Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health最新文献

{"title":"Volatile organic compounds in regular and organic vaping liquids: a public health concern","authors":"Nigel Goodman, Neda Nematollahi, Justine Lew Weinberg, Jennifer Flattery, Spas D. Kolev, Michael Tong, Sotiris Vardoulakis, Anne Steinemann","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01645-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01645-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a growing public health concern. Vaping liquids used in e-cigarettes emit a range of chemicals, including potentially hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Exposure to VOCs is associated with adverse effects including asthma attacks, neurological disorders, and increased risk of cancer. This study investigated the VOCs emitted into the headspace of a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer from e-cigarette vaping liquids, identified potentially hazardous compounds, and compared emissions between regular and organic versions. Vaping liquids (<i>n</i> = 25) were randomly selected from the market and analysed for their volatile emissions using headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The products were available for sale in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, and included regular (flavoured and flavourless) and organic (flavoured) versions. Results revealed that the vaping liquids collectively emitted 162 VOCs with 47 classified as potentially hazardous. Notably, all of the flavoured vaping liquids (regular and organic) emitted one or more VOCs classified as potentially hazardous. Further, among the 47 VOC occurrences classified as potentially hazardous, none were listed on any vaping liquid label or related product website. We found no significant difference in VOCs emitted between the regular (flavoured) and organic (flavoured) vaping liquids, and 40% of the hazardous VOCs detected were the same among these regular and organic versions. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that vaping liquids are a source of exposure to numerous volatile compounds, including potentially hazardous VOCs such as benzene, toluene and xylene. Moreover, the long-term health effects of vaping liquids are not well understood, highlighting the need for improved information on ingredients and health risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142266338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time and frequency-based effect of energy-related R&D investments on power sector CO2 emissions: evidence from leading R&D investing countries by WLMC approach","authors":"Mustafa Tevfik Kartal, Dilvin Taşkın, Ahmed Imran Hunjra","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01641-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01641-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Environmental pollution has become highly important for countries and societies because climate change and global warming are stimulated by increasing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Hence, all related parties have been searching for solutions. Considering the high role of energy use in causing CO₂ emissions, energy-related research and development (R&amp;D) investments are considered a strategic tool to curb the emissions. Accordingly, the study analyzes the effect of energy-related R&amp;D investments on power sector CO₂ emissions. In doing so, the study examines leading R&amp;D investing countries (namely, Canada-CAN; Switzerland-CHE; Germany-DEU; France-FRA; Japan-JPN; Norway-NOR; United States-USA), considering three R&amp;D investment sub-types (i.e., energy efficiency R&amp;D investments-EEF; renewable energy R&amp;D investments-RRD; nuclear energy R&amp;D investments-NRD), uses data from 1985/Q1 to 2022/Q4, and performs Wavelet Local Multiple Correlation (WLMC) approach to analyze over times and frequencies. The results show that (i) the effects of R&amp;D investments are weak (strong) at lower (higher) frequencies; (ii) the effects of R&amp;D investments vary based on times, frequencies, and countries; (iii) the most dominant R&amp;D type is EEF (CHE, DEU, FRA, &amp; JPN), RRD (CAN &amp; NOR), and NRD (USA); (iv) there is an important externality among R&amp;D types. Thus, the findings reveal the time, frequency, and country-based varying effect of R&amp;D investments on power sector CO₂ emissions implying a need for comprehensively balanced planning for R&amp;D investments. Hence, the countries should take the highly effective R&amp;D investment types in combating power sector CO₂ emissions, allocate further budget to the effective ones, and re-consider the budget distribution among the R&amp;D types.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142266343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal evaluation of sulfur species identified in PM2.5 obtained in Monterrey, Mexico","authors":"S. I. Suárez-Vázquez, I. Hernández-Ortiz, M. A. Ruiz-Gómez, L. M. Reyna-Gómez, A. Cruz-López","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01643-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01643-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This work studies the elemental seasonal variation in the PM_2.5 obtained from the Monterrey Metropolitan Area with particular emphasis on sulfur species. The existence of these sulfur species was identified in all samples analyzed in this work. The results of this work evidence the formation of surface layers rich in sulfur compounds, which indicates the formation of secondary organic aerosols. This point was confirmed by the highest correlation identified between O₃ concentration and relative humidity with the sulfur wt% in PM_2.5. Additionally, this work proposes a multiple-liner correlation among sulfur wt% formed on PM_2.5 with several pollutants and meteorological conditions, identifying the main contributors to their formation. Results suggest first the formation of sulfite species followed by their oxidation to sulfate species, which are promoted by specific conditions of relative humidity and O₃. Among all evaluated seasons, samples obtained in fall showed the highest amount of sulfur wt% attributable to a synergetic effect between relative humidity and O₃ concentration.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142266339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated health risk assessment of ozone and nitrogen dioxide pollution during the cold and warm seasons in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region","authors":"Yu Wang, Ding Ding, Yan Dou, Hongbing Xu, Xiaohui Ji, Zhizhen Xu, Ling Guo, Yifei Hu, Mushui Shu, Xiayan Wang","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01637-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01637-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the risk trade-offs between nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ozone (O₃) pollution is crucial for ozone governance. The air quality health index (AQHI) provides a more comprehensive measure of air pollution mixtures. This study used environmental, meteorological, and health data of 13 cities in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region for 2018–2020 to assess the health effects of pollutants during both cold and warm seasons. The study reveals that NO₂ pollution in the cold season (20.4–63.4 µg/m³) is more severe compared to warm season (18.3–49.7 µg/m³), and its concentrations have been decreasing annually in most cities. However, the study also highlights a concerning trend of increasing ozone concentrations during the cold season across all cities in the region (The average annual increase is 3.5 µg/m³). This increase may be linked to the abatement of nitrogen oxides (NO_X) and particulate matter (PM). The health benefit of reducing environmental air NO₂ concentrations maybe offset by the increase in O₃ concentrations. Emission control measures to reduce nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter levels have been effective in reducing the negative impacts on health caused by air pollution in various cities in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. It was necessary to construct the cold season AQHI (AQHI-C) and warm season AQHI (AQHI-W) separately in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, especially for the assessment of health risks during the cold season.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"119 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142266340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of indoor particulate matter by home heating fuel type in rural New Hampshire homes","authors":"Laura M. Paulin, Brian P. Jackson, John Woodward, Nora Traviss","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01635-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01635-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Over six million Americans rely on solid fuels for residential heating, which can result in high concentrations of fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM). Little is known on the characteristics of indoor PM in rural homes, including lung deposited surface area (LDSA) concentration and metals composition, and whether these characteristics may vary by fuel type.Homes using oil, cordwood, or pellet were recruited into the study. Indoor air quality assessment over 48 h included PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mass concentration (Purple Air monitors) and ultrafine (LDSA) PM &lt; 1 μm, number concentration, and diameter (Partector). Teflon© or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filters were used to collect PM mass for metals characterization by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Participants completed a time activity diary to link household behaviors to changes in LDSA, particle number, and size distribution.Ten homes completed the study- three used primary oil-fueled furnaces/boilers, four used primarily cordwood, and three used pellet fuel. Activity logs and real time measurements highlighted elevated indoor pollution events such as loading wood stoves and cooking. Maximum indoor air particle number concentrations measured were similar across fuel types, though total average particle concentrations, maximum mass, and LDSA concentrations were highly variable. For individual elements Ca, K, Cu, Cd, and Pb, there was a trend of higher concentrations in cordwood heated home, followed by pellet, and then oil heat.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142266341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental innovation and human capital: an environmental regulation choice for a carbon-neutral economy","authors":"Liu Jie, Javier Cifuentes-Faura, Shikuan Zhao, Muhammad Hafeez, Ousama Ben Salha","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01638-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01638-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In recent years, the global environmental landscape has experienced significant shifts, with the need for cleaner, more sustainable energy sources becoming increasingly evident. This transformation is especially apparent in China, where environmental innovation is considered the important influential intensity of the green economy. It has been recognized as a fundamental driver of green growth. Thus, this study anticipates a link between human capital, environmental innovation and environmental regulation by applying the QARDL estimation technique. The findings inferred that human capital, both in the long and short run, positively enhances Chinese ecological innovation. Environmental regulations create an enhancement in short-run environmental innovation. Based on estimation results, the policy suggestions to be put forward; the government has to spend more on education, boost the development of high-level human capital, focus on the emergence of high talents, and support talent promotion methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142205967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Formation of particulate matter in the ambient air of Dhaka city, Bangladesh","authors":"Md. Yeasin Pabel, Md. Fakrul Islam, Muhammad Nurul Huda, Shahid Akhtar Hossain, M. Muhibur Rahman, Md. Mominul Islam","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01642-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01642-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The physical and chemical characterizations of airborne particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air of Dhaka, Bangladesh are reported. The daily average concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 ranged from 73 to 416 µg/m³ and 44 to 233 µg/m³, respectively. The characterization was performed using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and elemental (i.e., CHNS) analysis. In general, PM_2.5 particles were found to be regular in size and stony spherical in shape, whereas PM₁₀ particles displayed a wide array of morphologies, including irregular particle size and shape with sponge morphology. ICP-MS analysis confirmed the presence of trace metals such as V, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, and Pb in the PM samples. The concentrations of metals in PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were found to be 220 ± 66 mg/g and 453 ± 113 mg/g, respectively. PM₁₀ was found to contain three times more volatile solvents, water, organic compounds, and microbes compared to PM_2.5. Consolidating all findings, a plausible structure for PM was proposed, wherein a metallic core is encapsulated by an organic shell. This study contributes to understand the composition and mechanism for the formation of PM, shedding light on the complex nature of urban air pollution.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142205970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characteristics and assessment of exposure to microplastics through inhalation in indoor air of hospitals","authors":"Maryam Hazrati Niari, Hassan Ghobadi, Mojtaba Amani, Mohammad Reza Aslani, Mehdi Fazlzadeh, Somaieh Matin, Ali Hossein Samadi Takaldani, Saeed Hosseininia","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01640-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01640-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The concern about microplastics is increasing due to their adverse effects on human health and environmental pollution. This study identified microplastics in the indoor air of hospitals in different departments, including laboratory, physiotherapy, endoscopy, and emergency departments, as well as in outdoor air around hospitals. Additionally, we assessed exposure to microplastics through inhalation. A total of 56 samples of indoor air and 14 samples of outdoor air were collected and analyzed. Microplastics were identified in indoor and outdoor air of hospitals with mean values of 29.75 ± 8.28 and 2.2 ± 0.95 MPs/m3, respectively. The highest abundance of microplastics was found in the indoor air of the laboratory department (33.13 ± 4.98 MPs/m3), followed by physiotherapy (31.49 ± 3.81 MPs/m3), emergency (28.08 ± 3.28 MPs/m3), and endoscopy (26.74 ± 3.09 MPs/m3) departments, respectively. PET and PP were the predominant polymer compounds of microplastics in indoor and outdoor air, respectively. The mean values of daily exposure to microplastics through inhalation in indoor and outdoor air in hospitals were157.18 ± 54.64 and 12.23 ± 5.51 MPs/day, respectively. We conclude that exposure to microplastics through inhalation may increase health risks to individuals, necessitating further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142205966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive evaluation of air quality: incense burning and night market emissions in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, using the ISCST3 air quality model","authors":"Pei-Cheng Cheng, Kassian T. T. Amesho, Yin-Cheng Huang, Yuan-Chung Lin, Feng-Chih Chou, Tsu-Nai Wang, Pei-Shih Chen, Kang-Shin Chen, Ken-Lin Chang, Chien-Hung Lee","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01634-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01634-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The burning of incense is a prevalent issue in many Asian countries, particularly in Taiwan, where temples and night markets are close to residential and commercial areas due to the overlapping of urban functional blocks. The resulting pollutant emissions from temple incense burning and night market activities may cause serious health issues for residents. In this study, we focused on a specific temple and night market in Kaohsiung City to assess the current air quality in and around these locations. To simulate PM_2.5 diffusions, we used the Industrial Source Complex Short-Term (ISCST3) air quality model. By comparing the pollutant emissions data from three different air quality monitoring stations with the sample information from three distinct sites in Kaohsiung City, we found that metallic element concentrations during temple activities were 506 ng/m³ and 224<b>–</b>297 ng/m³ during non-temple activities. Similarly, metallic element concentrations during night market activities were 1179<b>–</b>1471 ng/m³ and 814<b>–</b>929 ng/m³ during non-night market operating hours. We also used Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to analyze metallic elements and PM_2.5 compositions from incense burning at Baoan Temple and activities at Jilin Night Market close to Kaohsiung Medical University. Our findings revealed that Al, Ca, and Na were the significant elements dispersed at sampling sites, with an average metallic element concentration order of Al &gt; Ca &gt; Fe &gt; K &gt; Pb &gt; Mg &gt; Mn &gt; Na &gt; Pb &gt; Zn in PM_2.5. Although we could not make firm conclusions about the precise effects of the temple and the night market, our simulation model showed that the temple contributed to pollutant emissions. Thus, our findings suggest that it is crucial to establish government policies for planning temple development and community optimization in Taiwanese cities to mitigate the negative impact of temple incense burning and night market activities on public health.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142205968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fragranced versus fragrance-free products: a comparison of toxicity","authors":"Neda Nematollahi, Anne Steinemann, Spas D. Kolev, Ary A. Hoffmann, Perran A. Ross","doi":"10.1007/s11869-024-01620-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-024-01620-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fragranced consumer products, such as cleaning supplies and laundry products, emit potentially hazardous compounds that can adversely affect human health and air quality. However, fragrance compounds, such as terpenes, are generally absent in fragrance-free versions of products. This study aimed to investigate whether fragranced and fragrance-free versions of the same products, with the same concentration and brand, may have different toxicological effects. To explore this question, this study examined five pairs of fragranced and fragrance-free versions of products from different categories: dish soap, daily shower spray, tub and tile cleaner, laundry detergent, and all purpose cleaner. Toxicity tests were conducted with adult <i>Aedes aegypti</i> mosquitoes. The results indicated that in four pairs of products, the fragrance-free versions showed lower toxicity to mosquitoes compared to fragranced versions at the same concentration. For the all purpose cleaner, both versions showed low toxicity that was indistinguishable from the control. Our results provide novel evidence that fragrance-free versions of products can demonstrate lower toxicity than fragranced versions of products.</p>","PeriodicalId":7458,"journal":{"name":"Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142205972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}