Air Quality Atmosphere and Health最新文献

Emerging pollutants, nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs), and halogenated PAHs (HPAHs), in atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) in four cities (Taiyuan, Yangquan, Changzhi, and Jincheng) during the non-heating and heating periods of Shanxi province, China, in 2020, were monitored to investigate their pollution characteristics and potential health risk. The exposure levels of PM_2.5-bound ∑₁₆PAHs, ∑₁₃NPAHs, ∑₆ClPAHs, and ∑₇BrPAHs during the heating period ascended compared to the non-heating period. 2N-Nap, 1N-Nap, 2N-Fle, and 9N-Phe were primary monomers in NPAHs with higher concentrations, while higher levels of 2Br-Fle, 2Cl-Ant, and 9Cl-Phe were in HPAHs. Toxic equivalency quotients (TEQs), incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), and loss of life expectancy (LLE) results suggested that PM_2.5-bound PAHs during the heating periods posed a potential carcinogenic risk. The ILCR and loss of life expectancy (LLE) values of PM_2.5-bound PAHs showed a similar decreasing trend with an order: adults (age 30–70) > toddler >adults (age 18–30) > teenagers > children >baby. The TEQ and ILCR values of ∑₁₃NPAHs and ∑₁₃HPAHs in PM_2.5 were far below the safety threshold, indicating no obvious cancer risks. The pollution of PM_2.5-bound PAHs, NPAHs, and HPAHs and potential health risks in Yangquan and Changzhi was more serious compared to Taiyuan and Jincheng.

The sustainability of maritime activities is increasingly gaining interest, with the shipping sector actively focusing on decarbonization efforts. Throughout the years, researchers have considered slow steaming for improving the environmental footprint of maritime networks. In order to assess such strategies’ effectiveness on existing emissions, research also focuses on the accurate estimation of emission inventories. However, there is a significant gap concerning both fields when considering short-sea shipping, especially passenger shipping. Furthermore, while emissions are characterized by spatial aspects in several studies, there is an apparent gap in considering such aspects for detailed analysis purposes rather than only for visualization purposes. In this study, the Greek Coastal Shipping Network (GCSN) is considered, with its emissions estimated using a top-down method, creating a spatial emission inventory used for further spatial analysis for accurate identification of highly polluted areas. Results indicate that ship emissions do not spread homogeneously throughout the GCSN and that targeted interventions are necessary in several areas of the network. The effectiveness of spatially related slow steaming implementations is evaluated and compared with their implementation on the whole network. The study highlights the need for additional future emission mitigation strategies, such as service optimization, network restructuring, continuous emission monitoring, and fleet renewal with more environmentally efficient ships. The study’s aim is to fill the research gap regarding the environmental assessment of passenger shipping and the effects of slow steaming on such networks while presenting an adaptable GIS-based decision support system for enhanced decision-making regarding the environmental efficiency of maritime networks.

Large-scale climate indicators (LSCI) refer to the intricate connections between the atmosphere, oceans, and continents in specific regions. To comprehend the relationship between these vital indicators and atmospheric and climate variability, it is crucial to explore them in detail. The objective of the present study is to gather and review relevant research on LSCI in the Mediterranean area to gain a better understanding of their impacts on atmospheric variability, climate, air quality, ecosystems, and health in the region. Numerous studies have explored LSCI and their effects in the study area, and our work aims to contribute to the existing literature in this context. Our study concludes that LSCI are linked to spatial atmospheric variability in the Mediterranean region. They influence the spatial and temporal distribution of climate and environmental variability, including temperature, rainfall, extreme events, cyclones and storms, and air pollution. Some studies have demonstrated the effects of LSCI on ecosystems, such as forests and river basins in the region. However, research on their impacts on human health is limited. Additionally, the application of LSCI involves various formulations and explanations of their potential developments, primarily explaining atmospheric complex systems and the effort required to comprehend their implications for the environment and health. This review highlights recent progress made in defining, formulating, and calculating LSCI in the Mediterranean area. The most critical functions and characteristics of LSCI are also discussed. Understanding LSCI and their applications is the first step towards developing a health warning system, starting with monitoring atmospheric dynamics and culminating in managing human health responses.

Formaldehyde is a toxic and carcinogenic compound, still used in several occupational settings due to its properties. Thus, in these working scenarios, it is necessary to provide effective measures to reduce workers’ exposure to formaldehyde. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a picture of the worldwide mitigation strategies implemented in occupational environments for minimizing the exposure to formaldehyde and which ones are the most effective for this purpose.

The systematic review was performed according to PRISMA statement; the protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022302207). The search was performed on three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Studies were considered eligible if they describe strategies for mitigating formaldehyde occupational exposure and their efficacy. We included articles reporting observational studies, semi-experimental, and experimental studies and published in the English language, from the inception to March 26th, 2023. The quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale.

In total, 28 articles were included in the review. The employment scenarios/activities studied were human and veterinary anatomy, autopsy, histopathology or pathology laboratories, embalming procedures, hospital, operating theaters, aquaculture, textile or foundry industries, industry using 3-D printers, offices, and firefighters’ activities. Different methods have proven useful in mitigating formaldehyde exposure, such as the use of personal protective equipment, engineering control methods, organization methods, and technical strategies, with a reduction of airborne formaldehyde until to 99.6%. The highest reduction was obtained in an anatomy laboratory through locally exhausted dissection tables equipped with activated carbon filters.

The specific suitable procedures should be standardized and applied in all work settings for an appropriate risk management, in order to protect the health of exposed workers.

Cyprus is a typical eastern Mediterranean country that suffers from local emissions, transported anthropogenic pollution, and dust storms all year round. Therefore, exposures to PM in ambient and residential micro-environments are of great public health concern. Our study collected indoor and outdoor PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ samples simultaneously in 22 houses in Nicosia, Cyprus, during warm seasons and cold seasons from February 2019 to May 2021. Samples were analyzed for mass and constituents’ concentrations. To determine indoor and outdoor sources of PM in residential environments, we used the EPA positive matrix factorization (PMF) model to conduct source apportionment analyses for both indoor and outdoor PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ particles. Generally, six types of residential-level PM sources were resolved: biomass burning, traffic, local or regional secondary sulfate pollution, Ca-rich particles, sea salt, and soil dust. In the source apportionment of PM_2.5, the main contribution to outdoor levels (33.1%) was associated with sulfate-rich transported pollution. The predominant contribution to indoor levels (48.0%) was attributed to secondary sulfate pollution as a mixture of local- and regional-scale pollutants. Biomass burning and traffic sources constituted the main outdoor sources of indoor PM_2.5, while the Ca-rich particles were identified to almost originate from indoors. By contrast, the largest fraction (29.3%) of the ambient PM₁₀ and a smaller proportion (10.2%) of indoor PM₁₀ were attributed to Ca-rich particles. Indoor PM₁₀ was associated mainly with outdoor sources, except for the soil dust which originated from indoor activities.

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) are major airborne pollutants. However, their assessment has mostly been restricted to 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this work, 76 PACs including PAHs, oxy-PAHs, nitro-PAHs, azaarenes, and thiaarenes were monitored in an urban residential environment. A short-term campaign was conducted at three dwellings in Strasbourg, France, with low-volume PM₁₀ samplers operated simultaneously outdoors and indoors. Household dust was also sampled in these dwellings. The PACs of interest were extracted by pressurized liquid extraction in toluene and acetonitrile, and quantified by GC-MS/MS. The total concentration of PACs in PM₁₀ was between 67 and 179 ng·m⁻³ outdoors and between 62 and 401 ng·m⁻³ indoors. Total PAC levels in settled dust varied from 3.5 to 31 μg·g⁻¹, and from 0.44 to 3.88 μg·m⁻². Due to the high influence of surfaces dust load, the interpretation of PAC concentrations in settled dust was different if mass concentrations or surface concentrations were studied. This sampling campaign concurrent with a winter pollution event led to exceptionally high concentrations of PACs. The samples of this work set maximum values for PAHs and oxy-PAHs in airborne particles among recent European studies, and an absolute maximum value for azaarenes. However, the acute short-term exposure of Strasbourg inhabitants to PACs during this pollution event is balanced by the normal concentrations of PACs in household dust, which characterizes better the long-term exposure. Source apportionment was performed thanks to PAH diagnostic ratios. It indicated a prevalence of road traffic and a possibility of PAH photochemical aging in dust.

In this study, the concentration levels of CO, NO₂, CH₂O, SO₂, and O₃ gases emitted during the two biggest wildfire episodes observed in Manavgat and Milas, Türkiye in 2021 were analyzed and spatio-temporal gas concentrations were estimated. Using the remote sensing imagery from Sentinel-5P satellite, a daily based time-series data analysis was performed over the Google Earth Engine platform (GEEp) and the gas emission levels (mol/m²) during the wildfires were obtained. The processed time-series data has been associated with the measurements from ground-stations of Türkiye National Air Quality Monitoring Network, allowing unit conversion to gas concentration unit in μg/m³. Based on predicted gas concentrations, statistical performance measurements were calculated with actual ground-station measurements. According to the spatio-temporal gas concentrations, the highest levels of CO gas emissions were detected on July 29^th in Manavgat 5492.63 ± 325.12 μg/m³ and on August 5^th in Milas 1071.14 ± 230.41 μg/m³. During the wildfire episodes NO₂ concentration has reached to 383.52 ± 19.31 μg/m³ in Manavgat and 34.76 ± 8.20 μg/m³ in Milas. The O₃ levels during the wildfires were estimated as 5.54 ± 16.09 μg/m³ in Manavgat and 41.22 ± 2.07 μg/m³ in Milas. The average SO₂ concentration was 71.49 ± 4.2 μg/m³ in Manavgat and 165.35 ± 6.51 μg/m³ in Milas. Also, the average CH₂O concentration was estimated as 12.83 ± 5.07 μg/m³ in Manavgat and 17.91 ± 4.41 μg/m³ in Milas. R² values were between 0.67 and 0.84. Generally, IA values were higher than 0.70. The statistical results showed that our approach was reasonably successful in the prediction of the spatio-temporal wildfire gas emissions and can be applied to such scenarios.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an indirect greenhouse gas that has a significant impact on atmospheric chemistry. This study investigates the spatial and temporal variation and trend in CO concentrations over Africa from 2000 to 2019 using data from the Measurements of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) satellite instrument. The study classifies Africa into eight subregions based on emission inventories: northern hemisphere (NH), southern hemisphere (SH), arid (A), semi-arid north (SAN), savannah NH (SNH), savannah SH (SSH), semi-arid south (SAS), and tropical rainforest (TRF). It is observed that the northern hemisphere contributes about 54.07% of CO over Africa, while the SH accounts for 45.93%. The research reveals that the annual mean columnar CO over Africa declined significantly, with most subregions exhibiting a significant decrease in columnar CO, particularly over the NH windows. The columnar CO over Africa also revealed a seasonal pattern with two peaks in DJF (December-February) and SON (September–November), reflecting affluence from both hemispheres. The seasonal maxima and minima differ among subregions. The study further demonstrates that the tropospheric CO’s spatial and temporal variability in most subregions in Africa are sensitive to biomass burning, with MOPITT CO, MODIS fire count, and MODIS FRP being key parameters used to understand CO transport and fire emission across Africa. The study is relevant to climate researchers and policymakers seeking to understand the impact of CO on atmospheric chemistry, air quality, and climate change.

Mineral dust, originating in arid regions, exerts substantial influence on air quality, health, and climate, ranking it among the most impactful aerosols. Its capacity to travel over great distances can significantly impact local air quality. In our study conducted for the year 2021, we made use of unprecedented, simultaneous in situ measurements to assess the total number, mass concentrations, and size distribution of near-surface aerosols at a semi-arid station. Furthermore, we conducted an in-depth examination of dust episodes, drawing upon evidence from in situ measurements of surface aerosol properties and meteorological records. The highest total number concentrations (230.1 ± 60.61 cm⁻³) were recorded during the winter season, attributed to a combination of factors including low temperatures, high relative humidity, stable wind conditions, and limited dispersion. Our findings reveal a noteworthy correlation: for every 1% increase in the equivalent black carbon mass fraction, the diurnal temperature range rises by 1.73 °C, with a noticeable impact of the weekend effect. During the dust episodes occurring on April 7–10 and June 16–30, we observed a significant increase (> twofold) in various surface parameters, such as number size distribution (NSD), total and coarse mode mass concentrations, effective radius, and scattering coefficient. Particularly striking was the enhancement in NSD during these dust episodes, consistently exceeding twofold for aerosols larger than 1.0 µm and reaching as high as tenfold for aerosols larger than 5.0 µm. In addition to our surface observations, satellite vertical profiles showed a prominent dust elevated layer situated between 2 and 4 km altitude during the dust episodes. These observations were well-aligned with in situ surface data and dust columnar mass flux obtained from re-analysis data. Re-analysis and model data further support our findings, indicating a long-range transport of aerosols from the Middle East and South Asia during the dust episodes.

Negative air ions (NAIs) are important in improving air quality and developing new materials and clinical medicine. NAI concentrations are higher in urban forests than in other areas, which is good for public health. The Hualou Scenic Area in Qingdao Laoshan National Forest Park was the study site in this paper. Ten plant communities’ ecological health factors (NAI, temperature, relative humidity, light, wind speed, and particulate matter) were measured concurrently, and plant factors within them were investigated. The Origin, R, and SPSS software were all used to analyze the daily dynamic patterns of NAI concentrations, the relationship between NAI and other ecological health factors, and plant factors. Results showed that (1) during spring field monitoring, NAI levels in Hualou Scenic spot maintained a high level. The concentration of NAI in the air is the highest from 16:30 to 18:00. This may be due to the gradual reduction of light in the late afternoon, when the plant’s hibernation is broken, leaf stomata open, and NAI levels in the environment peak; (2) influenced by species richness and compound environment, hillside mixed forests have higher levels of NAI and more environmental advantages than other forests; (3) Mantel test analysis of NAI with other ecological health factors revealed that changes of NAI were negatively correlated with wind speed (p<0.05), PM_2.5, and PM₁₀ (p<0.001), and positively correlated with temperature, relative humidity (p<0.001), and noise (p<0.05); (4) multiple factors influence the spatial distribution and dynamics of forest ecological health factors. The study chose 13 plant community variables as benchmarks for principal component analysis, and the results can be comprehensively interpreted by four principal components: plant biotypes, stand structure characteristics, geographic characteristics, and spatial characteristics. Correlation analysis showed that the richer the forest flora and the higher the level of community structure, the greater the influence on NAI (p<0.05). Green space management departments can enhance the functional spatial layout and optimal control of forest vegetation based on the influence of negative air ion concentration and spatial and temporal distribution characteristics to improve the ecological and recreational function gathering of urban forests.