56 research outputs found
The influence of meteorological parameters on indoor and outdoor radon concentrations : a preliminary case study
In this study the influence of meteorology on indoor and outdoor radon concentrations in four different locations in a Mediterranean country have been studied. Indoor, daily radon concentrations were generally higher (0.2 â 85.0 Bq m-3) than outdoor daily concentrations (0.8 â 3.6 Bq m-3) in all locations studied with the exception of one that was built on pylons, thus reducing infiltration of radon from the ground. Indoor and outdoor meteorological parameters influence both the indoor and outdoor radon concentrations. In particular, outdoor wind speed and relative humidity show a negative correlation with both outdoor and indoor concentrations at all locations. Radon concentrations were also measured at two different levels of a terraced house (a common household type in Malta), in the basement and on ground floor. Results show that if the interconnecting door is left open, the radon in the basement infiltrates to the ground floor, increasing the average radon daily concentration in the living area by approximately 1.5 times.peer-reviewe
Evaluation of two street canyon air quality models using data from European cities
This paper presents a sensitivity analysis of the Operational Street Pollution Model
(OSPM) and an evaluation of OSPM and the Assessing the Environment Of
Locations In Urban Streets (AEOLTUS) model. Both models calculate airborne
concentrations of exhaust gases emitted by motor vehicles within street canyons.
They perform best when the street canyon aspect ratio is 1.0. OSPM and
AEOLIUS have been evaluated using data collected over a two-year period (1 994-
95) in Jagtvej, Copenhagen, Denmark. Further evaluation of the models was
carried out using data collected in Giittinger Strasse, Hannover (1994) and
Schildhom Strasse, Berlin (1995), both in Germany. In all cases, model runs were
carried out for carbon monoxide (CO). In the case of OSPM, two sets of newly
proposed emission factors were used for the street canyons in Germany. In the
calculation of these factors, the urban driving patterns and variations in the
composition of the vehicle fleet according to the engine capacity were assumed as
the most appropriate for the cases considered. Furthermore, parameters such as
engine operating temperature and the use of catalytic converter were taken into
account. Scatter plots of modelled against measured CO concentration yielded an
average regression coefficient of 0.90 for the street canyons considered. With the
newly proposed emission factors for Germany a lower regression coefficient was
obtained. From similar scatter plots, the AEOLIUS model gave a regression
coefficient of 0.86 for Jagtvej in 1994 and 0.78 for 1995. For Gottinger and
Schildhorn Strasse, the regression coefficient obtained was 0.8 1.peer-reviewe
Evaluation of the cancer risk from PAHs by inhalation:Are current methods fit for purpose?
There is ample evidence from occupational studies that exposure to a mixture of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
(PAHs) is causally associated with an increased incidence of lung cancers. In both occupational atmospheres
and ambient air, PAHs are present as a mixture of many compounds, but the composition of the mixture
in ambient air differs from that in the occupational atmosphere, and varies in time and space in ambient air.
Estimates of cancer risk for PAH mixtures are based upon unit risks which derive from extrapolation of occupational
exposure data or animal model data, and in the case of the WHO use one compound, benzo[a]pyrene as
a marker for the entire mixture, irrespective of composition. The U.S. EPA has used an animal exposure study to
derive a unit risk for inhalation exposure to benzo[a]pyrene alone, and there have been a number of rankings of
relative carcinogenic potency for other PAHs which many studies have used to calculate a cancer risk from the
PAHs mixture, frequently incorrectly by adding the estimated relative risks of individual compounds, and
applying the total âB[a]P equivalentâ to the WHO unit risk, which already applies to the entire mixture. Such
studies are often based upon data solely for the historic US EPA group of 16 compounds which do not include
many of the apparently more potent carcinogens. There are no data for human cancer risk of individual PAHs,
and conflicting evidence of additivity of PAH carcinogenicity in mixtures. This paper finds large divergences
between risk estimates deriving from the WHO and U.S. EPA methods, as well as considerable sensitivity to the
mixture composition, and assumed PAH relative potencies. Of the two methods, the WHO approach appears
more likely to provide reliable risk estimates, but recently proposed mixture-based approaches using in vitro
toxicity data may offer some advantages.peer-reviewe
The impact of school environment on childrenâs respiratory health
The study was done as part of the European Union SINPHONIE Study commissioned by DG SANCO. The authors received some funding from SINPHONIE (European Commission service contract of the DG Sanco).Abstract Background/Aims: School indoor air quality is important because children spend most of their time outside home within the school environment. This study aimed to investigate the school environment and its impact on the respiratory health of the children. Methods: A total of 191 pupils in the 9- to 11-year age group were selected from 5 primary state schools. Validated school and health questionnaires, spirometry, acoustic rhinometry, nasal lavage, urine for environmental tobacco smoke biomarkers and traffic counts were used. Results: Cumulative (32.98%) and current wheezing (17.8%) were in keeping with the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Malta data. Southern schools had the highest prevalence of current wheezers (OR 3.77; p = 0.012), rhinoconjunctivitis (OR 3.59; p = 0.003) and nasal eosinophilic cationic protein levels (p < 0.001). Small openable window areas increased rhinitic symptoms (OR 3.14; p = 0.016). Classes facing roads had increased current wheezers (OR 2.27; p = 0.03) and exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) levels (p < 0.001). Current wheezing was significantly associated with the number of light and heavy vehicles passing near the school (p < 0.001). The presence of smokers at home was significantly associated with urinary cotinine and 3HC (p < 0.001). Proximity to power plants increased the current wheezers (OR 5.89; p = 0.001) who had impaired spirometry (p = 0.003). Asthma symptoms (OR 5.25; p = 0.001) and elevated eCO levels (p < 0.001) were associated with fuel storage facilities near schools. The accumulation of dust on flat surfaces within classrooms was related to wheezing (OR 5.23; p = 0.001). Conclusions: The school environment had a direct impact on the respiratory health of children, with several factors having a direct impact on the children's health.peer-reviewe
COVID-19-related changes in NO2 and O3 concentrations and associated health effects in Malta
The start of 2020 has been characterized by emission reductions in various countries
across the globe following the implementation of different lock-down measures to
control the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Consequently, these reductions
influenced the air quality globally. In this study, we focus on daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as
well as ozone (O3) concentrationsmeasured across theMaltese Islands between January
and mid-October 2020. Changes in air quality are generally difficult to detect due to
the complex composition and interactions occurring within the atmosphere. To quantify
changes in NO2 and O3 concentrations during the COVID-19 period, we use a random
forest machine learning algorithm to determine a business as usual counterfactual
scenario. Results highlight a decrease in monthly mean NO2 concentrations by up
to 54% in the traffic site of Msida ( 21 ÎŒg mâ3). In contrast, the monthly mean O3
concentrations during the COVID-19 months are up to 61% higher compared to a
business as usual scenario in Msida ( 28 ÎŒg mâ3). In this study, we also estimate
the differences in attributable fraction (AF) associated with short-term exposure to NO2
and O3 concentrations. In Msida, the AF is up to 0.9% lower and 0.8% higher for
measured NO2 and O3 concentrations, respectively. Our results highlight the favorable
effects of decreasing traffic-related emissions on NO2 concentrations however, we also
note increases in other pollutants for example O3 concentrations which especially in the
short-term can lead to various adverse health effects.peer-reviewe
Comparison of machine learning approaches with a general linear model to predict personal exposure to benzene
Machine learning techniques (MLTs)
offer great power in analyzing
complex data sets and have not previously been applied to non-occupational
pollutant exposure. MLT models that can predict personal exposure
to benzene have been developed and compared with a standard model
using a linear regression approach (GLM). The models were tested against
independent data sets obtained from three personal exposure measurement
campaigns. A correlation-based feature subset (CFS) selection algorithm
identified a reduced attribute set, with common attributes grouped
under the use of paints in homes, upholstery materials, space heating,
and environmental tobacco smoke as the attributes suitable to predict
the personal exposure to benzene. Personal exposure was categorized
as low, medium, and high, and for big data sets, both the GLM and
MLTs show high variability in performance to correctly classify greater
than 90 percentile concentrations, but the MLT models have a higher
score when accounting for divergence of incorrectly classified cases.
Overall, the MLTs perform at least as well as the GLM and avoid the
need to input microenvironment concentrations
Model Development and Validation of Personal Exposure to Volatile Organic Compound Concentrations
Background: Direct measurement of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) via personal monitoring is the most accurate exposure assessment method available. However, its wide-scale application to evaluating exposures at the population level is prohibitive in terms of both cost and time. Consequently, indirect measurements via a combination of microenvironment concentrations and personal activity diaries represent a potentially useful alternative.
Objective: The aim of this study was to optimize a model of personal exposures (PEs) based on microenvironment concentrations and time/activity diaries and to compare modeled with measured exposures in an independent data set.
Materials: VOC PEs and a range of microenvironment concentrations were collected with active samplers and sorbent tubes. Data were supplemented with information collected through questionnaires. Seven models were tested to predict PE to VOCs in 75% (n = 370) of the measured PE data set, whereas the other 25% (n = 120) was used for validation purposes.
Results: The best model able to predict PE with independence of measurements was based upon stratified microenvironment concentrations, lifestyle factors, and individual-level activities. The proposed model accounts for 40â85% of the variance for individual VOCs and was validated for almost all VOCs, showing normalized mean bias and mean fractional bias below 25% and predicting 60% of the values within a factor of 2.
Conclusions: The models proposed identify the most important non-weather-related variables for VOC exposures; highlight the effect of personal activities, use of solvents, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke on PE levels; and may assist in the development of specific models for other locations.peer-reviewe
Tobacco-specific and combustion pollutants in settled house dust in Malta
Aim: Most of the carcinogenic pollutants coming from tobacco smoking or other combustion processes tend to
accumulate in settled house dust (SHD) over time. This study evaluated the load of these pollutants in smokers
and non-smokersâ houses from relatively fresh SHD collected in five different districts on the island of Malta.
Methods: An improved, efficient extraction method to obtain three fractions from a 200 mg of SHD was
developed. It was validated for the analysis of nicotine and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) by GCMS/
MS and nicotelline and TSNA by LC-MS/MS. Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used to evaluate differences across
districts, while a Mann-Whitney U test was used to check differences between smokers and non-smokersâ houses.
Diagnostic ratios were used to evaluate the carcinogenicity of PAH in SHD in Malta.
Results: For all analytes, no statistical difference was observed across different districts, but, in smokersâ houses,
97.9% of the total concentration of all target analytes found in SHD is nicotine, 0.1% is TSNA, and 2.0% is PAH. In
non-smokersâ houses, nicotine represents 16.8% of the load, while 0.4% and 82.8% are TSNA and PAH,
respectively. The carcinogenicity of the PAH mixture in Maltese SHD, expressed as the mean benzo(a)pyrene
equivalent (BaPeq) is 371 ng/g. Conclusion: Indoor activities, ventilation practices, and infiltration of outdoor pollutants contribute to a complex
SHD composition. Although the BaPeq is on the lower end of carcinogenicity, the effects of a mixture including
tobacco-related potent carcinogens in SHD are largely unknown. In view of indoor, continuous exposure to SHD
through several pathways, further research is warranted.peer-reviewe
Validation of an optimised microwave-assisted acid digestion method for trace and ultra-trace elements in indoor PM2.5 by ICP-MS analysis
Three microwave-assisted digestion procedures, followed by analysis of digestates employing
inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were evaluated for use in the determination of
elements at trace and ultra-trace levels in PM2.5 samples. Digestion procedure 1 used 2.5 mL
HNO3 (65%) at 200 âŠC. Procedure 2, consisted of a two-stage digestion step at 200 âŠC with 2.5 mL
HNO3 (65%) and 3 ÎŒL HF (48%) followed by 24 ÎŒL H3BO3 (5%). A 10-fold increase in the amounts
of HF and H3BO3 was used for procedure 3. The addition of HF/H3BO3 was carried out to aid the
dissolution of silicate matrices and refractory compounds. The digestions were carried out using
PTFE ultra-trace inserts which increased the sample throughput threefold. The addition of small
quantities of HF resulted in the effective solubilisation of Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni,
Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, Sb and Pb. The optimal method using HNO3/HF/H3BO3 digestion as in procedure 3 showed recovery efficiency greater than 70% for all elements. The validated method was
applied to quantify the elemental content of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 (with samples <0.5 mg) at
an urban background site in Malta.peer-reviewe
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