| 51. |
- Lovén, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Characterization of airborne particles from cleaning sprays and their corresponding respiratory deposition fractions
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1545-9624 .- 1545-9632. ; 16:9, s. 656-667
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cleaning workers are exposed to many risk factors, including handling of cleaning products. Epidemiological studies show that they have a high incidence of asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Some studies have indicated an even higher incidence of asthma in individuals using cleaning sprays regularly. It is known that sprays produce an aerosol that can expose the respiratory system to chemicals. Knowledge of the physical characteristics of the airborne particles, as well as the characteristics of the gas phase, is needed to determine how they affect the respiratory tract and why they cause airway symptoms. The aim of this study was to characterize the aerosols from seven different ready-to-use trigger cleaning sprays in terms of total airborne mass fraction, particle size distribution, and new particle formation from ozone reactions. An additional aim was to calculate the respiratory deposition fraction of the measured particles. The total airborne mass fraction was determined by comparing the mass deposited on the chamber wall with the mass emitted from the bottle during spraying. Particle number concentration and size distribution of the airborne particles were measured using an aerodynamic particle sizer and a fast aerosol mobility size spectrometer. The total airborne mass fraction was between 2.7% and 32.2% of the mass emitted from the bottle, depending on the product. Between 0.0001% and 0.01% of the total airborne mass fraction consisted of residual particles. However, these particles had a mass median aerodynamic diameter between 1.9 µm and 3.7 µm, constituting a total respiratory deposition of up to 77%. New particle formation in the presence of ozone was also shown to vary between 5,000 cm−3 and 35,000 cm−3 depending on the product, in the studied settings. These findings confirm that a substantial part (up to 1/3) of the mass sprayed from the bottle does not reach the intended surface. Thus, the use of cleaning sprays can result in chemical airway exposure, with particles in the relevant size range for both nasal and alveolar deposition.
|
|
| 52. |
|
|
| 53. |
- Lovén, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Effects of cleaning spray use on eyes, airways, and ergonomic load
- 2023
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 23:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundCleaning workers are exposed to chemicals and high physical workload, commonly resulting in airway problems and pain. In this study the response in the upper airways and the physical workload following airborne and ergonomic exposure of cleaning spray was investigated.MethodsA survey was answered by professional cleaning workers to investigate their use of cleaning sprays and the perceived effects on eyes, airways and musculoskeletal pain. A human chamber exposure study was then conducted with 11 professional cleaning workers and 8 non-professional cleaning workers to investigate the airborne exposure, acute effects on eyes and airways, and physical load during cleaning with sprays, foam application and microfiber cloths premoistened with water. All cleaning products used were bleach, chlorine, and ammonia free. The medical assessment included eye and airway parameters, inflammatory markers in blood and nasal lavage, as well as technical recordings of the physical workload.ResultsA high frequency of spray use (77%) was found among the 225 professional cleaning workers that answered the survey. Based on the survey, there was an eight times higher risk (p < 0.001) of self-experienced symptoms (including symptoms in the nose, eyes and throat, coughing or difficulty breathing) when they used sprays compared to when they cleaned with other methods. During the chamber study, when switching from spray to foam, the airborne particle and volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations showed a decrease by 7 and 2.5 times, respectively. For the whole group, the peak nasal inspiratory flow decreased (-10.9 L/min, p = 0.01) during spray use compared to using only water-premoistened microfiber cloths. These effects were lower during foam use (-4.7 L/min, p = 0.19). The technical recordings showed a high physical workload regardless of cleaning with spray or with water.ConclusionSwitching from a spraying to a foaming nozzle decreases the exposure of both airborne particles and VOCs, and thereby reduces eye and airway effects, and does not increase the ergonomic load. If the use of cleaning products tested in this study, i.e. bleach, chlorine, and ammonia free, cannot be avoided, foam application is preferable to spray application to improve the occupational environment.
|
|
| 54. |
|
|
| 55. |
- Lu, S, et al.
(författare)
-
Are urinary PAHs biomarkers of controlled exposure to diesel exhaust?
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Biomarkers. - 1366-5804. ; 19:4, s. 332-339
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated as possible biomarkers of exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) in two controlled-chamber studies. We report levels of 14 PAHs from 28 subjects in urine that were collected before, immediately after and the morning after exposure. Using linear mixed-effects models, we tested for effects of DE exposure and several covariates (time, age, gender and urinary creatinine) on urinary PAH levels. DE exposures did not significantly alter urinary PAH levels. We conclude that urinary PAHs are not promising biomarkers of short-term exposures to DE in the range of 106-276 mu g/m(3).
|
|
| 56. |
- Lundgren Kownacki, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Does a building renovation improve the indoor thermal comfort? : A thermal environment evaluation before and after renovation
- 2019
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A sustainable renovation results in both a good indoor environment and high-energy efficiency. However, contemporary renovations often focus on energy and environmental performance, leaving out other aspects, such as the thermal comfort. The aim of the ongoing study is to compare the results of an extensive thermal environment evaluation before and after major renovation of ten typical 1970’s rental apartments in multi-family buildings located in Southern Sweden. The data collected is comprehensive and includes measurements of air temperature, relative humidity (RH), air velocity, plane radiant and globe temperature, draught rate, turbulence intensity, operative temperature, PMV/PPD indices and thermal sensation (thermal comfort evaluation) using a LumaSense INNOVA 1221 Thermal Comfort data logger. MSR Temp/RH data logger sensors were also placed at four different heights. The outside weather data and individual factors such as clothing, activity, gender, age were also collected. Measurements were taken in the living room of each apartment for 2 hours during three winter seasons: one measurement session before and two after renovation resulting in 30 measurements in total. The preliminary results from the first two winter seasons for draught rate, PMV/PPD, RH and radiant temperature all showed slight improvements after renovation. Further, the study results show that the individual perceived thermal comfort does not always agree with the measured and calculated thermal comfort. The data is currently under analysis and final results will be presented.
|
|
| 57. |
- Lundgren Kownacki, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Heat stress in indoor environments of Scandinavian urban areas : A literature review
- 2019
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-4601. ; 16:560
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Climate change increases the risks of heat stress, especially in urban areas where urban heat islands can develop. This literature review aims to describe how severe heat can occur and be identified in urban indoor environments, and what actions can be taken on the local scale. There is a connection between the outdoor and the indoor climate in buildings without air conditioning, but the pathways leading to the development of severe heat levels indoors are complex. These depend, for example, on the type of building, window placement, the residential area’s thermal outdoor conditions, and the residents’ influence and behavior. This review shows that only few studies have focused on the thermal environment indoors during heat waves, despite the fact that peoplecommonly spend most of their time indoors and are likely to experience increased heat stress Indoors in the future. Among reviewed studies, it was found that the indoor temperature can reach levels 50% higher in C than the outdoor temperature, which highlights the importance of assessment and remediation of heat indoors. Further, most Heat-Health Warning Systems (HHWS) are based on the outdoor climate only, which can lead to a misleading interpretation of the health effects and associated solutions. In order to identify severe heat, six factors need to be taken into account, including air temperature, heat radiation, humidity, and air movement as well as the physical activity and the clothes worn by the individual. Heat stress can be identified using a heat index that includes these six factors. This paper presents some examples of practical and easy to use heat indices that are relevant for indoor environments as well as models that can be applied in indoor environments at the city level. However, existing indexes are developed for healthy workers and do not account for vulnerable groups, different uses, and daily variations. As a result, this paper highlights the needfor the development of a heat index or the adjustment of current thresholds to apply specifically to indoor environments, its different uses, and vulnerable groups. There are several actions that can be taken to reduce heat indoors and thus improve the health and well-being of the population in urbanareas. Examples of effective measures to reduce heat stress indoors include the use of shading devices such as blinds and vegetation as well as personal cooling techniques such as the use of fans and cooling vests. Additionally, the integration of innovative Phase Change Materials (PCM) into facades, roofs, floors, and windows can be a promising alternative once no negative health and environmental effects of PCM can be ensured.
|
|
| 58. |
- Lundgren Kownacki, Karin, et al.
(författare)
-
Värmestress i urbana inomhusmiljöer : Förekomst och åtgärder i befintlig bebyggelse
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Värmestress i urbana inomhusmiljöer - Förekomst och åtgärder i befintlig bebyggelse. ; 18060
-
Bokkapitel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- This literature review describes how heat stress can develop indoors, how it can be identified, and what actions can be taken, with a focus on property owner’s responsibilities. The review is limited to existing buildings in Sweden and includes schools, retirement homes, apartments, preschools, and non-industrial offices (those without industrial processes that produce heat). The expected climate changes increase the risks of heat stress, especially in urban areas where urban heat islands can develop. Strong heat can have several negative health outcomes, and this report has identified the risk groups as the chronically ill, people who take certain medications or have a disability, infants, pregnant women, individuals with heavy physical work, and emergency workers. There is a connection between the outdoor and the indoor climate in buildings without air conditioning, but the pathways leading to the development of severe heat levels indoors during heat waves are complex. These depend, for example, on the type of building, window placement, the residential area's thermal outdoor conditions, and the residents’ influence and behaviour. This review shows that few studies have focused on the thermal environment indoors during heat waves despite the fact that in Sweden people spend most of their time indoors and are likely to experience increased heat stress indoors in the future. Further, current Heat-Health Warning Systems (HHWS) are based on the outdoor climate, which can lead to a misleading interpretation of the health effects and hinder the development of more effective interventions. In order to identify severe heat, six factors need to be taken into account, including air temperature, heat radiation, humidity, and air movement as well as the physical activity and the clothes worn by the individual. Severe heat can be identified using a heat index that includes these six factors. However, it is noted that existing indexes do not take into account a person’s health status. This report presents some examples of heat indices that are relevant for indoor environments, as well as models that can be applied at the city level. It also highlights the need for the development of a heat index that specifically targets the identification of severe heat in indoor environments. There are a number of measures that can be taken in existing buildings to reduce heat indoors and thus improve the health and well-being of the population in urban areas. This report also describes a number of effective measures that are relevant to both property owners and its residents. Examples of effective measures to reduce heat stress indoors are the use of shading devices such as blinds and vegetation, but also personal cooling techniques such as the use of fans and cooling vests, as well as the integration of innovative Phase Change Materials (PCM) into facades, roofs, floors, and windows.
|
|
| 59. |
|
|
| 60. |
|
|
