Search Results (276)

This study investigated spruce wood (Picea abies Karst. L.) dust generated during sanding in a woodworking company, focusing on its health, explosion, and fire hazards. Microscopic analyses revealed that dust particles ranged from 2.38 μm × 1.69 μm to 499.71 μm × 403.30 μm, with an average size of 73.2 μm × 37.98 μm. Smaller particles exhibited a spherical morphology, while larger ones were elongated and fibrous. Sieve analysis confirmed that particles sized 63–75 μm formed the largest fraction (46.74%), with 71% of the total dust being airborne (<100 μm), including 5% PM₁₀ and 1% PM_2.5. Explosion tests identified a lower explosion limit (LEL) of 80 g·m⁻³, with dust classified as highly explosive (ST 2). Smaller particles were found to significantly reduce the LEL, increasing explosion susceptibility. These findings highlight the dual risk of inhalation exposure and explosion potential. Practical safety recommendations include ensuring efficient local dust extraction, mandatory use of respiratory protection, and restricted worker movement near sanders. Furthermore, organizational measures aligned with ATEX standards—such as daily cleaning, removal of settled dust layers, use of explosion-safe industrial vacuum cleaners, and installation of automatic explosion suppression systems in extraction units—are essential. Full article

Despite severe particulate matter (PM) pollution in Central Asia, limited air composition and health impact data are hindering sustainable air quality management and resilient urban planning. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10 in the urban environment of Astana, Kazakhstan, a rapidly expanding city with intense winter heating demands. We characterized PM and atmospheric precipitation and assessed health risks using bioaccessible fractions of PM-bound potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Among 388 samples, PM_2.5 and PM_2.5–10 concentrations peaked at 534 and 1564 μg·m⁻³, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) identified soot and coal fly ash, indicating fossil fuel combustion as a major source. Precipitation characterization also showed elevated SO₄²⁻ (17.8 μg⋅L⁻¹), V (108 μg⋅L⁻¹), Ni (84.0 μg⋅L⁻¹), and Mn (63.2 μg⋅L⁻¹). Bioaccessibility tests showed high solubility for Fe (16,229 mg·kg⁻¹) followed by V: key indicators of combustion emissions. Non-carcinogenic risk for Ni and V exceeded acceptable limits for adults and children (e.g., HQ: 6.07 for V for adults). Carcinogenic risk exceeded the threshold 10⁻⁶ for Cd (adults), Co, Cr, and Ni. These findings may help advance urban air quality management via integrating bioaccessibility-based health risk assessment and source apportionment, supporting evidence-driven policies for environmentally responsible development in rapidly urbanizing cold-climate regions. Full article

Indoor exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), particularly those bound to fine particulate matter (PM₁, particles < 1 µm), may pose a health concern, especially in light of prolonged indoor occupancy and the capacity of ultrafine particles to reach the lower respiratory tract. This study investigates indoor exposure to PBDEs associated with PM₁ in residential homes in Zagreb, Croatia, across warm and cold seasons. BDE-47 was consistently detected in all samples, while BDE-183 was consistently absent. Elevated concentrations and increased detection frequencies of BDE-99 and BDE-100 were observed during the colder season. Consequently, total PBDE (ΣPBDE) levels in the cold season were approximately 2.5 times higher than in the warm season. Although estimated daily inhalation intakes were below established oral reference doses, the potential for deep pulmonary deposition and systemic distribution underscores the need for further investigation. These findings represent the first reported data on indoor PM₁-associated PBDEs in Europe, emphasizing the impact of seasonal dynamics on inhalation exposure due to variation on indoor contaminant levels. Full article

Air pollution, particularly from fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM), has been increasingly associated with cardiovascular diseases. Ultrafine carbon, a component of ultrafine PM widely used in industrial settings, is both an environmental and occupational hazard. But the cardiac toxicity of repeated inhalation exposure to ultrafine carbon black (CB) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated how repeated inhalation of CB affects cardiac mitochondrial function, focusing on metabolic pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved in energy production. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to either filtered air or CB aerosols (10 mg/m³) for four consecutive days. Cardiac tissues were collected and analyzed to assess changes in metabolic enzyme activity, protein expression, and mitochondrial function using Western blotting, enzymatic assays, and immunoprecipitation. Despite there being few changes in overall protein expression levels, we observed significant impairments in fatty acid oxidation, increased glucose oxidation, and disrupted electron transport chain (ETC) supercomplex assembly, particularly in Complexes III and IV. These changes were accompanied by increased hyperacetylation of mitochondrial proteins and elevated levels of GCN5L1, a mitochondrial acetyltransferase. We also found increased lipid peroxidation and hyperacetylation of antioxidant enzyme SOD2 at the K-122 site, which reflects reduced enzymatic activity contributing to oxidative stress. Our findings suggest that repeated CB inhalation leads to mitochondrial dysfunction in the heart by dysregulating substrate utilization, impairing ETC activities, and weakening antioxidant defenses primarily through lysine acetylation. These findings reveal a potential role of key post-translational mechanisms in environmental particulate exposure to mitochondrial impairment and provide a potential therapeutic target for CB-induced cardiotoxicity. Full article

While many studies on the health effects of PM_2.5 exist, the risks of PM_2.5 species remain largely unexplored in Middle Eastern and North African countries. This study assesses, for the first time, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks for elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) bound to PM_2.5 in the Greater Cairo Area. A total of 59 samples were collected from an urban site in Dokki (November 2019–January 2020). Chemical analysis showed higher concentrations of PCDFs (5418 fg/m³) than PCDDs (1469 fg/m³), with DL-PCBs being the most abundant (6577 fg/m³). Health risk assessment for inhalation showed non-carcinogenic risks for all age groups, especially for newborns. Manganese (Mn) and lead (Pb) posed the highest elemental non-carcinogenic risk, while the hazard quotient (HQ) for PAHs exceeded 1 across all ages. PCDDs, PCDFs, and DL-PCBs showed an estimated cancer risk reaching 10⁻⁶ in adults, indicating a significant health concern. Key contributors to cancer risk included arsenic (As), chromium (Cr(VI)), and vanadium (V), which accounted for over 80% of the total elemental cancer risk. Major and trace elements posed the highest lifetime cancer risk, nearly 37 times the acceptable level. Full article

Background: Saharan dust intrusions (SDIs) are associated with poor air quality and adverse respiratory outcomes. However, their impact on real-world inhaler utilization remains insufficiently characterized. We aimed to examine the association between SDI and the dispensing of short-acting beta-agonists (SABA) and inhaled corticosteroid–long-acting beta-agonist (ICS–LABA) combinations in the Canary Islands, Spain. Methods: Pharmaceutical sales data for SABA and ICS–LABA were collected from 60 pharmacies in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (TF) and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (GC) between June 2017 and May 2022. SDI days were identified based on daily PM₁₀ concentrations > 40 µg/m³ from the regional air quality monitoring network. Linear regression models evaluated associations between drug dispensations and SDI presence, frequency, and intensity, adjusting for seasonality (winter vs. summer). Results: Over 60 months, SABA sales were 14.8% lower in TF compared with GC, while ICS–LABA sales were 10.9% higher. SDI presence was associated with significantly higher ICS–LABA dispensations in both provinces (+5.7% in TF, +10.2% in GC), whereas no association was found for SABA. ICS–LABA sales correlated weakly but significantly with both SDI frequency and PM₁₀ levels. Seasonal analysis revealed stronger effects in winter, with ICS–LABA dispensations increasing by 14.3% (TF) and 9.6% (GC) during SDI months. For SABA, seasonal differences were independent of SDI exposure. Conclusions: SDIs in the Canary Islands are independently associated with increased dispensing of ICS–LABA maintenance therapy, particularly during winter months. Dispensing data offer a valuable population-level indicator of respiratory impact from natural airborne pollution and support the integration of environmental alerts into preventive respiratory care strategies. Full article

Bioavailable fractions of particulate-bound trace elements are key determinants of inhalation toxicity, yet air-quality assessments typically rely on total metal concentrations, which may underestimate health risks. This study integrates the exchangeable (F1) and reducible (F2) fractions of trace elements in fine (PM_2.5) and coarse (PM₁₀) particulate matter with multi-criteria decision-making (TOPSIS) and similarity-based classification (Czekanowski’s method). Archival weekly-integrated samples from the summer season were collected at eight industrially influenced sites in southern Poland. Sequential extraction (F1–F2) and ICP-MS were applied to quantify concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, chromium, nickel, and lead in PM_2.5 and PM₁₀. Aggregated hazard values were then derived with TOPSIS, and site similarity was explored using Czekanowski’s reordered distance matrices. Regulatory targets for cadmium and nickel, and the limit for lead in PM₁₀ were not exceeded, but F1/F2 profiles revealed pronounced site-to-site differences in potential mobility that were not evident from total concentrations. Rankings were consistent across size fractions, with site P₁ exhibiting the lowest hazard indices and P₈ the highest, while mid-rank sites formed reproducible similarity clusters. The proposed chemical-fractionation and multivariate framework provides a reproducible screening tool for multi-element exposure, complementing compliance checks and supporting prioritisation of sites for targeted investigation and environmental management. In the sustainability context, bioavailability-based indicators strengthen air-quality assessment by linking monitoring data with health-relevant and cost-effective management strategies, supporting efficient resource allocation and reducing exposure in vulnerable populations. Full article

Few studies have explored the holistic public health risk assessment associated with toxic elements (TEs) and their bioaccessibility in integrated urban environmental media including soils, vegetables, atmospheric particles, dust, etc. Urban industrial complex areas like Qingshan-Chemical District (QCD) in the Chinese Wuhan city, located within the Yangtze River Economic Belt, face increasing environmental exposure risks due to industrial activities. This study innovatively assessed the hierarchical risks of toxic metals in 4 environmental media (air PM, dust, soil, vegetables) from the QCD based on field sampling and chemical analysis, and developed an improved fuzzy health risk assessment model based on toxic metals’ in vitro bioaccessibilities of different exposure pathways and triangular fuzzy numbers for handling parameter uncertainties. The study found that the highest health risks were associated with ingestion, particularly from consuming homegrown vegetables. Carcinogenic risks for arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) via ingestion exceeded the admissible threshold of 1.00 × 10⁻⁶, with As showing the highest risk ([1.92 × 10⁻³, 2.37 × 10⁻³]), followed by Cd ([2.98 × 10⁻⁵, 3.67 × 10⁻⁵]) and Pb ([7.92 × 10⁻⁷, 1.48 × 10⁻⁶]). Inhalation risks from soil, dust, and air particulates were below the threshold, indicating lower respiratory concerns. Dermal exposure, especially from soil and dust, posed elevated carcinogenic risks for As ([7.47 × 10⁻⁶, 8.06 × 10⁻⁶]). With the screened priority risk control toxic metals and pathways, the targeted measures including relocating vegetable planting areas, promoting cultivation of low-enrichment crops, building vegetation buffer zones around the industrial park, etc., were proposed. Full article

Understanding the dose of ambient PM_2.5 inhaled by middle school students during active commuting between home and school is essential for optimizing their travel routes and reducing associated health risks. However, accurately modeling this remains challenging due to the difficulty of measuring ambient PM_2.5 concentrations along commuting routes at a population scale. In this study, we overcome this limitation by employing spatiotemporally dense observations of on-road ambient PM_2.5 concentrations collected through a massive mobile monitoring fleet consisting of around 200 continuously operating taxis installed with air quality monitoring instruments. Leveraging these rich on-road PM_2.5 observations combined with a GIS-terrain-based PM_2.5 dosage modeling approach, we (1) assess middle school students’ PM_2.5 dosages during morning (7:00 am–8:00 am) home–school walking commuting along the shortest-distance route; (2) examine the feasibility of identifying an alternative route for each student that minimizes PM_2.5 dosages during commuting; (3) investigate the trade-off between the relative reduction in PM_2.5 dosage and the relative increase in route length when opting for the alternative lowest-dosage route; and (4) examine whether exposure inequalities exist among students of different family socioeconomic statuses (SES) during their home–school commutes. The results show that (1) 18.8–57.6% of the students can reduce the dose of PM_2.5 by walking along an alternative lowest-dose route; (2) an alternative lowest-dose route could be found by walking along a parallel, less-polluted local road or walking on the less-trafficked side of the street; (3) seeking an alternative lowest-dose route offers a favorable trade-off between effectiveness and cost; and (4) exposure inequities do exist in a portion of students’ walking commutes and those students from higher-SES are more likely to experience higher exposure risks. The findings in our study could offer valuable insights into commuter exposure and inspire future research. Full article

Hay quality is a key factor in equine respiratory health, with microbiological contaminants in inhaled organic dust posing significant risks. Sensory assessment has been used to evaluate hay hygiene, but its value to identify deficiencies remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential of sensory assessment to predict both particulate matter (PM) dust concentrations and microbiological contamination. Fifty hay samples were collected from horse owners and evaluated using a structured sensory examination, microbiological analyses, and dust concentration measurements obtained with the Hay-Shaker device and a DustTrak DRX 8534. Sensory examination rated only 28% of samples as adequate, with 52% showing minor and 20% major deficiencies. Microbiological analysis found that 46% of samples met acceptable standards. Regression analysis showed that abnormal musty odor was the strongest predictor of increased dust concentrations, including the respirable fraction (PM4, <4 µm), while visible impurities were associated with microbial contamination. These findings suggest that sensory attributes such as odor and impurity are valuable indicators of hay hygiene. Structured protocols for sensory examination may offer a simple and cost-effective tool for assessing hay quality in equine environments. Full article

Introduction: People who exercise outdoors in urban environments may inhale increased amounts of polluted air due to temporary respiratory changes induced by physical activity. The objective of this scoping review was to map the physiological, morphological, and/or functional responses of the respiratory system to air pollution in healthy adults who exercise outdoors in urban environments. Methods: This review was conducted following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A comprehensive search of Medline (PubMed), Redalyc, Scielo, and Web of Science was conducted to identify clinical trials, quasi-experimental studies, and cross-sectional studies published in the last 10 years in English. Studies with healthy adult participants engaged in outdoor physical activity in urban environments were included. Texts with participants with preexisting respiratory diseases, elite athletes, animal models, and computer simulations were excluded. Results: The most frequently reported air pollutants were PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and ozone (O₃); the most common forms of exercise were walking, running, and cycling. Exposure to air pollutants during physical activity was associated with reductions in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁), as well as increases in the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and proinflammatory biomarkers. Conclusion: The findings indicated that there are modifications in lung function in those who exercise outdoors. However, the association between these respiratory responses and air pollution was not statistically significant in most cases. Some authors suggested that the health benefits of physical activity could mitigate the harmful effects of air pollution. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and inhalable particulate matter levels with a diameter of at most 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) on neonatal mortality rates across 88 countries, building upon an extensive amount of literature highlighting the harmful effects of air pollution on health. We categorize the countries based on their levels of CO₂ emissions and PM2.5 pollution as high versus low emitters, showing a statistically significant disparity in the average neonatal mortality rates between countries with high and low levels of CO₂ and PM2.5. Further exploring the underlying factors influencing the neonatal mortality rate within each group with the help of regression analysis, we identified several significant socioeconomic, environmental, and health-related factors affecting the neonatal mortality rate. Our findings highlight urgent public health concerns toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3, at a country level that address health-related issues in varying contexts of environmental pollution. Full article

Particulate matter, particularly PM_2.5, poses a significant threat to public health due to its ability to disperse widely and its detrimental impact on the respiratory and circulatory systems upon inhalation. Consequently, it is imperative to maintain regular monitoring and assessment of particulate matter levels to anticipate air pollution events and promptly mitigate their adverse effects. However, predicting air quality is inherently complex, given the multitude of variables that influence it. Deep learning models, renowned for their ability to capture nonlinear relationships, offer a promising approach to address this challenge, with hybrid architectures demonstrating enhanced performance. This study aims to develop and evaluate a hybrid model integrating Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) for forecasting PM_2.5 levels in India, Milan, and Frankfurt. A comparative analysis with established deep learning and machine learning techniques substantiates the superior predictive capabilities of the proposed CNN-RNN model. The findings underscore its potential as an effective tool for air quality prediction, with implications for informed decision-making and proactive intervention strategies to safeguard public health. Full article

Particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals (HMs) present in polluted air are strongly associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases. In our study, we grouped cities based on their pollution levels using a method called Ward’s cluster analysis and looked at the increased cancer risk from PM₁₀-bound harmful substances for adult men and women living in Polish cities. The analysis was based on data from 8 monitoring stations where concentrations of PM₁₀, PAHs, and HMs were measured simultaneously between 2018 and 2022. The cluster analysis made it possible to distinguish three separate agglomeration clusters: cluster I (Upper Silesia, Wroclaw) with the highest concentrations of heavy metals and PAHs, with mean levels of lead 14.97 ± 7.27 ng·m⁻³, arsenic 1.73 ± 0.60 ng·m⁻³, nickel 1.77 ± 0.95 ng·m⁻³, cadmium 0.49 ± 0.28 ng·m⁻³, and ∑PAHs 15.53 ± 6.44 ng·m⁻³, cluster II (Warsaw, Łódź, Lublin, Cracow) with dominant road traffic emissions and low emissions, with average levels of lead 8.00 ± 3.14 ng·m⁻³, arsenic 0.70 ± 0.17 ng·m⁻³, nickel 1.64 ± 0.96 ng·m⁻³, and cadmium 0.49 ± 0.28 ng·m⁻³, and cluster III (Szczecin, Tricity) with the lowest concentration levels with favourable ventilation conditions. All calculated ILCR values were in the range of 1.20 × 10⁻⁶ to 1.11 × 10⁻⁵, indicating a potential cancer risk associated with long-term exposure. The highest ILCR values were reached in Upper Silesia and Wroclaw (cluster I), and the lowest in Tricity, which was classified in cluster III. Our findings suggest that there are continued preventive actions and stricter air quality control. The results confirm that PM₁₀ is a significant carrier of airborne carcinogens and should remain a priority in both environmental and public health policy. Full article

The study presents an analysis of the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 µm (PM₁₀) in the air across various locations, as well as their impact on human health. Research in this area was conducted at eight stations as part of the national environmental monitoring system run in Poland by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection. Daily measurement data of PM₁₀ and the concentrations of PAHs associated with these particles were analyzed for the period from January to December 2023. The results showed that pollutant concentrations in the atmosphere vary depending on location, season, and meteorological conditions. The highest concentrations were observed during the winter season, when the combustion of solid fuels increases, while the lowest concentrations were recorded in the summer. The total concentration of PAHs ranged from 0.35 to 34.50 ng/m³. The annual average concentration of PM₁₀ at the analyzed stations was 19.29 ± 3.01 µg/m³. Principal component analysis indicated that PAHs in the air primarily originate from emissions related to transportation, biomass combustion, and industry. Furthermore, the estimated health risk, considering the Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) index, showed that the risk of cancer associated with inhaling PAHs by children and adults did not exceed the permissible limits. The main contributor to the total carcinogenic activity of the PAH mixture was benzo(b)fluorantene (BbF) (31.5%), followed by benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) (5.5%), indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (IP) (18.2%), benzo(j)fluorantene (BjF) (12.9%), benzo(k)fluorantene (BkF) (8.5%), benzo(a)anthracene (BaA) (2.5%), and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (DBahA) (1.0%). Full article