Indoor Air Quality in Primary Schools

Clean air is a basic requirement of life. The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has been the object of several studies due to an increasing concern within the scientific community on the effects of indoor air quality upon health, especially as people tend to spend more time indoors than outdoors. The quality of air inside homes, offices, schools or other private and public buildings is an essential determinant of healthy life and people’s well-being. People can be exposed to contaminants by inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact. In the past, scientists have paid much attention to the study of exposure to outdoor air contaminants, because they have realised the seriousness of outdoor air pollution problems. However, each indoor microenvironment has unique characteristics, determined by the local outdoor air, specific building characteristics and indoor activities. Indeed, hazardous substances are emitted from buildings, construction materials and indoor equipment or due to human activities indoors

Cluster temporal de metales en un testigo corto de sedimento del Cañón Submarino de Cascais (Margen de Portugal)

The Cascais Canyon delivers contaminated sediments from the shelf to the deep marine environment. Multi-core PE252-32, located at 2100 m water depth in the canyon, records the latest 300 years of sedimentation. It was dated by 210Pb and analyzed texturally and geochemically for major elements and selected trace metals (Cu, Cr, Hg, Li, Ni, Pb and Zn). Cluster analysis performed on the down-core geochemical data identified four groups of variables related by grain-size, geochemical source and composition. Mercury, Pb and Zn were grouped in a cluster representing the anthropogenic component. Cluster analysis was applied again particularly to the latter cluster relatively to depth, in order to constrain the onset and temporal evolution of anthropogenic contamination. A second clustering, made on the basis of Hg, Pb and Zn, grouped samples by age and degree of anthropogenic contamination. One cluster contained relatively uncontaminated samples older than 1900 AD, and another cluster samples younger than 1900 AD with distinct metal enrichment. Maximum enrichments occurred during the early 1980s, followed by a slight recovery from the mid-1980s to the present. Mercury was the element with the highest enrichment factor (EFHg=5). Despite relatively low accumulation rates at this core location, our results show the importance of the Cascais Canyon as a transport route for contaminated sediments from the Tagus prodelta into the deep regions of the Portuguese Margin.El Cañón submarino de Cascais distribuye sedimentos contaminados de la plataforma continental al medio marino profundo. El testigo PE252-32, situado a 2100 metros de profundidad dentro del cañón, registra los últimos 300 años de su sedimentación. Se ha datado con 210Pb y ha sido analizada su granulometría, elementos mayoritarios y traza (cobre, cromo, mercurio, litio, níquel, plomo y zinc). Se ha llevado a cabo un análisis estadístico clúster, inicialmente aplicado a las series de datos geoquímicos en función de la profundidad, identificándose 4 grupos de variables, relacionados por la granulometría, procedencia y composición geoquímica. Los metales mercurio, plomo y zinc aparecen agrupados en un clúster que representa la componente antropogénica. A continuación el mismo análisis estadístico se aplicó específicamente a este grupo, en función de la profundidad, organizando las muestras según la edad de contaminación antropogénica. Como resultado las muestras quedan agrupadas en dos clústers principales, el de las muestras no contaminadas y más antiguas de 1900 AC, y el de las muestras más recientes de 1900 AC, marcando esta fecha el inicio de la contaminación por impacto de la actividad humana. Los máximos enriquecimientos ocurren durante el inicio de la década de los años ochenta, seguidos de un ligero descenso a partir de mediados de la misma década hasta la actualidad. De entre los demás, el mercurio es el elemento con el mayor grado de enriquecimiento (EFHg=5). Aunque la tasa de acumulación de sedimentos en este lugar es relativamente baja, los resultados obtenidos ponen en evidencia la importancia del Cañón submarino de Cascais como vía de transporte de sedimentos contaminados depositados en el pro-delta del Tajo a las regiones profundas del margen de Portugal

Influenza seroprotection correlates with predominant circulating viruses during 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons in Portugal

Rede Portuguesa de Laboratórios para o Diagnóstico da GripeBACKGROUND: Population immune profile for influenza is highly affected by circulating influenza viruses, thus changing the risk of infection for influenza. This study aims to assess influenza immunity in the Portuguese population by age groups, during 2014 and 2015 and establish a relationship between seroprotection and circulating influenza viruses in 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. METHODS: Two cross-sectional studies were developed based on a convenience serum sample collected in June 2014 (n=626) and July 2015 (n=675) in hospitals from mainland and Azores and Madeira.Serums equally represent all age groups. Antibody titers were evaluated by HI assay for strains recommended for seasonal influenza vaccine northern hemisphere,2014/15 and 2015/2016. Seroprevalences were estimated for each strain by age group and the association with seasonal cumulative influenza-like illness (ILI) rates for influenza virus during both seasons was analised. RESULTS: In June 2014 the highest seroprotection was observed for influenza A(H3) (39.0%; 95% CI: 36.2-43.8%) and A(H1)pdm09 (29.7; 95% CI: 26.3-33.4%), with higher levels in children 5-14 years old. In 2014/2015 a dominant circulation of influenza B/Yamagata was observed with high incidence rates in individuals under 65 years old, the ones that had lower seroprotection. Although before the start of the season high protection for A(H3) was observed, the circulation of the new drift A(H3) strains had gained an immunological advantage,in accordance with A(H3) elevated incidence rates observed during 2014/15. In July 2015 the highest seroprotection was observed for influenza B/ Yamagata (55.1%; 95% CI: 51.4-58.9%), 2.4 times the estimated 2014.This increase was even more pronounced in younger (≤ 4 years old), 6.3 times increase in 2015.This fact is in agreement with the predominant influenza B virus detected and the high ILI incidence rate observed in children during 2014/2015 epidemic. Seroprotection levels for influenza A in July 2015 were not significantly different from 2014.During 2015/16 season, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was predominant, with high incidence rate in < 65 year old. Influenza B/Victoria lineage,although detected at low levels increased in frequency, in agreement with the lowest level of seroprotection detected in the general population before the start of 2015/2016 season (21.8%; 95% CI: 18.7-24.0%). CONCLUSIONS There was a correlation between virus circulation, incidence rates for each age group and the previous seroprotection for seasonal influenza viruses.Our study highlights the value of measuring the serological profile for influenza to establishe risk groups for infection for which an increase preventive measures, including vaccination, should be fostered.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

EVALUATION OF MEASUREMENT UNCERTAINTY FOR THE MOISTURE AND DRY MATTER MASS FRACTION IN INDUSTRIAL RESIDUES AND SLUDGES

Abstract − Moisture mass fraction, wH2O, and dry matter mass fraction, wDM,, are analytical parameters required by environmental European regulations. The metrological quality, namely measurement uncertainty, comply the fitness for purpose and enhances the comparability of analytical results. In this work, the component by component approach for measurement uncertainty estimation of w and wDM is reported and the O H 2 input quantities assessed. The measurement uncertainty of method’s precision, under within-laboratory reproducibility conditions, f(precision)Rw, was the only significant influence-1 quantity when w&gt; 0,10 g g for both ranges. In case of wH2

Particulate matter analysis in indoor environments of urban and rural primary schools using passive sampling methodology

Passive sampling methodology was applied to collect particulate matter (PM) in classrooms of urban and rural primary schools. The samples were taken during a year by passive deposition allowing the study of seasonal variability of the particles masses and chemical content.Chemical characterization of the collected particleswas performed in order to measure its soluble ions content and elemental composition. To identify the main polluting sources, correlations between parameters and enrichment factors were studied. Higher particle masses concentrations were registered in autumn, with a mean of 1.54 0.74 mg day1 cm2. The major element in the collected particles was calcium, representing 63e73% of the analyzed mass of the particles inside the urban classrooms. In the rural cluster, calcium remained the major component but with a slight lower contribution to the overall particles composition (42e46%). The calcium source was hypothesized to be the chalk used in the blackboards of the classrooms due to a strong correlation found between Ca2þ and SO4 2 . Soil re-suspension, traffic and other anthropogenic emission sources were also identified. Analysis showed enrichment of the particles with Br, Ca, Zn and Sb in the urban cluster and enrichment of the same elements, except for Ca, in the rural cluster. The comparison between the results from both clusters allowed the identification of classrooms with higher particles concentrations that can indicate potential indoor air quality problems (reflected by an indoor accumulation of pollutants)