| 1. |
- Bloom, Erica, et al.
(författare)
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Molds and mycotoxins in dust from water-damaged homes in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina
- 2009
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 19:2, s. 153-158
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dust collected in New Orleans homes mold-contaminated because of the flooding after hurricane Katrina was analyzed for molds and mycotoxins. The mycoflora was studied by cultivation and quantitative PCR for selected molds. The most commonly found mold taxa were Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. Verrucarol, a hydrolysis product of macrocyclic trichothecenes predominately produced by Stachybotrys spp. was identified in three dust samples by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and sterigmatocystin (produced by various Aspergillus spp.) was found in two samples by high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This is the first demonstration of mycotoxins in Katrina-associated dust samples. The analytical methods used represent valuable tools in further studies on bioaerosol exposure and health risks.
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| 2. |
- Afshari, A, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of indoor sources of fine and ultrafine particles: a study conducted in a full scale chamber
- 2005
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1600-0668 .- 0905-6947. ; 15:2, s. 141-150
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Humans and their activities are known to generate considerable amounts of particulate matter indoors. Some of the activities are cooking, smoking and cleaning. In this study 13 different particle sources were for the first time examined in a 32 m3 full-scale chamber with an air change rate of 1.7 ± 0.1/h. Two different instruments, a condensation particle counter (CPC) and an optical particle counter (OPC) were used to quantitatively determine ultrafine and fine particle emissions, respectively. The CPC measures particles from 0.02 μm to larger than 1.0 μm. The OPC was adjusted to measure particle concentrations in eight fractions between 0.3 and 1.0 μm. The sources were cigarette side-stream smoke, pure wax candles, scented candles, a vacuum cleaner, an air-freshener spray, a flat iron (with and without steam) on a cotton sheet, electric radiators, an electric stove, a gas stove, and frying meat. The cigarette burning, frying meat, air freshener spray and gas stove showed a particle size distribution that changed over time towards larger particles. In most of the experiments the maximum concentration was reached within a few minutes. Typically, the increase of the particle concentration immediately after activation of the source was more rapid than the decay of the concentration observed after deactivation of the source. The highest observed concentration of ultrafine particles was approximately 241,000 particles/cm 3 and originated from the combustion of pure wax candles. The weakest generation of ultrafine particles (1.17 × 107 particles per second) was observed when ironing without steam on a cotton sheet, which resulted in a concentration of 550 particles/cm3 in the chamber air. The highest generation rate (1.47 × 1010 particles per second) was observed in the radiator test.
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| 3. |
- Bornehag, CG, et al.
(författare)
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Dampness in buildings as a risk factor for health effects, EUROEXPO: a multidisciplinary review of the literature (1998-2000) on dampness and mite exposure in buildings and health effects
- 2004
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 14:4, s. 243-257
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The scientific literature on health effects from dampness in buildings, including mite exposure over the period 1998-2000 has been reviewed by a European group (EUROEXPO) of eight scientists in experience from medicine, epidemiology, toxicology and engineering. Forty studies deemed relevant have been the foundation for the conclusions. Dampness in buildings is a risk factor for health effects among atopics and non-atopics both in domestic and in public environments. However, the literature is not conclusive in respect of causative agents, e.g. mites, microbiological agents and organic chemicals from degraded building materials. There is a strong need for more multidisciplinary studies including expertise from all relevant areas. A general conclusion from the work was that there is a strong need for multidisciplinary reviews in scientific journals of articles dealing with associations between indoor environmental factors and health effects.
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| 4. |
- Carlstedt, F., et al.
(författare)
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PVC flooring is related to human uptake of phthalates in infants
- 2013
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 23:1, s. 32-39
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring material contains phthalates, and it has been shown that such materials are important sources for phthalates in indoor dust. Phthalates are suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Consecutive infants between 2 and 6 months old and their mothers were invited. A questionnaire about indoor environmental factors and family lifestyle was used. Urinary metabolites of the phthalates diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP), and dietylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) were measured in the urine of the children. Of 209 invited children, 110 (52%) participated. Urine samples were obtained from 83 of these. Urine levels of the BBzP metabolite monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) was significantly higher in infants with PVC flooring in their bedrooms (P < 0.007) and related to the body area of the infant. Levels of the DEHP metabolites MEHHP (P < 0.01) and MEOHP (P < 0.04) were higher in the 2-month-old infants who were not exclusively breast-fed when compared with breast-fed children. The findings indicate that the use of soft PVC as flooring material may increase the human uptake of phthalates in infants. Urinary levels of phthalate metabolites during early life are associated with the use of PVC flooring in the bedroom, body area, and the use of infant formula. Practical Implications This study shows that the uptake of phthalates is not only related to oral uptake from, for example, food but also to environmental factors such as building materials. This new information should be considered when designing indoor environment, especially for children.
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| 5. |
- Holmér, Ingvar
(författare)
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Cold but comfortable? Application of comfort criteria to cold environments
- 2004
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 14:s7, s. 27-31
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fanger defined two physiological criteria that are basic requirements for people's perception of thermal neutrality and, eventually, thermal comfort. Mean skin temperature and evaporative heat loss are defined as functions of metabolic rate. The equations are derived from experiments in light clothing at or close to normal indoor climate. Relations between skin temperature and sweating on the one hand and thermal sensation and comfort on the other are well recognized; the precise description of the relationships vary and may differ from normal indoor environments to more extreme thermal stress. In moderately cold environments (around +10degreesC) ISO/DIS 7730 and ISO/DIS 11079 prescribe significantly different responses. Evaluation of the rationale behind the comfort criteria and the basic heat transfer equations in the two models reveals some clear differences. By modification of the sweating criteria and some of the heat transfer equations, predictions become much more similar. It is concluded that the basic comfort criteria may apply also to moderately cold and cold environments, but must consider the complex heat transfer through multilayer clothing in a more adequate way.
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| 6. |
- Larsson, Lennart, et al.
(författare)
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Tobacco smoking increases dramatically air concentrations of endotoxin.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 14:6, s. 421-424
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We used a mass spectrometry-based assay for identifying the endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) marker (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid in cigarette smoke particles and found that smoking involved inhalation of 17.4 pmol of endotoxin per each smoked cigarette. Indoor exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) entailed inhalation of 12.1 pmol of LPS/m3 air, an amount that was 120 times higher than the levels found in smoke-free indoor air. Endotoxin is one of the most potent inflammatory agents known, hence our results may help to explain the high prevalence of respiratory disorders among smokers, and they may also draw attention to a hitherto unknown or neglected risk factor of ETS.
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| 7. |
- Nilsson, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Microorganisms and volatile organic compounds in airborne dust from damp residences
- 2004
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. International Journal of Indoor Environment and Health. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 14:2, s. 74-82
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Airborne dust samples from damp (n = 9) and control (n = 9) residences were analyzed for microorganisms (molds and bacteria), bacterial markers (3-hydroxy fatty acids and muramic acid), and adsorbed volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The number of mold species was greater in the damp residences than in the controls (23 vs.18) and nine mold species were found only in damp residences. The levels of 3-hydroxy fatty acids and muramic acid correlated better in damp residences than in controls, indicating that damp conditions affect the bacterial flora of airborne dust. Identifications made by culture and microscopy of the major molds found, i.e. Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillum, coincided with the identification of VOCs known to be produced by these species. A number of additional VOCs irritating to the skin, eyes, or respiratory tract were also found. The results from this pilot study illustrate the diversity of microorganisms and VOCs present in the indoor environment and suggest that analysis of airborne dust may help to assess human exposure to microorganisms and chemical compounds.
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| 8. |
- Schneider, T, et al.
(författare)
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Airborne particle deposition onto the ocular surface
- 2005
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 15:3, s. 215-219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eye irritation is one of the most frequently reported symptoms in relation to working in office-like environments. So far, no consistent association has been found between concentration of airborne particles and prevalence of eye irritation. External physical factors not hitherto considered could have a large influence on particle deposition velocity onto the ocular surface. This may have obscured the role airborne particles play. Based on previously published semi-empirical models, the paper describes the influence of turbulence, gravitational settling, electrical fields, and thermophoresis on deposition velocity. A probabilistic approach was used to determine percentile ranges in deposition velocity when the magnitude of these parameters varied within typical ranges. The calculations suggest that differences in external factors other than particle size may cause differences in the deposition velocity of one order of magnitude or more. Studies trying to find associations between airborne particle concentration levels and eye irritation should take into consideration the influence of external physical factors on deposition velocity.
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| 9. |
- Sebastian, Aleksandra, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of the microbial community in indoor environments by chemical marker analysis: an update and critical evaluation.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 15 Suppl 9:9, s. 20-26
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We published recently an integrated procedure for applying chemical marker analysis to characterize the microbiology of indoor environments comprising a scheme for extraction and analysis of markers of endotoxin, peptidoglycan/bacterial biomass, and fungal biomass. In the present paper, we report some significant improvements and also new possibilities of the described approach. We found that while 3-hydroxy fatty acids (3-OH FAs) of 10-14 carbon chain lengths are useful endotoxin markers, longer 3-OH FAs (i.e. with 16 carbon atoms and more) may rather serve as markers of Actinobacteria. We introduced C-13-labeled 3-hydroxytridecanoic acid, from labeled Pectinatus cerevisiiphilus, as an internal standard to improve quantification of the 3-OH FAs in the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Finally, in experiments aiming to identify a suitable method for collection of house dust for chemical marker analysis, we found that the marker compositions of dusts sedimented on plexiglass plates that were spatially well-distributed in a studied room at different heights above floor level, were undistinguishable. This type of sampling thus appears to be well suited for use, e.g. in epidemiological studies. In summary, the presented work describes important new capabilities of chemical marker analysis in defining human exposure to microorganisms in indoor environments.
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| 10. |
- Sjöberg, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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An experimental parametric study of VOC from flooring systems exposed to alkaline solutions
- 2007
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1600-0668 .- 0905-6947. ; 17:6, s. 450-457
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study outlined the influence of a number of parameters affecting the emission rate from one of the largest sources of VOC in the building stock in the Nordic countries. This source is flooring systems of polyvinyl chloride or linoleum attached to a substrate of moisture damaged or insufficiently dried concrete. The secondary emission rate of degradation products was measured, with the Field and Laboratory Emission Cell, on different flooring systems consisting of three different floorings and three adhesives, exposed to three different aqueous solutions in the range of 11-13.1 pH. The conclusion drawn in this study is that the great majority of the secondary emission originates from the floor adhesive. The occurrence of adhesive and the amount of adhesive used have a significant influence on the emission rate. A critical pH value for degradation of the adhesive seems to lie somewhere between 11 and 13 pH.
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