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Kim PG, Lee A, Shin J, Song E, Koo Y, Mohamed DFMS, Choi S, Hong Y, Song S, Noh I, Kwon JH. Determination of terpene levels after the use of essential oil diffusers in vehicles and studio apartments using passive sampling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 879:163071. [PMID: 36965723 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The exposure levels of selected terpenes (limonene, α- and β-pinenes, and γ-terpinene) emitted by essential oil diffusers in vehicles and studio apartments were assessed using a passive sampling method. A previously developed passive sampler composed of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane and adsorbent (ePTFE PS) was enlarged and made wearable. Before field deployment, the sampling performance of the modified ePTFE PS for selected terpenes was compared with that of active sampling in a lab-scale 5 m3 test chamber under constant exposure conditions, supporting that passive sampling provides reasonable estimates of the time-weighted exposure concentration. Fifty volunteers were recruited and asked to wear the ePTFE PS while using an essential oil diffuser inside their own vehicle while commuting and in their studio apartment while sleeping. Terpene levels without an essential oil diffuser were very low in vehicles and 47, 3.6, 1.6, and 0.62 μg m-3 for average concentrations of limonene, α- and β-pinenes, and γ-terpinene in studio apartments, respectively, close to those reported in previous studies. The indoor concentrations of all selected terpenes in vehicles and studio apartments were elevated by the use of essential oil diffusers, especially in vehicles. The average concentration of limonene in vehicles after the use of essential oil diffusers was 11 μg m-3, which was greater than that before use by a factor of 30. Therefore, cautious usage of essential oil diffusers indoors where the volume is limited, such as a vehicle, is needed to reduce exposure to terpenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pil-Gon Kim
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Arum Lee
- Department of Consumer Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeho Shin
- Department of Consumer Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Eugene Song
- Department of Consumer Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea
| | - Yerim Koo
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dana Fahad M S Mohamed
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Soobin Choi
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongseok Hong
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Science and Technology, Korea University Sejong Campus, Sejong City 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokho Song
- Bio Division, Environmental Toxicity Center, Korea Conformity Laboratories, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea
| | - Incheol Noh
- Environment Division, Chemical Analysis Center, Korea Conformity Laboratories, Seoul 08503, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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Zhou X, Zhou X, Wang C, Zhou H. Environmental and human health impacts of volatile organic compounds: A perspective review. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137489. [PMID: 36513206 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are synthetic chemicals that are broadly used in the production of numerous day-to-day products for residential and commercial-based applications. VOCs are naturally occurring in the environment; however, average annual emissions of man-made volatile organic compounds may have increased dramatically in recent decades. Although many factors were attributed to influencing volatile compounds' emission, only mankind's activities are mainly proclaimed. Since vehicle and industrial pollution are mounting for years and years, urban areas are highly prone to the impacts of VOCs. Generally, volatile compounds are highly spontaneous and readily react with the particles of ambiance and produce a polluted atmosphere through several physical and chemical reactions. Though the volatile compounds play an indispensable role in the manufacture and maintaining the stability of many products, the health impacts associated with their prolonged exposure are gaining attention as recent research reports underline the influence of a wide range of diseases and disorders. Likewise, since the modern way of life applies a lot of day-to-day chemicals, it is imperative to spread a wide knowledge and safety aspects about these chemicals so that people of a wide category can implement preventive measures according to their exposure and living style. In this context, the review article attempts to shed light on past and current updates concerning the relationship between VOCs exposure and environmental and human health impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xihe Zhou
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Sinomaple Furnishing (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., 99 Fen an Dong Lu, Wujiang District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215200, China
| | - Chengming Wang
- Holtrop & Jansma (Qingdao) Environmental Protection Equipment Co., Ltd., 8 Tongshun Road, High-tech District, Qingdao, Shandong, 266114, China
| | - Handong Zhou
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, International Innovation Center for Forest Chemicals and Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210037, China.
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Sakamoto H, Uchiyama S, Sato A, Isobe T, Kunugita N, Ogura H, Nakayama SF. Health Risk Assessment Based on Exposure to Chemicals in Air. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15813. [PMID: 36497886 PMCID: PMC9735953 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have investigated personal exposure concentrations of not only some volatile organic compounds but also more types of chemicals including acidic gases and acrolein. We measured the personal exposure concentrations of 35 chemicals including these chemicals in indoor and outdoor air in Chiba-shi, Japan, for 7 days in summer and winter to assess the associated health risks in 22 people. The personal exposure concentrations of nitrogen dioxide were higher in winter than in summer, and those of formaldehyde, p-dichlorobenzene, and tetradecane were higher in summer than in winter. The personal exposure concentrations were mostly equal to or lower than the concentrations in indoor air, contrary to the results of a lot of previous studies. The high-risk chemicals based on personal exposure concentrations were identified as acrolein (max. 0.43 μg/m3), benzene (max. 3.1 μg/m3), and hexane (max. 220 μg/m3) in summer, and acrolein (max. 0.31 μg/m3), nitrogen dioxide (max. 320 μg/m3), benzene (max. 5.2 μg/m3), formic acid (max. 70 μg/m3), and hexane (max. 290 μg/m3) in winter. In addition, we estimated personal exposure concentrations according to the time spent at home and the chemical concentrations in indoor and outdoor air. We found that the estimated concentrations of some participants largely differed from the measured ones indicating that it is difficult to estimate personal exposure concentrations based on only these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironari Sakamoto
- Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
- Japan Environment and Children’s Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Shigehisa Uchiyama
- Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Ayana Sato
- Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Isobe
- Japan Environment and Children’s Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Naoki Kunugita
- School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan
| | - Hironao Ogura
- Faculty and Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Shoji F. Nakayama
- Japan Environment and Children’s Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
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Halios CH, Landeg-Cox C, Lowther SD, Middleton A, Marczylo T, Dimitroulopoulou S. Chemicals in European residences - Part I: A review of emissions, concentrations and health effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:156201. [PMID: 35623519 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
One of the more important classes of potentially toxic indoor air chemicals are the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). However, due to a limited understanding of the relationships between indoor concentrations of individual VOCs and health outcomes, there are currently no universal health-based guideline values for VOCs within Europe including the UK. In this study, a systematic search was conducted designed to capture evidence on concentrations, emissions from indoor sources, and health effects for VOCs measured in European residences. We identified 65 individual VOCs, and the most commonly measured were aromatic hydrocarbons (14 chemicals), alkane hydrocarbons (9), aldehydes (8), aliphatic hydrocarbons (5), terpenes (6), chlorinated hydrocarbons (4), glycol and glycol ethers (3) and esters (2). The pathway of interest was inhalation and 8 individual aromatic hydrocarbons, 7 alkanes and 6 aldehydes were associated with respiratory health effects. Members of the chlorinated hydrocarbon family were associated with cardiovascular neurological and carcinogenic health effects and some were irritants as were esters and terpenes. Eight individual aromatic hydrocarbons, 7 alkanes and 6 aldehydes identified in European residences were associated with respiratory health effects. Of the 65 individual VOCs, 52 were from sources associated with building and construction materials (e.g. brick, wood products, adhesives and materials for flooring installation etc.), 41 were linked with consumer products (passive, electric and combustible air fresheners, hair sprays, deodorants) and 9 VOCs were associated with space heating, which may reflect the relatively small number of studies discussing emissions from this category of sources. A clear decrease in concentrations of formaldehyde was observed over the last few years, whilst acetone was found to be one of the most abundant but underreported species. A new approach based on the operational indoor air quality surveillance will both reveal trends in known VOCs and identify new compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos H Halios
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK
| | - Charlotte Landeg-Cox
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK
| | - Scott D Lowther
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK
| | - Alice Middleton
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK
| | - Tim Marczylo
- Toxicology Department, Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK
| | - Sani Dimitroulopoulou
- Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, UK.
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5
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Influence of Operation Conditions on the Performance of Non-thermal Plasma Technology for VOC Pollution Control. J IND ENG CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2020.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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A Systematic Review of Air Quality Sensors, Guidelines, and Measurement Studies for Indoor Air Quality Management. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12219045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The existence of indoor air pollutants—such as ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and total volatile organic compounds—is evidently a critical issue for human health. Over the past decade, various international agencies have continually refined and updated the quantitative air quality guidelines and standards in order to meet the requirements for indoor air quality management. This paper first provides a systematic review of the existing air quality guidelines and standards implemented by different agencies, which include the Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS); the World Health Organization (WHO); the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH); the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); and the California ambient air quality standards (CAAQS). It then adds to this by providing a state-of-art review of the existing low-cost air quality sensor (LCAQS) technologies, and analyzes the corresponding specifications, such as the typical detection range, measurement tolerance or repeatability, data resolution, response time, supply current, and market price. Finally, it briefly reviews a sequence (array) of field measurement studies, which focuses on the technical measurement characteristics and their data analysis approaches.
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Lima BDD, Kautzmann RM, da Silveira FR, da Silva Civeira M, de Vargas FC, Taffarel SR. Quantitative evaluation of total volatile organic compounds in urban and rural schools of southern Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:634. [PMID: 32909141 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-08591-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds, VOCs, are air pollutants widely produced by biogenic and anthropogenic sources. This work quantitatively studied the presence of these gases in the internal and external environments of schools, comparing one in an urban area (La Salle School, Canoas, RS) and another in a rural area (Santa Cassia Farm School, Nova Santa Rita, RS). The aim of this study was to compare if this environmental differences (location) influence their gases concentration. Monitoring campaigns were conducted for 6 months, occurring every 2 weeks in both schools during class hours, 1 day indoors and 1 day outdoors. The results showed higher concentrations of total volatile organic compounds in the urban school external environment compared with the same rural school environment and, in the comparison between environments, the internal environments of the two schools obtained higher VOC concentrations than the external ones, except in November and December at the urban school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Dutra de Lima
- Postgraduate Program in Remote Sensing, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil.
| | - Rubens Müller Kautzmann
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Impact Assessment, Universidade La Salle, Av. Victor Barreto 2288, Canoas, RS, 92010-000, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Rosa da Silveira
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Impact Assessment, Universidade La Salle, Av. Victor Barreto 2288, Canoas, RS, 92010-000, Brazil
| | - Matheus da Silva Civeira
- Postgraduate Program in Mines, Metallurgy and Materials, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Cauduro de Vargas
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Impact Assessment, Universidade La Salle, Av. Victor Barreto 2288, Canoas, RS, 92010-000, Brazil
| | - Silvio Roberto Taffarel
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Impact Assessment, Universidade La Salle, Av. Victor Barreto 2288, Canoas, RS, 92010-000, Brazil
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Li Y, Cakmak S, Zhu J. Profiles and monthly variations of selected volatile organic compounds in indoor air in Canadian homes: Results of Canadian national indoor air survey 2012-2013. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 126:134-144. [PMID: 30798194 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important pollutants in indoor air. A major survey campaign was carried out over a 24-month period in 2012 and 2013 to monitor 88 selected VOCs in 3524 Canadian residential homes as part of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Among the 88 VOCs six (limonene, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, toluene, hexanal, nonanal and α-pinene) were present in the highest concentrations with a combined geometric mean value (63.22 μg/m3) accounting for more than half (54%) of the sum of all 88 VOCs. The geometric means of the majority of the VOCs obtained from this study were not significantly different from the levels of VOCs that were measured in a previous CHMS data collection cycle between 2009 and 2011. This study also further confirmed higher concentrations of the majority of measured VOCs in apartments compared to houses; and of several tobacco-related VOCs (benzene, styrene, naphthalene, 2-butanone, 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene, 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 2,5-dimethylfuran, benzofuran and phenol) in smoking homes. Furthermore, concentrations of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons were higher in winter and in the months of June and July. Oxygenated hydrocarbons such as aldehydes, alcohols and ketones, on the other hand, were found to be higher in warmer months and peaked in summer months. These results provide valuable information on the levels of selected VOCs of which many have been monitored for the first time in Canadian homes, and can be used to estimate population exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Li
- Exposure and Biomonitoring Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1M2A2, Canada; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of the Cause and Prevention of Urban Air Pollution Complex, Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Sabit Cakmak
- Exposure and Biomonitoring Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1M2A2, Canada
| | - Jiping Zhu
- Exposure and Biomonitoring Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1M2A2, Canada.
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Ahmed F, Hossain S, Hossain S, Fakhruddin ANM, Abdullah ATM, Chowdhury MAZ, Gan SH. Impact of household air pollution on human health: source identification and systematic management approach. SN APPLIED SCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s42452-019-0405-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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10
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Garcia-Alcega S, Nasir ZA, Ferguson R, Noël C, Cravo-Laureau C, Whitby C, Dumbrell AJ, Colbeck I, Tyrrel S, Coulon F. Can chemical and molecular biomarkers help discriminate between industrial, rural and urban environments? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 631-632:1059-1069. [PMID: 29727932 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Air samples from four contrasting outdoor environments including a park, an arable farm, a waste water treatment plant and a composting facility were analysed during the summer and winter months. The aim of the research was to study the feasibility of differentiating microbial communities from urban, rural and industrial areas between seasons with chemical and molecular markers such as microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). Air samples (3l) were collected every 2h for a total of 6h in order to assess the temporal variations of MVOCs and PLFAs along the day. MVOCs and VOCs concentrations varied over the day, especially in the composting facility which was the site where more human activities were carried out. At this site, total VOC concentration varied between 80 and 170μgm-3 in summer and 20-250μgm-3 in winter. The composition of MVOCs varied between sites due to the different biological substrates including crops, waste water, green waste or grass. MVOCs composition also differed between seasons as in summer they are more likely to get modified by oxidation processes in the atmosphere and in winter by reduction processes. The composition of microbial communities identified by the analysis of PLFAs also varied among the different locations and between seasons. The location with higher concentrations of PLFAs in summer was the farm (7297ngm-3) and in winter the park (11,724ngm-3). A specific set of MVOCs and PLFAs that most represent each one of the locations was identified by principal component analyses (PCA) and canonical analyses. Further to this, concentrations of both total VOCs and PLFAs were at least three times higher in winter than in summer. The difference in concentrations between summer and winter suggest that seasonal variations should be considered when assessing the risk of exposure to these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Garcia-Alcega
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK.
| | - Zaheer Ahmad Nasir
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Robert Ferguson
- University of Essex, School of Biological Sciences, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Cyril Noël
- Equipe Environnement et Microbiologie, MELODY group, Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, IPREM UMR CNRS 5254, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
| | - Cristiana Cravo-Laureau
- Equipe Environnement et Microbiologie, MELODY group, Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, IPREM UMR CNRS 5254, BP 1155, 64013 Pau Cedex, France
| | - Corinne Whitby
- University of Essex, School of Biological Sciences, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Alex J Dumbrell
- University of Essex, School of Biological Sciences, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Ian Colbeck
- University of Essex, School of Biological Sciences, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Sean Tyrrel
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Frederic Coulon
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK.
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11
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Bradman A, Gaspar F, Castorina R, Williams J, Hoang T, Jenkins PL, McKone TE, Maddalena R. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde exposure and risk characterization in California early childhood education environments. INDOOR AIR 2017; 27:104-113. [PMID: 26804044 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Little information is available about air quality in early childhood education (ECE) facilities. We collected single-day air samples in 2010-2011 from 40 ECE facilities serving children ≤6 years old in California and applied new methods to evaluate cancer risk in young children. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were detected in 100% of samples. The median (max) indoor formaldehyde and acetaldehyde levels (μg/m3 ) were 17.8 (48.8) and 7.5 (23.3), respectively, and were comparable to other California schools and homes. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations were inversely associated with air exchange rates (Pearson r = -0.54 and -0.63, respectively; P < 0.001). The buildings and furnishings were generally >5 years old, suggesting other indoor sources. Formaldehyde levels exceeded California 8-h and chronic Reference Exposure Levels (both 9 μg/m3 ) for non-cancer effects in 87.5% of facilities. Acetaldehyde levels exceeded the U.S. EPA Reference Concentration in 30% of facilities. If reflective of long-term averages, estimated exposures would exceed age-adjusted 'safe harbor levels' based on California's Proposition 65 guidelines (10-5 lifetime cancer risk). Additional research is needed to identify sources of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde and strategies to reduce indoor air levels. The impact of recent California and proposed U.S. EPA regulations to reduce formaldehyde levels in future construction should be assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bradman
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - F Gaspar
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - R Castorina
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - J Williams
- Research Division, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - T Hoang
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - P L Jenkins
- Research Division, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - T E McKone
- Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health (CERCH), School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - R Maddalena
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
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12
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Bari MA, Kindzierski WB, Spink D. Twelve-year trends in ambient concentrations of volatile organic compounds in a community of the Alberta Oil Sands Region, Canada. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2016; 91:40-50. [PMID: 26909813 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient air is one of a number of concerns that the First Nation Community of Fort McKay, Alberta has related to development of Canada's oil sands. An in-depth investigation of trends in ambient air VOC levels in Fort McKay was undertaken to better understand the role and possible significance of emissions from Alberta's oil sands development. A non-parametric trend detection method was used to investigate trends in emissions and ambient VOC concentrations over a 12-year (2001-2012) period. Relationships between ambient VOC concentrations and production indicators of oil sands operations around Fort McKay were also examined. A weak upward trend (significant at 90% confidence level) was found for ambient concentrations of total VOCs based on sixteen detected species with an annual increase of 0.64μg/m(3) (7.2%) per year (7.7μg/m(3) increase per decade). Indicators of production (i.e., annual bitumen production and mined oil sands quantities) were correlated with ambient total VOC concentrations. Only one of 29 VOC species evaluated (1-butene) showed a statistically significant upward trend (p=0.05). Observed geometric (arithmetic) mean and maximum ambient concentrations of selected VOCs of public health concern for most recent three years of the study period (2010-2012) were below chronic and acute health risk screening criteria of the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Thirty-two VOCs are recommended for tracking in future air quality investigations in the community to better understand whether changes are occurring over time in relation to oil sands development activities and to inform policy makers about whether or not these changes warrant additional attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Aynul Bari
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-57 South Academic Building, 11405-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada.
| | - Warren B Kindzierski
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-57 South Academic Building, 11405-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - David Spink
- Pravid Environmental Inc., 62 Lucerne Crescent, St. Albert, Alberta T8N 2R2, Canada
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Paciência I, Madureira J, Rufo J, Moreira A, Fernandes EDO. A systematic review of evidence and implications of spatial and seasonal variations of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in indoor human environments. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2016; 19:47-64. [PMID: 27163962 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2015.1134371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Many volatile organic compounds (VOC) are classified as known or possible human carcinogens, irritants, and toxicants, and VOC exposure has been associated with asthma and other respiratory symptoms/diseases. This review summarizes recent quantitative data regarding VOC in four categories of indoor environments (schools, housing, offices, and other indoor) and compares the types and concentration levels of individual VOC that were detected, measured, and reported according to season (cold and warm). The influence of outdoor air on concentrations of indoor VOC was also assessed as ratios of indoor versus outdoor. Papers published from 2000 onward were reviewed and 1383 potentially relevant studies were identified. From these, 177 were removed after duplication, 1176 were excluded for not meeting the review criteria, and 40 were included in this review. On average, higher mean concentrations of indoor VOC were found in housing environments, in offices, and in the cold season. Volatile organic compounds are commonly present in indoor air and specific compounds, and their concentrations vary among indoor environments and seasons, indicating corresponding differences in sources (indoors and outdoors). Actions and policies to reduce VOC exposures, such as improved product labeling and consumer education, are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Paciência
- a Institute of Science and Innovation on Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management , Porto , Portugal
- b Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
- c Portugal & Centro Hospitalar São João , Porto , Portugal
| | - Joana Madureira
- a Institute of Science and Innovation on Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management , Porto , Portugal
| | - João Rufo
- a Institute of Science and Innovation on Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management , Porto , Portugal
- b Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
- c Portugal & Centro Hospitalar São João , Porto , Portugal
| | - André Moreira
- b Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto , Porto , Portugal
- c Portugal & Centro Hospitalar São João , Porto , Portugal
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Gao T, Wang XC, Chen R, Ngo HH, Guo W. Disability adjusted life year (DALY): a useful tool for quantitative assessment of environmental pollution. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 511:268-287. [PMID: 25549348 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2014] [Revised: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Disability adjusted life year (DALY) has been widely used since 1990s for evaluating global and/or regional burden of diseases. As many environmental pollutants are hazardous to human health, DALY is also recognized as an indicator to quantify the health impact of environmental pollution related to disease burden. Based on literature reviews, this article aims to give an overview of the applicable methodologies and research directions for using DALY as a tool for quantitative assessment of environmental pollution. With an introduction of the methodological framework of DALY, the requirements on data collection and manipulation for quantifying disease burdens are summarized. Regarding environmental pollutants hazardous to human beings, health effect/risk evaluation is indispensable for transforming pollution data into disease data through exposure and dose-response analyses which need careful selection of models and determination of parameters. Following the methodological discussions, real cases are analyzed with attention paid to chemical pollutants and pathogens usually encountered in environmental pollution. It can be seen from existing studies that DALY is advantageous over conventional environmental impact assessment for quantification and comparison of the risks resulted from environmental pollution. However, further studies are still required to standardize the methods of health effect evaluation regarding varied pollutants under varied circumstances before DALY calculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Gao
- Key Lab of Northwest Water Resources, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Xiaochang C Wang
- Key Lab of Northwest Water Resources, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.
| | - Rong Chen
- Key Lab of Northwest Water Resources, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Wenshan Guo
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
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Dela Cruz M, Christensen JH, Thomsen JD, Müller R. Can ornamental potted plants remove volatile organic compounds from indoor air? A review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:13909-13928. [PMID: 25056742 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-3240-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found in indoor air, and many of these can affect human health (e.g. formaldehyde and benzene are carcinogenic). Plants affect the levels of VOCs in indoor environments, thus they represent a potential green solution for improving indoor air quality that at the same time can improve human health. This article reviews scientific studies of plants' ability to remove VOCs from indoor air. The focus of the review is on pathways of VOC removal by the plants and factors affecting the efficiency and rate of VOC removal by plants. Laboratory based studies indicate that plant induced removal of VOCs is a combination of direct (e.g. absorption) and indirect (e.g. biotransformation by microorganisms) mechanisms. They also demonstrate that plants' rate of reducing the level of VOCs is influenced by a number of factors such as plant species, light intensity and VOC concentration. For instance, an increase in light intensity has in some studies been shown to lead to an increase in removal of a pollutant. Studies conducted in real-life settings such as offices and homes are few and show mixed results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majbrit Dela Cruz
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, HøjbakkegårdAllé 30, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark,
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Kim HH, Yang JY, Lee JY, Park JW, Kim KJ, Lim BS, Lee GW, Lee SE, Shin DC, Lim YW. House-plant placement for indoor air purification and health benefits on asthmatics. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND TOXICOLOGY 2014; 29:e2014014. [PMID: 25384387 PMCID: PMC4258716 DOI: 10.5620/eht.e2014014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Some plants were placed in indoor locations frequented by asthmatics in order to evaluate the quality of indoor air and examine the health benefits to asthmatics. METHODS The present study classified the participants into two groups: households of continuation and households of withdrawal by a quasi-experimental design. The households of continuation spent the two observation terms with indoor plants, whereas the households of withdrawal passed the former observation terms with indoor plants and went through the latter observation term without any indoor plants. RESULTS The household of continuation showed a continual decrease in the indoor concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the entire observation period, but the household of withdrawal performed an increase in the indoor concentrations of VOCs, except formaldehyde and toluene during the latter observation term after the decrease during the former observation term. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) increased in the households of continuation with the value of 13.9 L/min in the morning and 20.6 L/ min in the evening, but decreased in the households of withdrawal with the value of -24.7 L/min in the morning and -30.2 L/min in the evening in the first experimental season. All of the households exhibited a decrease in the value of PEFR in the second experimental season. CONCLUSIONS Limitations to the generalizability of findings regarding the presence of plants indoors can be seen as a more general expression of such a benefit of human-environment relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Hyun Kim
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji-Yeon Yang
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Young Lee
- Institute of Life Science & Resources, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea
| | - Jung-Won Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kwang-Jin Kim
- National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, Korea
| | - Byung-Seo Lim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Geon-Woo Lee
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Si-Eun Lee
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong-Chun Shin
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young-Wook Lim
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Chin JY, Godwin C, Parker E, Robins T, Lewis T, Harbin P, Batterman S. Levels and sources of volatile organic compounds in homes of children with asthma. INDOOR AIR 2014; 24:403-15. [PMID: 24329990 PMCID: PMC4057989 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are classified as known or possible carcinogens, irritants, and toxicants, and VOC exposure has been associated with the onset and exacerbation of asthma. This study characterizes VOC levels in 126 homes of children with asthma in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The total target VOC concentration ranged from 14 to 2274 μg/m(3) (mean = 150 μg/m(3); median = 91 μg/m(3)); 56 VOCs were quantified; and d-limonene, toluene, p, m-xylene, and ethyl acetate had the highest concentrations. Based on the potential for adverse health effects, priority VOCs included naphthalene, benzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, isopropylbenzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethylene. Concentrations varied mostly due to between-residence and seasonal variation. Identified emission sources included cigarette smoking, solvent-related emissions, renovations, household products, and pesticides. The effect of nearby traffic on indoor VOC levels was not distinguished. While concentrations in the Detroit homes were lower than levels found in other North American studies, many homes had elevated VOC levels, including compounds that are known health hazards. Thus, the identification and control of VOC sources are important and prudent, especially for vulnerable individuals. Actions and policies to reduce VOC exposures, for example, sales restrictions, improved product labeling, and consumer education, are recommended. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Total target VOC concentrations in the Detroit homes ranged from 14 to 2274 lg/m3, generally lower than found in earlier studies. However, a subset of houses had elevated concentrations, and levels of 1,4-dichlorobenzene, naphthalene, and benzene reached levels commensurate with excess individual cancer risks of 10(-2), 10(-3), and 10(-4), respectively. VOC concentrations varied mostly due to between-residence and season effects. The most important sources included cigarette smoking, vehicle-related emissions, building renovation, solvents, household products, and pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Yu Chin
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | - Thomas Robins
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Toby Lewis
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Paul Harbin
- Institute for Population Health, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Stuart Batterman
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Corresponding author: 1420 Washington Heights, Room 6507 SPH2, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA Tel.: +1-734-763-2417; Fax: +1-734-936-7283
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Lerner JEC, Kohajda T, Aguilar ME, Massolo LA, Sánchez EY, Porta AA, Opitz P, Wichmann G, Herbarth O, Mueller A. Improvement of health risk factors after reduction of VOC concentrations in industrial and urban areas. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:9676-9688. [PMID: 24788932 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2904-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
After reductions of fugitive and diffuse emissions by an industrial complex, a follow-up study was performed to determine the time variability of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the lifetime cancer risk (LCR). Passive samplers (3 M monitors) were placed outdoors (n = 179) and indoors (n = 75) in industrial, urban, and control areas for 4 weeks. Twenty-five compounds including n-alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatics, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and terpenes were determined by GC/MS. The results show a significant decrease of all VOCs, especially in the industrial area and to a lesser extent in the urban area. The median outdoor concentration of benzene in the industrial area declined compared to the former study, around 85% and about 50% in the urban area, which in the past was strongly influenced by industrial emissions. Other carcinogenic compounds like styrene and tetrachloroethylene were reduced to approximately 60%. VOC concentrations in control areas remained nearly unchanged. According to the determined BTEX ratios and interspecies correlations, in contrast to the previous study, traffic was identified as the main emission source in the urban and control areas and showed an increased influence in the industrial area. The LCR, calculated for benzene, styrene, and tetrachloroethylene, shows a decrease of one order of magnitude in accordance to the decreased total VOC concentrations and is now acceptable according to values proposed by the World Health Organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Esteban Colman Lerner
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, CIMA-Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
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Mosaddegh MH, Jafarian A, Ghasemi A, Mosaddegh A. Phytoremediation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene contaminated air by D. deremensis and O. microdasys plants. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2014; 12:39. [PMID: 24451679 PMCID: PMC3996197 DOI: 10.1186/2052-336x-12-39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 11/30/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People usually spent about 90% of their time indoors, which are probably more polluted than outside the buildings. High levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are known as causes of sick building syndrome. The present study was designed to determine the quantitative effects of some plants to improve the quality of the environmental air. RESULTS D. deremensis and O. microdasys were chosen for the present study. There is no report of using O. microdasys for cleaning the air from pollutants. So, in this study, the effectiveness of O. microdasys in air removing from pollutants was studied and compared with D. dermensis.O. microdasys plant can remove 2 ppm concentration benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene from air in test chambers completely after 48, 55, 47 and 57 hours, respectively. The removal rates of benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene (BTEX) from air in the test chambers were 1.18, 0.54, 1.64 and 1.35 mg/ m2d1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS If an office containing 2.5 ppm of each of BTEX and had an approximate volume of 30 m3, it contains 16, 8, 22 and 22 mg/m3 benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene, respectively. Using ten O. microdasys pots with the same size used in this study, can remove benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene totally after 36, 40, 30 and 39 hours.The authors recommended studying the efficiency of the plants for removal of BTEX from air at higher range of concentrations such as 20-30 ppm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hossein Mosaddegh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Abbas Jafarian
- Department of Pharmacolgy and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Adele Ghasemi
- Department of Pharmacolgy and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Alimohammad Mosaddegh
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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Murugesan K, Baumann S, Wissenbach DK, Kliemt S, Kalkhof S, Otto W, Mögel I, Kohajda T, von Bergen M, Tomm JM. Subtoxic and toxic concentrations of benzene and toluene induce Nrf2-mediated antioxidative stress response and affect the central carbon metabolism in lung epithelial cells A549. Proteomics 2013; 13:3211-21. [PMID: 24108694 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201300126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 07/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Since people in industrialized countries spend most of their time indoors, the effects of indoor contaminants such as volatile organic compounds become more and more relevant. Benzene and toluene are among the most abundant compounds in the highly heterogeneous group of indoor volatile organic compounds. In order to understand their effects on lung epithelial cells (A549) representing lung's first line of defense, we chose a global proteome and a targeted metabolome approach in order to detect adverse outcome pathways caused by exposure to benzene and toluene. Using a DIGE approach, 93 of 469 detected protein spots were found to be differentially expressed after exposure to benzene, and 79 of these spots were identified by MS. Pathway analysis revealed an enrichment of proteins involved in Nrf2-mediated and oxidative stress response glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. The occurrence of oxidative stress at nonacute toxic concentrations of benzene and toluene was confirmed by the upregulation of the stress related proteins NQO1 and SOD1. The changes in metabolism were validated by ion chromatography MS/MS analysis revealing significant changes of glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, 3-phosphoglycerate, and NADPH. The molecular alterations identified as a result of benzene and toluene exposure demonstrate the detrimental effect of nonacute toxic concentrations on lung epithelial cells. The data provided here will allow for a targeted validation in in vivo models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalaimathi Murugesan
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Proteomics, Leipzig, Germany
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Hamidin N, Yu J, Phung DT, Connell D, Chu C. Volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (VAHs) in residential indoor air in Brisbane, Australia. CHEMOSPHERE 2013; 92:1430-1435. [PMID: 23683354 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2012] [Revised: 03/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/29/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (VAHs: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, mp-xylene, o-xylene, styrene, naphthalene) in residential indoor air in Brisbane, Australia were measured in 32 houses. The total VAHs (TVAHs) levels ranged between 2 and 137μg/m(3) and were lower than the most of the houses in the literature data. The VAHs were believed to originate from heat insulation systems, building material products as well motor vehicles but naphthalene and styrene originated from other sources. Internal garages had concentrations which are higher than the indoor air by 25-50% due to the presence of motor vehicles and may be a major source of indoor VAHs. However indoor concentrations are higher than that in the outdoor ambient air. The age of the house was found to be negatively related to VAHs concentrations in the houses with the half-life of TVAH at approximately 13years. The concentration levels of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and styrene are well below the guideline values set by agencies from Hong Kong, Japan, Germany and the WHO while the concentration level of naphthalene in one house exceeded the guideline value from Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrul Hamidin
- Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
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Maternal and cord blood miR-223 expression associates with prenatal tobacco smoke exposure and low regulatory T-cell numbers. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2013; 133:543-50. [PMID: 23978443 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 06/28/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence that microRNAs (miRNAs) are sensitive to environmental stressors, including tobacco smoke. On the other hand, miRNAs are involved in immune regulation, such as regulatory T (Treg) cell differentiation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between prenatal tobacco smoke exposure, miRNAs, and Treg cell numbers. METHODS Within a prospective mother-child study (Lifestyle and Environmental Factors and Their Influence on Newborns Allergy Risk), we analyzed the expression of miR-155 and miR-223 together with Treg cell numbers in maternal blood during pregnancy, as well as in cord blood (n = 441). Tobacco smoke exposure was assessed based on questionnaire answers and maternal urine cotinine levels. Additionally, the concentration of smoking-related volatile organic compounds was measured in dwellings of study participants. RESULTS Both maternal and cord blood miR-223 expressions were positively correlated with maternal urine cotinine levels. An association was also found between maternal miR-223 expression and indoor concentrations of benzene and toluene. High miR-223 expression was associated with lower Treg cell numbers in maternal and cord blood. Furthermore, children with lower Treg cell numbers at birth had a higher risk of atopic dermatitis during the first 3 years of life. The concentration of the toluene metabolite S-benzylmercapturic acid in maternal urine was associated with decreased cord blood, but not maternal blood, miR-155 expression. A relationship between miR-155 expression and Treg cell numbers was not found. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, we show that maternal tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy correlates with the level of miRNA-223 expression in blood, with an effect on children's cord blood Treg cell numbers and subsequent allergy risk.
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Hori H, Ishimatsu S, Fueta Y, Ishidao T. Evaluation of a real-time method for monitoring volatile organic compounds in indoor air in a Japanese university. Environ Health Prev Med 2013; 18:285-292. [PMID: 23184473 PMCID: PMC3709044 DOI: 10.1007/s12199-012-0319-1 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.11.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Real time monitoring of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in rooms of Japanese university buildings was carried out to understand the temporal changes in actual indoor air quality. METHODS The TVOC concentrations in seven different rooms, consisting of a lecture room, a seminar room, three laboratories, a computer room and a library, were monitored continuously for 24 h via a personal VOC monitor equipped with a semiconductor gas sensor. An active sampling-thermal desorption method using stainless steel tubes packed with Tenax-TA was also carried out simultaneously to verify the usability of the monitor. RESULTS The TVOC concentrations measured by the personal VOC monitor were closely correlated with those measured by the active sampling method. The TVOC concentration in all rooms was generally low during the day and increased during the night. This concentration change corresponded to the ventilation cycle in the building. During the day, the TVOC concentration was generally lower than the provisional target criterion (advisable value) of indoor air quality in Japan (400 μg/m³). During the night, however, it exceeded this criterion in several rooms, especially during the summer season. CONCLUSION The real-time monitor using a semiconductor gas sensor can provide useful data on changes in the TVOC concentration in indoor air with high sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Hori
- Department of Environmental Management, School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan.
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Hori H, Ishimatsu S, Fueta Y, Ishidao T. Evaluation of a real-time method for monitoring volatile organic compounds in indoor air in a Japanese university. Environ Health Prev Med 2012. [PMID: 23184473 DOI: 10.1007/s12199-012-0319-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Real time monitoring of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in rooms of Japanese university buildings was carried out to understand the temporal changes in actual indoor air quality. METHODS The TVOC concentrations in seven different rooms, consisting of a lecture room, a seminar room, three laboratories, a computer room and a library, were monitored continuously for 24 h via a personal VOC monitor equipped with a semiconductor gas sensor. An active sampling-thermal desorption method using stainless steel tubes packed with Tenax-TA was also carried out simultaneously to verify the usability of the monitor. RESULTS The TVOC concentrations measured by the personal VOC monitor were closely correlated with those measured by the active sampling method. The TVOC concentration in all rooms was generally low during the day and increased during the night. This concentration change corresponded to the ventilation cycle in the building. During the day, the TVOC concentration was generally lower than the provisional target criterion (advisable value) of indoor air quality in Japan (400 μg/m³). During the night, however, it exceeded this criterion in several rooms, especially during the summer season. CONCLUSION The real-time monitor using a semiconductor gas sensor can provide useful data on changes in the TVOC concentration in indoor air with high sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Hori
- Department of Environmental Management, School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan.
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Jia C, Batterman SA, Relyea GE. Variability of indoor and outdoor VOC measurements: an analysis using variance components. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2012; 169:152-9. [PMID: 21995872 PMCID: PMC4317467 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2011] [Accepted: 09/14/2011] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
This study examines concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) measured inside and outside of 162 residences in southeast Michigan, U.S.A. Nested analyses apportioned four sources of variation: city, residence, season, and measurement uncertainty. Indoor measurements were dominated by seasonal and residence effects, accounting for 50 and 31%, respectively, of the total variance. Contributions from measurement uncertainty (<20%) and city effects (<10%) were small. For outdoor measurements, season, city and measurement variation accounted for 43, 29 and 27% of variance, respectively, while residence location had negligible impact (<2%). These results show that, to obtain representative estimates of indoor concentrations, measurements in multiple seasons are required. In contrast, outdoor VOC concentrations can use multi-seasonal measurements at centralized locations. Error models showed that uncertainties at low concentrations might obscure effects of other factors. Variance component analyses can be used to interpret existing measurements, design effective exposure studies, and determine whether the instrumentation and protocols are satisfactory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrong Jia
- School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
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Weisse K, Lehmann I, Heroux D, Kohajda T, Herberth G, Röder S, von Bergen M, Borte M, Denburg J. The LINA cohort: indoor chemical exposure, circulating eosinophil/basophil (Eo/B) progenitors and early life skin manifestations. Clin Exp Allergy 2012; 42:1337-46. [PMID: 22925320 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2012.04024.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hematopoietic progenitor cells, especially those committed to the Eo/B lineage, are known to contribute to allergic inflammation. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to investigate whether environmental factors are associated with changes in numbers of circulating Eo/B progenitors at 1 year of age. METHODS Peripheral blood from 60 1-year-old children enrolled in the LINA (Lifestyle and environmental factors and their Influence on Newborns Allergy risk) birth cohort was assessed for Eo/B progenitor cells (Eo/B CFU) using standardized and validated methylcellulose assays. Frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were cultured in the presence of IL-3, IL-5 or GM-CSF, and Eo/B CFUs enumerated. Clinical outcomes and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) were documented by standardized questionnaires, and indoor volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations were assessed by passive sampling. RESULTS Children with skin manifestations (atopic dermatitis or cradle cap) within the first year of life had higher numbers of circulating IL-3-, IL-5- or GM-CSF-stimulated Eo/B CFUs (P < 0.05) at 1 year. In children with cradle cap, a positive correlation was found between Eo/B CFUs and exposure to ETS-related VOCs during pregnancy or at 1 year of age (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE This is the first demonstration that environmental exposures are positively associated with levels of circulating Eo/B progenitors. The recruitment and differentiation of Eo/B progenitors in response to environmental triggers may play a role in the development of skin manifestations during the first year of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Weisse
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Environmental Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
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Schlink U, Ragas AMJ. Truncated Lévy flights and agenda-based mobility are useful for the assessment of personal human exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2011; 159:2061-2070. [PMID: 21429644 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Revised: 02/10/2011] [Accepted: 02/13/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Receptor-oriented approaches can assess the individual-specific exposure to air pollution. In such an individual-based model we analyse the impact of human mobility to the personal exposure that is perceived by individuals simulated in an exemplified urban area. The mobility models comprise random walk (reference point mobility, RPM), truncated Lévy flights (TLF), and agenda-based walk (RPMA). We describe and review the general concepts and provide an inter-comparison of these concepts. Stationary and ergodic behaviour are explained and applied as well as performance criteria for a comparative evaluation of the investigated algorithms. We find that none of the studied algorithm results in purely random trajectories. TLF and RPMA prove to be suitable for human mobility modelling, because they provide conditions for very individual-specific trajectories and exposure. Suggesting these models we demonstrate the plausibility of their results for exposure to air-borne benzene and the combined exposure to benzene and nonane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Schlink
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany.
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Ragas AMJ, Oldenkamp R, Preeker NL, Wernicke J, Schlink U. Cumulative risk assessment of chemical exposures in urban environments. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2011; 37:872-881. [PMID: 21450344 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2011.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2010] [Revised: 01/13/2011] [Accepted: 02/20/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
We performed a cumulative risk assessment for people living in a hypothetical urban environment, called Urbania. The main aims of the study were to demonstrate how a cumulative risk assessment for a middle-sized European city can be performed and to identify the bottlenecks in terms of data availability and knowledge gaps. The assessment focused on five air pollutants (i.e., PM₁₀, benzene, toluene, nonane and naphthalene) and six food pesticides (i.e., acetamiprid, carbendazim, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, imidacloprid and permethrin). Exposure predictions showed that PM₁₀, benzene and naphthalene exposure frequently exceeded the standards, and that the indoor environment contributed more than the outdoor environment. Effect predictions showed that mixture and interaction effects were generally limited. However, model calculations indicated potential synergistic effects between naphthalene and benzene and between chlorpyrifos, diazinon and toluene. PM₁₀ dominated the health impact expressed in Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). We conclude that measures to reduce the health impact of environmental pollution should focus on the improvement of indoor air quality and the reduction of PM₁₀ emissions. Cumulative risk assessment can be improved by (1) the development of person-oriented exposure models that can simulate the cumulative exposure history of individuals, (2) a better mechanistic understanding of the effects of cumulative stressors, and (3) the development of instruments to prioritize stressors for inclusion in cumulative risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ad M J Ragas
- Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Wetland and Water Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Sarigiannis DA, Karakitsios SP, Gotti A, Liakos IL, Katsoyiannis A. Exposure to major volatile organic compounds and carbonyls in European indoor environments and associated health risk. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2011; 37:743-65. [PMID: 21354626 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2011.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2010] [Revised: 01/08/2011] [Accepted: 01/10/2011] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This paper summarizes recent data on the occurrence of major organic compounds (benzene, toluene, xylenes, styrene, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, naphthalene, limonene, α-pinene and ammonia, classified by the European Commission's INDEX strategy report as the priority pollutants to be regulated) and evaluates accordingly cancer and non-cancer risks posed by indoor exposure in dwellings and public buildings in European Union (EU) countries. The review process indicated that significant differences in indoor air quality exist within and among the countries where data were available, indicating corresponding differences in sources and emission strength of airborne chemicals, identified or not. Conservative exposure limits were not exceeded for non-carcinogenic effects, except for formaldehyde; for carcinogenic agents the estimated risks were up to three orders of magnitude higher than the one (10(-6)) proposed as acceptable by risk management bodies. However, the risk assessment evaluation process faces crucial difficulties, either due to the relative paucity of indoor air quality measurements in many EU countries, or by the lack of sampling consistency in the already existing studies, indicating the need for additional measurements of indoor air quality following a harmonized sampling and analytical protocol. Additionally, uncertainties embodied in the cancer potency factors and exposure limit values impose further difficulties in substance prioritization and risk management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimosthenis A Sarigiannis
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Chemical Assessment and Testing Unit, Via Fermi 1, 21027, Ispra (VA), Italy.
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Logue JM, McKone TE, Sherman MH, Singer BC. Hazard assessment of chemical air contaminants measured in residences. INDOOR AIR 2011; 21:92-109. [PMID: 21392118 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2010.00683.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Identifying air pollutants that pose a potential hazard indoors can facilitate exposure mitigation. In this study, we compiled summary results from 77 published studies reporting measurements of chemical pollutants in residences in the United States and in countries with similar lifestyles. These data were used to calculate representative mid-range and upper-bound concentrations relevant to chronic exposures for 267 pollutants and representative peak concentrations relevant to acute exposures for five activity-associated pollutants. Representative concentrations are compared to available chronic and acute health standards for 97 pollutants. Fifteen pollutants appear to exceed chronic health standards in a large fraction of homes. Nine other pollutants are identified as potential chronic health hazards in a substantial minority of homes, and an additional nine are identified as potential hazards in a very small percentage of homes. Nine pollutants are identified as priority hazards based on the robustness of measured concentration data and the fraction of residences that appear to be impacted: acetaldehyde; acrolein; benzene; 1,3-butadiene; 1,4-dichlorobenzene; formaldehyde; naphthalene; nitrogen dioxide; and PM(2.5). Activity-based emissions are shown to pose potential acute health hazards for PM(2.5), formaldehyde, CO, chloroform, and NO(2). PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS This analysis identifies key chemical contaminants of concern in residential indoor air using a comprehensive and consistent hazard-evaluation protocol. The identification of a succinct group of chemical hazards in indoor air will allow for successful risk ranking and mitigation prioritization for the indoor residential environment. This work also indicates some common household activities that may lead to the acute levels of pollutant exposure and identifies hazardous chemicals for priority removal from consumer products and home furnishings.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Logue
- Indoor Environment Department, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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Reboux G, Bellanger AP, Dalphin JC. Contre : les composés organiques volatils d’origine fongique ont un impact sur la santé. REVUE FRANCAISE D ALLERGOLOGIE 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reval.2011.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Mörbt N, Tomm J, Feltens R, Mögel I, Kalkhof S, Murugesan K, Wirth H, Vogt C, Binder H, Lehmann I, von Bergen M. Chlorinated benzenes cause concomitantly oxidative stress and induction of apoptotic markers in lung epithelial cells (A549) at nonacute toxic concentrations. J Proteome Res 2010; 10:363-78. [PMID: 21171652 DOI: 10.1021/pr1005718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In industrialized countries, people spend more time indoors and are therefore increasingly exposed to volatile organic compounds that are emitted at working places and from consumer products, paintings, and furniture, with chlorobenzene (CB) and 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCB) being representatives of the halogenated arenes. To unravel the molecular effects of low concentrations typical for indoor and occupational exposure, we exposed human lung epithelial cells to CB and DCB and analyzed the effects on the proteome level by 2-D DIGE, where 860 protein spots were detected. A set of 25 and 30 proteins were found to be significantly altered due to exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of 10(-2) g/m(3) of CB or 10(-3) g/m(3) of DCB (2.2 and 0.17 ppm), respectively. The most enriched pathways were cell death signaling, oxidative stress response, protein quality control, and metabolism. The involvement of oxidative stress was validated by ROS measurement. Among the regulated proteins, 28, for example, voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein 2, PDCD6IP protein, heat shock protein beta-1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, nucleophosmin, seryl-tRNA synthetase, prohibitin, and protein arginine N-methyltransferase 1, could be correlated with the molecular pathway of cell death signaling. Caspase 3 activation by cleavage was confirmed for both CB and DCB by immunoblotting. Treatment with CB or DCB also caused differential protein phosphorylation, for example, at the proteins HNRNP C1/C2, serine-threonine receptor associated protein, and transaldolase 1. Compared to previous results, where cells were exposed to styrene, for the chlorinated aromatic substances besides oxidative stress, apoptosis was found as the predominant cellular response mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Mörbt
- Department of Proteomics, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
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Schlink U, Strebel K, Loos M, Tuchscherer R, Richter M, Lange T, Wernicke J, Ragas A. Evaluation of human mobility models, for exposure to air pollutants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2010; 408:3918-3930. [PMID: 20417545 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2009] [Revised: 03/09/2010] [Accepted: 03/12/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The subject of the present study is to find the best way of making a simulation model for the exposure assessment of mobile individuals. For that purpose we consider and apply several very different approaches to model movement patterns in a more or less random way and compare them in terms of the exposure resulting for the individuals. The models combine random movement with agenda-driven movement. We do not aim to involve all details of real conditions into the models, but explain and review the general concepts and provide an inter-comparison of these concepts. Stationary and ergodic behaviour are explained and applied as well as performance criteria for a comparative evaluation of the investigated algorithms. In particular, the present study investigates the exposure to air contaminants of persons moving in heterogeneously polluted urban areas by help of movement simulations. For that purpose we applied four different movement algorithms: Lévy-modulated correlated random walk (LMCRW), Potential field controlled walk (PTW), Reference point mobility model (RPM), and RPM with a pre-defined daily agenda of targets (RPMA). We find that none of the studied algorithm results in purely random trajectories. PTW and RPMA prove to be suitable for human mobility modelling, because they provide conditions for very individual-specific trajectories and exposure. Suggesting these models we demonstrate the plausibility of their results for exposure to air-borne benzene and the combined exposure to benzene and nonane. It appears however that inter-individual variation in the individual-specific short-term exposure diminishes with runtime and when long-term exposure is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Schlink
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany.
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Schlink U, Thiem A, Kohajda T, Richter M, Strebel K. Quantile regression of indoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2010; 408:3840-3851. [PMID: 20053420 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2009] [Revised: 11/25/2009] [Accepted: 12/01/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
There are many factors determining the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air. On the basis of 601 population-based measurements we develop an explicit exposure model that includes factors, such as renovation, furniture, flat size, smoking, and education level of the occupants. As a novel method for the evaluation of concentrations of indoor air pollutants we use quantile regression, which has the advantages of robustness against non-Gaussian distributions (and outliers) and can adjust for unbalanced frequencies of observations. The applied bi- and multivariate quantile regressions provide (1) the VOC burden that is representative for the population of Leipzig, Germany, and (2) an inter-comparison of the effects of the studied factors and their levels. As a result, we find strong evidence for factors of general impact on most VOC components, such as the season, flooring, the type of the room, and the size of the apartment. Other impact factors are very specific to the VOC components. For example, wooden flooring (parquet) and new furniture increase the concentration of terpenes as well as the modifying factors high education and sampling in the child's room. Smokers ventilate their flats in an extent that in general reduces the VOC concentrations, except for benzene (contained in tobacco smoke), which is still higher in smoking than in non-smoking flats. Very often dampness is associated with an increased VOC burden in indoor air. An investigation of mixtures emphasises a high burden of co-occurring terpenes in very small and very large apartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe Schlink
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
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Massolo L, Rehwagen M, Porta A, Ronco A, Herbarth O, Mueller A. Indoor-outdoor distribution and risk assessment of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere of industrial and urban areas. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2010; 25:339-349. [PMID: 19449388 DOI: 10.1002/tox.20504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which play an important part indoors and outdoors, comprise differing compound groups such as n-alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatic and chlorinated hydrocarbons and terpenes. In the current study, samples were analyzed from indoor (schools and houses, n = 92) and outdoor (n = 33) air in urban, industrial, semirural and residential areas from the region of La Plata (Argentine) to consider VOC exposure in different types of environments. VOCs were sampled for 1 month during winter for 3 years, with passive 3M monitors. Samples were extracted with CS(2) and analyzed by GC/MS detectors. The results show significant differences in concentration and distribution between indoor and outdoor samples, depending on the study area. Most VOCs predominantly originated indoors in urban, semirural and residential areas, whereas an important outdoor influence in the industrial area was observed. In all areas alkanes and aromatic compounds dominated, even though a different chemical distribution was seen. Traffic burden was determined as the major source of outdoor VOC with a benzene/toluene ratio close to 0.5. Indoors, C9-C11 alkanes, toluene and xylenes dominated, caused by human activities. In contrast, in the industrial area higher concentrations of hexane, heptane and benzene occurred outdoors and affected the indoor air significantly. The lifetime cancer risk (LCR) associated to the benzene exposure was calculated for children from the different study areas. For all groups the study showed a LCR value greater than 1 x 10(-6) related to the benzene exposure indoors as well outdoors. A value two magnitudes higher was detected indoors in the industrial area, what demonstrates the high risk for children living in this area of La Plata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Massolo
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente-CIMA, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (CICPBA-CONICET), 47 y 115; (1900)-La Plata, Argentina
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A critical review of naphthalene sources and exposures relevant to indoor and outdoor air. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2010; 7:2903-39. [PMID: 20717549 PMCID: PMC2922736 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph7072903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2010] [Revised: 07/07/2010] [Accepted: 07/12/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Both the recent classification of naphthalene as a possible human carcinogen and its ubiquitous presence motivate this critical review of naphthalene's sources and exposures. We evaluate the environmental literature on naphthalene published since 1990, drawing on nearly 150 studies that report emissions and concentrations in indoor, outdoor and personal air. While naphthalene is both a volatile organic compound and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, concentrations and exposures are poorly characterized relative to many other pollutants. Most airborne emissions result from combustion, and key sources include industry, open burning, tailpipe emissions, and cigarettes. The second largest source is off-gassing, specifically from naphthalene's use as a deodorizer, repellent and fumigant. In the U.S., naphthalene's use as a moth repellant has been reduced in favor of para-dichlorobenzene, but extensive use continues in mothballs, which appears responsible for some of the highest indoor exposures, along with off-label uses. Among the studies judged to be representative, average concentrations ranged from 0.18 to 1.7 microg m(-3) in non-smoker's homes, and from 0.02 to 0.31 microg m(-3) outdoors in urban areas. Personal exposures have been reported in only three European studies. Indoor sources are the major contributor to (non-occupational) exposure. While its central tendencies fall well below guideline levels relevant to acute health impacts, several studies have reported maximum concentrations exceeding 100 microg m(-3), far above guideline levels. Using current but draft estimates of cancer risks, naphthalene is a major environmental risk driver, with typical individual risk levels in the 10(-4) range, which is high and notable given that millions of individuals are exposed. Several factors influence indoor and outdoor concentrations, but the literature is inconsistent on their effects. Further investigation is needed to better characterize naphthalene's sources and exposures, especially for indoor and personal measurements.
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Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in human lung epithelial A549 cells caused by airborne volatile organic compounds emitted from pine wood and oriented strand boards. Toxicol Lett 2010; 196:33-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2010.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2009] [Revised: 03/15/2010] [Accepted: 03/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Herbarth O. Explanatory models in toxicological studies applying unreal exposure situations-an example. Arch Toxicol 2010; 84:579-81. [PMID: 20464546 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-010-0553-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2010] [Accepted: 04/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Sakai K, Kamijima M, Shibata E, Ohno H, Nakajima T. Annual transition and seasonal variation of indoor air pollution levels of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol in large-scale buildings in Nagoya, Japan. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 11:2068-76. [PMID: 19890564 DOI: 10.1039/b910558a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
2-Ethyl-1-hexanol (2E1H) is a possible causative chemical for sick building symptoms; however, thus far, we do not have a clear understanding of the indoor air pollution levels caused by it. In this study, first, airborne 2E1H concentrations were measured during summer and winter from 2004 to 2007 in 67 rooms of 56 large-scale buildings in Nagoya, Japan, in order to show the seasonal variation of indoor air pollution levels of 2E1H. Then, a follow-up survey was conducted in five rooms of five buildings for more than 2 years in order to establish the annual transition of their 2E1H indoor air pollution levels. 2E1H was found to be one of the predominant volatile organic compounds in the indoor air of large-scale buildings. Its geometric mean concentration was significantly higher during summer (55.4 microg/m3) than during winter (13.7 microg/m3) (p < 0.01), although there was a significant difference in the concentrations among the buildings. High 2E1H concentrations may have been caused by high emission rates of 2E1H from floors, because of the hydrolysis of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in polyvinyl chloride flooring materials or of adhesives containing 2-ethylhexyl moieties. Follow-up observations showed little decrease in the indoor air 2E1H concentrations from one year to the next, although they did show seasonal fluctuations, with an evident increase in concentrations during summer and an evident decrease during winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoshi Sakai
- Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute, 1-11, Hagiyama-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8615, Japan.
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Schuchardt S, Kruse H. Quantitative volatile metabolite profiling of common indoor fungi: relevancy for indoor air analysis. J Basic Microbiol 2009; 49:350-62. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.200800152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Matysik S, Herbarth O, Mueller A. Determination of microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) by passive sampling onto charcoal sorbents. CHEMOSPHERE 2009; 76:114-119. [PMID: 19289243 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2008] [Revised: 02/03/2009] [Accepted: 02/03/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Passive sampling combined with GC-MS was applied for the detection of microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) emitted by mould cultures. The fungi species Penicillium expansum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium brevicompactum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus niger, and Cladosporium cladosporoides were cultivated on dichloran glycerol agar. The emitted volatiles were collected by charcoal-based passive diffusion monitors during the first four weeks of growth. Several alcohols, mainly 2-methyl-1-propanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol, alkenes, ketones, ethers and esters could be identified and quantified after external calibration. Species-specific compounds like 1,3-dimethoxybenzene for A. versicolor could be proposed. Associations between the concentrations of some of the identified MVOCs (e.g. methylfurans and dimethyldisulfide) and indoor mould exposure in dwellings were found in a field study comprising more than 500 dwellings in Leipzig/Germany. It could be concluded that passive sampling onto charcoal adsorbents for the determination of MVOCs is particularly suitable in epidemiological studies with a high number of participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Matysik
- Department of Human Exposure Research and Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
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Microextraction by packed sorbent coupled with gas chromatography—mass spectrometry: application to the determination of metabolites of monoterpenes in small volumes of human urine. Mikrochim Acta 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s00604-009-0170-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Salonen HJ, Pasanen AL, Lappalainen SK, Riuttala HM, Tuomi TM, Pasanen PO, Bäck BC, Reijula KE. Airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde and ammonia in Finnish office buildings with suspected indoor air problems. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2009; 6:200-209. [PMID: 19152165 DOI: 10.1080/15459620802707835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A database of indoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (n = 528), formaldehyde (n = 76), and ammonia (n = 47) in office environments was analyzed to suggest interpretation guidelines for chemical measurements in office buildings with suspected indoor air problems. Indoor air samples were collected for VOCs from 176 office buildings, 23 offices for formaldehyde, and 14 office buildings for ammonia in 2001-2006. Although the buildings had reported indoor air complaints, a walk-through inspection by indoor air specialists showed no exceptional sources of indoor air pollutants. The measurements of chemical pollutants did not indicate any clear reason for the complaints. The geometric mean concentration of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) was 88 microg m(-3) in office rooms and 75 microg m(-3) in the open plan offices. The mechanical supply and exhaust ventilation significantly (p < 0.004) decreased the indoor air concentration of TVOC. The highest mean concentration and frequency distributions were determined for the individual VOCs. The most common VOCs found in > or = 84% of the indoor samples include toluene, xylene (p,m), 1-butanol, nonanal, and benzene. According to concentrations, the most abundant VOCs were 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol, acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol, and toluene. The geometric mean concentration of formaldehyde and ammonia in the office buildings was 11 microg m(-3) (3-44 microg m(-3) and 14 microg m(-3) (1-49 microg m(-3), respectively. On the basis of statistical analyses, the guideline value indicating a usual concentration of the pollutant in office buildings is 70 microg m(-3) for TVOC, 7 microg m(-3) for most individual VOCs, 10 microg m(-3) for formaldehyde, and 12 microg m(-3) for ammonia. The guidance value suggested for TVOC is 250 microg m(-3), for formaldehyde 15 microg m(-3), and for ammonia 25 microg m(-3). If the guidance value is exceeded, this may indicate the existence of an exceptional source and the need for additional environmental investigations. The levels should not be used for the evaluation of health risks. The guideline values are applicable in a subarctic climate for modern, urban office buildings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi J Salonen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
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Analysis of industrial contaminants in indoor air: Part 1. Volatile organic compounds, carbonyl compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls. J Chromatogr A 2009; 1216:540-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2008.10.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2008] [Revised: 10/27/2008] [Accepted: 10/31/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Composés organiques volatils intérieurs : concentrations, sources, facteurs de variabilité. Rev Mal Respir 2008; 25:725-30. [DOI: 10.1016/s0761-8425(08)73801-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Ohura T, Amagai T, Senga Y, Fusaya M. Organic air pollutants inside and outside residences in Shimizu, Japan: levels, sources and risks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2006; 366:485-99. [PMID: 16298419 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2005] [Revised: 09/13/2005] [Accepted: 10/01/2005] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of 38 organic air pollutants including aromatic hydrocarbons (AHCs), carbonyl compounds (CCs), volatile organic halogenated compounds (VOHCs), and organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) were measured in indoor and outdoor air in an industrial city, Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Levels of pollutants tended to be higher indoors than outdoors in both summer and winter except for benzene, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and dichlorvos (DDVP). This trend was especially pronounced for CCs such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. For the organic air pollutants, the concentrations of AHCs and VOHCs substantially increased in winter, but not those of CCs and OPCs; the trends were similar for both indoors and outdoors. We investigated possible indoor sources of pollutants statistically. Multiple regression analysis of corresponding indoor and outdoor concentrations and the responses to our questionnaire showed that indoor concentrations of certain AHCs were significantly affected by their outdoor concentrations and cigarette smoking. For formaldehyde, indoor concentrations were significantly affected by house age and the presence of carpet or pets. For p-dichlorobenzene (pDCB), the concentrations in bedroom trended to be higher than those in other indoors and outdoors, suggested that mothballs for clothes present in bedrooms are the principal indoor source of pDCB. We compared indoor and outdoor pollutant concentrations to acceptable risk limits for 11 organic air pollutants. In indoors without smoking samples, the geometric mean concentrations of benzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, carbon tetrachloride, pDCB, and DDVP exceeded the equivalent concentration representing the upper bound of one-in-one-hundred-thousand (1x10(-5)) excess risk over a lifetime of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Ohura
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Shizuoka 422-8526, Japan.
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Rolle-Kampczyk UE, Rehwagen M, Franck U, Weiss H, Krumbiegel P, Herbarth O. Bio-effect monitoring using a [(15)N]methacetin test as diagnostic tool to monitor remediation effects in an industrially polluted region. Toxicol Lett 2005; 162:234-8. [PMID: 16242870 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2005.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The classical way to demonstrate the efficiency of remediation is measuring the reduction of toxic compounds in the environment. Nevertheless, more important is the risk reduction in human health. To determine changing health effects, exposure and bio-effects have to be monitored at time of and during remediation. Kindergarten children from a heavily polluted industrial (n=23) and a control area (n=12) were investigated. The region-specific outdoor and indoor exposure [27 volatile organic compounds (VOC), emphasis on tri- and tetrachloroethylene (TRI, TETRA)], the internal load [(trichloroacetic acid-TCA-as urine metabolites of TRI and TETRA and S-phenyl- and S-benzylmercapturic acid (SPMA and SBMA) as metabolites of benzene and toluene], and biological effect assessment ([(15)N]methacetin test-a non-invasive stable isotope test to determine the unspecific liver detoxification capacity of an individual) were measured twice a year during 2 years of remediation (1997/1998). It could be shown that in- and outdoor levels of TRI and TETRA decreased by 47% in the heavily polluted village, Greppin, while the levels remained much the same in the control village, Roitzsch. This trend was reflected in the decreasing elimination of TCA in the urine (41%) by the Greppin children, with no differences in the TCA elimination in Roitzsch probands. As the remediation efforts decreased the burden of exposure, the children's liver detoxification capacity improved as well. Combining different methods, such as exposure-effect (external and internal loads) and bio-effect monitoring, proved to be useful to assess remediation successes including the improvement in human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Elisabeth Rolle-Kampczyk
- The UFZ Leipzig-Halle, Department of Human Exposure Research and Epidemiology, Permoser Street 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
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