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Urban green space can effectively alleviate air pollution, in which vegetation structure plays an important role. However, these green spaces with varying vegetation structures exist in different environmental backgrounds of the city. By analyzing the influence of the different environmental backgrounds on the dust retention effect of green spaces with varying vegetation structures, green spaces can be truly utilized as a solution in alleviating air pollution. Therefore, according to the typical characteristics of landscape patterns and different coverage ratios of green areas in Xi'an city, China, the matrices of urban landscape were divided into three types, which include "green space", "grey-green mixed space" and "gray space." In each environmental background, urban green space was divided into three levels: horizontal structure, species composition and vertical structure. Subsequently, 13 types of green spaces with different vegetation structures and three hard (no vegetation present) squares as control groups were selected. A one-year on-site monitoring was conducted on urban green spaces and concentrations of TSP, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1. The results showed that: (1) In the green space, the concentrations of PM1 and PM2.5 were relatively higher. In the grey-green mixed space, the average concentration of air particle of all four particle sizes was the lowest. In the gray space, the concentrations of PM10 and TSP were more concentrated. (2) Under the same matrices, due to the different locations of the plots, the concentration of air particles of different sizes was significantly different. Under the different urban environmental backgrounds, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and air pressure all showed the same trend in the change of air particle concentration. (3) The one-layer green space structure was most suitable for planting. Considering the green space, the coniferous one-layered green space (CO) structure was recommended. The partly-closed broad-leaved one-layered green space (P-CBO) was found to be more suitable for the grey-green mixed space. Considering the gray space in the city center, it was suggested to plant the closed mixed coniferous and broad-leaved one-layered green space (CMO) structure. The findings provide empirical support for the future collocation of urban green vegetation structure and the improvement of urban air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has no socioeconomic, topographical, or sex limitations as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The significant drivers of CVD are cardio-metabolic, behavioral, environmental, and social risk factors. However, some significant risk factors for CVD (e.g., a pitiable diet, tobacco smoking, and a lack of physical activities), have also been linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Lifestyles and environmental factors are known key variables in cardiovascular disease. The familiarity with smoke goes along with the contact with the environment: air pollution is considered a source of toxins that contribute to the CVD burden. The incidence of myocardial infarction increases in males and females and may lead to fatal coronary artery disease, as confirmed by epidemiological studies. Lipid modification, inflammation, and vasomotor dysfunction are integral components of atherosclerosis development and advancement. These aspects are essential for the identification of atherosclerosis in clinical investigations. This article aims to show the findings on the influence of CVD on the health of individuals and human populations, as well as possible pathology and their involvement in smoking-related cardiovascular diseases. This review also explains lifestyle and environmental factors that are known to contribute to CVD, with indications suggesting an affiliation between cigarette smoking, air pollution, and CVD.

The ecological effects influencing factors of different plant communities in urban forest parks could provide references for urban green space vegetation structure optimization. The literature chose Taiyuan Forest Park as the research object, and selected a total of 18 different plant communities to analyze the improvement effect of different plant community structures on temperature, humidity, air particulate matter (PM2. 5 and PM10 ) and air anion concentration. As results, the temperatures of all the plant communities averagely dropped from 2. 51 ℃ to 6. 98 ℃, and humidified averagely from 4. 96% to 39. 23% . Among them, Salix matsudana, Salix matsudana + Sabina and Pinus tabulaeformis + Pinus armandii show the best cooling effects, meanwhile Sophora japonica + Pinus tabulaeformis, Sophora japonica, and Poplar show the best humidifying effects. In air particulate matter reduction, those plant communities, such as Sophora japonica, Sophora japonica + Pinus tabulaeformis, Populus cathayana, Populus cathayana + Pinus armandii, Lonicera japonica and Salix matsudana + Sabina vulgaris, have the bad effect with PM2. 5 and PM10 contents higher than control, respectively. At the same time, Fraxinus pekinensis, Pinus tabulaeformis + Pinus armandii, Pinus tabulaeformis and Sabina vulgaris have better effects on air particulate matter reduction, with PM2. 5 decrease values from 18. 95 to 19. 96 and PM10 decrease values from 23. 64 to 25. 7, respectively. In aspect of increasing the air anion concentration, all the plant communities have a positive effect. The three plant communities, Peach, Poplar and Honeysuckle, show the best effects and the increase values are 468. 61, 351. 09 and 338. 71 ions/ cm³, respectively. Meanwhile Salix matsudana + Sabina vulgaris have the worst effects, and the increase value is 12. 42 ions/ cm³ only. In conclusion, there is a positive correlation between canopy density and the cooling and humidifying effects for plant communities, but the cooling and humidifying processes are not simultaneously. The increase of leaf area index could increase the effect on reducing air particulate matter, but no beneficial for air anion concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the severity of health impacts caused by particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter = 1.0 μm (PM1.0), corresponding data have been poorly documented compared to that of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter = 2.5 μm (PM2.5) or = 10 μm (PM10). In this study, the characteristics of PM1.0 and its chemical species (black carbon [BC], SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, and 16 metals) were investigated in the roadside area of Daejeon. The mean PM1.0 concentration was 19.9 ± 5.50 μg m-3 (range of 6.86-34.7 μg m-3) near a road with high traffic density during a 3-month period in the fall/winter of 2019. The mean concentrations (± SD and range) of BC, NO3-, and SO42- in PM1.0 were 4.89 ± 4.21 (1.26-8.23), 4.21 ± 1.39 (1.76-9.78), and 4.30 ± 1.10 (1.16-7.03) μg m-3, respectively. Strong relationships between PM1.0 and major species such as BC, SO42-, NO3-, and NH4+ were observed with correlation coefficients of 0.52-0.96. After evaluating the factors affecting PM1.0 concentrations using a positive matrix factorization model, six source types were revealed: secondary aerosol (54.1%), vehicle exhaust (21.2%), re-suspended soil-road dust (9.6%), fossil fuel combustion (9.1%), biomass burning (3.3%), and industrial activities (2.6%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to air pollution is thought to cause millions of deaths globally each year. According to the Who 2018, approximately 7 million deaths annually are caused predominantly by noncommunicable diseases due to air pollution. Exposure to air particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) has been strongly associated with increased mortality and has significant effects on brain health. Air pollution, particularly ultrafine particulate matter, has emerged as a serious environmental concern with profound implications for human health. Studies in animal models have indicated that exposure to these pollutants during gestational development impacts prenatal and postnatal brain development. In particular, air pollution has been increasingly identified as a potential causative factor, as it affects neurogenesis in the brain's hippocampal region. The hippocampus is highly vulnerable to PM exposure, and any alteration in the structure or function of this region leads to various neurodevelopmental defects and neurodegenerative disorders via oxidative stress, microglial activation, neuronal death, and differential expression of genes. The neurogenesis process involves several steps, such as proliferation, differentiation, migration, synaptogenesis, and neuritogenesis. If any step of the neurogenesis process is hampered by environmental exposure or other factors, it can lead to neurodevelopmental defects, neurodegenerative disorders, and cognitive decline. One significant contributor to these alterations is air pollution, which ranks as the leading environmental risk factor worldwide. Some of the most common effects include oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, depressive behavior, altered cognitive processes, and microglial activation. This review explores how prenatal and postnatal PM exposure affects the hippocampal regions of the brain and the defects associated with exposure. [Display omitted] • Air particulate matter (PM2.5) crosses the blood-brain barrier causing structural and functional changes in the hippocampus. • PM2.5 hampers neurogenesis and induces neurodevelopmental/neurodegenerative disorders. • PM2.5 induces neuroinflammation, senescence, and brain aging. • PM2.5 increases Cox-2-mediated excitotoxicity and neuronal loss. • PM2.5 exposure triggers sex-specific gene expression patterns and differing cognitive functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depositions of trace elements of air particulates in the atmosphere have gained much attention in recent times due to their environmental, climatic and health impacts. In the current study, trace elements of size-segregated rural and urban particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM2.5−10) were characterized using particle-induced X-ray emission method. Effects of dry deposition flux and Saharan dust intrusion on the elemental concentrations were determined. The mean elemental concentration in the rural fine PM ranged between 0.0002 ± 0.0002 μg m−3 (for Se) and 0.6658 ± 0.5816 μg m−3 (for S) whereas in the urban fine PM the concentration ranged between 0.0007 ± 0.0008 μg m−3 (for As) and 0.5869 ± 0.3429 μg m−3 (for Ca). In the coarse PM fraction, concentration ranged between 0.0001 ± 0.0001 μg m−3 (for Se) and 0.5886 ± 0.5343 μg m−3 (for Ca) at the rural site; and between 0.0002 ± 0.0002 μg m−3 (for Se) and 1.9201 ± 1.911 μg m−3 (for Ca) at the urban site. Mainly crustal elements (Al, Ca, Fe) and ‘pollution’ source element (S) recorded high and significant dry deposition fluxes across the two sites in both PM modes. Deposition flux was relatively higher in the coarse than in the fine PM mode. The average dry deposition flux estimated for fine and coarse PM at the rural and urban sites were 33.68 ± 57.19 μg m−2 day−1 and 47.71 ± 92.19 μg m−2 day−1; 36.66 ± 61.95 μg m−2 day−1 and 107.02 ± 237.71 μg m−2 day−1, respectively. Mainly crustal (Al, Ca, Fe) and “pollution” (S) element recorded high and significant dry deposition fluxes across the two sites and in the two PM modes. The impacts of dust on climate, air quality, and the environment in general have increased the need to better understand the dust flow system. In the current study, dust intruding the study area from the Sahara was analyzed using the NMMB/BSC dust model. The model’s output indicated that, the highest daily surface dust concentration was observed in the central and south-west of Turkey which corresponded with the peak period of Saharan dust transport to the Eastern Mediterranean in the month of March.

Fast and accurate determination of the protein content of a sample is an important and non-trivial task of many biochemical, biomedical, food chemical, pharmaceutical, and environmental research activities. Different methods of total protein determination are used for a wide range of proteins with highly variable properties in complex matrices. These methods usually work reasonably well for proteins under controlled conditions, but the results for non-standard and complex samples are often questionable. Here, we compare new and well-established methods, including traditional amino acid analysis (AAA), aromatic amino acid analysis (AAAA) based on the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine, reversed-phase liquid chromatography of intact proteins with UV absorbance measurements at 220 and 280 nm (LC-220, LC-280), and colorimetric assays like Coomassie Blue G-250 dye-binding assay (Bradford) and bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. We investigated different samples, including proteins with challenging properties, chemical modifications, mixtures, and complex matrices like air particulate matter and pollen extracts. All methods yielded accurate and precise results for the protein and matrix used for calibration. AAA, AAAA with fluorescence detection, and the LC-220 method yielded robust results even under more challenging conditions (variable analytes and matrices). These methods turned out to be well-suited for reliable determination of the protein content in a wide range of samples, such as air particulate matter and pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physiological studies conducted mainly in metropolitan areas demonstrated that urban environments generate stressful conditions for plants. However, less attention has been paid to plant response to urban conditions in small cities. Here, we evaluated to what extent the health and physiological functions of some Mediterranean urban species [ Quercus ilex L., Nerium oleander L. and Pittosporum tobira (Thunb.) W.T. Aiton] were impacted by urban and peri-urban conditions in Pisa (Italy), a small medieval city with narrow streets that impede efficient public transport causing oversized private transport. Experimental period spanned from late-summer to winter in concomitance with the sharp increase in air pollutants. Climate and air quality, soil physical and chemical properties, and plant physiological traits including leaf gas exchanges, chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf pigments were assessed. In soil, the organic carbon affected aggregates and water stability and the concentrations of some micro-elements decreased in winter. Air pollutants impaired leaf gas exchanges and photochemical processes at photosystem II, depending on species, season, and urban conditions. Shrubs were more susceptible than the tree species, highlighting that the latter adapted better to pollutants along an urban-peri-urban transect in Mediterranean environments. This study gives information on the physiological adaptability of some of the most frequent Mediterranean urban species to stressful conditions and demonstrated that, even in a small city, urban conditions influence the physiology and development of vegetation, affecting the plant health status and its ability to provide key ecosystem services. • Urban conditions affect soil properties and plant physiology in small cities. • Holm oak, oleander and pittosporum are common Mediterranean urban species. • Urban and peri-urban sites differed in terms of air pollutants. • Shrubs more than trees suffered the site stress as physiological performance. • Urban plant physiology is key factor to provide ecosystem services in small cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction In 2015, almost half of low birth weight babies in the world were born in Southern Asia. It is contributed by multiple factors including maternal exposure to the elements in the environment during the antenatal period. Particulate matter (PM10) pollution in Southeast Asian region have been extensively studied with known attributions and sources. It is also known that PM10 is able to restrict foetal growth at molecular level. This review intends to investigate if the unborn in Asia are affected by air pollutants indirectly through their mothers. Methods Publications from Scopus and Science Direct digital databases in Asian region from 2015 onwards were reviewed. Details collected were the year of publication and study location, the study design, investigated air pollutants, exposure estimation methods used, the timing of exposure in relation to pregnancy, pregnancy outcome measured and the relative risk or odds of effect. Results A total of eight full text articles were included. Most of the studies were of cohort and quasi experimental designs, involving local air monitoring measurements to assign exposure. Conclusions There were more studies considered multiple air pollutants as contributing risk rather than a single pollutant. The exposure was measured according to stages of pregnancy and the trimester stratification is the most often method used. Modalities used in representing birth outcomes were not confined to birth weight alone but also included the length of gestation. Exposure to PM10 have been found to be associated with reduction in birth weight and increased risk for preterm birth in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The occurrence and concentrations of a wide range of organic phosphates (OPEs) in vehicle's exhaust (VPM), ambient air particulate matter (APM), and soil of various urban environments were researched. VPM comes from passenger cars, commercial vehicles, marine and bus engines emitted in New European Driving Cycle tests whereas APM was sampled in several sites of the Upper Silesia region (Poland). APM and VPM collected on filters and soil from the same locations as APM sampling sites were extracted with dichloromethane and extracts analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The OPEs found include aryl phosphates such as triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) and tricresyl phosphate (TCP), alkyl phosphates - triethyl phosphate (TEP), tripropyl phosphate (TPP), tributyl phosphate (TBP) and tri(butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBEP), and alkylchlorinated phosphates including tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCiPP) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP). Occurrence and concentrations of these compounds in the PM investigated are highly variable. It was found that total concentrations in APM are directly related to traffic density in particular sites of the urban environment and a style of a vehicle driving. The highest emission of OPEs was found at a crossroad and city center sites where traffic is the densest and vehicles stops and starts are frequent. Village and residential areas were less exposed to OPEs emission. Since OPEs concentrations show exponential correlations to each other also human exposure to these compounds increases exponentially with increasing traffic density. High TEP and TBP level is tentatively proposed as an indicator of emission from petrol-fueled cars. Concentrations of OPEs in some soil are related to their emission to the air and resistance to degradation of a particular compound since only the most resistant TCiPP and TPhP were identified in soil extracts. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Distribution and concentrations of organic phosphates in vehicle exhausts assessed. • Organic phosphates in urban, industrial, and village air particulate matter and soil investigated. • Concentration levels of organic phosphates in the air directly related to their use in vehicle lubricants. • Low preservation of organic phosphates in soil found. Occurrence, distribution, and concentrations of organic phosphates in the ambient air of the different sites of the urban environment are related to emission from traffic sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine airborne particulate matter enter the respiratory system, induce oxidative stress and initiate DNA damage. The aim of our study was the estimation of cell viability, oxidative stress, DNA damage, cell cycle alterations and activation of histone H2A.X. Experiments were done on lung alveolar epithelial (A549) cells grown for 24 h with 200 µg mL−1 coarse carbon black (CB), or nanoparticulate CB (NPCB). Neither CB nor glutathione depletion altered cell viability, growth rates, and H2A.X expression while NPCB decreased cell viability, increased oxidative stress and DNA damage. The cell cycle was blocked at G0/G1. NPCB but not CB increased expression and activation of H2A.X at mRNA and protein levels. Co-expression data point to γH2A.X as a major NPCB target, and show the interdependence of γH2A.X and oxidative stress. We conclude, that NPCB increases γ-H2A.X expression in A549 cells at mRNA and protein levels and stimulates H2A.X (Ser139), phosphorylation, associated with oxidative stress, the DNA damage response and G1 cell cycle arrest. • Nanoparticulate carbon black induces DNA damage and increases γH2A.X in A549 cells. • Binary fluorescence scatterplots show increased γH2A.X in highly affected cells. • Thiol depletion amplifies the nanoparticulate carbon black effect on γH2A.X. • Oxidative stress and γΗ2A.X coincide on fluorescence density plots. • γH2A.X may serve as a marker for monitoring the risk of air pollutant exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Major sand storms are frequent in the Middle East. This study aims to investigate the role of air particulate matter (PM) level in acute asthma in children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: An aerosol spectrometer was used to evaluate PM < 10μm in diameter (PM 10 ) and PM < 2.5 μm in diameter (PM 2.5 ) concentrations in the air every 30 minutes throughout February and March 2012 in Riyadh. Data on children 2-12 years of age presenting to the emergency department of a major children′s hospital with acute asthma during the same period were collected including their acute asthma severity score. Results: The median with interquartile range (IQR) levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5 were 454 μg/m 3 (309,864) and 108 μg/m 3 (72,192) respectively. There was no correlation between the average daily PM 10 levels and the average number of children presenting with acute asthma per day (r = -0.14, P = 0.45), their daily asthma score (r = 0.014, P = 0.94), or admission rate ( r= -0.08, P = 0.65). This was also true for average daily PM 2.5 levels. In addition, there was no difference in these variables between days with PM 10 >1000 μg/m 3 , representing major sand storms, plus the following 5 days and other days with PM 10 < 1000 μg/m 3 . Conclusion: Sand storms, even major ones, had no significant impact on acute asthma exacerbations in children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The very high levels of PM, however, deserve further studying especially of their long-term effects.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has no socioeconomic, topographical, or sex limitations as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The significant drivers of CVD are cardio-metabolic, behavioral, environmental, and social risk factors. However, some significant risk factors for CVD (e.g., a pitiable diet, tobacco smoking, and a lack of physical activities), have also been linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Lifestyles and environmental factors are known key variables in cardiovascular disease. The familiarity with smoke goes along with the contact with the environment: air pollution is considered a source of toxins that contribute to the CVD burden. The incidence of myocardial infarction increases in males and females and may lead to fatal coronary artery disease, as confirmed by epidemiological studies. Lipid modification, inflammation, and vasomotor dysfunction are integral components of atherosclerosis development and advancement. These aspects are essential for the identification of atherosclerosis in clinical investigations. This article aims to show the findings on the influence of CVD on the health of individuals and human populations, as well as possible pathology and their involvement in smoking-related cardiovascular diseases. This review also explains lifestyle and environmental factors that are known to contribute to CVD, with indications suggesting an affiliation between cigarette smoking, air pollution, and CVD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Mallah, Soomro, Ali, Noreen, Khatoon, Kafle, Feng, Wang, Naveed and Zhang.)

Abstract: Knowledge of biological reactivity and underlying toxicity mechanisms of airborne particulate matter (PM) is central to the characterization of the risk associated with these pollutants. An integrated screening platform consisting of protein profiling of cellular responses and cytotoxic analysis was developed in this study for the estimation of PM potencies. Mouse macrophage (J774A.1) and human lung epithelial cells (A549) were exposed in vitro to Ottawa urban particles (EHC6802) and two reference mineral particles (TiO2 and SiO2). Samples from the in vitro exposure experiment were tested following an integrated classical cytotoxicity/toxicoproteomic assessment approach for cellular viability (CellTiter Blue®, lactate dehydrogenase) and proteomic analyses. Cellular proteins were pre‐fractionated by molecular weight cut‐off filtration, digested enzymatically and were analyzed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization–time‐of‐flight–time‐of‐flight–mass spectrometry for protein profiling and identification. Optimization of detergent removal, pre‐fractionation strategies and enzymatic digestion procedures led to increased tryptic peptide (m/z) signals with reduced sample processing times, for small total protein contents. Proteomic analyses using this optimized procedure identified statistically significant (P < 0.05) PM dose‐dependent changes at the molecular level. Ranking of PM potencies based on toxicoproteomic analysis were in line with classical cytotoxicity potency‐based ranking. The high content toxicoproteomic approach exhibited the potential to add value to risk characterization of environmental PM exposures by complementing and validating existing cytotoxicity testing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) are an important component of air particulate matter, generated from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel in diesel engines. Several epidemiological and experimental data have shown the ability of DEP to induce oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory response as mechanisms in macrophage activation and dysfunction. Macrophages are very important to immunity and immune response due to their ability to phagocyte microbes and parasites. They also respond to toxic chemicals, such as DEP, in the environment and studies have shown that their functions may be impaired by their exposure to DEP. For instance, the ultrafine particles (UFP) of DEP are capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and getting deposited in the alveolar component, where they can mitigate against the phagocytosis function of the alveolar macrophages. In this review, data linking DEP exposure to macrophage activation and dysfunction are addressed together with the various mechanisms involved in these DEP-induced effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is one of the top five causes of death in the world and has become a research hotspot. In the past, the health effects of particulate matter (PM), the main component of air pollutants, were mainly focused on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. However, in recent years, the intestinal damage caused by PM and its relationship with gut microbiome (GM) homeostasis, thereby affecting the composition and function of GM and bringing disease burden to the host lung through different mechanisms, have attracted more and more attention. Therefore, this paper reviews the latest research progress in the effect of PM on GM-induced lung damage and its possible interaction pathways and explores the potential immune inflammatory mechanism with the gut-lung axis as the hub in order to understand the current research situation and existing problems, and to provide new ideas for further research on the relationship between PM pollution, GM, and lung damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have focused on assessing the genotoxic potential of the organic fraction of airborne particulate matter. However, the determination of water-soluble compounds, and the evaluation of the toxic effects of these elements can also provide valuable information for the development of novel strategies to control atmospheric air pollution. To determine an appropriate extraction method for assessing the mutagenicity of the water-soluble fraction of PM, we performed microwave assisted (MW) and ultrasonic bath (US) extractions, using water as solvent, in eight different air samples (TSP and PM10). Mutagenicity and extraction performances were evaluated using the Salmonella /microsome assay with strains TA98 and TA100, followed by chemical determination of water-soluble metals. Additionally, we evaluated the chemical and biological stability of the extracts testing their mutagenic potential and chemically determining elements present in the samples along several periods after extraction. Reference material SRM 1648a was used. The comparison of MW and US extractions did not show differences on the metals concentrations, however positive mutagenic responses were detected with TA98 strain in all samples extracted using the MW method, but not with the US bath extraction. The recovery, using reference material was better in samples extracted with MW. We concluded that the MW extraction is more efficient to assess the mutagenic activity of the soluble fraction of airborne PM. We also observed that the extract freezing and storage over 60 days has a significant effect on the mutagenic and analytical results on PM samples, and should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs), SRM 2786 Fine Particulate Matter (<4 μm) and SRM 2787 Fine Particulate Matter (<10 μm) have been developed in support of the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter (PM). These materials have been characterized for the mass fractions of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitrated PAHs, brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) congeners, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) isomers, sugars, polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxin (PCDD) and dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners, and inorganic constituents, as well as particle-size characteristics. These materials are the first Certified Reference Materials available to support measurements of both organic and inorganic constituents in fine PM. In addition, values for PAHs are available for RM 8785 Air Particulate Matter on Filter Media. As such, these SRMs will be useful as quality control samples for ensuring compatibility of results among PM monitoring studies and will fill a void to assess the accuracy of analytical methods used in these studies. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-state diffuse reflectance and laser-induced fluorescence techniques were tested on the evaluation of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in unextracted and unfractionated airborne particulate matter. The total particulate PAH content estimated from these methods and from gas-chromatography in air particulate samples collected in the Rio de Janeiro city and for standard reference material (SRM) 1648, were compared. Ground-state diffuse reflectance proved to be by itself a good technique for estimating total PAH content in urban particulate matter, since results directly correlate with data obtained by conventional gas-chromatographic techniques. Laser-induced fluorescence is also an efficient method for low concentration estimates. Apparent deviations of the fluorescence response do occur due to black carbon interference and have to be taken into account. These surface optical methods showed to be fast, low cost, sensitive and useful as screening techniques, allowing field measurements.

Size segregated suspended particulate matter (PM2.5and PM10-2.5) in air at four major petroleum-filling stations in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, were monitored using double staged “Gent” stacked samplers to assess variations in mass loads and elemental concentrations of 25 elements. Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Cs, Ta, W, and Pb were determined in both fractions by external ion beam proton-induced X-ray emission technique. Enrichment factors and pollution indices were calculated and results revealed that most elements were anthropogenic in both fractions with concentrations exceeding the World Health Organization guideline standards. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The optimization of sample clean-up for the analysis of air particulate matter PAHs' stable carbon isotope ratio using Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) cartridges is described in this paper. Various adsorbents, such as silica gel, alumina, and florisil, commercially available for sample purification were compared. Best performance for the clean-up of 24-h air particulate matter samples was obtained with activated silica-gel columns in terms of selectivity and reproducibility. One step clean-up was optimized for concentration determination and in case of co-elutions, a second step was additionally used for carbon isotope ratio analysis. The method was subsequently validated with standard reference material and was checked for carbon isotope fractionation artifacts. No significant differences in δ 13 C values were found for unprocessed solution of PAHs and solution subjected to the extraction and purification procedure. The procedure was tested on air particulate matter samples collected in three different locations in Belgium. Statistically significant differences in carbon isotope ratio of PAHs between Borgerhout location and Zelzate or Gent were noticed, confirming the differences in distribution and diagnostic ratios found during the concentration analyses and different PAH sources in these locations. The results, therefore, seem very promising for the use of δ 13 C of PAHs as an additional information helpful in source identification of these pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Major sand storms are frequent in the Middle East. This study aims to investigate the role of air particulate matter (PM) level in acute asthma in children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: An aerosol spectrometer was used to evaluate PM < 10μm in diameter (PM10) and PM < 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) concentrations in the air every 30 minutes throughout February and March 2012 in Riyadh. Data on children 2-12 years of age presenting to the emergency department of a major children's hospital with acute asthma during the same period were collected including their acute asthma severity score. RESULTS: The median with interquartile range (IQR) levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were 454 μg/m3 (309,864) and 108 μg/m3 (72,192) respectively. There was no correlation between the average daily PM10 levels and the average number of children presenting with acute asthma per day (r = -0.14, P = 0.45), their daily asthma score (r = 0.014, P = 0.94), or admission rate ( r= -0.08, P = 0.65). This was also true for average daily PM2.5 levels. In addition, there was no difference in these variables between days with PM10 >1000 μg/m3, representing major sand storms, plus the following 5 days and other days with PM10 < 1000 μg/m3. CONCLUSION: Sand storms, even major ones, had no significant impact on acute asthma exacerbations in children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The very high levels of PM, however, deserve further studying especially of their long-term effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common environmental pollutants that occur naturally in complex mixtures. Many of the adverse health effects of PAHs including cancer are linked to the activation of intracellular stress response signaling. This study has investigated intracellular MAPK signaling in response to PAHs in extracts from urban air collected in Stockholm, Sweden and Limeira, Brazil, in comparison to BP in HepG2 cells. Nanomolar concentrations of PAHs in the extracts induced activation of MEK4 signaling with down-stream increased gene expression of several important stress response mediators. Involvement of the MEK4/JNK pathway was confirmed using siRNA and an inhibitor of JNK signaling resulting in significantly reduced MAPK signaling transactivated by the AP-1 transcription factors ATF2 and c-Jun. ATF2 was also identified as a sensitive stress responsive protein with activation observed at extract concentrations equivalent to 0.1 nM BP. We show that exposure to low levels of environmental PAH mixtures more strongly activates these signaling pathways compared to BP alone suggesting effects due to interactions. Taken together, this is the first study showing the involvement of MEK4/JNK/AP-1 pathway in regulating the intracellular stress response after exposure to nanomolar levels of PAHs in environmental mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total suspended and size-segregated atmospheric particles were collected in four seasons at three representative points in different functional areas of Dongguan City. The detailed size distributions of six nitro-PAHs [2-nitrofluorene (2-NF), 9-nitroanthracene, 2-nitrofluoranthene (2-NFL), 3-nitrofluoranthene, 1-nitropyrene, and 2-nitropyrene (2-NP)] were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection using a binary elution gradient (methanol and water). We used a toxicity assessment based on potency equivalency factors (PEFs) to estimate the inhalation risk of the particulate matter. The results showed that, aside from 2-NF and 2-NFL, the content of the other four nitro-PAHs in the microparticles (<0.4 μm) were more than 20 %, a percentage significantly higher than other fractions of particulate matter. The seasonal distribution of nitro-PAHs shows that their concentrations were higher in the winter, while the PAH concentrations were higher in the summer. The study found that secondary formation (2-NFL and 2-NP) had a positive correlation with NO and NO, but a negative correlation with O. The benzo[ a]pyrene equivalent (B aPeq) toxicity of particulate matter in Dongguan City ranged from 0.04 to 2.63 ng m, and the carcinogenic index ranged from 0.04 × 10 to 2.39 × 10. These values do not represent a serious threat to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fugitive emissions pose problems both for general air quality management as well as for the operational management of the facilities. In harbours, activities such loading, unloading and transport of dusty materials are important sources of particulate fugitive emissions. Therefore, there is a growing concern about air quality in these areas as a result of the high impact of the operations on human health and environment. The objectives of this study were to estimate the impact of harbour activities on air particulate matter (APM) levels and to compile an inventory of chemical profiles of harbour particulate fugitive emissions. This preliminary work was based on experimental campaigns carried out in a Portuguese harbour when different types of bulk materials were handled. High time resolution monitors were installed close to the unloaded area and recorded APM concentrations and meteorological variables. PM and PM were collected during unloading operations and a complete chemical characterization of collected samples was made by the techniques k-instrumental neutron activation analysis and particle induced X-ray emission. Results showed that manipulation of materials during harbour operations resulted in high emissions of particles, especially from the coarse fraction. These emissions were very affected by the granulometry and chemical composition of the handled materials and by the meteorological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture can influence air quality via emissions of ammonia, soil dust and soot. These can be emitted into the atmosphere during farming practices, and contribute in different amounts to the total emissions and concentrations of air particulate matter (PM). The exact contribution of Flemish agricultural emissions to total air PM concentrations and to negative health effects are not well known. In this paper, agricultural emissions in Flanders and the processes leading to secondary PM are reviewed, together with their associated health effects. Agricultural ammonia emissions are a major contributor to local formation of secondary PM, and can increase above normal levels during some smog episodes. From a health perspective, secondary PM formed by ammonia is considered less important. Epidemiological studies suggest that combustion-related particles are the cause of negative health effects, although a reduction in ammonia emissions would reduce acidification and eutrophication of ecosystems. The World Health Organization currently considers PM2.5 as the best indicator for assessing human health effects. Setting an additional limit value for combustion-related particles would target potentially more harmful particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas represent major pollution sources as a result of anthropogenic activities located in these districts. Among the legislated air pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are mostly adsorbed on the surface of dust particles, are known for their adverse health effects. The present study has been carried out to examine the cytotoxic effects induced in vitro on human peripheral monocytes (PBMCs) by extractable organic matter (EOM) from PM10 (characterized for its PAH content) collected at four sites in the urban center of Messina, Italy. Chromatographic analyses showed the presence of PAHs in all EOM. Only EOM from one site induced a marked cell death probably resulting from the highest PAH content in this sample. Conversely, apoptosis activation was evident after PBMC exposure to all the EOM tested. These apoptotic effects do not appear related only to the total PAH content, but are probably influenced by chemical composition. In conclusion, our findings confirm that the cytotoxic potential of organic matter associated to ambient respirable air particles depends predominantly on the quantity and quality of the chemicals contained in it. In particular, the present data strongly evidence that the only evaluation of air concentration of particulate matter and benzo[a]pyrene, as well as the generally used risk models based on additivity, are not sufficient to evaluate air quality and PAH effect on human health because they do not take into account the possible inhibitory or synergic or antagonistic effect of combined exposure and the interference of other organic compounds present in respirable matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Complex mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in air particulate matter (PM) and have been associated with many adverse human health effects including cancer and respiratory disease. However, due to their complexity, the risk of exposure to mixtures is difficult to estimate. In the present study the effects of binary mixtures of benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP) and complex mixtures of PAHs in urban air PM extracts on DNA damage signaling was investigated. Applying a statistical model to the data we observed a more than additive response for binary mixtures of BP and DBP on activation of DNA damage signaling. Persistent activation of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) was observed at significantly lower BP equivalent concentrations in air PM extracts than BP alone. Activation of DNA damage signaling was also more persistent in air PM fractions containing PAHs with more than four aromatic rings suggesting larger PAHs contribute a greater risk to human health. Altogether our data suggests that human health risk assessment based on additivity such as toxicity equivalency factor scales may significantly underestimate the risk of exposure to complex mixtures of PAHs. The data confirms our previous findings with PAH-contaminated soil (Niziolek-Kierecka et al., 2012) and suggests a possible role for Chk1 Ser317 phosphorylation as a biological marker for future analyses of complex mixtures of PAHs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In recent years, the conceptual advancement on green analytical chemistry (GAC) has moved in parallel with efforts to incorporate new screening or quantitative low-cost analytical tools to solve analytical problems. In this sense, the role of solid state techniques that allow the non-invasive analysis (or with a minimum sample treatment) of solid samples cannot be neglected. This review describes the basic principles, instrumentation and advances in the application of X-ray fluorescence instrumentation to the environmental sciences research topics, published between 2006 and 2020. Obviously, and because of the enormous number of works that can be found in the literature, it is not possible to exhaustively cover all published articles and the diversity of topics related to the environment in which a solid state technique like XRF has been applied successfully. It is a question of making a compilation of the instrumentation in use, the significant advances in XRF spectrometry and sample treatment strategies to highlight the potential of its implementation for environmental assessment., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by GC/MS in suspended airborne PM10 particles collected at 4 sites in the Tricity agglomeration of northern Poland. This industrialized and densely populated area with distinctly seasonally variable weather conditions is located on the southern Baltic Sea coast. Daily concentrations of ∑12PAHs ranged from ~0.04 to ~60 ng/m³ in the samples analyzed. The levels of particulate PAHs showed distinct seasonal changes throughout the year, with higher concentrations in the heating season. The elevated PAH concentrations recorded during the heating season were most probably due to greater emissions of PAHs from heating systems, as well as meteorological factors that restrict the dispersion of these pollutants in the atmosphere and enhance their persistence. Benzo(a)pyrene was confirmed as being a good marker of total PAHs associated with PM10 particles, and concentrations of this compound during the heating season often exceeded 1 ng/m³ -- the threshold established in Directive 2004/107/EC. Mass concentrations of PM10 particulate matter were not strongly correlated with PAH concentrations. Meteorological factors like temperature and wind speed strongly influence the distribution of particulate PAHs in the study area, but the former parameter is clearly linked to seasonal emission patterns. It has been found that atmospheric input is an important source of PAHs deposited in recent Gulf of Gdańsk sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a total of 21 elements were determined from PM2.5 and PM10 samples collected at one subway station using INAA and XRF. In order to assess the pollution status and distribution characteristics in a subway station, the absolute concentration levels, concentration ratios, and crustal enrichment factors of these elements were analyzed. PM2.5 concentrations in the subway station varied in the range of 24.8 to 72.6 µg m-3 (average ± standard deviation: 42.6 ± 10.6 µg m-3), while those of PM10 from 38.0 to 101 µg m-3 (67.2 ± 15.5 µg m-3). The relative contribution of elemental components in each particle fraction accounted for about 42 and 44%, respectively. Out of all metals, Fe was predominant to represent about 29 and 27% of each particle fraction. In contrast, the crystal sources were estimated to contribute to about 3.7 and 2.3% of the total Fe concentrations, respectively. Thus, one can conclude that considerable quantities of airborne Fe particles originated mainly from subway sources, probably due to the wearing of the steel products like wheel, rail, brake, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Air pollution is a systemic risk embedded in environmental, political, social and economic systems. Risk assessments on air pollution therefore involve communication between several stakeholders at multiple scale levels. This study focuses on a small part of the risk assessment, evaluating actions or decisions on both policy and research fields using an importance-performance/feasibility analysis as a scoring methodology. Subsequently, results were discussed by researchers and policy makers at a closed workshop to guarantee a safe place for knowledge integration. Learned aspects and new insights are useful for future scenarios on air pollution. This study was performed in Flanders, the European hot spot for air particulate matter. After 10 years of policy efforts in Flanders, the daily air particulate matter PM10 standard, which was enforced by the European Commission (EC) in 1999, is still being exceeded more times than allowed. No exemption for not achieving this standard was granted by the EC. What went wrong on policy and research fields in Flanders and how can this situation be prevented in the future taking into account the new PM2.5 standard that will be implemented in 2015 (European Directive 2008/50/EC)? Results of the importance-performance/feasibility analysis on actions related to PM research and policy in Flanders and discussions at the workshop, improving the communication between researchers and governmental stakeholders, are looked at. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) is a well-established technique for chemical analysis, but it is mainly employed for quality control in the electronics semiconductor industry. The capability to analyze liquid and uniformly thin solid samples makes this technique suitable for other applications, and especially in the very critical field of environmental analysis. Comparison with standard methods like inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) shows that TXRF is a practical, accurate, and reliable technique in occupational settings. Due to the greater sensitivity necessary in trace heavy metal detection, TXRF is also suitable for environmental chemical analysis. In this paper we show that based on appropriate standards, TXRF can be considered for non-destructive routine quantitative analysis of environmental matrices such as air filters. This work has been developed in the frame of the EU-FP6 PHIME (Public Health Impact of long-term, low-level Mixed element Exposure in susceptible population strata) Integrated Project (www.phime.org). The aim of this work was to investigate Mn air pollution in the area of Vallecamonica (Italy). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: The aims of this paper were to quantify the heavy metals (HM) in the air of different sites in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) and Salvador (SA) using Tillandsia usneoides (Bromeliaceae) as a biomonitor, and to study the morphology and elemental composition of the air particulate matter (PM) retained on the Tillandsia surface. Methods: Tillandsia samples were collected in a noncontaminated area and exposed to the air of five sites in RJ State and seven in SA for 45 days, in two seasons. Samples were prepared to HM quantification by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, while morphological and elemental characterizations were studied by using scanning electron microscopy. Results: HM concentrations were significantly higher when compared to control sites. We found an increasing metal concentration as follows: Cd < Cr < Pb < Cu < Zn. PM exhibited a morphology varying from amorphous- to polygonal-shaped particles. Size measurements indicated that more than 80% of particles were less than 10 μm. PM contained aluminosilicates iron-rich particles, but Zn, Cu, Cr, and Ba were also detected. Conclusion: HM input in the atmosphere was mainly associated with anthropogenic sources such as vehicle exhaust. Elemental analysis detected HM in the inhalable particles, indicating that those HMs may intensify the toxic effects of PM on human health. Our results indicated T. usneoides as an adequate biomonitor of HM in the PM belonging to the inhalable fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have evaluated the impact of indoor smoking bans on secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. No studies have assessed the impact of a smoking ban on SHS in enclosed areas outside separately ventilated, designated smoking rooms (DSRs). This study evaluated the overall impact of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act implemented May 31, 2006, on SHS in bars and coffee shops and the impact of banning DSRs on SHS outside DSRs. Air particulate matter (PM) and carcinogenic particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH) were measured in May 2006 before the ban inside and outside DSRs in Toronto venues (13 coffee shops and 14 bars) that allowed smoking only in DSRs, and in Windsor venues (10 coffee shops and 10 bars) where smoking was allowed in shared spaces. Measurements were repeated 2 months post-ban. Air quality index values (AQIs) were calculated. Mixed model analysis was applied, taking into account measurement errors for repeated measures. Post ban, mean PM and PPAH levels were reduced by 87% (from 494 to 67 mm2/m3) and 94% (from 196 to 11 ng/m3), respectively, inside Toronto DSRs. Mean PM and PPAH levels were reduced by 10% (from 124 to 111 mm2/m3) and 46% (from 45 to 24 ng/m3), respectively, outside Toronto DSRs. In all Windsor venues, mean PM and PPAH levels were reduced by 83% (from 488 to 81 mm2/m3) and 90% (from 107 to 10 ng/m3), respectively. All reductions were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). In Toronto venues, the AQI was reduced from the “very unhealthy” range inside DSRs and the “moderate” range outside Toronto DSRs to the “good” range, and in Windsor venues from the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range to the “good” range post-ban. Pre-ban PPAH levels including those outside Toronto DSRs may be associated with cardiovascular injury. DSRs did not provide adequate protection from SHS. The Smoke-Free Ontario Act produced a significant and firm reduction in SHS exposure in venues both with and without DSRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Variables that influence ambient concentrations of air particulate matter due to motor vehicle emissions and biomass burning for home heating were investigated for 10 urban environments in New Zealand. It was found that contributions to ambient particulate matter concentrations from these two main anthropogenic carbonaceous sources were only sometimes correlated with the population and/or source activity within an airshed. The average particulate concentration attributed to motor vehicle emissions was found to correlate with the airshed population, whereas the home heating contribution was observed to be independent. It was found that particulate matter from biomass burning for home heating emissions often build up during cold calm nights under temperature inversion conditions, restricting vertical dispersion thus confining air particulate matter to a limited atmospheric volume. The average winter particulate concentrations due to home heating within the airsheds studied were attributed more to environmental confinement rather than source activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to study the effects of air pollution, about 1,300 samples of airborne particulate matter (APM) were collected at suburban and industrial sites, in Daejeon, Korea from 1998 to 2006. The concentrations of carcinogenic (As and Cr) and non-carcinogenic metals (Al, Mn, and Zn) were determined by using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). These long-term metal concentration data were applied to a risk assessment of inhalation exposure using Monte Carlo analysis (MCA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For nearly three decades the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Gaithersburg, MD) has been involved in the development of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for the determination of organic contaminants in environmental matrices. Classes of organic contaminants characterized in these materials include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated pesticides, and most recently, brominated flame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl ethers [PBDEs]). Environmental matrices include fossil fuels, air and diesel particulate matter, house dust, coal tar, sediment, mussel and fish tissue, fish oil, and whale blubber. Recent SRM developments and activities have led to a number of environmental SRMs that are useful for assuring quality of analytical measurements in environmental forensics where source profiling of organic contaminants is often conducted in a range of environmental or biological matrices. Particle-related SRM developments include the issue of a new house dust material (SRM 2585 Organic Contaminants in House Dust), and the recertification of two SRMs: a diesel particulate matter material (SRM 1650b Diesel Particulate Matter) for certified and reference values for 97 PAHs and nitro-PAHs and a river sediment (SRM 1939b PCBs in River Sediment A) for a greater number of PCB congener concentrations relative to its former certification in 1998 as well as for total PCBs. A coal tar SRM (SRM 1597a Complex Mixture of PAHs from Coal Tar) has also been reissued with an expanded range of values for PAHs (including methyl- and dimethyl-substituted PAHs, PAH isomers of molecular mass 302, and polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles [PASH]). The latest biological SRM developments include the issue of a new fish tissue SRM (SRM 1947 Lake Michigan Fish Tissue) and the recertification of a cod liver oil (SRM 1588b Organics in Cod Liver Oil) and a human serum (SRM 1589b PCBs, Pesticides, PBDEs, and Dioxins/Furans in Human Serum). SRM 1588b has values assigned for 124 constituents, and SRM 1589b has values assigned for 88 constituents. An overview of these recent SRM activities is provided in this paper, and selected organic contaminant values in newly developed particulate-related and biological SRMs are presented. The usefulness of these materials for assuring quality in environmental forensic measurements is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air particulate matter (PM) and bound chemicals are potential mediators for adverse health effects. The cytotoxicity and changes in energy-providing processes caused by chemical compounds bound to PM of different size fractions were investigated in Tetrahymena pyriformis. The PM samplings were carried out using a high volume cascade impactor (6 size fractions between 10 μm and less than 0.49 μm) at three points of La Plata, Argentina: in an industrial area, a traffic-influenced urban area, and a control area. Extracts from respirable particles below 1 μm initiated the highest cytotoxic effects, demonstrating their higher risk. In contrast, an increase on oxygen consumption was observed especially in tests of extracts from particles less than 1 μm from urban and industrial areas. The increase on oxygen consumption could be caused by decoupling processes in the respiratory chain. Otherwise the ATP concentration was increased too, even though to a lower extent. The observed imbalance between oxygen consumption and ATP concentration in exposed T. pyriformis cells may be due to oxidative stress, caused by chemical compounds bound to the particles. Owing to the complexity of effects related to PM and their associated chemical compounds, various physiological parameters necessarily need to be investigated to obtain more information about their possible involvement in human relevant pathogenic processes. As shown here, effects on cell proliferation and on energy-providing processes are suitable indicators for the different impact of PM and adsorbed chemicals from various sampling locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Three objectives were proposed in this work: (i) to evaluate the concentrations of Air Particulate Matter (APM) species obtained via k 0-INAA and PIXE by comparison with results obtained via classical methodologies, (ii) to study the water solubility of chloride, sodium, sulfur, potassium and calcium sampled in APM filters and (iii) to analyze the importance of their solubility in the identification of emission sources. The multi-technique analytical approach, using nuclear and classical techniques, not only the results provided for a large number of APM species (essential for source apportionment studies) but also, for several elements, independent methods gave information about their solubility. Results indicated that: (1) the total Cl concentration was lower than the soluble Cl− concentration, showing that it volatilized partially during the PIXE analysis, (2) the majority of Na—provided mainly from sea salt spray—was soluble, (3) in PM10 most of the sulfur was in SO4 2− chemical form, (4) K exhibited aweaker solubility in the coarse fraction: in PM10−2.5, the insoluble potassium was associated with the mineral aerosol, whereas the soluble fraction resulted from the sea salt spray, (5) Ca showed a lower solubility in the coarse fraction, and the insoluble Ca was associated with a mineral origin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

PIXE and Ion Beam Analysis are one of the few techniques that can be used to identify the elemental composition of air particulates without destroying the filter sample. They are key tools for identifying the sources and determining the relative contribution of biogenic and anthropogenic sources of air particulate matter pollution in our environment. Over the last 8 years, specialised equipment has been designed and built at the New Zealand Ion Beam Analysis facility in Lower Hutt for semi automated analysis of air filters. The equipment and experimental techniques have been refined to improve sensitivities for many of the elements in the periodic table. At GNS, sensitivities have recently been further improved by using two X-ray detectors simultaneously with different amounts of X-ray filtering and collimation. The average limit of detection is improved from 66 ng/cm2 (typical for a setup using a single detector) to 35 ng/cm2 using two detectors simultaneously. The New Zealand Ion Beam Analysis facility now routinely analyses air particulate matter collected on filters from several locations around New Zealand. In this paper, results of air particulate studies from several locations in the Wellington region are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]