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Indoor environments pose a significant health risk due to exposure to particulate matter (PM), leading to various diseases and premature deaths, and raising public concerns about indoor air quality. Household kitchens are a major contributor to indoor air pollution, emitting particulate matter of varying sizes during cooking, which disperses throughout the house. Understanding the extent of PM exposure and identifying its sources is crucial. This study assesses PM presence in Kuwaiti household kitchens, measuring concentrations of different‐sized particles (PM 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10 μm) under various conditions. Measurements were taken for 24 h using a particle/mass monitor device, considering different ventilation scenarios, cooking oils, and methods. Spearman's rank correlation and indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios investigate the correlation between indoor and outdoor PM exposure. Principal component analysis (PCA) models identify specific sources contributing to PM exposure. A questionnaire survey in Kuwaiti households determines primary kitchen sources during cooking. Results show that kitchens with ventilation systems consistently reduce PM concentrations. PM emissions during cooking vary based on factors like cooking method, energy type, cooking oil, food, additives, temperature, and ventilation. The cooking stove is the primary emission source, but other household activities contribute. This study enhances our understanding of influential factors affecting cooking emissions and their concentrations, contributing valuable insights into mitigating indoor air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on the issue of exposure to hazardous chemical compounds and the potential health risks associated with them. Fuel stations play a critical role in society, supporting the transportation industry and serving the general public. However, the routine activities at these stations expose workers and customers to dangerous chemical compounds, posing potential health risks. As part of a pilot study, the exposure of workers and customers to hazardous chemical compounds at fuel stations in Kuwait, characterized by its hot and arid environment, was investigated. The study specifically looked at volatile organic compounds (VOC) concentration and their effects on human health. Three hundred-eight air samples were collected in a hot, arid environment, focusing on fuel stations. Two sampling methods were used in this pilot study: personal inhalation exposure using active sampling and workplace air sampling using passive sampling. Samples were collected in fuel filling areas, indoor control rooms, and through personal exposures, adhering to ISO procedures (EPA TO-17). The study also assessed the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to human health to potential exposure to hazardous hazardous chemicals. The findings revealed that hazardous chemicals levels in the pump area were lower than those in the indoor control rooms. Workers' inhalation exposure to hazardous chemicals remained below the international occupational exposure limit (OEL). However, the study identified unsafe inhalation exposure levels to Benzene, which could have adverse carcinogenic effects. In contrast, exposure to ethylbenzene was found to be within safe limits, with no associated carcinogenic effects. This study underscores the importance of identifying the risks associated with exposure to hazardous chemical compounds to minimize human health risks and promote a safe working environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between particulate matter and economic growth, as well as the relationship between economic growth and Greenhouse Gas emissions, has been the topic of considerable investigations over the past two decades. Kuwait has a hot, dry, and desert climate that makes the outside air affected by natural and other unnatural factors. Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) samples were monthly collected for a 41-years (from 1980 to 2021) over the state of Kuwait. This study presents a detailed investigation of possible correlation and regression analysis between PM2.5 mass column concentration and socioeconomic factors, and they are as follows: GDP per Capita (GDPP), Greenhouse Gas emissions, and population density during the same period. The correlation between per Capita GDP and PM2.5 concentration is statistically positive and supported at the highest level of significance. The Greenhouse Gas emissions and population density proportion exhibit significant positive effects, demonstrating that these two factors strongly affect PM2.5 pollution. The results of the regression analysis for Kuwait shows a significant positive relationship between GDP per Capita and PM2.5, all of which remained significant at the 1% level. The consequence of the increase in per Capita GDP, according to the results reported in the study, should be an increase in the level of PM2.5 column density and vice versa. A significant positive correlation with a value of 0.8805 was found between Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) in extremely hot years and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Human activities lead to an environmental imbalance, and this will certainly affect future generations, so what is required to do is to feel a moral responsibility towards the environment around us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has affected millions of people all over the world and killed hundreds of thousands. Atmospheric conditions can play a fundamental role in the transmission of a virus. The relationship between several atmospheric variables and the transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) are therefore investigated in this study, in which the State of Kuwait, which has a hot, arid climate, is considered during free movement (without restriction), partial lockdown (partial restrictions), and full lockdown (full restriction). The relationship between the infection rate, growth rate, and doubling time for SARS‐CoV‐2 and atmospheric variables are also investigated in this study. Daily data describing the number of COVID‐19 cases and atmospheric variables, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, visibility, and solar radiation, were collected for the period February 24 to May 30, 2020. Stochastic models were employed to analyze how atmospheric variables can affect the transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2. The normal and lognormal probability and cumulative density functions (PDF and CDF) were applied to analyze the relationship between atmospheric variables and COVID‐19 cases. The Spearman's rank correlation test and multiple regression model were used to investigate the correlation of the studied variables with the transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 and to confirm the findings obtained from the stochastic models. The results indicate that relative humidity had a significant negative correlation with the number of COVID‐19 cases, whereas positive correlations were observed for cases of infection and temperature, wind speed, and visibility. The infection rate for SARS‐CoV‐2 is directly proportional to the air temperature, wind speed, and visibility, whereas inversely related to the humidity. The lowest growth rate and longest doubling time of the COVID‐19 infection occurred during the full lockdown period. The results in this study may help the World Health Organization (WHO) make specific recommendations about the outbreak of COVID‐19 for decision‐makers around the world. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:500–516. © 2021 SETAC KEY POINTS: We investigated the association between atmospheric variables and the transmission of the COVID‐19 virus during the free movement (without restriction), partial lockdown (partial restrictions), and full lockdown (full restriction) periods.Relative humidity had a significant negative association with the number of COVID‐19 infected cases.The COVID‐19 infected cases were positively associated with the increase in temperature, wind speed, and visibility.The lowest growth rate and highest doubling time of the COVID‐19 infection occurred in the full lockdown period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living in hot climates are likely to spend considerable time indoors and use of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The effects of these systems upon environmental pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have not been well understood. In this study, ‘priority’ PAHs in 20 HVAC filter dust samples were measured using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The samples were taken in homes, schools and mosques in five provinces in Kuwait over a 2-month period in winter. The results showed that traffic and petrochemical refineries were the main outdoor sources of PAHs measured indoors in all of the locations. Benzo[b]fluoranthene and benzo[k]fluoranthene, which are classified as carcinogenic compounds, were present at the highest mean concentrations in most of the locations. The maximum total PAH concentration (∑PAHs is the sum of all target PAHs in each building) was 3645 ng/g and was found in a school that is located south of three refineries and a power station. The highest concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs were found in a home and the lowest in a mosque. Chrysene was found at the highest concentrations and fluoranthene was found at the lowest concentrations of all the PAHs analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]