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Toxics
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Analytical Chemistry of Air Pollution
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Analytical Chemistry of Air Pollution

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Pollution and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 14010

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Pierre Herckes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
Interests: analytical chemistry; air pollution; water pollution; emerging contaminants; nanomaterials
Dr. Olivier Delhomme

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Chemistry and Processes for Energy, Environment and Health (ICPEES–UMR 7515), Group of Analytical Chemistry and Materials for Environnement and Health, Strasbourg, France
Interests: analytical chemistry; air quality; air pollution assesment; organic pollutants; pesticide; passive sampling; field campaigns
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Air pollution impacts millions of people worldwide and is a major cause of premature death. Air pollutants are very diverse and can range from small, individual gas phase compounds to complex mixtures in particles. While air pollution monitoring networks focus on select (regulated) air toxics, a more comprehensive understanding of air toxics is needed to improve our understanding of potential health effects, identify the most serious risks, and inform mitigation strategies. Analytical chemistry plays a critical role in the characterization of air pollution and novel methods are needed to improve our understanding of the occurrence of toxics in the air (including emerging contaminants), their temporal and spatial variability and more comprehensive and/or toxicity approaches are needed, going beyond individual species characterization. Recently, many analytical efforts have focused on low-cost and portable sensors to improve spatial resolution and/or sample the actual personal environment of an individual throughout the day to assess their exposure. Many novel analytical approaches are emerging measuring directly for toxicological endpoints (e.g., ROS-reactive oxygen species generation) to help further our understanding of air pollution to toxics.

For this Special Issue, we invite high-quality original research papers, short communications, and reviews focusing on all aspects of analytical chemistry applied to air pollution. We welcome contributions on online and offline analytical methods, using in situ or remote sensing approaches, at all scales from personal sampling to global satellite observations.

Prof. Dr. Pierre Herckes
Dr. Olivier Delhomme
Guest Editors

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. Toxics 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 2600 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

  • Analytical chemistry
  • Air pollution
  • Particulate matter
  • Air toxics
  • Emerging contaminants
  • Low-cost sensors
  • Air quality
  • Satellite measurements, Indoor air quality
  • ROS-Reactive oxygen species

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4892 KiB  
Article
Calibration of Low-Cost NO2 Sensors through Environmental Factor Correction
by Jason A. Miech, Levi Stanton, Meiling Gao, Paolo Micalizzi, Joshua Uebelherr, Pierre Herckes and Matthew P. Fraser
Toxics 2021, 9(11), 281; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics9110281 - 28 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3016
Abstract
Low-cost air quality sensors (LCSs) have become more widespread due to their low cost and increased capabilities; however, to supplement more traditional air quality networks, the performance of these LCSs needs to be validated. This study focused on NO2 measurements from eight [...] Read more.
Low-cost air quality sensors (LCSs) have become more widespread due to their low cost and increased capabilities; however, to supplement more traditional air quality networks, the performance of these LCSs needs to be validated. This study focused on NO2 measurements from eight Clarity Node-S sensors and used various environmental factors to calibrate the LCSs. To validate the calibration performance, we calculated the root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), R2, and slope compared to reference measurements. Raw results from six of these sensors were comparable to those reported for other NO2 LCSs; however, two of the evaluated LCSs had RMSE values ~20 ppb higher than the other six LCSs. By applying a sensor-specific calibration that corrects for relative humidity, temperature, and ozone, this discrepancy was mitigated. In addition, this calibration improved the RMSE, MAE, R2, and slope of all eight LCS compared to the raw data. It should be noted that relatively stable environmental conditions over the course of the LCS deployment period benefited calibration performance over time. These results demonstrate the importance of developing LCS calibration models for individual sensors that consider pertinent environmental factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analytical Chemistry of Air Pollution)
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13 pages, 1022 KiB  
Article
Indoor Air Quality including Respiratory Viruses
by Antonio López, Esther Fuentes, Vicent Yusà, F. Xavier López-Labrador, Marisa Camaró, Cristina Peris-Martinez, Martin Llácer, Susana Ortolá and Clara Coscollà
Toxics 2021, 9(11), 274; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics9110274 - 21 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2615
Abstract
The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor environments is a cause of increasing concern. In this study, three sampling methodologies have been used in order to collect SARS-CoV-2 and 17 other respiratory viruses in indoor air, combined with a new analytical process to analyze [...] Read more.
The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor environments is a cause of increasing concern. In this study, three sampling methodologies have been used in order to collect SARS-CoV-2 and 17 other respiratory viruses in indoor air, combined with a new analytical process to analyze respiratory viruses. Different areas of an ophthalmological hospital were investigated for the presence of these airborne viruses. Moreover, indoor air quality (IAQ) parameters (carbon dioxide, CO2; carbon monoxide, CO; nitrogen dioxide, NO2; volatile organic compounds, VOCs; formaldehyde, HCHO; and particulate matter, PM) have been examined to study the relationship between IAQ and airborne viruses. All indoor air and surface samples assessed were found to be negative for SARS-CoV-2. Nevertheless, another airborne respiratory virus (HRV/ENV) was detected, illustrating that the methodology set out here is a suitable one. Regarding the results for the IAQ, chemical parameters studied in the hall and waiting room of the hospital presented acceptable values. However, in the doctor′s consultation room VOCs and HCHO show some instantaneous levels higher than the recommended guide values. The methodological approach described in this paper, integrating conventional IAQ and the assessment of bioaerosols, can be used in research and control programs aimed at promoting a healthy indoor environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analytical Chemistry of Air Pollution)
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18 pages, 4468 KiB  
Article
Trace Level Determination of Saccharides in Pristine Marine Aerosols by Gas Chromatography—Tandem Mass Spectrometry
by Na-Rae Choi, Yong-Jun Yoon, Ki-Tae Park, Ki-Ae Kim, Yong-Pyo Kim, Yun-Gyong Ahn and Ji-Yi Lee
Toxics 2021, 9(4), 86; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics9040086 - 17 Apr 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2574
Abstract
The quantification and identification of saccharides in pristine marine aerosols can provide useful information for determining the contributions of anthropogenic and natural sources of the aerosol. However, individual saccharide compounds in pristine marine aerosols that exist in trace amounts are difficult to analyze [...] Read more.
The quantification and identification of saccharides in pristine marine aerosols can provide useful information for determining the contributions of anthropogenic and natural sources of the aerosol. However, individual saccharide compounds in pristine marine aerosols that exist in trace amounts are difficult to analyze due to their low concentrations. Thus, in this study, we applied gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode to analyze the particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter equal or less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) samples, and the results were compared with those of conventional GC-MS. To investigate the chemical properties of pristine marine aerosols, 12 PM2.5 samples were collected while aboard Araon, an ice-breaking research vessel (IBRV), as it sailed from Incheon, South Korea to Antarctica. The method detection limits of GC-MS/MS for 10 saccharides were 2–22-fold lower than those of GC-MS. Consequently, the advantages of GC-MS/MS include (1) more distinct peak separations, enabling the accurate identification of the target saccharides and (2) the quantification of all individual saccharide compounds with concentrations outside the quantifiable range of GC-MS. Accordingly, the time resolution for sampling saccharides in pristine marine aerosols can be improved with GC-MS/MS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analytical Chemistry of Air Pollution)
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22 pages, 13288 KiB  
Article
Sequential SEM-EDS, PLM, and MRS Microanalysis of Individual Atmospheric Particles: A Useful Tool for Assigning Emission Sources
by Francisco E. Longoria-Rodríguez, Lucy T. González, Yasmany Mancilla, Karim Acuña-Askar, Jesús Alejandro Arizpe-Zapata, Jessica González, Oxana V. Kharissova and Alberto Mendoza
Toxics 2021, 9(2), 37; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics9020037 - 18 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2753
Abstract
In this work, the particulate matter (PM) from three different monitoring stations in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area in Mexico were investigated for their compositional, morphological, and optical properties. The main aim of the research was to decipher the different sources of the particles. [...] Read more.
In this work, the particulate matter (PM) from three different monitoring stations in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area in Mexico were investigated for their compositional, morphological, and optical properties. The main aim of the research was to decipher the different sources of the particles. The methodology involved the ex situ sequential analysis of individual particles by three analytical techniques: scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS). The microanalysis was performed on samples of total suspended particles. Different morphologies were observed for particles rich in the same element, including prismatic, spherical, spheroidal, and irregular morphologies. The sequential microanalysis by SEM-EDS/PLM/MRS revealed that Fe-rich particles with spherical and irregular morphologies were derived from anthopogenic sources, such as emissions from the metallurgical industry and the wear of automobile parts, respectively. In contrast, Fe-rich particles with prismatic morphologies were associated with natural sources. In relation to carbon (C), the methodology was able to distinguish between the C-rich particles that came from different anthopogenic sources—such as the burning of fossil fuels, biomass, or charcoal—and the metallurgical industry. The optical properties of the Si-rich particles depended, to a greater extent, on their chemical composition than on their morphology, which made it possible to quickly and accurately differentiate aluminosilicates from quartz. The methodology demonstrated in this study was useful for performing the speciation of the particles rich in different elements. This differentiation helped to assign their possible emission sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analytical Chemistry of Air Pollution)
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10 pages, 2321 KiB  
Article
The Presence of Selected Elements in the Microscopic Image of Pine Needles as an Effect of Cement and Lime Pressure within the Region of Białe Zagłębie (Central Europe)
by Mirosław Szwed, Witold Żukowski and Rafał Kozłowski
Toxics 2021, 9(1), 15; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics9010015 - 19 Jan 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2022
Abstract
In this study, we present the results of microscopic observations of pine needles Pinus sylvestris L. collected in the area of cement-lime pressure in the south-western part of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains in the region of Białe Zagłębie. Images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) [...] Read more.
In this study, we present the results of microscopic observations of pine needles Pinus sylvestris L. collected in the area of cement-lime pressure in the south-western part of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains in the region of Białe Zagłębie. Images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirm the presence of particles with a size of about 2 to 20 µm on the surface of the needles. Analysis using X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) allowed, in turn, to identify lead, iron, aluminium, calcium, and silicon in particles deposited in the surface layer of assimilation organs and dispersed in the surface layer of vegetation tissue within cell structures. Chemical composition, size and shape of particles of foreign bodies on the needles’ surface allow them to be identified as cement-lime dust coming from production plants located in the Białe Zagłębie. Negative influence on the condition and liveliness of Scots pine in the study area is manifested by images on which stomata is sealed, which limits the possibility of gas exchange. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analytical Chemistry of Air Pollution)
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