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Atmosphere
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Indoor Air Pollution: A Silent Threat to Human Health and...
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Indoor Air Pollution: A Silent Threat to Human Health and the Atmosphere

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Quality and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 3736

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chanjuan Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
Interests: indoor air quality; building environment and human health; human comfort and work productivity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chunxiao Su

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
Interests: indoor air quality; UV disinfection; air cleaning; indoor radon exposure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, a large number of studies have clearly demonstrated that built environments can be worse than outdoor ones in terms of people’s exposure to hazardous pollutants. Since people may spend over 80% of their lifetime in built environments such as residential buildings, vehicles, and school buildings, the following questions are critical to answer:

How do we assess the exposure to new-found indoor pollutants in indoor environments? How do we estimate the dose–response relationships for these indoor air pollutants? How do we evaluate simultaneous exposures by indoor pollutants? What are the available approaches to improve multidimensional exposure assessments in built environments? What are the adverse health effects attributed to the exposures happening in built environments? And how do we measure the uncertainties?

This Special Issue aims to feature full-length articles, reviews, and communications addressing novel research on this topic from a multidisciplinary point of view, including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Exposure assessments of pollutants in built environments.
  • Dose–response relationships between indoor air pollutants and health outcomes.
  • Innovative approaches for risk assessment and management.
  • Novel technologies for indoor air quality assessments.
  • New regulatory guidelines for emerging pollutants.
  • Case studies, results, and findings in specific geographical regions.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chanjuan Sun
Dr. Chunxiao Su
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • built environment
  • air quality
  • exposure assessment
  • health risk

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 863 KiB  
Article
Occurrence and Mitigation of PM2.5, NO2, CO and CO2 in Homes Due to Cooking and Gas Stoves
by Daniel Jaffe, Devon Nirschl and Stephanie Birman
Atmosphere 2025, 16(7), 882; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16070882 - 18 Jul 2025
Viewed by 184
Abstract
We surveyed the air quality conditions in 18 homes with gas stoves for PM2.5, CO2, NO2 and CO using calibrated low-cost sensors. In each home, participants were asked to cook as usual, but to record their cooking activities [...] Read more.
We surveyed the air quality conditions in 18 homes with gas stoves for PM2.5, CO2, NO2 and CO using calibrated low-cost sensors. In each home, participants were asked to cook as usual, but to record their cooking activities and mitigation efforts (windows, ventilation fans, etc.). All homes showed enhanced pollutants during, and immediately after, times of cooking or stove use. For each home, we quantified the minutes per day and minutes per minute of cooking over known health thresholds for each pollutant. On average, homes exhibited 38 min per day over one or more of these thresholds, with PM2.5 and NO2 being the pollutants of greatest concern. Six homes had much higher occurrences over the health thresholds, averaging 73 min per day. We found an average of 1.0 min over one or more of the health thresholds per minute of cooking when no mitigation was used, whereas when mitigation was used (filtration or vent fan), this value was reduced by 34%. We further investigated several mitigation methods including natural diffusion, a commercial HEPA filter unit, a commercial O3 scrubber and a ventilation fan. We found that the HEPA unit was highly effective for PM2.5 but had no impact on any of the gaseous pollutants. The O3 scrubber was moderately effective for NO2 but had little impact on the other pollutants. The ventilation fan was highly effective for all pollutants and reduced the average pollutant lifetime significantly. Under controlled test conditions, the pollutant lifetime (or time to reach 37% of the original concentration), was reduced from an average of 45 min (with no ventilation) to 7 min. While no commercial filter showed efficacy for both PM2.5 and NO2, the fact that each could be removed individually suggests that a combined filter for both pollutants could be developed, which would significantly reduce health impacts in homes with gas stoves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Pollution: A Silent Threat to Human Health and the Atmosphere)
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12 pages, 565 KiB  
Article
Children’s Allergic Sensitization to Pets: The Role of Air Pollution
by Yufeng Miao, Yingjie Liu, Ruixue Huang, Yuan Xue, Le Liu and Qihong Deng
Atmosphere 2025, 16(7), 833; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16070833 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 303
Abstract
Allergic sensitization (AS) to pets is a notable health concern, with a 10–30% prevalence in developed countries, significantly higher than in developing nations; however, the critical exposure windows and reasons for this global disparity remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate associations between [...] Read more.
Allergic sensitization (AS) to pets is a notable health concern, with a 10–30% prevalence in developed countries, significantly higher than in developing nations; however, the critical exposure windows and reasons for this global disparity remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate associations between perinatal and current animal exposure and childhood AS among 2598 preschoolers (aged 3–6) in Changsha, China. Data on AS and pet exposure were gathered via questionnaires, while children’s prenatal and current exposure to outdoor air pollutants (PM10, NO2) was estimated from monitoring stations. Multiple logistic regression models revealed an overall AS prevalence of 1.8%. Current animal or pet exposure was significantly associated with childhood AS (adjusted OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.12–4.29). Conversely, no significant association was found for perinatal exposure. Intriguingly, a stratified analysis showed that the association with current exposure was significant only in children exposed to low levels of outdoor PM10 (adj. OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.21–7.27) and NO2 (adj. OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.23–7.37). The study concludes that current exposure to pets significantly increases childhood AS risk. This effect is unexpectedly magnified in environments with low outdoor air pollution. This novel finding not only may explain the higher prevalence of pet allergies in developed countries but also suggests that as air quality improves alongside rising pet ownership, developing nations like China could face a significant future increase in pet sensitization, highlighting a critical emerging public health challenge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Pollution: A Silent Threat to Human Health and the Atmosphere)
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21 pages, 3466 KiB  
Article
A Method for Forecasting Indoor Relative Humidity for Improving Comfort Conditions and Quality of Life
by Snezhinka Zaharieva, Ivan Georgiev, Slavi Georgiev, Adriana Borodzhieva and Venelin Todorov
Atmosphere 2025, 16(3), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16030315 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1097
Abstract
Indoor air quality plays a crucial role in human health and well-being, with relative humidity (RH) being a key factor influencing respiratory health, indoor comfort, and the interior lifespan of buildings. Poor RH control can exacerbate indoor air pollution, leading to adverse health [...] Read more.
Indoor air quality plays a crucial role in human health and well-being, with relative humidity (RH) being a key factor influencing respiratory health, indoor comfort, and the interior lifespan of buildings. Poor RH control can exacerbate indoor air pollution, leading to adverse health effects and increased risks of microbial growth. This study created a predictive approach to indoor RH management by developing an intelligent electronic system that proactively regulates a humidifier and dehumidifier to maintain optimal humidity levels. The system integrates a forecasting algorithm based on the ARIMA model, enabling short-term RH predictions and dynamic adjustments before extreme conditions occur. The ARIMA model was selected for its robustness in time-series forecasting, ensuring precise predictions and improved indoor climate regulation. The results demonstrate that this predictive control strategy significantly reduces fluctuations in RH, preventing the effects of indoor air pollution associated with humidity extremes while enhancing energy efficiency. Additionally, the iterative validation process confirms the model’s reliability and adaptability to changing environmental conditions. This study suggests the importance of predictive RH control in mitigating the threat of poor indoor air quality, improving indoor comfort, and promoting energy-efficient and sustainable living environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Pollution: A Silent Threat to Human Health and the Atmosphere)
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20 pages, 5386 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of CO2 and Thermal Comfort Conditions in a Day Care Center
by José María Moral Luque, José Luis Sánchez Jiménez and Manuel Ruiz de Adana
Atmosphere 2024, 15(12), 1500; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15121500 - 16 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 713
Abstract
Finding the balance between CO2 concentration and thermal comfort is very important during the heating season in a daycare classroom due to the impact it has on children’s health. Air treatment systems together with outdoor hygrothermal conditions are decisive in finding this [...] Read more.
Finding the balance between CO2 concentration and thermal comfort is very important during the heating season in a daycare classroom due to the impact it has on children’s health. Air treatment systems together with outdoor hygrothermal conditions are decisive in finding this balance. The objective of this work is to evaluate the impact that three air treatment systems, ventilation, conditioning, and air cleaning, have on thermal comfort and CO2 concentration in the two breathing planes defined by the occupants of a daycare classroom. Eight experimental tests were carried out, using different combinations of air systems. Temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration are measured at eight points in the classroom: four in the children’s breathing plane (0.75 m) and the other four in that of an adult (1.7 m). The results show, on the one hand, that the ventilation or conditioning systems improve the indoor CO2 concentration in the two planes, equalizing it in the two planes and, on the other hand, that the sensation of cold is greater in the children’s breathing plane than in the adult’s breathing plane in all the experimental tests studied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Pollution: A Silent Threat to Human Health and the Atmosphere)
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Review

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16 pages, 757 KiB  
Review
Approaches to Estimating Indoor Exposure to Radon—A Systematic Review
by Chunxiao Su, Mingxia Wang, Yanmei Yin, Chanjuan Sun, Zhijun Zou, Haidong Wang and Yuwei Dai
Atmosphere 2025, 16(3), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16030286 - 27 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 822
Abstract
Indoor radon exposure has been an increasing concern in recent years due to its health risks, like lung cancer and leukemia. Indoor radon exposure levels can be determined through measurement but with limitations. An increasing number of studies have started to apply simulation [...] Read more.
Indoor radon exposure has been an increasing concern in recent years due to its health risks, like lung cancer and leukemia. Indoor radon exposure levels can be determined through measurement but with limitations. An increasing number of studies have started to apply simulation methods to assess indoor radon exposure levels in recent decades. To better understand currently available approaches for estimating indoor radon exposure, we conducted a systematic review of the current available methods for estimating the indoor radon levels. Through the search and screening of databases, a total of 28 related articles were included. The results show that the main methods for indoor radon estimation are mathematical models, statistical methods, and the geographic information system (GIS) method. The factors to consider include completion time, building type, floor area, number of floors, soil texture, building materials, and degree of urbanization. This paper, through its review of radon exposure level estimation and assessment methods, provides a more systematic understanding of this field, with important implications for accurately estimating the spatial and time distribution of indoor radon exposure and its health risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Indoor Air Pollution: A Silent Threat to Human Health and the Atmosphere)
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