacterial-to- PM mass-based and number-based ratios above corresponding outdoor levels. Mean emission rates due to human occupancy were 14 million cells/person/h for bacteria, 14 million spore equivalents/person/h for fungi, and 22 mg/person/h for PM mass. Across all locations, indoor emissions contributed 83 ± 27% (bacteria), 66 ± 19% (fungi), and 83 ± 24% ( PM mass) of the average indoor air concentrations during occupied times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A randomized controlled trial was carried out to measure the impact of an intervention on ventilation, indoor air contaminants, and asthma symptoms of children. Eighty-three asthmatic children living in low-ventilated homes were followed over 2 years. Several environmental parameters were measured during the summer, fall, and winter. The children were randomized after Year 1 (43 Intervention; 40 Control). The intervention included the installation of either a Heat Recovery Ventilator ( HRV) or Energy Recovery Ventilator ( ERV). During the fall and winter seasons, there was a significant increase in the mean ventilation rate in the homes of the intervention group. A statistically significant reduction in mean formaldehyde, airborne mold spores, toluene, styrene, limonene, and α-pinene concentrations was observed in the intervention group. There was no significant group difference in change in the number of days with symptoms per 14 days. However, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of children who experienced any wheezing (≥1 episode) and those with ≥4 episodes in the 12-month period in the intervention group. This study indicates that improved ventilation reduces air contaminants and may prevent wheezing. Due to lack of power, a bigger study is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diwali is great festival of India and it celebrated with full enthusiasm by Indian. But during this festival there is excessive use of fireworks which relate to short term variation in indoor air quality as well as outdoor concentration of pollutants which mainly affects the health of human beings. The present study aimed to estimate the concentration of PM10, SO2, NOx by measuring through AAS-127 Pm10 and AAS-118 Gaseous Sampler. For determine the Indoor air quality during Diwali two sites were selected on based of types of fuel used for cooking (Biomass Based site-1) and (LPG Based site-II). The average concentration of indoor pollutants PM10, NOX, SO2 on day of Diwali was 48.2 µg/m³, 87.65µg/m³,45.06 µg/m³ for site-1 and 28.46 µg/m³, 56.09 µg/m³, 38.9 µg/m³ for site-II was observed and it was 2 times and 2.5 times higher than the indoor concentration on normal day. The order of concentration on Diwali night NOX> PM10 >SO2 with pattern of post Diwali day> Diwali> pre Diwali while outdoor concentration of pollutants on post Diwali day was observed to be higher than the pre Diwali day which indicates a longer time stay of these pollutants in outdoor air, which accumulate on Diwali night due to fireworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fungi existing in hospital departments may grow and produce micro-colonies. The spores arising from these micro-colonies circulate easily and could be inhaled by patients and cause infections in immune-compromised subjects. Due to the lack of an acceptable method of sampling and evaluation of microbiological quality of air in the isolation units, the purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of airborne fungi through active and passive sampling and also identify fungi genera in the air of the isolation unit. Materials and Methods: The air of the isolation unit was monitored through active and passive sampling. In passive sampling, the plates were placed in the room. The active sampling was performed in the hematology unit by using a slit-to-agar biological air sampler with a flow rate of 10 L/minute. Plates were incubated at 30°C for 10 days and were examined daily for fungal growth. Fungal species were identified on the basis of their macroscopic and microscopic morphological features. Results: In active samples, Penicillium spp. was the predominant genus (66.8%), followed by Aspergillus spp. (23.9%) and Cladosporium spp. (2.5%). Yeast spp. accounted for only 2.2% of the isolated fungi. In passive samples, Penicillium spp. (94.4%) was the most frequently found fungi, followed by Aspergillus spp (2.2%), Cladosporium spp. (1.1%) and Yeast spp. (0.5%). The identified genera included Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Mucorales, Cladosporium, Yeasts and other filamentous fungi. Conclusion: Active and passive sampling can be used for monitoring the fungal content of air. Assessment of fungal contamination profiles in hospitals may provide important information about the level of fungal concentration in the hospitals and for the control of nosocomial infections. In addition, installation of special ventilation systems equipped with HEPA filters in hematology wards could enhance the quality of air. Also, observing sanitary protocols for disinfection of the surfaces is imperative for infection control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather classification approaches may be useful tools in modelling the occurrence of respiratory diseases. The aim of the study is to compare the performance of an objectively defined weather classification and the Spatial Synoptic Classification (SSC) in classifying emergency department (ED) visits for acute asthma depending from weather, air pollutants, and airborne pollen variables for Szeged, Hungary, for the 9-year period 1999-2007. The research is performed for three different pollen-related periods of the year and the annual data set. According to age and gender, nine patient categories, eight meteorological variables, seven chemical air pollutants, and two pollen categories were used. In general, partly dry and cold air and partly warm and humid air aggravate substantially the symptoms of asthmatics. Our major findings are consistent with this establishment. Namely, for the objectively defined weather types favourable conditions for asthma ER visits occur when an anticyclonic ridge weather situation happens with near extreme temperature and humidity parameters. Accordingly, the SSC weather types facilitate aggravating asthmatic conditions if warm or cool weather occur with high humidity in both cases. Favourable conditions for asthma attacks are confirmed in the extreme seasons when atmospheric stability contributes to enrichment of air pollutants. The total efficiency of the two classification approaches is similar in spite of the fact that the methodology for derivation of the individual types within the two classification approaches is completely different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This field study measured ventilation rates and indoor air quality in 21 visits to retail stores in California. Three types of stores, such as grocery, furniture/hardware stores, and apparel, were sampled. Ventilation rates measured using a tracer gas decay method exceeded the minimum requirement of California's Title 24 Standard in all but one store. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds ( VOCs), ozone, and carbon dioxide measured indoors and outdoors were analyzed. Even though there was adequate ventilation according to standard, concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde exceeded the most stringent chronic health guidelines in many of the sampled stores. The whole-building emission rates of VOCs were estimated from the measured ventilation rates and the concentrations measured indoor and outdoor. Estimated formaldehyde emission rates suggest that retail stores would need to ventilate at levels far exceeding the current Title 24 requirement to lower indoor concentrations below California's stringent formaldehyde reference level. Given the high costs of providing ventilation, effective source control is an attractive alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an accidental release of an airborne pollutant, it is always critical to know where, when, and how the pollutant has been released. Then, emergency measures can be scientifically advised to prevent any possible harm. This investigation proposes an inverse model to identify the release location, the temporal rate profile, and the sensor alarming time from the start of a pollutant release. The first step is to implement the inverse operation to the cause-effect matrix to obtain the release rate profiles for discrete candidate scenarios with concentration information provided by one sensor. The second step is to interpret the occurrence probability of each solution in the first step with the Bayesian model by matching the concentration at the other sensor. The proposed model was applied to identify a single pollutant source in a two-dimensional enclosure using measurement data and in a three-dimensional aircraft cabin with simulated data. The results show that the model is able to correctly determine the pollutant source location, the temporal rate profile, and the sensor alarming time. The known conditions for input into the inverse model include a steady flow field and the valid temporal concentrations at two different locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most previous research on indoor environments and health has studied school children or occupants in non-school settings. This investigation assessed building-related health symptoms and classroom characteristics via telephone survey of New York State school teachers. Participants were asked about 14 building-related symptoms and 23 classroom characteristics potentially related to poor indoor air quality ( IAQ). Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between these symptoms and each classroom characteristic, controlling for potential confounders. About 500 teachers completed the survey. The most frequently reported classroom characteristics included open shelving (70.7%), food eaten in class (65.5%), dust (59.1%), and carpeting (46.9%). The most commonly reported symptoms included sinus problems (16.8%), headache (15.0%), allergies/congestion (14.8%), and throat irritation (14.6%). Experiencing one or more symptoms was associated most strongly with reported dust (relative risk ( RR) = 3.67; 95% confidence interval ( CI): 2.62-5.13), dust reservoirs ( RR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.72-2.65), paint odors ( RR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.40-2.13), mold ( RR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.39-2.11), and moldy odors ( RR = 1.65 95% CI: 1.30-2.10). Stronger associations were found with increasing numbers of reported IAQ-related classroom characteristics. Similar results were found with having any building-related allergic/respiratory symptom. This research adds to the body of evidence underscoring the importance to occupant health of school IAQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential indoor air impacts of burning candles have drawn increased attention in recent years. Burning paraffin waxes itself, regardless to wick and the essence, produce some allergens and even carcinogenic compounds. Further biorefining of petroleum paraffin wax with proper bacteria is one of the proposed resolutions to decrease the health threat. Therefore in this study Iranian heavy crude oil sample were screened for the best isolate to reach the target. Manual culture and plate count method and screening were done in MSM medium supplemented with paraffin wax as the sole source of carbon and energy in 40°C and 150rpm. The growth curve of the best isolate was depicted through spectrophotometry during 24 hours. Then the isolate was characterized by biochemical test and molecular identification using 16srRNA. The spore forming, biosurfactant producing bacterium was identified as Bacillus cereus. Gas chromatogaraphs revealed the efficient degradation of long chain paraffin wax with the selected Bacillus cereus into 15 to 25 carbon length n- alkanes. The high physicochemical endurance of this bacterium including salinity tolerance from 0.5to 15 percent, pH from 4 to 10 and temperature growth range from 40 to 65°C, makes it a decent choice for industrial and environmental approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mechanistic model was developed to examine how natural ventilation influences residential indoor exposure to semivolatile organic compounds ( SVOCs) via inhalation, dermal sorption, and dust ingestion. The effect of ventilation on indoor particle mass concentration and mass transfer at source/sink surfaces, and the enhancing effect of particles on mass transfer at source/sink surfaces are included. When air exchange rate increases from 0.6/h to 1.8/h, the steady-state SVOC (gas-phase plus particle phase with log KOA varying from 9 to 13) concentration in the idealized model decreases by about 60%. In contrast, for the same change in ventilation, the simulated indoor formaldehyde (representing volatile organic compounds) gas-phase concentration decreases by about 70%. The effect of ventilation on exposure via each pathway has a relatively insignificant association with the KOA of the SVOCs: a change of KOA from 109 to 1013 results in a change of only 2-30%. Sensitivity analysis identifies the deposition rate of PM2.5 as a primary factor influencing the relationship between ventilation and exposure for SVOCs with log KOA = 13. The relationship between ventilation rate and air speed near surfaces needs to be further substantiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs) are among the most toxic air pollutants in China. However, because there are unsubstantial data on indoor and outdoor particulate PAHs, efforts in assessing inhalation exposure and cancer risk to PAHs are limited in China. This study measured 12 individual PAHs in indoor and outdoor environments at 36 homes during the non-heating period and heating period in 2009. Indoor PAH concentrations were comparable with outdoor environments in the non-heating period, but were lower in the heating period. The average indoor/outdoor ratios in both sampling periods were lower than 1, while the ratios in the non-heating period were higher than those in the heating period. Correlation analysis and coefficient of divergence also verified the difference between indoor and outdoor PAHs, which could be caused by high ventilation in the non-heating period. To support this conclusion, linear and robust regressions were used to estimate the infiltration factor to compare outdoor PAHs to indoor PAHs. The calculated infiltration factors obtained by the two models were similar in the non-heating period but varied greatly in the heating period, which may have been caused by the influence of ventilation. Potential sources were distinguished using a diagnostic ratio and a mixture of coal combustion and traffic emission, which are major sources of PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the geographic variation and determinants of bacterial endotoxin and β -(1,3)- d-glucan in Danish house dust. In a population of 317 children, we: (i) described loads and concentrations of floor dust, endotoxin, and β-(1→3)- d-glucan and (ii) their correlations and (iii) assessed their determinants; (iv) Finally, we compared our findings with previous European studies. Bedroom floor dust was analyzed for endotoxin content by the kinetic limulus amoebocyte lysate assay and for β-(1→3)- d-glucan by the inhibition enzyme immunoassay. The parents answered questions regarding potential determinants. We found: geometric means (geometric standard deviations) 186 mg/m2 (4.3) for dust; 5.46 × 103 EU/m2 (8.0) and 31.1 × 103 EU/g (2.6) for endotoxin; and 142 μg/m2 (14.3) and 0.71 × 103 μg/g (7.3) for β-(1→3)- d-glucan. High correlations ( r > 0.75) were found between floor dust and endotoxin and β-(1→3)- d-glucan loads, while endotoxin and β-(1→3)- d-glucan concentrations were moderately correlated ( r = 0.36-0.41) with the dust load. Having a carpet was positively associated with dust load and with endotoxin and β-(1→3)- d-glucan concentrations. Pet keeping, dwelling type, and dwelling location were determinants of endotoxin concentrations. No other determinants were associated with β-(1→3)- d-glucan concentrations. Compared with other European studies, we found lower β-(1→3)- d-glucan loads and concentrations but higher endotoxin loads and concentrations suggesting a geographically determined different composition of Danish floor dust compared with other European regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Available evidence concerning the association between indoor air pollution ( IAP) from biomass and solid fuel combustion and preeclampsia/eclampsia is not available in developing countries. We investigated the association between exposure to IAP from biomass and solid fuel combustion and symptoms of preeclampsia/eclampsia in Indian women by analyzing cross-sectional data from India's third National Family Health Survey ( NFHS-3, 2005-2006). Self-reported symptoms of preeclampsia/eclampsia during pregnancy such as convulsions (not from fever), swelling of legs, body or face, excessive fatigue or vision difficulty during daylight, were obtained from 39 657 women aged 15-49 years who had a live birth in the previous 5 years. Effects of exposure to cooking smoke, ascertained by type of fuel used for cooking on preeclampsia/eclampsia risk, were estimated using logistic regression after adjusting for various confounders. Results indicate that women living in households using biomass and solid fuels have two times higher likelihood of reporting preeclampsia/eclampsia symptoms than do those living in households using cleaner fuels ( OR = 2.21; 95%: 1.26-3.87; P = 0.006), even after controlling for the effects of a number of potentially confounding factors. This study is the first to empirically estimate the associations of IAP from biomass and solid fuel combustion and reported symptoms suggestive of preeclampsia/eclampsia in a large nationally representative sample of Indian women and we observed increased risk. These findings have important program and policy implications for countries such as India, where large proportions of the population rely on polluting biomass fuels for cooking and space heating. More epidemiological research with detailed exposure assessments and clinical measures of preeclampsia/eclampsia is needed in a developing country setting to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor air pollution, due to household solid fuel use, is responsible for a significant burden of disease in developing countries. Fuel choice is often associated with household income. However, many other socio-economic and environmental factors also influence the choice of fuel and the resultant indoor air pollution exposure. The aim of this paper is to assess the role of poverty on indoor air pollution in Pakistan through fuel choice. Furthermore, a multinomial logit model has been used to predict the determinants of fuel choice. The results indicate that although poverty makes a significant contribution, other factors such as household location and area, household size, low level of human capital, asset ownership structure and access to basic utilities are the important correlates of fuel choice. Knowledge relating to the proximate determinants for fuel choice is crucial to inform policy and can play a pivotal role in designing sustainable intervention strategies to reduce the risk of exposure to indoor air pollution in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the onset of industrialism in the 19th century, synthetic substances with unknown properties acquired an unprecedented reach in society at large. Paris green, an arsenic-containing pigment used during the 19th century in paints and wall hangings, is a case in point. Paris green and other arsenic-polluted pigments came to be associated with toxic indoor air and became the centre of attention in one of the most publicised "domestic poisonings" history has known. The article gives a chronological and descriptive account mainly of Swedish professional actors' notions of these hazards. The article reproduces the representations as manifested in narratives and written sources such as handbooks, works of reference, research reports, newspapers and other reading matter, and also in official rules and regulations, but without taking sides on their validity. An anthropological approach is applied to the risk assessments in a controversy illustrating the toxic reputation of arsenic and the deep-rooted 19th century fear of foul air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers ( PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in furniture foam, electronics, and other home furnishings. A field study was conducted that enrolled 139 households from California, which has had more stringent flame retardant requirements than other countries and areas. The study collected passive air, floor and indoor window surface wipes, and dust samples (investigator collected using an HVS3 and vacuum cleaner) in each home. Penta BDE and BDE209 were detected in the majority of the dust samples and many floor wipe samples, but the detection in air and window wipe samples was relatively low. Concentrations of each PBDE congener in different indoor environmental media were moderately correlated, with correlation coefficients ranging between 0.42 and 0.68. Correlation coefficients with blood levels were up to 0.65 and varied between environmental media and age group. Both investigator-collected dust and floor wipes were correlated with serum levels for a wide range of congeners. These two sample types also had a relatively high fraction of samples with adequate mass for reliable quantification. In 42 homes, PBDE levels measured in the same environmental media in the same home 1 year apart were statistically correlated (correlation coefficients: 0.57-0.90), with the exception of BDE209 which was not well correlated longitudinally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]