Model for Health Risk Assessment in Portuguese Housing Spaces

Currently, people spend most of their time inside their homes. However, poor conditions in terms of comfort and quality of the indoor environment can pose high risks to the inhabitants’ health. Therefore, a good quality environment is essential, since, in addition to the hazards present in indoor air (e.g., particles, (S)VOCs, CO, radon and tobacco smoke), extreme temperatures, relative humidity levels, pests (e.g., mold, dust mites and bioaerosols), noise, airborne infectious agents (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) and contamination through water and soil can cause physical injuries, respiratory diseases, damage to multiple organ systems as well as harmful effects on the mental health of the occupants. Faced with this requirement, housing evaluation models were studied together with the main types of risk that could affect the health of the inhabitants, with the objective of proposing a new evaluation model for housing health and safety risks, fitted to the occupants, and especially suitable for Portuguese dwellings, although applicable in other geographical contexts. As a result of this analysis, this article proposes a new model for evaluating health and safety risks in housing, applicable in Portugal, supported by an inspection form and, as the main difference from the existing models, parameter measurements, providing complementary data for the evaluation. This model was created based on a set of functional and regulatory requirements that were identified for the healthy use of living spaces. Twenty-eight hazards were identified, and the respective risk factors were assessed using different processes and target demographics, including visual inspection, parameter measurements, occupants’ age and location and age of housing. In order to validate the model and determine its usefulness, it was applied to a set of houses with different construction dates, locations and occupants. This exercise enabled the identification of hazard classes and the calibration and fine tuning of the model application. Finally, proposals for future work are presented in order to create a base of evolution for the model.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação da toxicidade aguda associada a desinfetantes de uso comum no organismo teste Daphnia magna

A crise pandémica causada pela COVID-19 levou ao uso generalizado de produtos desinfetantes, incluindo desinfetantes de mãos de base hidroalcoólica. Face ao uso massivo é expectável que estes produtos acabem por ser introduzidos no meio ambiente, particularmente no ambiente aquático. Nesse sentido, é importante avaliar a potencial toxicidade que estes produtos apresentam para os organismos aquáticos. Este trabalho pretende avaliar a toxicidade aguda de um desinfetante de base hidroalcoólica para o organismo modelo Daphnia magna. Neonatos de D. magna foram expostos durante 48h a uma gama de concentrações crescentes de uma solução de desinfetante adquirida numa grande superfície comercial. Os ensaios foram realizados de acordo com o Protocolo Nº 202 da OECD (toxicidade aguda). Os resultados preliminares demostraram que esta solução apresenta elevada toxicidade, com mortalidades em todas as diluições inicialmente testadas (entre 90%-100%). Após otimização das condições do ensaio foi possível calcular o valor de EC50 (Concentração responsável por 50% de imobilização dos organismos). Os resultados obtidos revelam elevada toxicidade deste desinfetante com valores de EC50 (24h)= 1.2% e EC50(48h)= 1.1%. Os resultados sugerem uma elevada toxicidade destes desinfetantes, pelo que estudos adicionais são necessários para compreender a dimensão deste problema

Dinamika roda Acartia (Calanoida: Copepoda) u temperiranom plitkom estuariju (ušće rijeke Mondego) na zapadnoj obali Portugala

The purpose of this work was to review the dynamics of the Acartia species in the Mondego estuary (a temperate North-Atlantic shallow estuary in Western Portugal) in a genus integrated perspective. The Acartia genus is represented in the system by the species Acartia clausi and Acartia tonsa; the samples were taken between July 1999 and June 2000, with 63 and 125 µm mesh size nets, and between January 2003 and January 2004, with a 335 µm mesh size net, in the downstream and upstream areas of the estuary. Significant differences in abundance were found between months and sampling stations for the two species (ANOVA, P < 0.05). A. clausi dominated in the downstream estuary, registering peaks in June (156 ind. m-3) and September (73 ind. m-3); in the upstream estuary this species showed a maximum of density in September (35 ind. m-3). A. tonsa dominated in the upstream estuary with peaks of abundance occurring in December (2372 ind. m-3) and October (1056 ind. m-3) in the downstream estuary this species exhibited higher abundance in August (52 ind. m-3). The two species of the genus coexist in time exhibiting a strong spatial segregation behavior in the estuary.Cilj ovog rada je dati pregled dinamike vrsta Acartia u estuariju Mondego (temperirani sjevernoatlantski plitki estuarij u zapadnom Portugalu) za sve nađene vrste toga roda. Rod Acartia je prisutan s tri vrste: Acartia clausi, Acartia bifilosa var. inermis i Acartia tonsa; uzorci uzeti od srpnja 1999 do lipnja 2000 su dobiveni pomoću mreže veličine oka 63 i 125 µm, a od siječnja 2003 do siječnja 2004 pomoću mreže veličine oka 335 µm, u nizvodnom i uzvodnom dijelu estuarija. Nađene su znatne razlike u abundanciji dviju vrsta (ANOVA, P < 0.05). A. clausi je bila dominantna u nizvodnom estuariju s maksimumom u lipnju (156 ind. m -3) i rujnu (73 ind. m-3); u uzvodnom estuariju ova vrsta je imala maksimum gustoće u rujnu (35 ind. m-3). A. tonsa je bila dominantna u uzvodnom estuariju s makmimumom gustoće u prosincu (2372 ind. m-3) i listopadu (1056 ind. m-3). U nizvodnom estuariju ova je vrsta bila obilatije zastupljena u rujnu (52 ind. m-3). Dvije vrste se u estuariju javljaju istovremeno, ali su prostorno izrazito odijeljen

Mercury levels in house dust samples from Covilhã, Portugal - Preliminary results from 6x60x6 Project

A avaliação da qualidade do ambiente interior, particularmente do ambiente doméstico, por ser aquele em que o ser humano passa a maior parte do seu tempo, reveste-se de particular importância. Esta qualidade é modulada por um conjunto de fatores entre os quais se encontram os contaminantes ambientais com potencial tóxico, que têm vindo a ser quantificados de forma consistente no pó doméstico, uma matriz com grande capacidade integradora. Este trabalho, que utiliza o mercúrio como caso de estudo, integra-se no âmbito de um projeto pioneiro e multidisciplinar, em que se pretende estudar por um período de sessenta dias, seis habitações particulares localizadas na cidade da Covilhã, para compreender de que forma as características do imóvel e os hábitos dos habitantes podem influenciar a qualidade do ambiente interior e consequentemente a saúde dos residentes. Os níveis de mercúrio total nas amostras de pó doméstico variaram entre 138,7 ppb e 1075,5 ppb, com um só dos imóveis a transcender o valor máximo permissível estabelecido pela Portaria Nº1450/2007. Estabelece-se uma comparação com os valores registados para outros estudos similares e traça-se um plano de ação para o pleno desenvolvimento do estudo.The evaluation of indoor environmental quality, particularly of households, is of paramount importance since modern humans spend most of their time indoors. Environmental contaminants with toxic potential play a central role in the modulation of indoor quality and recent trends have pointed towards their quantification in dust, which is a highly integrative matrix. The present work uses mercury as a case study integrated in a pioneering multidisciplinary study aiming to ascertain (by measuring a set of parameters for sixty days in six houses built in six different decades – 6x60x6) how the household characteristics and residents’ habits modulate indoor environmental quality and, in turn, drive impacts upon their health. Total mercury levels in house dust samples varied between 138.7 ppb and 1075.5 ppb, with a single house recording a value higher than the limit admissible by Portuguese law (Portaria Nº1450/2007). A comparison of the obtained values with similar studies worldwide is performed and an action plan for the full development of the study is drafted. Keywords: Indoor environment, Metals, Mercury, House dustinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Burden of disease attributable to risk factors in European countries: a scoping literature review

Objectives: Within the framework of the burden of disease (BoD) approach, disease, and injury burden estimates attributable to risk factors are a useful guide for policy formulation and priority setting in disease prevention. Considering the important differences in methods, and their impact on burden estimates, we conducted a scoping literature review to: (1) map the BoD assessments including risk factors performed across Europe, and (2) identify the methodological choices in comparative risk assessment (CRA) and risk assessment methods. Methods: We searched multiple literature databases, including grey literature websites, and targeted public health agencies' websites. Results: A total of 113 studies were included in the synthesis and further divided into independent BoD assessments (54 studies) and studies linked to the Global Burden of Disease (59 papers). Our results showed that the methods used to perform CRA varied substantially across independent European BoD studies. While there were some methodological choices that were more common than others, we did not observe patterns in terms of country, year, or risk factor. Each methodological choice can affect the comparability of estimates between and within countries and/or risk factors since they might significantly influence the quantification of the attributable burden. From our analysis, we observed that the use of CRA was less common for some types of risk factors and outcomes. These included environmental and occupational risk factors, which are more likely to use bottom-up approaches for health outcomes where disease envelopes may not be available. Conclusions: Our review also highlighted misreporting, the lack of uncertainty analysis, and the under-investigation of causal relationships in BoD studies. Development and use of guidelines for performing and reporting BoD studies will help understand differences, and avoid misinterpretations thus improving comparability among estimates.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Métodos economicamente eficientes para monitorização de águas de transição

Doutoramento em BiologiaA avaliação de ecossistemas aquáticos, tradicionalmente realizada pela análise de parâmetros físicos e químicos tem-se revelado manifestamente insuficiente. Por norma as concentrações de poluentes variam rápida e amplamente e a medição destas parametrias representa unicamente uma pequena janela temporal de uma realidade contínua e complexa. O aparecimento de índices bióticos veio preencher parcialmente esta lacuna dado que os organismos aquáticos actuam como monitores a tempo inteiro da qualidade ambiental, fornecendo informação de difícil acesso por outros meios. A necessidade do estabelecimento de relações mecanísticas entre tóxicos e efeitos observados conduziu à tentativa de ligação entre os perfis de toxicidade obtidos em ensaios laboratoriais e os obtidos no terreno. Considerando a saúde dos seres vivos como um resultado de interacções sinergísticas ou antagonísticas de uma combinação de agentes poluentes e/ou de stress, extrapolações relativas ao estado de "saúde" dos ecossistemas eles próprios podem ser obtidas. Um reduzido número de organismos pode assim ser utilizado com este propósito, a efectividade da correlação estabelecida depende da sua relevância ecológica e do realismo das concentrações dos tóxicos utilizados. Neste estudo o apuramento das concentrações de metais pesados na Ria de Aveiro (uma lagoa costeira de hidrografia complexa e diversas fontes de emissão destes elementos) foi realizado por meio de amostragem de sedimentos de fundo e o antípode Echinogammarus marinus foi usado como organismo-teste para determinação de efeitos biológicos. Os invertebrados, em particular os crustáceos, são frequentemente seleccionados para este efeito dada a sua relevância nas cadeias alimentares, facilidade de manutenção laboratorial e grande dispersão. Bioensaios in situ, devidamente suportados por testes laboratoriais com metais em misturas, foram realizados utilizando como parâmetro a anorexia de pós-exposição. Esta avaliação foi estendida a toda a distribuição conhecida para a espécie em termos latitudinais. A influência exercida por factores como o estágio de desenvolvimento, género e o estado nutricional anterior à exposição foram avaliados. Foi ainda estudada a existência de uma possível correlação entre a presença de metais e a incidência de intersexo. E. marinus revelou ser um biomonitor sensível do potencial tóxico de metais pesados em concentrações ambientais ecologicamente relevantes, que pode ser utilizado em toda a abrangência biogeográfica do organismo. Um bioensaio in situ, simples e custo-eficiente é apresentado. O bioensaio destina-se à monitorização de águas salobras e salgadas para a presença de metais, permitindo o apoio à decisão na alocação de recursos humanos e financeiros por norma limitados.The traditional assessment of aquatic ecosystems, based upon the analysis of physical and chemical parameters has been proven insufficient. Concentrations of pollutants usually fluctuate widely and rapidly and those analyses are but a freeze frame of a continuous complex reality. The use of biotic indexes partly covered this shortcoming since aquatic organisms act as full-time monitors of environmental quality providing otherwise hardly accessible information. The need for the establishment of mechanistic correspondences between toxicants and detected effects lead to attempt of coupling toxic profiles obtained in laboratory with the ones observed in the field. By considering the condition or health of organisms as a response to synergistic and antagonistic effects of combined pollutants and/or stressors, extrapolations towards the health of the ecosystem itself can be drawn. A restrict number of organisms can be used for this purpose with the effectiveness of the connection relying mainly on their ecological relevancy and in the use of realistic toxicant concentrations. In our study a survey was performed upon the sediments of Ria de Aveiro (a coastal lagoon with complex hydrography and varied heavy metal sources) as a means to determine heavy metal concentrations, and an amphipod, Echinogammarus marinus was used as test organism. Invertebrates, and particularly crustaceans, have been highly favored as organisms of choice due to their relevancy in food chains, easiness of culture and ubiquitousness. In situ bioassays, duly backed by ex situ toxicity tests using metal mixtures with post exposure feeding inhibition as endpoint were performed. This evaluation was extended to encompass the entire latitudinal distribution of the organism. Furthermore the influence exerted by life stage, gender and pre-exposure nutritional state upon metal toxicity were investigated. A correlation between metal contamination and the incidence of Intersex was attempted. We conclude that Echinogammarus marinus is a sensitive biomonitor of the toxic potential of metals at environmental realistic concentrations, suitable to be used at the entire breadth of its biogeographic distribution. A simple, cost effective in situ bioassay is presented, destined to screen brackish and saltwater bodies for metals presence, thus helping decision making in the correct allocation of usually limited financial and human resources

Ecotoxicological evaluation of electrochemical oxidation for the treatment of sanitary landfill leachates

International audienc

Model for Health Risk Assessment in Portuguese Housing Spaces

Currently, people spend most of their time inside their homes. However, poor conditions in terms of comfort and quality of the indoor environment can pose high risks to the inhabitants&rsquo; health. Therefore, a good quality environment is essential, since, in addition to the hazards present in indoor air (e.g., particles, (S)VOCs, CO, radon and tobacco smoke), extreme temperatures, relative humidity levels, pests (e.g., mold, dust mites and bioaerosols), noise, airborne infectious agents (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) and contamination through water and soil can cause physical injuries, respiratory diseases, damage to multiple organ systems as well as harmful effects on the mental health of the occupants. Faced with this requirement, housing evaluation models were studied together with the main types of risk that could affect the health of the inhabitants, with the objective of proposing a new evaluation model for housing health and safety risks, fitted to the occupants, and especially suitable for Portuguese dwellings, although applicable in other geographical contexts. As a result of this analysis, this article proposes a new model for evaluating health and safety risks in housing, applicable in Portugal, supported by an inspection form and, as the main difference from the existing models, parameter measurements, providing complementary data for the evaluation. This model was created based on a set of functional and regulatory requirements that were identified for the healthy use of living spaces. Twenty-eight hazards were identified, and the respective risk factors were assessed using different processes and target demographics, including visual inspection, parameter measurements, occupants&rsquo; age and location and age of housing. In order to validate the model and determine its usefulness, it was applied to a set of houses with different construction dates, locations and occupants. This exercise enabled the identification of hazard classes and the calibration and fine tuning of the model application. Finally, proposals for future work are presented in order to create a base of evolution for the model

Mercury and Blood Pressure Levels in Inhabitants from a Highly Industrialized Region in Northern Portugal

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