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A special issue of Environments (ISSN 2076-3298).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2024) | Viewed by 11767

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sripriya Nannu Shankar

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Interests: occupational exposures to airborne pollutants; respiratory deposition and toxicity of emerging contaminants; impact of climate change on transmission of bioaerosols; next-generation systems for exposure assessment

Prof. Dr. Tara Sabo-Attwood

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
Interests: air quality; urban air pollution; atmospheric chemistry; secondary organic aerosols

Dr. Jana S. Kesavan

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Guest Editor

U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA
Interests: bioaerosols; organisms; inert particles

Dr. Sanghee Han

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Guest Editor

UC San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, CA, USA
Interests: air quality; urban air pollution; atmospheric chemistry; secondary organic aerosols

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Anthropogenic and natural emissions of particulates and gases play a role in climate change by altering the composition of the atmosphere, leading to global warming and shifts in weather patterns. Consequent changes, such as rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and altered ecosystems, can lead to human health risks at local and global levels, including heat-related illnesses, the spread of pathogens, respiratory toxicity, etc. Addressing air quality issues not only benefits public health but also contributes to climate change mitigation efforts. This Special Issue is looking for significant contributions on the interconnected relationships between air quality, climate change, and environmental/human health. Examples include:

The development of new-generation advanced aerosol instruments to monitor air quality;
The impact of environmental factors in aerosol transport;
Human health outcomes due to climate change from local to global levels;
Respiratory deposition and toxicity of emerging air pollutants;
The transmission of airborne pathogens;
The fate of airborne chemicals;
The risks of occupational exposure to air pollutants and airborne microorganisms associated with poor air quality and climate change.

Dr. Sripriya Nannu Shankar
Prof. Dr. Tara Sabo-Attwood
Dr. Jana S. Kesavan
Dr. Sanghee Han
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Environments is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

aerosol instruments
inhalation toxicology
emerging contaminants
airborne pathogens
impacts of climate change
respiratory deposition
fate of aerosols

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4942 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differential Cytotoxicity, Inflammatory Responses, and Aging Effects of Human Skin Cells in Response to Fine Dust Exposure

by Tae Eun Kim, Jun Woo Lim, Jae Hyun Jeong and Hee Wook Ryu

Environments 2024, 11(11), 259; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11110259 - 19 Nov 2024

Viewed by 464

Abstract

Airborne fine dust pollution poses a significant threat to both respiratory and skin health, yet the skin’s physiological response to such exposure has been underexplored. This study investigates the impact of fine dust on skin cells, focusing on their metabolic activity, inflammatory responses, and aging-related changes. We found that exposure to fine dust model compounds led to dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with PM_2.5-Ions exhibiting higher toxicity compared to PM₁₀-PAHs. Human epithelial keratinocytes (HEKn) showed heightened sensitivity to fine dust, marked by increased inflammation, particularly with elevated IL-8 expression in response to PM_2.5-Ions. Additionally, fine dust exposure resulted in reduced cell density, slower proliferation, and decreased migration, notably at higher concentrations of PM_2.5-Ions. These changes are indicative of accelerated aging processes, including compromised cell function and structural integrity. Live cell imaging and correlation analyses highlighted significant links between metabolic activity, cell morphology, and IL-8 secretion. These findings provide critical insights into the differential impacts of fine dust components on skin cells, emphasizing the potential acceleration of aging processes and underscoring the need for further research on cellular responses to environmental stress and the development of protective measures against urban fine dust exposure. Overall, this study, which contributes to addressing the skin health risks posed by air pollutants, could be actively used in environmental science, dermatology, and public health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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14 pages, 5639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Indoor Air Quality in Residential Environments: A Study of PM_2.5 and CO₂ Dynamics Using Low-Cost Sensors

by Kabir Bahadur Shah, Dylan Kim, Sai Deepak Pinakana, Mkhitar Hobosyan, Armando Montes and Amit U. Raysoni

Environments 2024, 11(11), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11110237 - 28 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1185

Abstract

Indoor air quality (IAQ) poses a significant public health concern, and exposures to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) could have detrimental health impacts. This study focused on assessing the indoor air pollutants in a residential house located in the town of Mission, Hidalgo County, South Texas, USA. The PM_2.5 and CO₂ were monitored indoors: the kitchen and the bedroom. This investigation also aimed to elucidate the effects of household activities such as cooking and human occupancy on these pollutants. Low-cost sensors (LCSs) from TSI AirAssure™ were used in this study. They were deployed within the breathing zone at approximately 1.5 m above the ground. Calibration of the low-cost sensors against Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) instruments was undertaken using a multiple linear regression method (MLR) model to improve the data accuracy. The indoor PM_2.5 levels were significantly influenced by cooking activities, with the peak PM_2.5 concentrations reaching up to 118.45 μg/m³. The CO₂ levels in the bedroom increased during the occupant’s sleeping period, reaching as high as 1149.73 ppm. The health risk assessment was assessed through toxicity potential (TP) calculations for the PM_2.5 concentrations. TP values of 0.21 and 0.20 were obtained in the kitchen and bedroom, respectively. The TP values were below the health hazard threshold (i.e., TP < 1). These low TP values could be attributed to the use of electric stoves and efficient ventilation systems. This research highlights the effectiveness of low-cost sensors for continuous IAQ monitoring and helps promote better awareness of and necessary interventions for salubrious indoor microenvironments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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13 pages, 1935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Air Quality Improvement Following the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Naples, Italy: A Comparative Analysis (2018–2022)

by Alessia Sannino, Riccardo Damiano, Salvatore Amoruso, Pasquale Castellano, Mariagrazia D’Emilio and Antonella Boselli

Environments 2024, 11(8), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11080167 - 6 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1091

Abstract

The pandemic lockdown of the year 2020 has been generally accompanied by an improvement in the air quality. Here, we report data on the effects of lockdown limitations on the air quality in the metropolitan area of Naples (Italy) by following the evolution of main atmospheric pollutants over a five-year period and comparing their concentrations in the pandemic year 2020 with the previous (2018 and 2019) and following (2021 and 2022) two years. In particular, NO₂ and PM10 concentrations registered by representative air quality sampling station network and the columnar features of the aerosol characterized by a sun-photometer are considered. To avoid the possible influence of Saharan dust transport, which generally affects the observational area, the analysis has been limited to the days free from such events. Our findings evidence a tendency towards pre-pandemic conditions, notwithstanding some differences related to partial and temporary restrictions imposed even in the year 2021. For both near-surface NO₂ and PM, the observations confirm a significant reduction induced by the lockdown in 2020, besides the seasonal changes, and a gradual tendency towards more typical values in the following years. Also, the columnar aerosol data clearly highlight a gradual recovery of typical conditions in 2021 and 2022, confirming a peculiar effect of the pandemic lockdown of the year 2020 on the atmospheric aerosol characteristics that evidences a striking predominance of the fine component. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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17 pages, 3888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

NOx Abatement by a TiO₂-Based Coating under Real-Life Conditions and Laboratory-Scale Durability Assessment

by Julie Hot, Clément Fériot, Emilie Lenard and Erick Ringot

Environments 2024, 11(8), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11080166 - 5 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1301

Abstract

In urban environments, various pollutants generated by road traffic, human, and industrial activities degrade outdoor and indoor air quality. Among these pollutants, nitrogen oxides (NOx) are subject to air quality regulations designed to protect human health and the environment. It is therefore crucial to keep their concentration as low as possible. Advanced oxidation processes are a practical choice for the degradation of NOx; among them, heterogeneous photocatalysis has proven to be a viable route. However, while the efficiency of this process has been widely demonstrated on a laboratory scale, it is still the subject of debate for real-life applications. The purpose of this study was to present a new field experiment on the application of a photocatalytic coating to outdoor walls. Air quality monitoring stations were used to evaluate the NOx concentration reduction instead of the chemiluminescent analyzer, in order to increase the number of sampling points. Statistical analysis was carried out to interpret the results. Density probability functions were plotted and showed a positive impact of the coating, leading to lower NOx concentrations. This work was completed by a laboratory-scale assessment of the coating’s durability using abrasion, QUV, and immersion/drying tests. The air depollution capacity of the chosen coating was significantly reduced after QUV testing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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16 pages, 2128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Associations of Road Density and Road Features with In-Vehicle PM_2.5 during Daily Trips in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area

by Jenna R. Krall, Jonathan Thornburg, Ting Zhang, Anna Z. Pollack, Yi-Ching Lee, Michelle McCombs and Lucas R. F. Henneman

Environments 2024, 11(7), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11070135 - 26 Jun 2024

Viewed by 1310

Abstract

Increased daily exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution (PM_2.5) is associated with increased morbidity, yet high exposures over shorter timeframes (e.g., hourly) may also play a role. Transportation is a milieu for increased transient pollution exposures. Both the road traveled and nearby roadways (i.e., surrounding road density) may play a role in increased PM_2.5 exposure during commutes. For 2311 min of commutes, corresponding to 25 participants, we obtained in-vehicle PM_2.5 exposures using personal monitors and, through GPS data, road features, including road density and road type (e.g., highway vs. local roads). We considered the density of both the surrounding highways and the local roads at 500 m and 1000 m resolutions. We estimated associations of road features with minute-averaged in-vehicle PM_2.5 by applying linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts and autoregressive errors. The difference in log PM_2.5, comparing the highest vs. lowest quartile of highway road density at 1 km resolution, was 0.09 log μg/m³ (95% confidence interval: 0, 0.19), which was similar to the difference between driving on highways vs. local roads (0.07 log μg/m³ (95% confidence interval: 0.00, 0.14)). Estimated differences were attenuated for local road density and 500 m resolution. The results were robust to adjustment for meteorology and ambient PM_2.5. Unlike road features such as speed and road type, the surrounding road density is less modifiable during transportation. Therefore, road choice may not have a large impact on personal PM_2.5 exposures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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18 pages, 2462 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Concentrations and Oxidative Potential of PM_2.5 and Black Carbon Inhalation Doses at US–Mexico Port of Entry

by Rita Zurita, Penelope J. E. Quintana, Yanis Toledano-Magaña, Fernando T. Wakida, Lupita D. Montoya and Javier Emmanuel Castillo

Environments 2024, 11(6), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11060128 - 18 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1077

Abstract

Located between Mexico and the US, the San Ysidro/El Chaparral Land Port of Entry (SYPOE) is one of the busiest border crossings in the world. People with activities at the SYPOE are exposed to vehicular pollutants, especially particles with aerodynamic diameters < 2.5 µm (PM_2.5) and black carbon (BC), both associated with adverse health effects. This study presents the first PM_2.5 and BC concentration measurements collected on the Mexican side of the SYPOE. The oxidative potential (OP) for PM_2.5 and the inhalation dose of BC for people at the border were also evaluated. Autumn and winter showed the highest PM_2.5 concentrations (at 28.7 μg m⁻³ and 28.2 μg m⁻³, respectively). BC concentration peaked in the winter of 2017 (at 5.7 ± 6 μgm⁻³), demonstrating an increase during periods with low wind speeds. The highest OP_DTT of PM_2.5 was reached in winter, with a value of 18.5 pmol min⁻¹ µg⁻¹ (0.6 nmol min⁻¹m⁻³). The highest average daily inhalation dose for pedestrians was registered in the autumn of 2018 (5.9 μg for a 60-min waiting time), whereas, for workers, it was in the winter of 2017 (19 μg for a 10-h shift on average). Decreasing waiting times for pedestrians and adjusting work schedules for border workers on high concentration days could ameliorate environmental justice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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21 pages, 2076 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysing the Evidence of the Effects of Climate Change, Air Pollutants, and Occupational Factors in the Appearance of Cataracts

by Lucía Echevarría-Lucas, José Mª Senciales-González and Jesús Rodrigo-Comino

Environments 2024, 11(5), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11050087 - 24 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1901

Abstract

Cataracts are ocular conditions characterized by the opacification of the natural lens within the eye, which develops gradually over time and can affect one or both eyes. This condition commonly results from age-related changes in the lens, but can also arise from various factors. Cataract surgeries are expensive, particularly in states such as Spain, where they receive full support from the Spanish social welfare system. Despite a significant body of research on cataracts, few studies address the social and environmental factors triggering their development or consider the spatiotemporal evolution of their impacts. We analysed the incidence of cataracts in a southern region of Spain, differentiating between senile cataracts (those over 60 years old) and early cataracts (those between 15 and 59 years old). Twenty-one socio-economic, climate, and air pollution variables were statistically analysed using bivariate correlation, cluster analysis, and Geographic Information Systems. Eleven years of observation show a decadal increase in annually averaged maximum temperature and a decrease in annual precipitation, partially explaining the rising incidence of operable cataracts in the following year (r = 0.77 and −0.84, respectively; p < 0.05). Furthermore, early cataracts responded spatially to % agricultural employment (r = 0.85; p < 0.05) and moderately to maximum temperatures, insolation, and various constituents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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22 pages, 781 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Anesthetic Gases: Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Strategies for Fluranes and Nitrous Oxide

by William A. Anderson and Anita Rao

Environments 2024, 11(12), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11120275 - 2 Dec 2024

Viewed by 644

Abstract

Anesthetic gases represent a small but significant portion of the environmental impact of health care in many countries. These compounds include several fluorocarbons commonly referred to as “fluranes”. The fluranes are greenhouse gases (GHG) with global warming potentials in the hundreds to thousands and are also PFAS compounds (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) according to at least one definition. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is sometimes used as an adjunct in anesthesia, or for sedation, but has a significant stratospheric ozone depletion potential as well as GHG effects. Reducing emissions of these compounds into the environment is, therefore, a growing priority in the health care sector. Elimination or substitution of the highest impact fluranes with alternatives has been pursued with some success but limitations remain. Several emission control strategies have been developed for fluranes including adsorption onto solids, which has shown commercial promise. Catalytic decomposition methods have been pursued for N₂O emission control, although mixtures of fluranes and N₂O are potentially problematic for this technology. All such emission control technologies require the effective scavenging and containment of the anesthetics during use, but the limited available information suggests that fugitive emissions into the operating room may be a significant route for unmitigated losses of approximately 50% of the used fluranes into the environment. A better understanding and quantification of such fugitive emissions is needed to help minimize these releases. Further cost–benefit and techno-economic analyses are also needed to identify strategies and best practices for the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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18 pages, 833 KiB

Open AccessReview

Health Benefits of Airborne Terpenoids and Aeroanions: Insights from Thematic Review of Chinese-Language Research on Forest Sensory Experiences

by Ralf Buckley, Linsheng Zhong, Hu Yu, Dongfang Zhu and Mary-Ann Cooper

Environments 2024, 11(4), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11040079 - 11 Apr 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1635

Abstract

Most research on air chemistry and human health has focused on negative consequences of air pollution from cities, rural dust, mining, or industrial sites. Research on nature tourism and nature therapy, in contrast, focuses on positive benefits of air quality for physical and mental health, e.g., via “clean air clean water” holidays. Aeroanions and terpenoids in forests have received particular attention, especially in China, Japan, and Korea. We review and analyse several hundred articles published in English and Chinese. With a few recent exceptions, English-language research has tested indoor negative ion generators, and concluded that they have no measurable health benefit. It has tested terpenoids in indoor aroma marketing. Chinese-language research, in contrast, has analysed fine-scale components of outdoor environments that affect concentrations of aeroanions and terpenoids: ecosystem, latitude, altitude, temperature, proximity to water, and individual plant species. Historically, health outcomes have been taken for granted, with little rigorous testing. Air quality research has shown that aeroanions can become attached to fine water droplets, e.g., after rain in forests, or in mists produced locally by waterfalls. We hypothesise that the health benefits of aeroanions in natural environments may arise through the scavenging of airborne particulates by negatively charged mists, creating especially clean, dust-free air. We propose that this particularly clean-tasting air, contrasting strongly with polluted urban air, creates positive effects on human mental health and perhaps, also on pulmonary physical health. Mechanisms and outcomes remain to be tested. We also propose testing psychological health effects of airborne terpenoid scents from forest trees. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Quality, Health and Climate)

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