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Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Air".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 29678

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Krassi Rumchev

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Guest Editor

School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth 6120, Australia
Interests: indoor air pollution; children’s health; ultrafine particles; risk assessment; health impact assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Indoor air is defined as air within a building occupied for at least one hour by people of varying states of health. This can include the office, classroom, transport facility, shopping centre, hospital, and home. The quality of indoor air is attributed to the amount of contaminants present in the indoor environment that may affect people’s health and wellbeing. The analysis of literature data leads to the conclusion that regardless of the place or region, the problem with the occurrence of elevated concentrations of contaminants in indoor air is still valid and not completely understood.

In contrast with the industrial workplace setting, standards for chemical, biological, and particulate exposures have not been well established for indoor environmental settings. Some government entities provide guidelines related to IAQ concerns; these generally take the form of recommendations rather than for achieving pollutant levels below some specific air concentration.

In this Special Issue, we invite you to participate, based on your experience, to strengthen our knowledge on the indoor air quality determinants that impact human health.

The following keywords provide an outline of some of the possible areas of interest: indoor air, health effects, IAQ standards, exposure assessment, risk assessment, and second hand and third-hand smoke.

Prof. Dr. Krassi Rumchev
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

indoor air
health effects
IAQ standards
exposure assessment
risk assessment
second hand and third-hand smoke

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1587 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds: Concentration Characteristics and Health Risk Analysis on a University Campus

by Shengjia Jin, Lu Zhong, Xueyi Zhang, Xinhe Li, Bowei Li and Xuekun Fang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(10), 5829; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20105829 - 16 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1659

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major indoor air pollutants that contain several toxic substances. However, there are few studies on health risk assessments of indoor VOCs in China. This study aimed to determine the concentration characteristics of VOCs on college campuses by collecting VOC samples from different locations on campus during different seasons combined with the exposure times of college students in each location obtained from a questionnaire survey to assess the possible health risks. The highest total VOC concentration (254 ± 101 µg/m³) was in the dormitory. The seasonal variation of TVOC concentrations was related to the variation of emission sources in addition to temperature. Health risk assessments of VOCs were evaluated using non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk values, represented by hazard quotient (HQ) and lifetime cancer risk (LCR), respectively. The non-carcinogenic risks at all sampling sites were within the safe range (HQ < 1). Dormitories had the highest carcinogenic risk, whereas the carcinogenic risk in the other three places was low (with LCR < 1.0 × 10⁻⁶). Moreover, 1,2-dichloroethane was identified as a possible carcinogenic risk substance in the dormitory due to its high LCR (1.95 × 10⁻⁶). This study provides basic data on health risks in different locations on campus and a basis for formulating measures to improve people’s living environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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15 pages, 2233 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Long-Term Flow Controller for Monitoring Gases and Vapors in Buildings Impacted by Vapor Intrusion

by Alan Rossner, David P. Wick, Christopher Lutes, Benjamin Stone and Michelle Crimi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 4811; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20064811 - 09 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1035

Abstract

This study evaluated the use of a long-term capillary flow controller paired with an evacuated canister for indoor air exposure monitoring in a vapor intrusion (VI) environment with trichloroethylene in comparison to the traditional method utilizing a diaphragm flow controller. Traditionally, air sampling with 6 L evacuated canisters equipped with diaphragm flow controllers has been best suited for 8 to 24 h samples. New advances in capillary flow controllers can extend sampling to up to 3 weeks by reducing flow rates to 0.1 milliliters min⁻¹. During six 2 wk sampling events, conventional diaphragm flow controller canisters were used to collect 24 h samples simultaneously with capillary flow controllers collecting 2 wk samples. Testing was performed at four indoor locations in buildings impacted by VI with co-located samples for each method at each location. All samples were analyzed using GC/MS, and the results were statistically analyzed to produce a direct comparison of the two sampling systems. Ninety-two percent of the 14 d capillary samples were within the 95% levels of agreement of the average concentration of the diaphragm flow controllers. The ability to collect 14 days of data, with less occupant disturbance, allows for improved exposure assessments and thus improved risk management decisions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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16 pages, 981 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Sensor Data to Identify Factors Affecting Internal Air Quality within 279 Lower Income Households in Cornwall, South West of England

by Christopher Johnes, Richard A. Sharpe, Tamaryn Menneer, Timothy Taylor and Penelope Nestel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1075; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20021075 - 07 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1866

Abstract

(1) Background: Poor air quality affects health and causes premature death and disease. Outdoor air quality has received significant attention, but there has been less focus on indoor air quality and what drives levels of diverse pollutants in the home, such as particulate matter, and the impact this has on health; (2) Methods: This study conducts analysis of cross-sectional data from the Smartline project. Analyses of data from 279 social housing properties with indoor sensor data were used to assess multiple factors that could impact levels of particulate matter. T-Tests and Anova tests were used to explore associations between elevated PM_2.5 and building, household and smoking and vaping characteristics. Binary logistic regression was used to test the association between elevated particulate matter and self-reported health; (3) Results: Of the multiple potential drivers of the particulate matter investigated, smoking and vaping were significantly associated with mean PM_2.5. Following multivariate analysis, only smoking remained significantly associated with higher mean concentrations. Properties in which <15 cigarettes/day were smoked were predicted to have PM_2.5 concentrations 9.06 µg/m³ higher (95% CI 6.4, 12.82, p ≤ 0.001) than those in which residents were non-smokers and 11.82 µg/m³ higher (95% CI 7.67, 18.19, p ≤ 0.001) where >15 cigarettes were smoked; (4) Conclusions: A total of 25% of social housing properties in this study experienced levels of indoor PM greater than WHO guideline levels for ambient air pollution. Although there are many factors that impact air quality, in this study the main driver was smoking. This highlights the importance of targeting smoking in indoor environments in future smoking cessation and control policy and practice and of understanding how pollutants interact in the home environment. There is also a need for further research into the impact on indoor air quality of vaping, particularly due to the rise in use and uncertainty of its long-term impact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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19 pages, 690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Challenges and Actions of IAQ under COVID-19: A Survey of Taiwanese People’s Perception of Epidemic Prevention and Indoor Places Certification

by Chih-Pei Hu and Jen-Hsiung Cheng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14942; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192214942 - 13 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1411

Abstract

COVID-19 is still spreading around the world, and the pandemic has awakened the public’s attention to environmental cleanliness. This article used an online survey for people living in Taiwan, and a total of 1206 valid questionnaires were collected in October 2021. According to the survey results of Taiwanese people’s awareness of and needs for epidemic prevention and IAQ, 94.4% of the respondents agreed that maintaining IAQ during the COVID-19 pandemic is very important for prevention. In addition, 95.4% of them also pointed out that the “Clean and Safe” mark certification should be promoted in public places. Finally, this article also uses hierarchical regression to analyze public perceptions of seven indoor places, including elevators, restaurants, dwellings, offices, gyms, kindergartens, and long-term care centers. The results found that: (1) from the perspective of epidemic prevention, improving IAQ through ventilation strategies could prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) from the perspective of promotion certification, the elevators, restaurants and offices could establish strengthened IAQ, dwellings, gyms and long-term care centers should emphasize the display of IAQ information in entrances and exits, and kindergartens should focus on increasing safety and reducing infection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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13 pages, 1412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Emissions of Fungal Volatile Organic Compounds in Residential Environments and Temporal Emission Patterns: Implications for Sampling Methods

by Kyunghoon Kim, Suyeon Lee, Yelim Choi and Daekeun Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12601; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191912601 - 02 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1332

Abstract

Currently, little is known about the occurrences of fungi-derived microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) in various indoor materials and their detection in residential environments, despite mVOCs being linked to several acute health effects. We identified various mVOCs emitted from fungi grown on PVC wallpaper, silicone rubber, and malt extract agar. We also investigated mVOCs temporal emission and whether fungi-derived VOCs concentration can be used to estimate fungal concentration in the air using active and passive air sampling methods. Among the three fungal growth media included in this study, silicone rubber produced the most variety of mVOCs: 106 compounds (from Aspergillus niger), 35 compounds (from Alternaria alternata), and 85 compounds (from Penicillium chrysogenum). We also found the emission patterns of eight chemical classes (i.e., aromatics, ethers, aliphatics, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, chlorides, and nitrides) from the three different fungi. From the results of our field experiments in 11 residential environments, passive air samplers led to higher correlations coefficients (0.08 to 0.86) between mVOCs’ air concentrations and airborne fungal concentrations, compared with active air samplers, which showed negative correlation coefficients (−0.99 to −0.02) for most compounds. This study elucidated the occurrence and temporal emission patterns of fungal VOCs in residential environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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10 pages, 2132 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficacy of HEPA Air Cleaner on Improving Indoor Particulate Matter 2.5 Concentration

by Chiu-Fan Chen, Chun-Hsiang Hsu, Yu-Jung Chang, Chao-Hsien Lee and David Lin Lee

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11517; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191811517 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2279

Abstract

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters is a potential tool used to remove fine particles and improve indoor air quality. This study aims to analyze the real-world efficacy of portable HEPA air cleaners in a household environment. Laser light dispersion PM_2.5 sensors are used to continuously monitor the indoor and outdoor PM_2.5 level before and after HEPA air cleaner filtration. Overall, HEPA air cleaners significantly reduce the indoor PM_2.5 level (33.5 ± 10.3 vs. 17.2 ± 10.7 µg/m³, mean difference (MD) = −16.3 µg/m³, p < 0.001) and indoor/outdoor PM_2.5% (76.3 ± 16.8 vs. 38.6 ± 19.8%, MD = −37.7%, p < 0.001). The efficacy to reduce PM_2.5 is strongest in three machines with medium-flow setting group (indoor PM_2.5 MD: −26.5 µg/m³, indoor/outdoor PM_2.5 percentage MD: −56.4%). Multiple linear regression demonstrates that outdoor PM_2.5, machine number, airflow speed, and window ventilation are significant factors associated with indoor PM_2.5 concentrations (R = 0.879) and percentage of the indoor/outdoor PM_2.5 ratio (R = 0.808). HEPA air cleaners can effectively improve indoor PM_2.5 air pollution. Adequate air cleaner machine numbers, appropriate airflow, and window ventilation limitations are important to achieve the best efficacy of the HEPA air cleaner. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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14 pages, 856 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effectiveness of Smoking Prevention Programs on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Anti-Smoking Exposure Self-Efficacy among Non-Smoking Rural Seventh-Grade Students in Taiwan

by Su-Er Guo, Mei-Yen Chen, Chizimuzo Okoli and Yi-Fan Chiang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9767; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19159767 - 08 Aug 2022

Viewed by 2035

Abstract

The disproportionate smoking prevalence among adolescents in rural Taiwan may be attributed to insufficient anti-smoking education. Increasing access to such education may help reduce initiation and promote smoking cessation in adolescents, particularly in rural areas. However, effects of these programs require verification. This study determined the effectiveness of a school-based prevention program in enhancing knowledge, attitudes, and anti-smoking exposure self-efficacy among seventh-grade non-smoking students. A quasi-experimental design with convenience sampling was employed, where participants included seventh graders from two junior high schools who completed a questionnaire 1–2 weeks before and after the intervention. Furthermore, the intervention group received four smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) prevention classes, whereas the control group engaged in scheduled school activities. Knowledge on smoking (B = 4.38, p < 0.001) and SHS (B = 2.35, p < 0.001) were significantly greater in the intervention group. Moreover, the groups differed significantly in avoiding SHS exposure (B = 3.03, p = 0.031). Intervention modifications may be necessary to enhance the program’s effect on smoking exposure-related attitudes and self-efficacy. Additionally, cultural and other aspects (or “urban-rural gap”) might influence these results. Future randomized controlled trials should compare urban to rural adolescents, use longitudinal designs, and assess smoking initiation or cessation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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12 pages, 1920 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating In Silico the Potential Health and Environmental Benefits of Houseplant Volatile Organic Compounds for an Emerging ‘Indoor Forest Bathing’ Approach

by Valentina Roviello, Pasqualina Liana Scognamiglio, Ugo Caruso, Caterina Vicidomini and Giovanni N. Roviello

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 273; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19010273 - 27 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3927

Abstract

The practice of spending time in green areas to gain the health benefits provided by trees is well known, especially in Asia, as ‘forest bathing’, and the consequent protective and experimentally detectable effects on the human body have been linked to the biogenic volatile organic compounds released by plants. Houseplants are common in houses over the globe and are particularly appreciated for aesthetic reasons as well for their ability to purify air from some environmental volatile pollutants indoors. However, to the best of our knowledge, no attempt has been made to describe the health benefits achievable from houseplants thanks to the biogenic volatile organic compounds released, especially during the day, from some of them. Therefore, we performed the present study, based on both a literature analysis and in silico studies, to investigate whether the volatile compounds and aerosol constituents emitted by some of the most common houseplants (such as peace lily plant, Spathiphyllum wallisii, and iron plant, Aspidistra eliator) could be exploited in ‘indoor forest bathing’ approaches, as proposed here for the first time not only in private houses but also public spaces, such as offices, hospitals, and schools. By using molecular docking (MD) and other in silico methodologies for estimating vapor pressures and chemico-physical/pharmacokinetic properties prediction, we found that β-costol is an organic compound, emitted in appreciable amounts by the houseplant Spathiphyllum wallisii, endowed with potential antiviral properties as emerged by our MD calculations in a SARS-CoV-2 M^pro (main protease) inhibition study, together with sesquirosefuran. Our studies suggest that the anti-COVID-19 potential of these houseplant-emitted compounds is comparable or even higher than known M^pro inhibitors, such as eugenol, and sustain the utility of houseplants as indoor biogenic volatile organic compound emitters for immunity boosting and health protection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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13 pages, 4419 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Natural Ventilation Characterization in a Classroom under Different Scenarios

by Sergio A. Chillon, Mikel Millan, Iñigo Aramendia, Unai Fernandez-Gamiz, Ekaitz Zulueta and Xabier Mendaza-Sagastizabal

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5425; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18105425 - 19 May 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3498

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has pointed to the need to increase our knowledge in fields related to human breathing. In the present study, temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration, and median particle size diameter measurements were taken into account. These parameters were analyzed in a computer classroom with 15 subjects during a normal 90-minute class; all the subjects wore surgical masks. For measurements, Arduino YUN, Arduino UNO, and APS-3321 devices were used. Natural ventilation efficiency was checked in two different ventilation scenarios: only windows open and windows and doors open. The results show how ventilation affects the temperature, CO₂ concentration, and median particle diameter size parameters. By contrast, the relative humidity depends more on the outdoor meteorological conditions. Both ventilation scenarios tend to create the same room conditions in terms of temperature, humidity, CO₂ concentration, and particle size. Additionally, the evolution of CO₂ concentration as well as the particle size distribution along the time was studied. Finally, the particulate matter (PM_2.5) was investigated together with particle concentration. Both parameters showed a similar trend during the time of the experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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11 pages, 304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prevalence of Childhood Asthma and Allergies and Their Associations with Perinatal Exposure to Home Environmental Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Tianjin, China

by Agnes S. Ellie, Yuexia Sun, Jing Hou, Pan Wang, Qingnan Zhang and Jan Sundell

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4131; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18084131 - 14 Apr 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2345

Abstract

Asthma, rhinitis, and eczema are becoming increasingly prevalent among children in China. Studies have shown that the perinatal period is critical and impacts children’s health. However, research on the associations between perinatal factors and childhood allergic diseases in China are few. We investigated 7366 children of ages 0–8 years old. The childhood asthma and allergies were surveyed by distributing questionnaires, modelled after Dampness in Buildings and Health (DBH) study in Sweden and had been validated. To determine the prevalence of the allergic conditions, explore for potential confounders, and analyze the associations between the allergies and the home environmental factors, chi-square test and binary logistic regression models (enter method) were employed. The prevalence of children’s doctor-diagnosed asthma, rhinitis, and eczema were 4.4%, 9.5%, and 39.1%, respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, the negative effect of dampness/humidity on children’s health became more obvious, with odd ratios (aORs) of up to 1.70 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12–2.57) for doctor-diagnosed asthma (DDA), 2.12 (95% CI: 1.38–3.25) for doctor-diagnosed rhinitis (DDR) and 1.79 (95% CI: 1.46–2.21) for doctor-diagnosed eczema (DDE). With parental smoking, aORs of up to 4.66 (95% CI: 1.99–10.92) for DDA and 1.74 (95%: 1.00–3.02) for DDE. Renovation exhibited aORs of up to 1.67 (95% CI: 1.13–2.47) for DDR. Although they showed no significant associations with some of the health outcomes, contact with animals, in general, were risk factors for the allergic conditions. Generally, the indoor environmental factors around the perinatal period were significant risk factors for the doctor-diagnosed allergic conditions discussed in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

13 pages, 3347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Indoor Air Quality at Home—An Economic Analysis

by Amy Dymond, Stuart Mealing, Jessica McMaster, Hayden Holmes and Lesley Owen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1679; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18041679 - 09 Feb 2021

Viewed by 1985

Abstract

Background: People with respiratory conditions are susceptible to health problems caused by exposure to indoor air pollutants. An economic framework was developed to inform a guideline developed by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to estimate the required level of efficacy necessary for an intervention to be cost-saving in dwellings across England. Methods: An economic modelling framework was built to estimate the incremental costs pre- and post-implementation of interventions designed to reduce exposure to indoor air pollution within dwellings of varying building-related risk factors and profiles. The intervention cost was varied simultaneously with the relative reduction in symptomatic cases of each health condition to estimate the point at which an intervention may become cost-saving. Four health conditions were considered. Results: People living in dwellings with either an extreme risk profile or usable floor area <90 m² have the greatest capacity to benefit and save National Health Service (NHS) costs from interventions at any given level of effectiveness and upfront cost. Conclusions: At any effectiveness level, the threshold for the upfront intervention cost to remain cost-saving is equivalent across the different home characteristics. The flexible model can be used to guide decision-making under a range of scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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12 pages, 505 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trends in Exposure to Diesel Particulate Matter and Prevalence of Respiratory Symptoms in Western Australian Miners

by Krassi Rumchev, Dong Van Hoang and Andy Lee

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(22), 8435; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17228435 - 14 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1894

Abstract

Diesel-powered equipment is used frequently in the mining industry. They are energetically more efficient and emit lower quantities of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide than the gasoline equipment. However, diesel engines release more diesel particulate matter (DPM) during the combustion process which has been linked to harmful health effects. This study assessed the trends in DPM exposure and the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among Western Australian miners, using the available secondary data collected from 2006 to 2012. The data consisted of elemental carbon (EC) concentrations and information on miner’s respiratory symptoms. The measured EC concentrations from n = 2598 miners ranged between 0.01 mg/m³ and 1.00 mg/m³ and tended to significantly decrease over the study period (p < 0.001). Underground mine workers were exposed to significantly higher (p < 0.01) median EC concentrations of 0.069 mg/m³ (IQR 0.076) when compared to surface workers’ 0.038 mg/m³ (IQR 0.04). Overall, 29% of the miners reported at least one respiratory symptom, with the highest frequency recorded for cough (16%). Although the exposure levels of DPM in the mining industry of Western Australia have declined over the study period, they are still high and adhering to stringent occupational standard for DPM is recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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Review

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 1128 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impacts of Indoor Radon on Health: A Comprehensive Review on Causes, Assessment and Remediation Strategies

by Leonel J. R. Nunes, António Curado, Luís C. C. da Graça, Salete Soares and Sérgio Ivan Lopes

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 3929; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19073929 - 25 Mar 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2848

Abstract

Indoor radon exposure is raising concerns due to its impact on health, namely its known relationship with lung cancer. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand the risk factors associated with radon exposure, and how this can be harmful to the health of exposed populations. This article presents a comprehensive review of studies indicating a correlation between indoor radon exposure and the higher probability of occurrence of health problems in exposed populations. The analyzed studies statistically justify this correlation between exposure to indoor radon and the incidence of lung diseases in regions where concentrations are particularly high. However, some studies also showed that even in situations where indoor radon concentrations are lower, can be found a tendency, albeit smaller, for the occurrence of negative impacts on lung cancer incidence. Lastly, regarding risk remediation, an analysis has been conducted and presented in two core perspectives: (i) focusing on the identification and application of corrective measures in pre-existing buildings, and (ii) focusing on the implementation of preventive measures during the project design and before construction, both focusing on mitigating negative impacts of indoor radon exposure on the health of populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Quality at Home, School, and Work – Challenges and Considerations)

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