Indoor air pollution

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of organic compounds with two to seven benzene rings and are a group of environmental pollutants. They are produced generally by incomplete combustion of combustible materials such as fossil fuels. Some PAHs are carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic. The databases used in this study were Science Direct, Google Scholar and Springer. Among the 2650 articles found, 17 articles met our criteria. The results show that, the concentration of PAHs in rural areas, both indoor and outdoor (1689.32 and 718.58 µg/m3), is higher than in urban areas (720.86 and 529.79 µg/m3), respectively. Regarding the results, the type of applied fuel is influencing the concentration of PAHs. So that, PAHs released from combustion of coal was higher than remain (10750.1 µg/m3). The highest lifetime cancer risk (LTCRs) and hazard quotient (HQ) were for exposure to the concentrations of indoor PAHS in the rural areas (3.69×10-7 and 2.96×10-6), respectively.

The purpose of this document is to provide the employer with guidelines for preventive maintenance, specifically practical recommendations necessary to ensure that the air treatment system does not transmit pathogens to those exposed within office environments for 7-8 hours daily. Workers may experience symptoms related to their exposure to poorly sanitized HVAC terminals, such as rhinitis, dermatitis, asthma, etc. Therefore, it is crucial to provide the employer with clear guidance on the sanitization or cleaning of air treatment systems. In this discussion, we will focus on maintenance in terms of biological risk, addressing only the components that meet water and humidity.

Energy use is central to human society and provides many health benefits. But each source of energy entails some health risks. This article reviews the health impacts of each major source of energy, focusing on those with major implications for the burden of disease globally. The biggest health impacts accrue to the harvesting and burning of solid fuels, coal and biomass, mainly in the form of occupational health risks and household and general ambient air pollution. Lack of access to clean fuels and electricity in the world's poor households is a particularly serious risk for health. Although energy efficiency brings many benefits, it also entails some health risks, as do renewable energy systems, if not managed carefully. We do not review health impacts of climate change itself, which are due mostly to climate-altering pollutants from energy systems, but do discuss the potential for achieving near-term health cobenefits by reducing certain climate-related emissions.

Airborne fungi and bacteria have been extensively studied by researchers due to their significant effects on human health. We provided an overview of the distribution and sources of airborne pathogenic microbes, and a detailed description of the detrimental effects that these microorganisms cause to human health in both outdoor and indoor environments. By analyzing the large body of literature published in this field, we offered valuable insights into how airborne microbes influence our well-being. The findings highlight the harmful consequences associated with the exposure to airborne fungi and bacteria in a variety of natural and human-mediated environments. Certain demographic groups, including children and the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and various categories of workers are particularly exposed and vulnerable to the detrimental effect on health of air microbial pollution. A number of studies performed up to date consistently identified Alternaria, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Fusarium as the predominant fungal genera in various indoor and outdoor environments. Among bacteria, Bacillus, Streptococcus, Micrococcus, Enterococcus, and Pseudomonas emerged as the dominant genera in air samples collected from numerous environments. All these findings contributed to expanding our knowledge on airborne microbe distribution, emphasizing the crucial need for further research and increased public awareness. Collectively, these efforts may play a vital role in safeguarding human health in the face of risks posed by airborne microbial contaminants.

Siloxanes are used widely in a variety of consumer products, including cosmetics, personal care products, medical and electrical devices, cookware, and building materials. Nevertheless, little is known on the occurrence of siloxanes in indoor dust. In this survey, five cyclic (D3-D7) and 11 linear (L4-L14) siloxanes were determined in 310 indoor dust samples collected from 12 countries. Dust samples collected from Greece contained the highest concentrations of total cyclic siloxanes (TCSi), ranging from 118 to 25,100ng/g (median: 1380), and total linear siloxanes (TLSi), ranging from 129 to 4990ng/g (median: 772). The median total siloxane (TSi) concentrations in dust samples from 12 countries were in the following decreasing order: Greece (2970ng/g), Kuwait (2400), South Korea (1810), Japan (1500), the USA (1220), China (1070), Romania (538), Colombia (230), Vietnam (206), Saudi Arabia (132), India (116), and Pakistan (68.3). TLSi concentrations as high as 42,800ng/g (Kuwait) and T...

This study compared the concentration of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in air derived from polyurethane-based passive samplers to those of hair samples collected from humans and sheep. Human scalp hair samples were obtained from 24 healthy individuals and ten sheep (Ovis aries) during indoor and outdoor polyurethane foam plug ambient sampling. The samples were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). ∑PBDE concentrations ranged 0.6-50 ng·g-1 (mean, 18.6 ± 13 ng·g-1) for humans and 0.6-1.4 ng·g-1 (mean, 1.1 ± 0.25 ng·g-1) for sheep. The ∑PAH concentrations were log-normally distributed in human hair ranging 98-2529 ng·g-1 (mean, 460 ± 538 ng·g-1), whereas concentrations for sheep hair samples ranged 168-526 ng·g-1 (mean, 334 ± 117 ng·g-1). Strong correlations (P-values < 0.01) were found between concentrations of PAHs and PBDEs in human and sheep hair with concentrations measured in indoor and outdoor air, respectively...

Spray foam insulation is one of the most effective solutions for improving energy efficiency, sealing gaps, and maintaining indoor comfort in residential and commercial buildings. Installing spray foam insulation, however, requires precision and a deep understanding of the material to ensure maximum performance. In this guide, we will cover the best practices for installing spray foam insulation, ensuring your building is properly insulated for years to come. If you are in Hartley, TX, and looking for expert assistance, following these tips can save you time and prevent common mistakes. Understanding Spray Foam Insulation Spray foam insulation is a versatile and durable insulation material that expands when applied, filling gaps, cracks, and cavities in walls, attics, and other areas of a building. Its main advantage is that it creates an airtight seal, which helps to prevent air leaks, moisture intrusion, and energy loss. There are two primary types of spray foam insulation: open-cell and closed-cell. Both have their unique advantages, and the choice depends on the application and insulation goals.

In the field of risk communication, several studies highlight the importance of the role played by information sources. In this regard, the relevance of two actors involved stands out: the media, as information disseminators, and the experts, who often play the role of both disseminators and accredited sources. The role of these two actors is of particular interest, especially when it comes to risks associated with public health. This chapter will address this issue in three aspects: (1) providing a scientific literature review on the main functions and relevance of the media and experts in the field of risk communication, (2) showing the opinion of the Spanish scientific sector on the diffusion of radon gas risk—based on a series of interviews with the most relevant—and (3) highlighting the main results from a content analysis of radon-related news in the national media with the greatest impact. The possible theoretical and practical implications for the dissemination and communication of radon gas risk are discussed.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the costs and benefits of interventions to reduce indoor‐air pollution arising from the use of solid biomass fuels for cooking and heating in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use cost‐benefit analysis and assess two intervention scenarios: providing access to improved stoves; and providing access to cleaner fuels (liquefied petroleum gas – LPG – burners). Both intervention scenarios are compared with the current situation, i.e. the “business as usual” scenario where there is no attempt to reduce the present level of exposure to indoor‐air pollution from solid fuel use.FindingsThe result shows that the cost‐benefit ratio of the stove intervention is 0.388 while that of LPG is 0.371.Practical implicationsWhile providing access to cleaner fuels (LPG) has a larger health impact on the population than improved stoves, the low income level of the participants will favor the stove option because of the lower recurrent cost which...

Despite the significant amount of time spent in the domestic environment, culture-independent size distribution data of bioaerosols are largely missing. This study investigated the temporal changes in size-resolved bacterial aerosols in urban and semi-urban residential settings. Overall, airborne bacterial taxa identified in both sites were dispersed across particles of various sizes. qPCR analysis showed that outdoors bacteria dominated particles > 8 μm, whilst indoor bacterial loadings were greater with 1-2 μm (winter) and 2-4 μm (summer) ranges. Indoor and outdoor aerosols harboured distinct bacterial communities due to the dominance of human-associated taxa (Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Corynebacterium) in indoor air. The aerosol microbiome exhibited significant temporal variation, with Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli predominant indoors, whereas Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were the most abundant taxa outdoors. The variation between the two residences was mostly driven by particles < 2 μm, whereas differences between indoors and outdoors were mostly influenced by particles > 2 μm. Sourcetracking analysis estimated that household surfaces accounted for the greatest source proportion of bacteria, surpassing that of outdoor air, which varied due to natural ventilation throughout the year. Our findings provide new insights into the factors governing the aerosol microbiome in residential environments which are crucial for exposure assessment.

When it comes to people’s health, indoor air quality is just as crucial as outdoor air quality, if not more so. In the Kathmandu Valley,
where the yearly average concentration of PM 2.5 is around five times greater than WHO recommendations, air pollution poses a
serious threat to human health. Hospital is one building type in which maintaining Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is of utmost importance
for the health and wellbeing of healthcare practitioners, staffs and patients. This paper highlights the existing physical parameters of
Indoor Air Quality of triage area of Bir Hospital, a hospital located in Kathmandu, Nepal. By employing LaserEgg2+ technology
for data gathering along with questionnaire survey with health practitioners working inside the department, this inquiry compares
the current IAQ to both the WHO standard and the ASHRAE Standard for Healthcare facilities. This study takes into account the
perception of Health practitioners towards Indoor Air Quality of emergency department. Hospital and standalone emergency rooms
treat a range of medical ailments, including those involving severe trauma, infectious infections, lacerations, and broken bones so
high risk of infection is always present. This paper recommends the intervention measures from simulation research method in
Autodesk Ecotect Software to ensure