Airborne Cladosporium and other fungi in damp versus reference residences

Our previous study (Nevalainen et al., 1991, Envir. Int.17, 299–302) showed that airborne counts of total viable fungal spores in damp residences did not remarkably differ from those in reference residences. The results of the present study confirmed this finding. Indoor air spore counts varied considerably from residence to residence and even within the same residence. Thus, the counts were only occasionally high in the damp residences. Counts of airborne Cladosporium spp. spores and yeast cells were significantly higher in the damp residences than in the reference ones. The difference of yeast cell counts between the residence groups was explained by the difference in outdoor air, whereas Cladosporium spp. spores were mainly derived from indoors. Prevalence of Aspergillus spp. spores was also slightly higher in the damp residences than in the reference ones.     

Significance of air humidity and air velocity for fungal spore release into the air

Our previous field studies have shown that the presence of molds in buildings does not necessarily mean elevated airborne spore counts. Therefore, we investigated the release of fungal spores from cultures of Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium sp. and Cladosporium sp. at different air velocities and air humidities. Spores of A. fumigatus and Penicillium sp. were released from conidiophores already at air velocity of 0.5 ms⁻¹, whereas Cladosporium spores required at least a velocity of 1.0 ms⁻¹. Airborne spore counts of A. fumigatus and Penicillium sp. were usually higher in dry than moist air, being minimal at relative humidities (r.h.) above 70%, while the effect of r.h. on the release of Cladosporium sp. was ambivalent. The geometric mean diameter of released spores increased when the r.h. exceeded a certain level which depends on fungal genus. Thus, spores of all three fungi were hygroscopic but the hygroscopicity of various spores appeared at different r.h.-ranges. This study indicates that spore release is controlled by external factors and depends on fungal genus which can be one reason for considerable variation of airborne spore counts in buildings with mold problems.     

Fungal microcolonies on indoor surfaces — an explanation for the base-level fungal spore counts in indoor air

In the subarctic winter, fungal spores are found in indoor air even when outdoor spore levels are very low. The results of this study support an explanation that some indoor airborne fungal spores are derived from unnoticeable fungal microcolonies, which may develop on temporarily wet surfaces. Laboratory experiments on Penicillium verrucosum indicated that the fungus germinated on new wallpaper very quickly (about half an hour) under moist conditions. Hyphal growth and sporulation of the fungus on moist wallpaper occured within one day of incubation. In gravity-settling tape samples from occasionally wet surfaces in a suburban home, large spore aggregates, hyphal fragments with some spores and spores in the germination stage were found, indicating fungal growth. These experiments showed that fungal microcolonies can develop within a week on occasionally wet indoor surfaces.     

Health hazards related to conidia of Cladosporium—biological air pollutants in Poland, central Europe

The spores of Cladosporium Link. are often present in the air in high quantities and produce many allergenic proteins, which may lead to asthma. An aerobiological spore monitoring program can inform patients about the current spore concentration in air and help their physicians determine the spore dose that is harmful for a given individual. This makes it possible to develop optimized responses and propose personalized therapy for a particular sensitive patient. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of the human health hazard posed by the fungal genus Cladosporium. For the first time, we have determined the number of days on which air samples in Poland exceeded the concentrations linked to allergic responses of sensitive patients, according to thresholds established by three different groups(2800/3000/4000 spores per 1 m~3 of the air). The survey was conducted over three consecutive growing seasons(April–September, 2010–2012) in three cities located in different climate zones of Poland(Poznan, Lublin and Rzeszow). The average number of days exceeding 2800 spores per cubic meter(the lowest threshold) ranged from 61(2010) through 76(2011) to 93(2012), though there was significant variation between cities. In each year the highest concentration of spores in the air was detected in either Poznan or Lublin, both located on large plains with intensive agriculture. We have proposed that an effective, science-based software platform to support policy-making on air quality should incorporate biological air pollutant data,such as allergenic fungal spores and pollen grains.     

Comparison of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution in Chinese and Japanese residential air

Comparative studies on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution in residential air of Hangzhou (China) and Shizuoka (Japan) were conducted in summer (August, 2006) and winter (January, 2007). Total concentrations of 8 PAHs ranged from 7.1 to 320 ng/m³ and 0.15 to 35 ng/m³ in residential air of Hangzhou and Shizuoka, respectively. Air PAH concentrations in smoking houses were higher than that in nonsmoking houses. In nonsmoking houses, mothball emission and cooking practice were the emission sources of 2- and 3-ring PAHs in Hangzhou, respectively. The 2- and 3-ring PAHs were from use of insect repellent, kerosene heating and outdoor environment in nonsmoking houses in Shizuoka. The 5- and 6-ring PAHs in residential air were mainly from outdoor environment in both cities. Toxicity potencies of PAHs in residential air of Hangzhou were much higher than that in Shizuoka.     

Arthropods associated with fungal galls: do large galls support more abundant and diverse inhabitants?

Fungus-induced galls can attract spore-feeding arthropods as well as gall-feeding ones, resulting in diverse communities. Do large fungal galls support more abundant and diverse arthropod communities than small fungal galls? To address this question, we investigated the structure of the arthropod community associated with bud galls induced by the fungus Melanopsichium onumae on the tree species Cinnamomum yabunikkei (Lauraceae) in central Japan. Thirteen species of arthropods were associated with M. onumae galls. Dominant arthropod species were represented by the larvae of a salpingid beetle (a spore feeder), a nitidulid beetle (a spore feeder), a cosmopterigid moth (a spore feeder), an unidentified moth (a gall tissue feeder), and a drosophilid species (a gall tissue feeder). Arthropod abundance and species richness were positively correlated with gall diameter. The majority of the most abundant species were more frequently found in large galls than in small ones, indicating that large fungal galls, which have more food and/or space for arthropods, could support a more abundant and diverse arthropod community.     

城市居家环境空气真菌群落结构特征研究

居室环境质量的优劣与人类健康密切相关.成年人约80%～90%的时间是在室内度过,而且现代人们的生活越来越离不开空调,由于人体、房间和空调机在室内会形成了一个封闭的循环系统,容易使细菌、病毒、霉菌等微生物大量繁衍.因此,百货商场、学校教室、办公室和现代住宅等近年来成为了室内环境空气质量的研究热点.在北京市5个方向(东南西北中)共选取31户具有小孩的家庭于2009年11月～2010年10月进行试验,研究了城市居家环境空气真菌的群落结构特征.结果表明,从分离的225株空气真菌中共鉴定出24属,从鉴定出现的次数来看,其优势真菌属依次为青霉属(Penicillium)、枝孢属(Cladosporium)、曲霉属(Aspergillus)、链格孢属(Alternaria)和茎点霉属(Phoma),其中青霉属出现的次数占分离菌株总数的36%.居家环境中青霉属、枝孢属、曲霉属、链格孢属、丛梗孢属(Monilia)的出现频率较高,其中青霉属的出现频率在90%以上;浓度百分比较高的真菌依次为青霉属、枝孢属、曲霉属、无孢菌和链格孢属,它们浓度总和约占总浓度的65.0%及以上,其中青霉属浓度百分比为32.2%.在北京市取样的31户家庭中,空气真菌浓度范围为62～3 498 CFU.m-3,平均值为837 CFU.m-3.空气真菌总浓度与枝孢属、曲霉属、链格孢属浓度的季节变化特征基本一致,夏季明显高于春季、秋季和冬季(P<0.05*),冬季浓度最低,而青霉属浓度的季节变化则表现为春季较高,夏季、秋季和冬季没有显著差异(P>0.05*).北京市居家环境空气真菌浓度男孩家庭明显高于女孩家庭(P<0.05*),并且家庭空气真菌浓度与人均居住面积呈显著负相关.     

厦门冬春季大气VOCs的污染特征及臭氧生成潜势

2014年1~4月在厦门市城区和郊区开展冬春季节大气样品的采集,采用大气预浓缩系统与GC/MS联用技术定量了48种大气挥发性有机物(VOCs),对比分析了冬春季城区和郊区大气VOCs的污染特征,并利用最大增量反应活性(MIR)估算了大气VOCs的臭氧生成潜势(OFP).结果表明,冬季厦门城区和郊区大气中VOCs的平均体积分数分别为11.13×10-9和7.17×10-9,春季厦门城区和郊区大气中VOCs的平均体积分数分别为24.88×10-9和11.27×10-9,且均表现为烷烃芳香烃烯烃.通过B/T值探讨城区和郊区VOCs的来源发现,机动车和溶剂挥发是城区VOCs的主要来源,郊区VOCs除了局地源的贡献外,还受到外来污染物扩散传输的影响.城、郊区的主要VOCs包括丙烯、正丁烷、异丁烷、正戊烷、异戊烷、正己烷、苯、甲苯、乙苯和间对二甲苯,这10种组分对两地VOCs的贡献表现为春季(城区和郊区分别为62.83%和53.74%)高于冬季(城区和郊区分别为61.57%和45.83%).城、郊区VOCs的臭氧生成潜势分析显示,芳香烃的相对贡献率最大,其次是烯烃,烷烃最小.C3、C4类烯烃和苯系物是厦门城区和郊区活性较高的物种,对臭氧的贡献较大.比较观测期间城区和郊区VOCs的平均MIR值可知,郊区VOCs的活性高于城区.     

户用沼气池建设对改善农村生态环境效果分析

通过对河南省9个县(市)中9个乡(镇)的非沼气户和沼气户土壤、地表径流和室内空气进行监测,定量对比分析了户用沼气池建设对农村生态环境改善效果。结果显示,沼气户土壤中的速效磷、速效钾、有机质和全氮含量要高于非沼气户,且"四位一体"生态模式沼气户土壤中4种养分含量明显高于"三位一体"生态模式;沼气户地表径流中的COD、NH₃-N、 TP浓度均低于非沼气户;沼气户室内空气中的CO、SO₂、NH₃、PM₁₀浓度均低于非沼气户,且室内空气中的4项污染物浓度随季节变化而不同。这说明户用沼气池建设对于增加土壤养分、减轻农村面源污染、改善农户居住环境、实现节能减排效果显著。     

室内环境与高龄者血压的关联性——以大连市供暖季为例

对中国大连市供暖季住宅室内环境与高龄者血压的关联性进行了调查研究，具体包括住宅热湿环境（温度、相对湿度）、化学污染（CO₂、CO、甲醛和TVOC）、物理污染（PM_2.5）和生物污染（附着真菌）与高龄者血压的关联性.研究表明，城市和农村住宅供热方式不同是导致住宅室内热环境舒适度差异的主要原因.在大连农村，处于室外的厕所与室内形成的大温差使得农村高龄者患心血管疾病的诱发风险比城市更高.城市高龄者的平均血压比农村低且波动小.城市住宅室内温湿度与血压均存在关联（P<0.01），农村室内温湿度对血压的影响程度不如城市明显.另外，室内空气质量参数并未发现与血压存在显著关联.     

河南省北部区域霾污染过程中城市和农村点位PM2.5组分差异

近年来,我国京津冀及其周边地区暴发了多次霾污染过程,受观测仪器等因素的限制,尚未有对河南省北部城市和农村霾污染的对比研究.利用一系列在线高时间分辨率的观测仪器在河南省2个城市点位和3个农村点位对一次区域重污染过程(2018年1月12～25日)进行综合观测.结果表明SO₄^2-、 NO^-₃和NH⁺₄(SNA)是此次区域污染过程中5个点位PM_2.5中占比最高的组分,位于53%～63%之间,以NO^-₃为主24%～32%,其次为SO₄^2-(13%～17%).相较于城市点位,农村点位PM_2.5中有机物的占比更高,尤其是夜间.随着污染的加重,SNA的占比上升,重污染时段可达67%.此外,当区域受南部气团的传输影响时,5个点位PM_2.5中NO^-₃的占比增大;受北和东北部气团的传...     

Potential bioremediation of mercury-contaminated substrate using filamentous fungi isolated from forest soil

The use of filamentous fungi in bioremediation of heavy metal contamination has been developed recently. This research aims to observe the capability of filamentous fungi isolated from forest soil for bioremediation of mercury contamination in a substrate. Six fungal strains were selected based on their capability to grow in 25 mg/L Hg2+-contaminated potato dextrose agar plates. Fungal strain KRP1 showed the highest ratio of growth diameter, 0.831, thus was chosen for further observation.Identification based on colony and cell morphology carried out by 18S rRNA analysis gave a 98%match to Aspergillus flavus strain KRP1. The fungal characteristics in mercury(Ⅱ) contamination such as range of optimum pH, optimum temperature and tolerance level were 5.5–7 and 25–35℃ and 100 mg/L respectively. The concentration of mercury in the media affected fungal growth during lag phases. The capability of the fungal strain to remove the mercury(Ⅱ) contaminant was evaluated in 100 mL sterile 10 mg/L Hg2+-contaminated potato dextrose broth media in 250 mL Erlenmeyer flasks inoculated with 108spore/mL fungal spore suspension and incubation at 30℃ for 7 days. The mercury(Ⅱ) utilization was observed for flasks shaken in a 130 r/min orbital shaker(shaken) and nonshaken flasks(static) treatments. Flasks containing contaminated media with no fungal spores were also provided as control. All treatments were done in triplicate. The strain was able to remove 97.50%and 98.73% mercury from shaken and static systems respectively. A. flavus strain KRP1 seems to have potential use in bioremediation of aqueous substrates containing mercury(Ⅱ) through a biosorption mechanism.     

Trends in urban air pollution in the United Kingdom during recent decades

Analyses of measurements and modelling studies show that SO₂ concentrations in most United Kingdom cities have decreased dramatically over the last 40 years. As a result, current concentrations do not provide an adequate picture of cumulative exposure of the built environment. Data for Lincoln Cathedral show that the current rate of exposure is about two-fifths of the average over the last four decades and that over the same period urban exposure was twice that in the surrounding countryside. Today, urban and rural exposures are similar. In contrast, urban NO_x concentrations have not declined, decreases in industrial emissions being approximately offset by increases in emissions from motor vehicles.     

Evaluating the influence of air pollution on solar radiation observations over the coastal region of Alicante (Southeastern Spain)

The present study evaluates ground-based downward surface shortwave radiation (R_s) over the coastal region of Alicante (Southeastern Spain). Hourly measurements collected over the eleven-year period 2010-2020 are used. Two weather stations located over the region capital, Alicante, have been selected as representative of urban and suburban typologies. Two additional weather stations far from the city have been selected representing rural typologies. R_s is significantly reduced over the urban station during the morning hours within the winter season compared to the observations recorded over the suburban and rural stations, with a global mean difference of -81 and -120 W/m² at 10 LT, respectively. However, no significant differences are obtained during the midday sun, with a global mean difference of -20 W/m² between the urban and rural stations. With the aim of explaining these differences, the current paper investigates the relationship between R_s and different air pollutants: NO_x, SO₂, and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) as well as the wind field measured at the urban and suburban stations. The results found in this work point towards a close relationship between R_s and NO_x concentrations annual cycles, which are also influenced by the prevailing wind circulations observed over the study area. A global mean NO_x concentration of 107 µg/m³ is observed over the urban station at 10 LT during the winter season. In contrast, these high concentrations are significantly reduced over the suburban station, with global mean value of 40 µg/m³ at 10 LT, for this period of the year.     

The urban climate of Shanghai

Shanghai is the most important industrial and commercial city in China in terms of population and building density, consumption of energy and development rate. Meteorological data from the urban Shanghai Central Observatory over the last 100 years are combined with similar 20-year data sets from 10 nearby suburban and rural stations to analyse climatic impacts from Shanghai's urbanization.Results show its urban heat island effect is large and has enhanced with time. The effect is more obvious in urban-rural differences of annual mean minimum temperatures than in annual mean temperatures. During recent decades, the urban centre of Shanghai has experienced lower wind speeds, lower humidity, fewer fog days, fewer sunny days, increased low cloudiness and increased overcast days. Concurrent variations at nearby rural stations were dissimilar. Solar radiation in urban Shanghai shows accelerating decreases of both direct solar radiation (S) and global radiation, but increase of both diffuse radiation (D) and average turbidity (D/S).     

北京市居家空气微生物污染特征

在北京市选取31户有1岁至10岁儿童的家庭进行空气微生物取样,系统研究了室内家庭空气微生物污染特征.结果表明,北京市居家环境空气微生物总浓度变化范围为269～13066 CFU·m-3,均值为2658 CFU· m-3,空气细菌浓度变化范围为47 ～ 12341 CFU·m-3,均值为1821 CFU·m-3,空气真菌浓度变化范围为62～3498 CFU·m-3,均值为837 CFU·m-3.空气细菌和真菌浓度百分比分别为61.0％和39.0％,细菌浓度明显高于真菌浓度.居家环境优势细菌属依次为微球菌属(Micrococcus)、芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、葡萄球菌属(Staphylococcus)和库克菌属(Kocuria),4属细菌百分比约占63.1％ ～70.9％,优势真菌属为青霉属(Penicillium)、枝孢属(Cladosporium)、曲霉属(Aspergillus)、链格孢属(Alternaria)和茎点霉属(Phoma),分别约占总数的36.0％、17.8％、9.3％、5.3％和3.6％.文中最后针对北京市居家环境空气微生物污染的现状及其来源,从宠物饲养、空调清理、室内外优良环境的保持及垃圾处理、室内花卉种植等方面提出了治理建议.     

Urban climate studies in Johannesburg,A sub-tropical city located on a ridge—A review

This paper summarizes three decades of urban climate studies in Johannesburg, South Africa, which is situated on a series of ridges, at an altitude of 1700 m. The first research phase, Near-ground data collection, started with an intensive mobile unit survey measuring wet- and dry-bulb temperatures at midday and near dawn. The results showed that during strong-inversion winter (dry season) nights, the strong heat island and humidity island situated in the city center is more than 11°C warmer than northern suburban valleys. With multiple regression methods the heat island magnitude was estimated to be about 5 K and the relative humidity was 43% lower than the rural areas (but the humidity mixing ratio island was 0.33 g kg⁻¹ higher than the rural areas).The second phase, Upper air studies, included helicopter, pibal and tethered balloons. Near-ground observations (temperature and wind) were constricted to valleys where anomalies were previously found. The main findings at this stage relate to the interaction between mountain/valley winds with country breezes their connection with cold and warm plumes over the ridges which are dominated by the vertical nocturnal wind shear.In the third phase, Remote sensing, in situ and mobile acoustic soundings were combined with the other upper air measurement. In addition, ground temperature variations in Johannesburg were estimated from airborne infrared scanner images. The spatial structure of the ground heat-island core shows a steep thermal gradient of about 600–700 m from the city center, comparable to the screen level temperature distribution obtained previously using a meteorological mobile unit.     

夏季长三角地区臭氧非线性响应曲面模型的建立及应用

2013年8月上旬,长三角地区发生了一次大范围高浓度臭氧污染事件.本研究基于WRF-CMAQ空气质量模型系统,结合长三角地区大气污染物排放清单,构建了臭氧与其前体物之间的非线性响应曲面模型(Response surface modeling,RSM).基于RSM探讨了长三角地区O_3化学的敏感性特征,分析了上海市O_3的来源并预测不同情景下O_3的变化,提出O_3污染的最优控制方案.研究结果表明,长三角地区夏季O3主控因素区域差别较大,上海环科院、杭州卧龙桥、南京玄武湖等城区点位属于VOC控制型;徐州铜山、合肥肥西、丽水青田等郊区属于NOx控制型.O_3的敏感性特征在不同浓度水平下也呈现较大差异,随着O_3浓度水平的升高,各地区NOx敏感性均有所增加.从区域来源来看,远距离传输对平日上海O_3贡献较大,占50%以上;而在O_3污染日,本地及区域贡献为72.1%,而远距离传输贡献下降至27.9%.快速预测了110组减排情景,表明在本地及区域前体物均减排70%的情况下,2013年8月上海O_3浓度能完全达标.     

哈尔滨市供暖期PM2.5组分特征及来源解析

在哈尔滨市2014年1—3月的供暖期间对城区、郊区及周边农村地区的室内外PM_2.5样品进行了同时采集,分析了样品中碳质组分、水溶性离子及无机元素后,通过颗粒物热力学模型计算了颗粒物原位酸度,并通过基于标记的正矩阵分解（PMF）模型对室内外颗粒物的来源进行了表征.计算结果表明,3个地点室外PM_2.5原位酸度均低于室内,且室内外颗粒物原位酸度均为市区最高.PMF结果表明,哈尔滨市区、郊区及农村地区二次源对室外PM_2.5的贡献均排第3位.交通源对市区及郊区的贡献在16%~20%,对于农村地区则是最弱的影响因素.生物质燃烧是农村地区室内外PM_2.5的首要来源;燃煤和工业排放则是市区室内外PM_2.5的主要来源;工业排放是郊区室外PM_2.5的首要来源,与郊区的石化及金属工业有密切联系.因此,为提升哈尔滨市供暖期的空气质量,在进行农村散煤与生物质燃烧治理,推进农村地区清洁能源利用的同时,应多措并举注重城市交通状况改善和促进燃煤锅炉与工业超低排放技术的升级改造,促进区域协同治理.     

环渤海地区2,4,4''-三氯联苯的多介质归趋模拟

为探究多氯联苯(PCBs)在环渤海地区的环境多介质迁移和归趋行为,本研究以2,4,4′-三氯联苯(PCB28)为目标污染物,基于区域尺度多介质城乡逸度模型,模拟了稳态条件下PCB28在各环境相中的浓度分布、总量分配以及相间迁移过程,并对模型的输入参数和输出结果分别进行了敏感性和不确定性分析.结果表明,PCB28在淡水、农村土壤、城市土壤和沉积物中的模拟浓度与实测浓度吻合较好,验证了模型的可靠性.PCB28在城市土壤中的浓度最大,浓度均值为5.26×10~(-6) mol·m~(-3),在农村大气中的浓度最小,浓度均值为5.79×10~(-14) mol·m~(-3).当环境系统达到平衡时,土壤是PCB28最主要的"汇",占其在环境中总储量的96.45%.大气相与其他环境相间的相互迁移过程是PCB28在环渤海地区进行空间迁移的主导过程.大气传输是PCB28最主要的入海途径,从农村大气到海水的迁移通量占总入海通量的97.22%.参数敏感性分析结果表明PCB28排放速率、栅格规模及与迁移速率相关的参数是影响大气相中PCB28浓度的关键参数.不确定性分析结果表明PCB28在农村大气和城市大气中的浓度分布都符合对数正态分布,其变异系数分别为0.44和0.41.