Perceptions of air pollution during the work-related commute by adults in Queensland,Australia

BackgroundThis study examines perceived health effect risks from air pollution during the work-related commute by socio-demographic and travel mode variables.MethodsPopulation-representative survey data were collected by telephone from 745 adults from Queensland, Australia. Variables assessed included socio-demographics, usual work travel mode, commute perceptions, and perceived health effects associated with air pollution during the work-related commute.ResultsApproximately 45% of the sample perceived air pollution negatively affected health outcomes when commuting to/from work, yet only 13% recognised air pollution as a major barrier to walking or cycling to/from work. No relationships existed between usual travel mode to/from work and perceived health risks associated with air pollution. Those higher educated or living in major cities were more likely to recognise air pollution harmed their health during their work-related commute when compared to respective referent categories (p ≤ 0.05).ConclusionsRecognition of health risks from air pollution during the work-related commute was high, and awareness did not differ by travel mode. For the majority, air pollution was not a primary barrier for walking or cycling to/from work.     

Quantification and Analysis of Airborne Bacterial Characteristics in a Nursing Care Institution

ABSTRACT

Indoor air quality has become a critical issue because people spend most of their time in the indoor environment. The factors that influence indoor air quality are very important to environmental sanitation and air quality improvement. This study focuses on monitoring air quality, colony counts, and bacteria species of the indoor air of a nursing care institution. The regular colony counts in two different wards range from 55 to 600 cfu m^?3. Regression analysis results indicate that the bacterial colony counts have close correlation with relative humidity or carbon dioxide (CO₂) but not with carbon monoxide (CO) or ozone (O₃). Real-time PCR was used to quantify the bacterial pathogens of nosocomial infection, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. The most abundant bacteria species in the air of the nursing care institution is E. coli.

IMPLICATIONS Indoor temperature, humidity, ventilation, accumulation of biological pollutants, and potential infection problems will seriously affect the indoor environments. Studying these factors is important to indoor environmental sanitation and air quality improvements. Results of using real-time PCR to evaluate the bacterial pathogens of nosocomial infection for a nursing care institution in Taiwan reveal that the main bacteria species existing in the indoor air is E. coli.     

The Silver Valley Lead Study:The Relationship between Childhood Blood Lead Levels and Environmental Exposure

This paper is directed to those persons concerned with the relationship between blood lead levels and environmental exposures to lead. Information presented in this paper represents one of the largest collections of epidemiologica! data relating blood lead levels to environmental exposures. The observed annual average ambient air lead concentration ranged from approximately 0.5 ng Pb/m³ to 23 ng Pb/m³, while lead in soil ranged from 50-24,600 ppm. Blood lead levels of children (ages 1-9 years) are related to a host of environmental variables via regression techniques. Blood lead levels were found to be most influenced by five variables. These variables are: ambient air lead, soil lead, age of the child, dustiness of the home, and occupational status of the parents. It is concluded, based upon the results of this study, that any environmental control strategy should address both the air and the soil. Soil levels in excess of 1000 ppm lead as well as air lead levels greater than 2 jug Pb/m³, 30 day average, were found to be unacceptable.     

Development of Instrumentation for Continuous On-line Monitoring of Non-Methane Organic Carbon in Air Emissions

ABSTRACT

Non-methane organic carbon (NMOC) is a measure of total organic carbon in an air emission, excluding that from methane. Thus, it measures the total amount of carbon, irrespective of the structure and functional groups in the molecule. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 25 is used for quantification of NMOC in emission sources and in ambient air. This method involves laboratory analysis of collected air samples and cannot be used for real-time measurements. It is prone to interferences from CO₂, CH₄, and CO, as well as moisture. In this paper, a novel method for continuous, on-line monitoring of NMOC in air emissions and ambient air is presented. Detection limits are at ppb levels, and interference of permanent gases have been eliminated.     

Extended effects of air pollution on cardiopulmonary mortality in Vienna

BackgroundCurrent standards for fine particulates and nitrogen dioxide are under revision. Patients with cardiovascular disease have been identified as the largest group which need to be protected from effects of urban air pollution.MethodsWe sought to estimate associations between indicators of urban air pollution and daily mortality using time series of daily TSP, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, NO₂, SO₂, O₃ and nontrauma deaths in Vienna (Austria) 2000–2004. We used polynomial distributed lag analysis adjusted for seasonality, daily temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure and incidence of influenza as registered by sentinels.ResultsAll three particulate measures and NO₂ were associated with mortality from all causes and from ischemic heart disease and COPD at all ages and in the elderly. The magnitude of the effect was largest for PM_2.5 and NO₂. Best predictor of mortality increase lagged 0–7 days was PM_2.5 (for ischemic heart disease and COPD) and NO₂ (for other heart disease and all causes). Total mortality increase, lagged 0–14 days, per 10 μg m⁻³ was 2.6% for PM_2.5 and 2.9% for NO₂, mainly due to cardiopulmonary and cerebrovascular causes.ConclusionAcute and subacute lethal effects of urban air pollution are predicted by PM_2.5 and NO₂ increase even at relatively low levels of these pollutants. This is consistent with results on hospital admissions and the lack of a threshold. While harvesting (reduction of mortality after short increase due to premature deaths of most sensitive persons) seems to be of minor importance, deaths accumulate during 14 days after an increase of air pollutants. The limit values for PM_2.5 and NO₂ proposed for 2010 in the European Union are unable to prevent serious health effects.     

Selected International Receptor-Based Air Quality Standards

Abstract

The ambient air quality standards (AAQS) of twenty-one nations for eight commonly regulated substances are presented. Many countries are adding a receptor-based component to their air quality management, which traditionally have been emission oriented. Automation of air quality monitoring stations has meant that local air quality evaluation can now be more easily achieved. However, a majority of countries have no active air quality standards (emission or receptor-based) or ambient air quality monitoring. One possible monitoring procedure is outlined and the variation in international standards is discussed.     

Technical Session Preliminary Schedule Announced for 1988 APCA Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT

Stable heterogeneous catalysts for the oxidative removal of CO from air at ambient temperatures have been developed. An alumina support impregnated with PdCl₂, CuCl₂, and CuSO₄ is described. Optimal activity was obtained with Pd 0.020 mol/kg, Cu 0.50 mol/kg, CuCl₂ 20-30% of total Cu, a 2- to 24-hr soak, filtration of surplus raffinate, and a 2- to 4-hr firing in air at 200-350 °C. The catalysts are effective at 20-26 °C and relative humidities in the 15-90% range. They are reversibly deactivated by completely dry or water-saturated air streams. These catalysts have been tested at space velocities up to 30,000 hr^-1. In contact with <100 ppm CO, they are highly efficient, removing ~99% of the CO with contact times of ~120 msec (pseudo-first order k' > 25 sec^-1). At much higher CO concentrations, the maximum CO loading rate—limited by the Cu(I) reoxidation rate—is approximately 17 m mol CO per Limol Pd per hour.     

Predicting black smoke levels from deposit gauge and SO2 data to estimate long-term exposure in the United Kingdom, 1956–1961

BackgroundIn the UK air quality has been monitored systematically since 1914, providing valuable data for studies of the long-term trends in air pollution and potentially for studies of health effects of air pollutants. There are, however, challenges in interpreting these data due to changes over time in the number and location of monitored sites, and in monitoring techniques. Particulate matter was measured as deposited matter (DM) using deposit gauge monitors until the 1950s when black smoke (BS) filters were introduced. Estimating long-term exposure to particulates using data from both deposit gauge and BS monitors requires an understanding of the relationships between DM, SO₂ and BS.AimsTo explore whether DM and/or SO₂, along with seasonal and location specific variables can be used to predict BS levels.MethodsAir quality data were abstracted from hard copies of the monthly Atmospheric Pollution Bulletins for the period April 1956–March 1961 for any sites with co-located DM, SO₂ and BS data for three or more consecutive years. The relationships between DM, SO₂, and BS were assessed using mixed models.ResultsThere were 34 eligible sites giving 1521 triplets of data. There was a consistent correlation between SO₂ and BS at all sites, but the association between DM and BS was less clear and varied by location. Mixed modelling allowing for repeat measurements at each site revealed that SO₂, year, rainfall and season of measurement explained 72% of the variability in BS levels.ConclusionsSO₂ can be used as a surrogate measure for BS in all monitoring locations. This surrogate can be improved upon by consideration of site specific characteristics, seasonal effects, rainfall and year of measurement. These findings will help in estimating historic, long-term exposure to particulates where BS or other measures are not available.     

Analysis of Atmospheric Conditions during Air Pollution Episodes in Ankara,Turkey

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the meteorological conditions that are associated with strong air pollution episodes in Ankara, Turkey. Based on climatological and air quality data [SO₂ and TSP (total suspended par-ticulates)] obtained for the winter months during 19891994, the analysis showed that the presence of weak atmospheric pressure gradients and warm air advection were the most important factors leading to high SO₂ and TSP concentrations. In addition, the onset of the high air pollution episodes was generally associated with a trend toward negative vorticity at the 850-hPa level.     

Variation of the Relative Humidity of Air Released from Canisters after Ambient Sampling

ABSTRACT

Dalton's law of partial pressures and the hypothesis that water vapor equilibrium in a canister is identical to that established above liquid water are used to predict the variation of the percent relative humidity (%RH) of air released from canisters used in ambient air sampling, typically 6-L canisters pressurized with 18 L of air. When (and if) the water vapor partial pressure in a canister exceeds its saturation vapor pressure, water vapor condensation begins and the condensation rate equals the sampling rate of water vapor into the canister. Under constant temperature conditions, the air subsequently released from the canister is less humid than the original sample, following the relationship %RH = 100% (6 L/V_s) for V_s> V_r, where V_s is the residual air volume (referenced to atmospheric pressure), and V_r is shown to depend on the %RH of the ambient air sample. V_r is the residual air volume at which water is completely removed (except for adsorbed water vapor) from the canister wall. For V_s < V_r, the predicted %RH is constant and equal to its value at V_r. Experimental values agree reasonably well with predictions at both high (90%) and low (34%) RH. However, experimental values are often slightly displaced (usually towards lower values of %RH) for mid-range %RH (61%) and variations in %RH near V_r change from canister to canister.     

Contribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas to Air Pollution in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City

ABSTRACT

An estimation of hydrocarbon emissions caused by the consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (MAMC) is presented. On the basis of experimental measurements at all points of handling, during the distribution process, and during the consumption of LPG in industrial devices and domestic appliances, an estimated 76,414 tons/year are released to the air. The most important contribution is found during the domestic consumption of LPG (70%); this makes the control initiatives available to the consumer. By developing a control program of LPG losses, a 77% reduction in emission is expected in a 5-yr period.

The calculated amounts of LPG emissions when correlated with the consumption of LPG, combined with information from air samples from the MAMC, do not point to LPG emissions as the most important factor contributing to tropospheric ozone in the air in Mexico City.     

An Air Quality Modeling Study Comparing Two Possible Sites for the New International Airport for Mexico City

Abstract

Using an air quality model, two future urban scenarios induced by the construction of the new international airport for Mexico City are compared at a regional level. The air quality model couples the meteorology model MM5 and state-of-the-art photochemistry. The air quality comparison is made using metrics for the criterion gases selected for the study. From the two urban scenarios compared, the option for Tizayuca is moderately better than the option for Texcoco, because relative reductions in O₃ and other photochemical pollutants are achieved over highly populated areas. Regardless of the site, the air quality for the central region of Mexico in the future will deteriorate. In the region of central Mexico, SO₂ and NO₂ will become important pollutants.     

A reanalysis of fine particulate matter air pollution versus life expectancy in the United States

A reduction in population exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) has been associated with improvements in life expectancy. This article presents a reanalysis of this relationship and comments on the results from a study on the reduction of ambient air PM_2.5 concentrations versus life expectancy in metropolitan areas of the United States. The results of the reanalysis show that the statistical significance of the correlation is lost after removing one of the metropolitan areas from the regression analysis, suggesting that the results may not be suitable for a meaningful and reliable inference.

Implications: The observed loss of statistical significance in the correlation between the reduction of ambient air PM_2.5 concentrations and life expectancy in metropolitan areas of the United States, after removing one of the metropolitan areas from the regression analysis, may raise concern for the policymakers in decisions regarding further reductions in permitted levels of air pollution emissions.     

A chemical residue survey in relation to the 1930 spruce budworm spray program in New Brunswick (Canada)

Abstract

This paper describes the results from a pesticide residue survey conducted in relation to the 1980 spraying of insecticides in New Brunswick (Canada) to preserve the coniferous forest from an on‐going spruce buciworm infestation. A total of 465 water and air samples were collected from 12 sites throughout the Province.

In water, fenitrothion was usually detected at about the same time that spraying occurred in the immediate area of the sites. The maximum that was ever detected was 2 0.0 ppb and persistence was usually United to a few days except in a small pond where fenitrothion was detected for a total of 18 consecutive days. Aminofenitrothion was also detected at a maximum of 8.0 ppb.

Fenitrothion was only detected occasionally in air samples the maximum being 1.2 ng/dm³. However, aminofenitrothion was present in several air samples at c. maximum of 12.0 ng/dm ³.     

Comment on “Measuring Air Quality Levels Inexpensively at Multiple Locations by Random Sampling”

ABSTRACT

In order to evaluate the spatial variation of aerosol (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm [PM₁₀]) and ozone (O₃) concentrations and characterize the atmospheric conditions that lead to O₃ and PM₁₀-rich episodes in southern Italy during summer 2007, an intensive sampling campaign was simultaneously performed, from middle of July to the end of August, at three ground-based sites (marine, urban, and high-altitude monitoring stations) in Calabria region. A cluster analysis, based on the prevailing air mass backward trajectories, was performed, allowing to discriminate the contribution of different air masses origin and paths. Results showed that both PM₁₀ and O₃ levels reached similar high values when air masses originated from the industrialized continental Europe as well as under the influence of wildfire emissions. Among natural sources, dust intrusion and wildfire events seem to involve a marked impact on the recorded data. Typical fair weather of Mediterranean summer and persisting anticyclone system at synoptic scale were indeed favorable conditions to the arrival of heavily dust-loaded air masses over three periods of consecutive days and more than half of the observed PM₁₀ daily exceedances have been attributed to Saharan dust events. During the identified dust outbreaks, a consistent increase in PM₁₀ levels with a concurrent decrease in O₃ values was also observed and discussed.

IMPLICATIONS In the summertime, the central-southern Mediterranean Basin is heavily affected by Saharan dust outbreaks and wildfire events. A focus on their significant influence on either oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere and air quality over Calabria, southern Italy, was here presented. Similar studies for most regions surrounding the Mediterranean Basin are needed to implement effective emission reduction measures, to prevent apparent air quality parameter exceedances and to define an appropriate health alert system. Because the frequency of these events is expected to increase due to climate change, these studies could even be a valid effort to better understand and characterize such atmospheric variations.     

Characterization of Air Quality Problems in Five Finnish Indoor Ice Arenas

ABSTRACT

The air quality in five Finnish ice arenas with different volumes, ventilation systems, and resurfacer power sources (propane, gasoline, electric) was monitored during a usual training evening and a standardized, simulated ice hockey game. The measurements included continuous recording of carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations, and sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Emissions from the ice resurfacers with combustion engines caused indoor air quality problems in all ice arenas. The highest 1-hour average CO and NO₂ concentrations ranged from 20 to 33 mg/m³ (17 to 29 ppm) and 270 to 7440 µg/m³ (0.14 to 3.96 ppm), respectively. The 3-hour total VOC concentrations ranged from 150 to 1200 µg/m³. The highest CO and VOC levels were measured in the arena in which a gasoline-fueled resurfacer was used. The highest NO₂ levels were measured in small ice arenas with propane-fueled ice resurfacers and insufficient ventilation.

In these arenas, the indoor NO₂ levels were about 100 times the levels measured in ambient outdoor air, and the highest 1-hour concentrations were about 20 times the national and World Health Organization (WHO) health-based air quality guidelines. The air quality was fully acceptable only in the arena with an electric resurfacer. The present study showed that the air quality problems of indoor ice arenas may vary with the fuel type of resurfacer and the volume and ventilation of arena building. It also confirmed that there are severe air quality problems in Finnish ice arenas similar to those previously described in North America.     

Conjunctive Use of Models to Design Cost-Effective Ozone Control Strategies

Abstract

The management of tropospheric ozone (O₃) is particularly difficult. The formulation of emission control strategies requires considerable information including: (1) emission inventories, (2) available control technologies, (3) meteorological data for critical design episodes, and (4) computer models that simulate atmospheric transport and chemistry. The simultaneous consideration of this information during control strategy design can be exceedingly difficult for a decision-maker. Traditional management approaches do not explicitly address cost minimization. This study presents a new approach for designing air quality management strategies; a simple air quality model is used conjunctively with a complex air quality model to obtain low-cost management strategies. A simple air quality model is used to identify potentially good solutions, and two heuristic methods are used to identify cost-effective control strategies using only a small number of simple air quality model simulations. Subsequently, the resulting strategies are verified and refined using a complex air quality model. The use of this approach may greatly reduce the number of complex air quality model runs that are required. An important component of this heuristic design framework is the use of the simple air quality model as a screening and exploratory tool. To achieve similar results with the simple and complex air quality models, it may be necessary to “tweak” or calibrate the simple model. A genetic algorithm-based optimization procedure is used to automate this tweaking process. These methods are demonstrated to be computationally practical using two realistic case studies, which are based on data from a metropolitan region in the United States.     

An Air Pollution Modeling Study Using Three Surface Coverings Near the New International Airport of Mexico City

Abstract

The dry lakebed of what once was the lake of Texcoco is the location selected for the New International Airport of Mexico City. This project will generate an important urban development near the airport with regional implications on air quality. Using a prognostic air quality model, the consequences of photochemical air pollution in the metropolitan area of Mexico City resulting from three possible coverings for the areas of the lakebed that are not occupied by the runway and terminal building are investigated. These coverings are desert, grassland, and water and occupy an area of 63 km². This study is based on a representative high pollution episode. In addition to reducing the emission of primary natural particles, the water covering generates a land-water breeze capable of maintaining enough ventilation to reduce pollutant concentrations over a localized region of the metropolitan area and may enhance the wind speed on the coasts of the proposed lake.     

Microwave Regeneration of Activated Carbon Used for Removal of Solvents from Vented Air

ABSTRACT

A microwave regeneration of activated carbon used to remove organic solvents from vented air has been investigated. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), acetone, and tetrachloroethylene (TCE) vapors were removed from vented air through adsorption onto granular activated carbon. The saturated carbon was then regenerated in a microwave field, where the solvent was quickly desorbed and recovered from the inner pores of the carbon granules. The microwave-induced regeneration restored the original adsorption capacity and surface area of the activated carbon.     

Analysis of Air Quality Observations with the Aid of the Source-Receptor Relationship Approach

Abstract

In this study, an attempt was made to analyze time series of air quality measurements (O₃, SO₂, SO₄ ^2?NO_x) conducted at a remote place in the eastern Mediterranean (Finokalia at Crete Island in 1999) to obtain concrete information on potential contributions from emission sources. For the definition of a source-receptor relationship, advanced meteorological and dispersion models appropriate to identify “areas of influence” have been used. The model tools used are the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System and the Lagrangian-type particle dispersion model (forward and backward in time), with capabilities to derive influence functions and definition of “areas of influence.” When high levels of pollutants have been measured at the remote location of Finokalia, particles are released from this location (receptor) and traced backward in time. The influence function derived from particle distributions characterizes dispersion conditions in the atmosphere and also provides information on potential contributions from emission sources within the modeling domain to this high concentration. As was shown in the simulation results, the experimental site of Finokalia in Crete is influenced during the selected case studies, primarily by pollutants emitted from the urban conglomerate of Athens. Secondarily, it is influenced by polluted air masses arriving from Italy and/or the Black Sea Region. For some specific cases, air pollutants monitored at Finokalia were possibly related to war activities in the West Balkan Region (Kosovo).