| 1. |
- Angot, H., et al.
(författare)
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Chemical cycling and deposition of atmospheric mercury in polar regions: review of recent measurements and comparison with models
- 2016
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1680-7316 .- 1680-7324. ; 16:16, s. 10735-10763
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mercury (Hg) is a worldwide contaminant that can cause adverse health effects to wildlife and humans. While atmospheric modeling traces the link from emissions to deposition of Hg onto environmental surfaces, large uncertainties arise from our incomplete understanding of atmospheric processes (oxidation pathways, deposition, and re-emission). Atmospheric Hg reactivity is exacerbated in high latitudes and there is still much to be learned from polar regions in terms of atmospheric processes. This paper provides a synthesis of the atmospheric Hg monitoring data available in recent years (2011-2015) in the Arctic and in Antarctica along with a comparison of these observations with numerical simulations using four cutting-edge global models. The cycle of atmospheric Hg in the Arctic and in Antarctica presents both similarities and differences. Coastal sites in the two regions are both influenced by springtime atmospheric Hg depletion events and by summertime snowpack re-emission and oceanic evasion of Hg. The cycle of atmospheric Hg differs between the two regions primarily because of their different geography. While Arctic sites are significantly influenced by northern hemispheric Hg emissions especially in winter, coastal Antarctic sites are significantly influenced by the reactivity observed on the East Antarctic ice sheet due to katabatic winds. Based on the comparison of multi-model simulations with observations, this paper discusses whether the processes that affect atmospheric Hg seasonality and inter-annual variability are appropriately represented in the models and identifies research gaps in our understanding of the atmospheric Hg cycling in high latitudes.
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| 2. |
- Beko, G., et al.
(författare)
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The Indoor Chemical Human Emissions and Reactivity (ICHEAR) project: Overview of experimental methodology and preliminary results
- 2020
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1600-0668 .- 0905-6947. ; 30:6, s. 1213-1228
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With the gradual reduction of emissions from building products, emissions from human occupants become more dominant indoors. The impact of human emissions on indoor air quality is inadequately understood. The aim of the Indoor Chemical Human Emissions and Reactivity (ICHEAR) project was to examine the impact on indoor air chemistry of whole-body, exhaled, and dermally emitted human bioeffluents under different conditions comprising human factors (t-shirts/shorts vs long-sleeve shirts/pants; age: teenagers, young adults, and seniors) and a variety of environmental factors (moderate vs high air temperature; low vs high relative humidity; presence vs absence of ozone). A series of human subject experiments were performed in a well-controlled stainless steel climate chamber. State-of-the-art measurement technologies were used to quantify the volatile organic compounds emitted by humans and their total OH reactivity; ammonia, nanoparticle, fluorescent biological aerosol particle (FBAP), and microbial emissions; and skin surface chemistry. This paper presents the design of the project, its methodologies, and preliminary results, comparing identical measurements performed with five groups, each composed of 4 volunteers (2 males and 2 females). The volunteers wore identical laundered new clothes and were asked to use the same set of fragrance-free personal care products. They occupied the ozone-free (<2 ppb) chamber for 3 hours (morning) and then left for a 10-min lunch break. Ozone (target concentration in occupied chamber ~35 ppb) was introduced 10 minutes after the volunteers returned to the chamber, and the measurements continued for another 2.5 hours. Under a given ozone condition, relatively small differences were observed in the steady-state concentrations of geranyl acetone, 6MHO, and 4OPA between the five groups. Larger variability was observed for acetone and isoprene. The absence or presence of ozone significantly influenced the steady-state concentrations of acetone, geranyl acetone, 6MHO, and 4OPA. Results of replicate experiments demonstrate the robustness of the experiments. Higher repeatability was achieved for dermally emitted compounds and their reaction products than for constituents of exhaled breath.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Bloom, Erica, et al.
(författare)
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MIOC - Mögel och påväxt i relation till inneklimat och byggnadsegenskaper
- 2013
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Projektets bas är en inventering av 24 kyrkor som ett representativt urval från 12 av Sveriges 13 stift. Inventeringen omfattar; luftkvalitetsmätningar, inventering av mögelförekomst, samt beskrivning av mikroklimatnischer, byggteknik och användning (brukarmönster). Resultatet av inventeringen utgör en egenskapsprofil per kyrka som sedan sätts i relation till uppmätta data för relativ fuktighet och temperatur i kyrkorna. Inget samband har identifierats mellan förekomst av mikrobiella skador och de aspekter som finns i egenskapsprofilen. Däremot har en hypotes ställts upp som utgår ifrån att från litteraturen etablerade kritiska fukttillstånd för trä bör kunna användas som ett styrande kriterium för att undvika mikrobiella skador i kyrkorna. Dessa kritiska fukttillstånd ges för olika relativ fuktighet och varaktighet, det vill säga max; 82procent RF i tre månader, 95 procent RF i fyra veckor och 98 procent RF i ett dygn. Utvärderingen visar att för fem kyrkor där mikrobiell påväxt inte identifierats så ligger parametrarna för kritiskt fukttillstånd under de värden som anges för trä. Beskrivning av kritiska fukttillstånd som tar hänsyn till de tre parametrarna varaktighet, relativ luftfuktighet och temperaturkan därför vara ett bättre sätt och bör kunna ersätta äldre kriterier för styr och regler som ofta bara anger en kritisk nivå för relativ luftfuktighet. Fortsatt arbete bör inriktas på att validera detta samband genom analys av fler kyrkor utan mikrobiella skador samtidigt som de kritiska fukttillstånden analyseras. Det samband som identifierats kan tillämpas för att optimera strategierna för styrningen av inneklimatet i kyrkor så att såväl energianvändningen som risken för skador relaterade till mögel och mikrobiell påväxt minimeras.
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| 5. |
- Cabovska, Blanka, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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A study on the relationship between energy performance and IEQ parameters in school buildings
- 2021
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Ingår i: E3S Web of Conferences. - : EDP Sciences. - 2555-0403 .- 2267-1242. ; 246
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over the last decades, strong focus has been placed on the energy efficiency of buildings; not least school buildings. Energy performance (EP) of buildings is nowadays in principle described by one single indicator based on purchased energy in kWh/year.m2. Another important building performance aspect is the indoor environmental quality. This study's overarching goal is to identify school buildings with a good balance between energy performance and indoor environment. Thus, this paper investigates possible correlations between information given in energy performance certificates (EPCs/e.g. energy use, year of construction, type of ventilation) and measured indoor environmental parameters. The work comprises investigation of approximately 20 school buildings with different ventilation systems in Gothenburg. In-situ investigations of the buildings' properties and ventilation systems were conducted. Indoor environmental parameters were recorded during one week in each classroom. In this paper, indoor temperature, absolute humidity added indoors and CO2 concentration data are compared with the corresponding school's energy performance data and ventilation type. Results suggest that mechanically ventilated buildings have clearer relationships between energy performance, building indicators and measured indoor environment. For buildings such as naturally ventilated, the relationships are usually weak, and the values spread over much wider ranges.
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| 6. |
- Cabovska, Blanka, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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Measured and perceived IEQ under different ventilation strategies in Swedish classrooms
- 2022
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Ingår i: 17th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2022.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Indoor environmental quality was assessed in Swedish primary school classrooms grouped into three categories based on the ventilation system: 1) natural or exhaust ventilation, 2) balanced mechanical ventilation systems with constant air volume (CAV), 3) balanced mechanical ventilation systems with variable air volume (VAV). Measurements of NO2, ozone, TVOC, formaldehyde, PM10, and PM2.5 and a questionnaire survey were conducted. The concentrations of pollutants were integrated into Indoor Air Pollution Index allowing the rank comparison of classrooms. Children’s perception scores were calculated based on the questionnaire responses. Naturally ventilated classrooms had higher level of air pollution. No significant differences in pollutant levels were observed between classrooms with CAV and VAV systems. The type of ventilation system affected the subjective assessment of indoor air quality; it was worst in naturally ventilated classrooms.
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| 7. |
- Cabovska, Blanka, 1990, et al.
(författare)
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Ventilation strategies and indoor air quality in Swedish primary school classrooms
- 2022
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Ingår i: Building and Environment. - Göteborg : IVL Svenska Miljöinstitutet AB. - 0360-1323 .- 1873-684X. ; 226, s. 109744-109744
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study aimed at investigating the effects of ventilation strategies on indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools. Measurements of thermal environment and IAQ were performed over 5 school days in 45 primary school classrooms in Gothenburg, Sweden, grouped into three categories according to their ventilation system: category A) natural or exhaust ventilation, or automated window opening; category B) balanced mechanical ventilationsystems with constant air volume (CAV) and category C) balanced mechanical ventilation systems with variable air volume (VAV). The classrooms performed equally well with respect to temperature and relative humidity regardless of the ventilation system. The concentrations of the air pollutants in all classrooms were generally below the respective guideline values. The concentrations of CO2, formaldehyde, PM10, and PM2.5 were lower in the B and C category classrooms with higher ventilation rates than in the A category classrooms. Indoor Air Pollution Index integrating concentrations of multiple pollutants was significantly higher the A category classrooms, reflecting poorer IAQ. Majority of the classrooms had lower ventilation rates than the Swedish ventilation requirements. The periodically reduced ventilation rates in the classrooms with VAV systems did not lead to substantial increase in the measured indoor pollutant concentrations.
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| 8. |
- Callesen, Michael Thude, et al.
(författare)
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Phthalate metabolites in urine and asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic dermatitis in preschool children
- 2014
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Ingår i: International journal of hygiene and environmental health. - : Elsevier BV. - 1438-4639 .- 1618-131X. ; 217:6, s. 645-652
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phthalate esters are among the most ubiquitous of indoor pollutants and have been associated with various adverse health effects. In the present study we assessed the cross-sectional association between eight different phthalate metabolites in urine and allergic disease in young children. As part of the Danish Indoor Environment and Children's Health study, urine samples were collected from 440 children aged 3-5 years, of whom 222 were healthy controls, 68 were clinically diagnosed with asthma, 76 with rhinoconjunctivitis and 81 with atopic dermatitis (disease subgroups are not mutually exclusive; some children had more than one disease). There were no statistically significant differences in the urine concentrations of phthalate metabolites between cases and healthy controls with the exception of MnBP and MECPP, which were higher in healthy controls compared with the asthma case group. In the crude analysis MnBP and MiBP were negatively associated with asthma. In the analysis adjusted for multiple factors, only a weak positive association between MEP in urine and atopic dermatitis was found; there were no positive associations between any phthalate metabolites in urine and either asthma or rhinoconjunctivitis. These findings appear to contradict earlier studies. Differences may be due to higher exposures to certain phthalates (e.g., BBzP) via non-dietary pathways in earlier studies, phthalates serving as surrogates for an agent associated with asthma (e.g., PVC flooring) in previous studies but not the present study or altered cleaning habits and the use of "allergy friendly" products by parents of children with allergic disease in the current study in contrast to studies conducted earlier.
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| 9. |
- Clausen, Geo, et al.
(författare)
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Children's health and its association with indoor environments in Danish homes and daycare centres - methods
- 2012
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 22:6, s. 467-475
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The principle objective of the Danish research program 'Indoor Environment and Children's Health' (IECH) was to explore associations between various exposures that children experience in their indoor environments (specifically their homes and daycare centers) and their well-being and health. The targeted health endpoints were allergy, asthma, and certain respiratory symptoms. The study was designed with two stages. In the first stage, a questionnaire survey was distributed to more than 17000 families with children between the ages of 1 and 5. The questionnaire focused on the children's health and the environments within the homes they inhabited and daycare facilities they attended. More than 11000 questionnaires were returned. In the second stage, a subsample of 500 children was selected for more detailed studies, including an extensive set of measurements in their homes and daycare centers and a clinical examination; all clinical examinations were carried out by the same physician. In this study, the methods used for data collection within the IECH research program are presented and discussed. Furthermore, initial findings are presented regarding descriptors of the study population and selected characteristics of the children's dwellings and daycare centers. Practical Implications: This study outlines methods that might be followed by future investigators conducting large-scale field studies of potential connections between various indoor environmental factors and selected health endpoints. Of particular note are (i) the two-stage design - a broad questionnaire-based survey followed by a more intensive set of measurements among a subset of participants who have been selected based on their responses to the questionnaire; (ii) the case-base approach utilized in the stage 2 in contrast to the more commonly used case-control approach; (iii) the inclusion of the children's daycare environment when conducting intensive sampling to more fully capture the children's total indoor exposure; and (iv) all clinical examinations conducted by the same physician. We recognize that future investigators are unlikely to fully duplicate the methods outlined in this study, but we hope that it provides a useful starting point in terms of factors that might be considered when designing such a study.
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| 10. |
- Dalenbäck, Jan-Olof, 1954, et al.
(författare)
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Låg luftfuktighet i svenska bostäder – ett problem?
- 2021
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Ingår i: Energi & miljö. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Låg relativ luftfuktighet inomhus är ett problem i många svenska bostäder under uppvärmningssäsongen, mera i lägenheter än i småhus, i hus byggda efter 1985 och i de norra delarna av landet. Ventilation av nya bostäder blir en allt viktigare faktor med avseende på luftfuktigheten inomhus.
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