Environmental Health Insights最新文献

{"title":"Research on Drivers and Barriers to the Implementation of Cold Ironing Technology in Zero Emissions Port.","authors":"Son-Tung Le","doi":"10.1177/11786302241265090","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241265090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ports play an important role in connecting the domestic and global economies. Zero emissions port models are actively developed and frequently utilized to fulfill economic objectives while reducing environmental effect. The cold ironing system is one of technological methods assisting ports in transitioning to zero emissions port models. Although a number of ports have successfully implemented it, many other seaports, particularly those in developing countries, continue to face numerous challenges in implementing cold ironing. The aim of this research is to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of cold ironing. The study used a quantitative method, conducting a survey of 215 port managers from the North, Central, and South of Vietnam. The findings indicate that economic incentives and regulation have a positive impact on the adoption of cold ironing at ports. While lack of initial capital and lack of standardization are barriers to the implementation of cold ironing. The last section will look over the study's results and implications in greater detail.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241265090"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11271109/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141757811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating Microbial Contamination of Indoor Air, Environmental Surfaces, and Medical Equipment in a Southwestern Ethiopia Hospital.","authors":"Mekdes Mekonen Belay, Argaw Ambelu, Seblework Mekonen, Gedeno Karbana, Bethlehem Yemane","doi":"10.1177/11786302241266052","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241266052","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Healthcare-associated infections, primarily caused by microorganisms, are widespread in healthcare facilities. These infections pose a significant challenge, especially in low and middle-income countries, and have a detrimental impact on patient outcomes. It is crucial to assess the level of microbial load and associated factors to prevent the spread of these infections. The objective of this study was to assess the microbial load and identify the factors associated with it in various wards at Jimma Medical Center.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A cross-sectional study conducted at Jimma Medical Center. Indoor air samples were collected using the settle plate method with a 1/1/1 scheme. Inanimate surfaces and medical equipment were sampled using Swabs from a 10 × 10 cm area. A total of 268 samples were collected from 10 rooms. Pertinent information regarding the associated factors was gathered using an observational checklist. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify any associations with the microbial load.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>Out of the total samples, 181 (67.5%) tested positive for culture, and 270 microbes were isolated. The average load of bacteria and fungi in the indoor air ranged from 124.4 to 1607 and 96 to 814.6 Colony-forming unit (CFU)/m³, respectively. The mean total aerobic colony counts of bacteria and fungi from all surfaces in the wards ranged from 5.25 to 43.3 CFU/cm². Crowdedness [β = 2.748 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.057-4.44)], the presence of waste material [β = 1.747 (95% CI: 0.213-3.282)], and an unclean room [β = 2.505 (95% CI: 0.990-4.019)] were significantly associated with the microbial load.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The microbial load detected in indoor air, inanimate surfaces and medical equipment was posing potential health risks. Consequently, it is recommended to implement regular microbial surveillance of the hospital environment and enhance the infection prevention program to mitigate these concerns.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241266052"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11271106/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141757810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abatement of Aerosols by Ionic Wind Extracted From Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma.","authors":"Tehreem Arshad, Muhammad Shahid Rafique, Shazia Bashir, Asma Hayat, Muhammad Ghulam Murtaza, Abdul Muneeb, Imran Shahadat, Nabiha Nayab","doi":"10.1177/11786302241262879","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241262879","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lahore (Pakistan), being an industrial city, has high emission of aerosols that affects and contaminates the air quality. Therefore, the abatement/inactivation of aerosols is necessary to restrict their infectious activities. In this project, ionic wind isolated from dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD plasma) has been utilized to abate the aerosols trapped in the Surgical Mask and KN95 Respirator. To infer the chemical and elemental detection of ambient aerosols, FTIR and LIBS have been employed. \"From the results, it is noteworthy that abatement/removal of aerosols has been successfully carried out by the ionic wind irradiation and highlights the potential of DBD plasma technology in removing the aerosols pollution.\"</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241262879"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11271097/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141757894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding Environmental Consequences of Quarry Operations: Residents' Perception Study in the Neighbourhood of a Quarry in Osun state, Nigeria.","authors":"Temitope M Taiwo, Timothy O Ogunbode","doi":"10.1177/11786302241264146","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241264146","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Investigation on human perspective on the impacts of quarry activities on the natural environment remains limited. This study gauged residents' perceptions of the ecological consequences of quarry operations. A meticulously structured questionnaire was dispensed among 214 households, chosen at random, in the vicinity of Sanlong Quarry within Obaagun community, Ifelodun Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria. The dataset underwent analysis utilising both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicated a predominance of female respondents, constituting 77.6%, with 65% aged 41 years and above. Moreover, 74.2% had been residents in the study area for no less than 7 years, and 62.6% resided within 1 km of the quarry site. A substantial 74.3% (159 residents) regarded quarry operations as detrimental to their environment, with 72.2% attributing this to machine vibrations. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkins and Barttlet's tests affirmed the factorability of the dataset at a 77.5% significance level (<i>P</i> < .005). Factor analysis revealed 7 variables, encompassing 79.19% of residents' perceptions of the environmental impact of quarry operations. These variables included the loss of farmlands (21.35%), degraded farmland (15.06%), vibrations from heavy machines affecting buildings (10.64%), flyrock debris from rock blasting damaging roofs, and the destruction caused by trucks and heavy machinery on rural roads (8.57%). Additionally, wildlife displacement (8.33%) and respondents' perception of the quarry's duration of operation (8.00%) were identified. These findings suggest that quarry operations exert a significant influence on the livelihood of the Sanlong quarry neighbourhood. It is imperative for stakeholders to address this situation through relevant policies, particularly those that enhance the well-being of the community and hold the quarry company responsible for the damages inflicted on various environmental resources. Nonetheless, further study is recommended to validate or otherwise the current findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241264146"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11193343/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141442371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Waste Water Management in Wet Coffee Processing Mills and their Impact on the Water quality status of Gidabo River and its Tributaries, Southern Ethiopia.","authors":"Mihret Dananto Ulsido, Muhammed-Ziyad Geleto, Yohannes Seifu Berego","doi":"10.1177/11786302241260953","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241260953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Gidabo River and its tributaries are the main sources of water for more than 1,584,646 inhabitants. It is an important source of water for the surrounding rural communities for various uses such as domestic, irrigation, livestock watering, fishing, and recreation. The river is the main tributary of Lake Abaya. The present study was designed to investigate the water quality status of the Gidabo River and its tributaries for domestic and aquatic life. To assess the water quality status, water samples were collected in monthly intervals for a period of 3 months from September to November (coffee processing time), 2022. Arc GIS 9.3, 3 DEM, and spreadsheet were used to analyze the data collected from SRTM (Shuttle Radar Thematic Mapper, 90 m) and field observation. Of all the water quality parameters analyzed; turbidity, BOD₅, DO, COD, pH, Ni, Fe, NO₃ ^-, and PO₄ ^3- were higher than the recommended limits of national and international standards for aquatic life. Based on the Weighted Arithmetic Mean (WAM), Water Quality Index (WQI) calculations of the River, WQI value of the river ranges between 34.83 and 54.31 in different reaches of the watershed which is classified under bad category. The wet coffee processing industry which is the main sources of contamination in the watershed uses 63 L of processing water to produce 1 kg of green coffee beans. Traditional lagoons, with an average hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1.99 days, are the most common methods of treating wastewater. The river is at higher risk from harmful anthropogenic activities in the watershed and requires urgent monitoring and mitigation to prevent further degradation.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241260953"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11181887/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141418435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of Exposure to Indoor Air Pollution with Unhealthy Symptoms among Middle-aged and Older Adults in India: Evidence from a Large-scale Survey.","authors":"P Padma Sri Lekha, C V Irshad, E P Abdul Azeez, A Premkumar","doi":"10.1177/11786302241257819","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241257819","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The usage of solid cooking fuels is widely prevalent in low and middle-income countries, including India, and contributes to indoor air pollution (IAP), which has detrimental health effects. Moreover, time spent inside the house increases as people age. In this context, the present study tried to understand the association between exposure to indoor air pollution and unhealthy symptoms, including shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, fatigue, wheezing, and cough among middle-aged and older adults in India.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We extracted the unit-level individual data (N = 63 790<b>)</b> from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI)-Wave 1 (2017-2018). The statistical analyses used were Chi-square test and binary logistic regression, which estimated the odds ratio to identify the determinants of the unhealthy symptoms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The odds of shortness of breath (adjusted OR: 1.14, 99% CI: 1.05-1.23), dizziness (adjusted OR: 1.28, 99% CI: 1.21-1.35), fatigue (adjusted OR: 1.32, 99% CI: 1.26-1.39), wheezing (adjusted OR: 1.30, 99% CI: 1.19-1.42), and cough (adjusted OR: 1.36, 99% CI: 1.27-1.45) were higher among individuals from households where solid cooking fuels was used. Similarly, the odds of shortness of breath, headache, wheezing, and cough were higher among individuals with a household member who smoked inside the house. The results indicated that the odds of shortness of breath, headache, and cough were significantly lower among participants exposed to incense use.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the results of this study, we suggest developing programs to combat the sources of indoor air pollution and the associated unhealthy symptoms, especially in rural settings. It is also important to bring awareness and practice clean fuel usage at individual and community levels to improve population health.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241257819"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11165961/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141305729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exposure And Health Risk Assessment Of Aflatoxins In Hot Red Pepper Marketed In North Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.","authors":"Hundessa Alemu Degefe, Girma Salale Geleta","doi":"10.1177/11786302241257746","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241257746","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aflatoxins (AFs) are secondary metabolites mainly produced by <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> and <i>A. parasiticus</i> and their contamination of red peppers can cause hepatocellular carcinoma, growth retardation in children, immune suppression, and death. In addition, their presence in the red peppers can affect international trade and cause significant economic burdens. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the level of AFs contamination in packed powder (from supermarkets) and raw red pepper samples commercially available in the towns of Fiche and Mukaturi. Furthermore, this study aimed to determine the potential health and cancer risks associated with the consumption of red pepper contaminated with AFs. Red pepper samples (raw and packed powder) were collected randomly from the Fiche and Mukaturi open markets. Then AFs in the samples were extracted using methanol: water (80:20, v/v). These extract samples were then cleaned up using an immunoaffinity column (IAC) and determined with a high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). The finding showed that the amount of AFB₁, AFB₂, and AFG₁ in raw red pepper was found to be 3.19 ± 0.01, 0.19 ± 0.001, and 4.07 ± 0.01 μg kg^-1, respectively. The raw red pepper samples had a total of 7.66 ± 0.01 μg kg^-1 of AFs. On the other hand, the amount of AFB₁, AFB₂, and AFG₁ in Afiya-packed red pepper was found to be 7.04 ± 0.03, 2.15 ± 0.06, and 0.50 ± 0.01 μg kg^-1, while Mudayi packed red pepper contained 31.60 ± 0.22, 24.40 ± 0.17, 3.37 ± 0.02 and 2.48 ± 0.004 μg kg^-1 of aflatoxins, respectively. Afiya and Mudayi packed powder peppers had a total AFs content of 10.4 ± 0.07 and 61.90 ± 0.28 μg kg^-1, respectively. The total AFs concentrations in packed pepper powder samples were higher than maximum toleratable limits (MTLs) set by the European Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 (5.00 μg kg^-1 for AFB₁ and 10 μg kg^-1 for total AFs). AFB₁ (31.60 ± 0.22 μg kg^-1) had the highest level of contamination, followed by AFB₂ (24.40 ± 0.17 μg kg^-1) in packed pepper powder. In the adult population, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁, and AFG₂ ranged from 0.80 to 7.90, 0.04 to 6.10, 0.02 to 1.02, and 0.05 to 0.62  <math><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow> </math> g kg^-1 body weight (bw) per day, respectively. However, the Margins of Exposure (MOE) values and combined Margin of Exposure (MoET) for these chemicals were significantly lower than the safe margin (<10 000). Therefore, this study highlights the potential health risks associated with consuming AFs-contaminated red peppers and the need for stricter regulations and monitoring to ensure food safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241257746"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11165964/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141305730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Numerical Analysis of Indoor Air Characteristics and Window Screen Influence on Particulate Matter Dispersion in a Childcare Center Using Computational Fluid Dynamics.","authors":"Cathleen Ariella Simatupang, Vladimir Strezov, Suwanna Kitpati Boontanon, Prapat Pongkiatkul, Narin Boontanon, Ranjna Jindal","doi":"10.1177/11786302241259352","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241259352","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Indoor exposure to outdoor pollutants adversely affects health, varying with building dimensions and particularly ventilation that have critical role on their indoor dispersion. This study assesses the impact of outdoor air on indoor air quality in a child care center. Computational fluid dynamics was utilized to analyze the dispersion of particulate matter, with a specific focus on window screens featuring 6 distinct pore sizes ranging from 0.8 mm to 2 mm and 2 different thicknesses of 0.5 mm and 0.1 mm. Results indicate that the presence of a window screen offers significant advantages in controlling particle infiltration compared to scenarios without a screen, as larger particles tend to pass directly through the window within the breathing zone. The scenario without window screens minimizes pressure drop but lacks enhanced particle capture capabilities. However, for effective particle reduction, the window screen with a pore size of 0.8 mm (R0.8T2) and a thickness of 0.5 mm proves to be the most beneficial, achieving the particle filtering efficiency of approximately 54.16%, while the larger window screen with a pore size of 2 mm and a thickness of 1 mm exhibits the lowest efficiency at about 23.85%. Nonetheless, screens with very small sizes are associated with a high-pressure drop, impacting energy efficiency, and overall window performance. Larger pores with smaller thicknesses (0.5 mm) reduced particle count by approximately 45.97%. Therefore, the significance of window screen thickness beyond pore size for particle reduction efficiency is highlighted, emphasizing screens' role in indoor air quality and health protection.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241259352"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11168052/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141310387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vulnerability Assessment and Protection Zone Delineation for Water Supply Schemes in the Upper Awash Subbasin, Ethiopia, Sub-Saharan Africa.","authors":"Tesfa Aklilu, Geremew Sahilu, Argaw Ambelu","doi":"10.1177/11786302241258349","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241258349","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Water quality issues in Ethiopia necessitate the implementation of the Water Safety Plan (WSP) to safeguard drinking water. Despite its benefits, WSP implementation is underutilized, a situation exacerbated by urbanization, agriculture, pollution, and climate change. This study evaluated water supply system vulnerability and delineated protection zones in the Upper Awash River subbasin. By employing the DRASTIC model, the National WASH Inventory-2 (NWI-2), and qualitative methods, this research aims to integrate the NWI-2 with vulnerability assessments. The study revealed that, among 2864 schemes, only 14.4% had a water safety plan, while 20.7% practiced water safety, and 6% reported the occurrence of waterborne diseases. Over 39.23% of the schemes were in high vulnerability areas, 12.32% were in very high vulnerability areas, and only 8% were in low vulnerability areas. The validation revealed a 61.7% association between the vulnerability indices and nitrate concentration. The strengths of the strategy included coordination and guideline development, but challenges such as institutionalization, catchment protection, the legal framework, and climate information remain for the Water Safety Plan. To promote public health, these findings help to demonstrate and integrate the NWI-2 with vulnerability assessments to protect drinking water sources. The conclusion also calls for all concerned authorities to implement water source protection, emphasizing the use of GIS technology and the adoption of integrated watershed management practices, which encompass regulatory control and conservation strategies. Furthermore, more research on the pollutant time of travel, assimilation capacity, and land use priorities is needed to delineate specific protection zones.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241258349"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11165959/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141305732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Portable Air Cleaner Usage and Particulate Matter Exposure Reduction in an Environmental Justice Community: A Pilot Study.","authors":"Alina M McIntyre, Madeleine K Scammell, Patrick L Kinney, Kiran Khosla, Layne Benton, Roseann Bongiovanni, Jessica McCannon, Chad W Milando","doi":"10.1177/11786302241258587","DOIUrl":"10.1177/11786302241258587","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Particulate matter (PM) exposure is associated with adverse health outcomes, including respiratory illness. A large fraction of exposure to airborne contaminants occurs in the home. This study, conducted over 5 months in a community with high asthma rates (Chelsea, MA, USA), investigated the use of portable air cleaners (PACs) to reduce indoor PM. Seven asthma-affected households participated, receiving a PAC (Austin Air Health Mate HEPA filter), a QuantAQ sensor to measure PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀ (µg/m³), and a HOBO plug-load data logger to track PAC usage. Results describe hourly and daily PM concentrations and PAC usage for each household. Hourly average PM concentrations decreased when PACs were turned on (vs. when they were turned off) across households during the study period: PM₁ decreased by 0.46 µg/m³, PM_2.5 decreased by 0.69 µg/m³, and PM₁₀ decreased by 3.22 µg/m³. PAC usage varied for each household, including constant usage in one household and only usage at certain times of day in others. Higher filtration settings led to lower PM, with significant reductions in some, but not all, homes. Our findings highlight some difficulties in implementing household PAC interventions, yet also provide evidence to support household-level interventions to reduce PM and other indoor sources of air pollution. We also highlight academic-community partnerships as contributing to evidence-based solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":11827,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Health Insights","volume":"18 ","pages":"11786302241258587"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11165963/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141305731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}