Search

Ambient particulate matter (PM10) and its chemical composition in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied in areas of specific interest, between September 2015 and July 2016. The principal aim of this study was to assess the different PAH source profiles in each area, as well as their potential health risk. In particular, the studied areas were (a) the semiurban industrialized zone of the Municipality of Peloponnese (Meligalas, Messini) of Messinia prefecture, due to the intensive olive-productive activity in the extensive area, (b) the industrialized zone of Oinofyta in Voiotia prefecture, and (c) the urban/traffic center of Athens (Aristotelous). Intense spatial and seasonal variations in PAH levels were observed among the study areas collectively, but also for each one individually. During the winter period, the total PAHs average concentration was 11.45 and 9.84 ng/m3 at Meligalas–Skala (S1, S2 stations), 8.84 ng/m3 at Messini (S3 station), and 6.30 ng/m3 at the center of Athens (Aristotelous). During the summer campaign, the corresponding levels were 0.99, 1.20, and 0.70 ng/m3 (S1, S2, and S3 stations), and 5.84 ng/m3 (Aristotelous), respectively. The highest potential cancer risk of the PAHs mixture was estimated based on winter season measurements taken at the Municipality of Peloponnese. In order to determine PAH sources, two different source apportionment techniques were applied, i.e., diagnostic ratios (DRs) and the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the ICARUS (Integrated Climate forcing and Air pollution Reduction in Urban Systems) H2020 EU project, sampling campaigns took place in seven European cities (Athens, Basel, Brno, Ljubljana, Madrid, Milan, Thessaloniki), aiming to characterize urban population exposure to air pollutants, altogether with over 600 participants from over 250 households. By combining spatio-temporal information on air pollution and activity data of individuals, we were able to identify individual exposure profiles and to aggregate information according to specific micro-environments and activity. Personal exposure reports were then prepared and distributed to all participants. In this paper the overall experience gained conducting sampling campaigns in all seven cities is summarised, focusing on the following aspects: sensors selection and evaluation, development of the overall study design, data harmonisation and building of supporting ICT infrastructure, as well as overall feasibility evaluation including user experience as reported by both participants and field workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particulate matter (PM) is an important player of indoor air quality and a topic of great interest in terms of public health. Deciphering the complex chemical composition of indoor PM is critical to understand the association between particles components and a wide range of adverse health effects. Over the last decades, advanced analytical instrumentation has been produced capable of providing various levels of information on the chemical features of indoor PM. This article reviews the most promising of these sophisticated analytical techniques that could be employed in the identification of organic and inorganic constituents of indoor PM, including (high-resolution) mass spectrometry, organic, carbonaceous and ions analytical techniques, elemental analysis techniques such as atomic spectrometry and X-ray based methods, and surface analysis techniques. A distinction is made between online and offline instrumentation, focusing on their capabilities and how they are currently being used in the targeted and untargeted analysis of PM components. This review aims to provide the indoor air chemistry community with insights into the power of the different techniques available today, so that they can be used advantageously in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of ambient particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pPAHs) were measured in PM10 samples collected at roadside, industrial and urban background sites in Bangkok between May 2013 and May 2014. The annual average PM10 concentrations were not significantly different between the roadside (56.4 ± 27.3 µg m−3) and industrial (51.0 ± 31.1 µg m−3) sites. The lowest annual mean PM10 was observed at the urban background site (39.8 ± 22.2 µg m−3). Seasonal variations of pPAHs were observed at the three sampling sites. The total pPAHs ranged between 1.09 and 13.10 ng m−3 (mean 4.85 ± 2.51 ng m−3), 1.49 and 9.39 ng m−3 (mean 3.84 ± 2.01 ng m−3) and 0.77 and 5.20 ng m−3 (mean 2.28 ± 1.16 ng m−3) at the roadside, industrial and urban background sites, respectively. The observed annual average benzo[a]pyrene concentrations were 0.47 ± 0.39 ng m−3, 0.35 ± 0.27 ng m−3 and 0.24 ± 0.19 ng m−3 at the roadside, industrial and urban background sites. Long-term carcinogenic health risk of inhalation exposure expressed as the toxicity equivalent to benzo[a]pyrene concentrations were calculated as 0.83, 0.72 and 0.39 ng m−3 at the industrial, roadside and urban background sites, respectively. The composition of pPAHs plays an important role in the carcinogenicity of a PAHs mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the association between the building‐related occupants' reported health symptoms and the indoor pollutant concentrations in a sample of 148 office rooms, within the framework of the European OFFICAIR research project. A large field campaign was performed in 37 office buildings among eight countries, which included (a) 5‐day air sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aldehydes, ozone, and NO2 (b) collection of information from 1299 participants regarding their personal characteristics and health perception at workplace using online questionnaires. Stepwise and multilevel logistic regressions were applied to investigate associations between health symptoms and pollutant concentrations considering personal characteristics as confounders. Occupants of offices with higher pollutant concentrations were more likely to report health symptoms. Among the studied VOCs, xylenes were associated with general (such as headache and tiredness) and skin symptoms, ethylbenzene with eye irritation and respiratory symptoms, a‐pinene with respiratory and heart symptoms, d‐limonene with general symptoms, and styrene with skin symptoms. Among aldehydes, formaldehyde was associated with respiratory and general symptoms, acrolein with respiratory symptoms, propionaldehyde with respiratory, general, and heart symptoms, and hexanal with general SBS. Ozone was associated with almost all symptom groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Introductory Article of the MDPI Special Issue "New Challenges for Indoor Air Quality". Research on air quality issues in recently refurbished educational buildings is relatively limited. However, it is an important topic as students are often exposed to high concentrations of air pollutants, especially in urban environments. This study presents the results of a 25-day experimental campaign that took place in a primary school located in a densely built-up area, which retains a green roof system (GRS). All measurements refer to mass concentrations and chemical analysis of PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometers), and they were implemented simultaneously on the GRS and within the classroom (C3) below during different periods of the year. The results demonstrated relatively low levels of PM10 in both experimental points, with the highest mean value of 72.02 μg m−3 observed outdoors during the cold period. Elemental carbon (EC) was also found be higher in the ambient environment (with a mean value of 2.78 μg m−3), while organic carbon (OC) was relatively balanced between the two monitoring sites. Moreover, sulfate was found to be the most abundant water soluble anion (2.57 μg m−3), mainly originating from ambient primary SO2 and penetrating into the classroom from windows. Additionally, the crustal origin of particles was shown in trace metals, where Al and Fe prevailed (9.55% and 8.68%, respectively, of the total PM10). Nevertheless, infiltration of outdoor particles within the classroom was found to affect indoor sources of metals. Finally, source apportionment using a positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor model demonstrated six main factors of emissions, the most important of which were vehicles and biomass burning (30.30% contribution), along with resuspension of PM10 within the classroom from human activities (29.89% contribution). Seasonal variations seem to play a key role in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]