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.
Display omitted
•A systematic search was conducted designed to capture evidence on concentrations, emissions from indoor sources, and health effects for VOCs measured in European and UK residences.•65 individual VOCs were identified.•Health end points from inhalation exposure to these VOCs were identified and discussed.•Reported emission rates from indoor sources will provide a valuable source as input for modelling tools.
Oxides of nitrogen (NO
) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the atmosphere can react in the presence of solar irradiation, leading to ozone formation in the troposphere. ...Historically, before clean air regulations were implemented to control NO
and VOCs, ozone concentrations were high enough to exert acute effects such as eye and nose irritation, respiratory disease emergencies, and lung function impairment. At or above current regulatory standards, day-to-day variations in ozone concentrations have been positively associated with asthma incidence and daily non-accidental mortality rate. Emerging evidence has shown that both short-term and long-term exposures to ozone, at concentrations below the current regulatory standards, were associated with increased mortality due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The pathophysiology to support the epidemiologic associations between mortality and morbidity and ozone centers at the chemical and toxicological property of ozone as a strong oxidant, being able to induce oxidative damages to cells and the lining fluids of the airways, and immune-inflammatory responses within and beyond the lung. These new findings add substantially to the existing challenges in controlling ozone pollution. For example, in the United States in 2016, 90% of non-compliance to the national ambient air quality standards was due to ozone whereas only 10% was due to particulate matter and other regulated pollutants. Climate change, through creating atmospheric conditions favoring ozone formation, has been and will continue to increase ozone concentrations in many parts of world. Worldwide, ozone is responsible for several hundreds of thousands of premature deaths and tens of millions of asthma-related emergency room visits annually. To combat ozone pollution globally, more aggressive reductions in fossil fuel consumption are needed to cut NO
and VOCs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, preventive and therapeutic strategies are needed to alleviate the detrimental effects of ozone especially in more susceptible individuals. Interventional trials in humans are needed to evaluate the efficacy of antioxidants and ozone-scavenging compounds that have shown promising results in animal studies.
A methodology based on CFD-RANS simulations (WA CFD-RANS, Weighted Averaged Computational Fluid Dynamic-Reynolds–Averaged Navier–Stokes simulations) which includes appropriate modifications, has been ...applied to compute the annual, seasonal, and hourly average concentration of NO2 and NOX throughout the city of Pamplona (Spain) at pedestrian level during 2016. The results have been evaluated using measurements provided both by the city's network of air quality monitoring stations and by a network of mobile microsensors carried around by cyclists during their daily commutes, obtaining a maximum relative error lower than 30% when computing NO2 annual average concentrations.
The model has taken into account the actual city layout in three dimensions, as well as the traffic emissions. The resulting air pollution maps provided information critical for studying the traffic-related health effects of NO2 and their associated external costs in the city of Pamplona and the spatial representativeness of the current network of air quality monitoring stations (it has not been carried out for an entire city to date). The developed methodology can be applied to similar cities, providing useful information for the decision-makers.
Display omitted
•CFD modelling of annual average NO2 and NOX maps throughout an entire city•Evaluation of modelled annual average concentrations with network station data•Comparison against average data recorded by mobile microsensors•Computation of spatial representativeness of monitoring stations of the city network•Assessment of health externalities arising from NO2 in the whole city
Microplastics (MPs) have found extensive application globally due to their low cost, flexibility and light weight. Microplastic pollution is a growing environmental concern that poses significant ...threats to aquatic ecosystems worldwide, including African freshwater systems. Nevertheless, although Africa houses some of the deepest and largest freshwater rivers and lakes in the world such as Lake Tanganyika and Victoria, River Congo and the Nile, there is limited information available regarding the presence of MPs in these inland waters. Selected published data on MPs in African freshwater systems, including sediments, biota, rivers, and lakes, were incorporated in this review. The study discovered that the sampling technique employed has a major impact on the morphological characteristics and abundance of MPs in African freshwater systems. Fibers and fragments were the most common shapes; black, white, and transparent were the most prevalent colors; and polyethene terephthalate, polystyrene, and polypropylene were the frequently dominant polymers. As the distance between the sampling sites increased geographically, the polymer similarities declined. MPs have been found to translocate into body cells and tissues where they are capable of causing genetic mutations, cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. In Africa, MPs are poorly managed and monitored, and there has been insufficient research done on the possibility that they could be present in drinking water. Considering the fact that humans in the continent are exposed to freshwater and aquatic organisms, the risk assessment routes are currently unvalidated, therefore it was recommended that African nations should strengthen their capacity for plastic management and environmental monitoring. This review provides up to date information on the occurrence, prevalence, ecotoxicity and management of MPs across African freshwater systems.
Display omitted
•Microplastics have been discovered in African freshwater system.•Sources include industry, and agriculture.•MP exposure poses ecological and health risks.•MP alters ecosystem integrity.
A systematic review conducted in 2008 found significant associations between waterpipe tobacco smoking and lung cancer, respiratory disease, periodontal disease and low birthweight. Since then, a ...number of relevant studies have been published. The objective of this study was to update the systematic review on the effects of waterpipe tobacco smoking on health outcomes.
In May 2015 we electronically searched the following databases with no date restrictions: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the ISI Web of Science using a detailed search strategy with no language restrictions. We also screened the references' lists of the included studies. We included cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies, and excluded case reports, conference abstracts, editorials and reviews. We excluded studies not conducted in humans, assessing physiological outcomes, not distinguishing waterpipe tobacco smoking from other forms of smoking or not reporting association measures. We assessed risk of bias for each included study and conducted meta-analyses for each of the outcomes of interest.
We identified 50 eligible studies. We found that waterpipe tobacco smoking was significantly associated with: respiratory diseases COPD; odds ratio (OR) = 3.18, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.25, 8.08; bronchitis OR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.49, 3.77; passive waterpipe smoking and wheeze OR) = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.28, 3.04; oral cancer OR = 4.17, 95% CI = 2.53, 6.89; lung cancer OR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.32, 3.42; low birthweight (OR = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.32, 4.32); metabolic syndrome (OR 1.63-1.95, 95% CI = 1.25, 2.45); cardiovascular disease (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.25, 2.24); and mental health (OR 1.30-2.4, 95% CI = 1.20, 2.80). Waterpipe tobacco smoking was not significantly associated with: oesophageal cancer (OR = 4.14, 95% CI = 0.93, 18.46); worse quality of life scores standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.16, 95% CI = -0.66, 0.34; gastric carcinoma (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 0.72, 6.47); bladder cancer (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.99, 1.57); prostate cancer (OR = 7.00, 95% CI = 0.90, 56.90); hepatitis C infection (OR = 0.98, 95%0.80, 1.21); periodontal disease (OR = 3.00, 5.00); gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.56); nasopharyngeal carcinoma (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.20, 1.23); bladder cancer (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.99, 1.57); infertility (OR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.00, 6.30); and mortality (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.93, 1.43).
There is accumulating evidence about the association of waterpipe tobacco smoking with a growing number of health outcomes.
Biodiesel, a renewable diesel fuel that can be created from almost any natural fat or oil, is promoted as a greener and healthier alternative to commercial mineral diesel without the supporting ...experimental data to back these claims. The aim of this research was to assess the health effects of acute exposure to two types of biodiesel exhaust, or mineral diesel exhaust or air as a control in mice. Male BALB/c mice were exposed for 2-hrs to diluted exhaust obtained from a diesel engine running on mineral diesel, Tallow biodiesel or Canola biodiesel. A room air exposure group was used as a control. Twenty-four hours after exposure, a variety of respiratory related end point measurements were assessed, including lung function, responsiveness to methacholine and airway and systemic immune responses.
Tallow biodiesel exhaust exposure resulted in the greatest number of significant effects compared to Air controls, including increased airway hyperresponsiveness (178.1 ± 31.3% increase from saline for Tallow biodiesel exhaust exposed mice compared to 155.8 ± 19.1 for Air control), increased airway inflammation (63463 ± 13497 cells/mL in the bronchoalveolar lavage of Tallow biodiesel exhaust exposed mice compared to 40561 ± 11800 for Air exposed controls) and indications of immune dysregulation. In contrast, exposure to Canola biodiesel exhaust resulted in fewer significant effects compared to Air controls with a slight increase in airway resistance at functional residual capacity and indications of immune dysregulation. Exposure to mineral diesel exhaust resulted in significant effects between that of the two biodiesels with increased airway hyperresponsiveness and indications of immune dysregulation.
These data show that a single, brief exposure to biodiesel exhaust can result in negative health impacts in a mouse model, and that the biological effects of exposure change depending on the feedstock used to make the biodiesel.
Display omitted
•Exhaust characteristics changed significantly between different biodiesel feedstock types.•Different exposure types caused different biological effects.•A single exposure to both ULSD and Tallow biodiesel exhaust induced airway hyperreactivity.•Indications of immune dysregulation were observed after a single exposure to Tallow biodiesel exhaust.
Phthalate esters (PAEs) are one of the most widely used plasticizers in polymer products and humans are increasingly exposed to them. The constant exposure to PAEs-contained products has raised some ...concerns against human health. Thus, the impacts of PAEs and their metabolites on human health require a comprehensive study for a better understanding of the associated risks. Here, we attempt to review eight main health effects of PAE exposure according to the most up-to-date studies. We found that epidemiological studies demonstrated a consistent association between PAE exposure (especially DEHP and its metabolites) and a decrease in sperm quality in males and symptom development of ADHD in children. Overall, we found insufficient evidence and lack of consistency of the association between PAE exposure and cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, atherosclerosis, and CHD), thyroid diseases, respiratory diseases, diabetes, obesity, kidney diseases, intelligence performance in children, and other reproductive system-related diseases (anogenital distance, girl precocious puberty, and endometriosis). Future studies (longitudinal and follow-up investigations) need to thoroughly perform in large-scale populations to yield more consistent and powerful results and increase the precision of the association as well as enhance the overall understanding of potential human health risks of PAEs in long-term exposure.
Display omitted
•Associations between PAEs and lower sperm quality in males and ADHD in children were consistently revealed.•Those associations were confirmed by cohort or longitudinal studies.•Inadequate evidence of the association between PAE exposure and other human diseases.
Extensive structure elucidation has revealed a remarkable diversity of structures for carotenoids, anthocyanins, and betalains, the major natural pigments in plant-derived foods. Composition, ...stability, influencing factors, processing effects have been widely investigated. Carotenoids isomerize and oxidize while anthocyanins undergo hydrolysis, nucleophilic attack of water, ring fission, and polymerization during thermal processing. Betacyanins suffer deglycosylation, isomerization, dehydrogenation, hydrolysis, and decarboxylation. Biotechnological production dominates research on carotenoids as food colorants while the search for plant sources continues with anthocyanins and betalains. Stabilization studies presently focus on microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation. For anthocyanins, co-pigmentation has also been intensely researched. Carotenoids have been the most studied in terms of health effects, involving epidemiological, cell, animal, and human intervention studies, yet some inconsistencies in the results persist. A wide range of biological activities have been attributed to anthocyanins and betalains, based mainly on cell and animal studies; human clinical studies are lacking.
Display omitted
•A diversity of structures has been elucidated for carotenoids, anthocyanins and betalains.•Chemical changes/reactions during processing have been delineated.•Factors affecting stability have been extensively investigated.•Microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation are proposed as stabilization methods.•Potential health benefits are actively studied.
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) causes millions of premature deaths each year worldwide. Oxidative potential (OP) has been proposed as a better metric for aerosol health effects than PM2.5 mass ...concentration alone. In this study, we report for the first time online measurements of PM2.5 OP in wintertime Beijing and surroundings based on a dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. These measurements were combined with co-located PM chemical composition measurements to identify the main source categories of aerosol OP. In addition, we highlight the influence of two distinct pollution events on aerosol OP (spring festival celebrations including fireworks and a severe regional dust storm). Source apportionment coupled with multilinear regression revealed that primary PM and oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) were both important sources of OP, accounting for 41 ± 12 % and 39 ± 10 % of the OPvDTT (OP normalized by the sampled air volume), respectively. The small remainder was attributed to fireworks and dust, mainly resulting from the two distinct pollution events. During the 3.5-day spring festival period, OPvDTT spiked to 4.9 nmol min−1 m−3 with slightly more contribution from OOA (42 ± 11 %) and less from primary PM (31 ± 15 %). During the dust storm, hourly-averaged PM2.5 peaked at a very high value of 548 μg m−3 due to the dominant presence of dust-laden particles (88 % of total PM2.5). In contrast, only mildly elevated OPvDTT values (up to 1.5 nmol min−1 m−3) were observed during this dust event. This observation indicates that variations in OPvDTT cannot be fully explained using PM2.5 alone; one must also consider the chemical composition of PM2.5 when studying aerosol health effects. Our study highlights the need for continued pollution control strategies to reduce primary PM emissions, and more in-depth investigations into the source origins of OOA, to minimize the health risks associated with PM exposure in Beijing.
Display omitted
•First online PM2.5 oxidative potential (OP-DTT) field measurements in China.•Primary PM and OOA both made substantial contributions to the oxidative potential.•Two distinct pollution events highlighted different redox properties of PM2.5.•OOA was found to be the main OP driver during the spring festival period.•Very high dust concentrations during a dust storm led to only mildly elevated OP.
Children, an important vulnerable group, spend most of their time at schools (up to 10 h per day, mostly indoors) and the respective air quality may significantly impact on children health. Thus, ...this work reviews the published studies on children biomonitoring and environmental exposure to particulate matter (PM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at school microenvironments (indoors and outdoors), major sources and potential health risks. A total of 28, 35, and 31% of the studies reported levels that exceeded the international outdoor ambient air guidelines for PM10, PM2.5, and benzo(a)pyrene, respectively. Indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM10 at European schools, the most characterized continent, ranged between 7.5 and 229 μg/m3 and 21–166 μg/m3, respectively; levels of PM2.5 varied between 4 and 100 μg/m3 indoors and 6.1–115 μg/m3 outdoors. Despite scarce information in some geographical regions (America, Oceania and Africa), the collected data clearly show that Asian children are exposed to the highest concentrations of PM and PAHs at school environments, which were associated with increased carcinogenic risks and with the highest values of urinary total monohydroxyl PAH metabolites (PAH biomarkers of exposure). Additionally, children attending schools in polluted urban and industrial areas are exposed to higher levels of PM and PAHs with increased concentrations of urinary PAH metabolites in comparison with children from rural areas. Strong evidences demonstrated associations between environmental exposure to PM and PAHs with several health outcomes, including increased risk of asthma, pulmonary infections, skin diseases, and allergies. Nevertheless, there is a scientific gap on studies that include the characterization of PM fine fraction and the levels of PAHs in the total air (particulate and gas phases) of indoor and outdoor air of school environments and the associated risks for the health of children. There is a clear need to improve indoor air quality in schools and to establish international guidelines for exposure limits in these environments.
•Median PM10 and PM2.5 exceeded WHO guidelines indoors in European and Asian schools.•Asian schools presented higher levels of PM and PAHs than European and American ones.•Scarce information exists on PAH levels in the fine PM fractions and gas phase.•Levels of PAH metabolites were increased in children from schools at polluted areas.•Poor indoor air quality at schools promotes children cardio-respiratory illnesses.
PDF
