| 1. |
- Almerud, Pernilla, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Low personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene in the Swedish petroleum refinery industry
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 90:7, s. 713-724
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Petroleum refinery workers are exposed to the carcinogens benzene and 1,3-butadiene. Declining exposures have been reported internationally but information on current exposure in the Swedish refinery industry is limited. The aim was to examine refinery workers' personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene and increase awareness of exposure conditions by collaboration with involved refineries. Altogether 505 repeated personal exposure measurements were performed among workers at two refineries. Full-shift measurements were conducted in different exposure groups using Perkin Elmer diffusive samplers filled with Carbopack X. Mean levels were calculated using mixed-effects models. A large fraction of measurements below the limit of detection (LOD) required imputation of computer-generated data. Mean benzene exposure among process technicians was 15.3 A mu g/m(3) (95% CI 10.4-22.5 A mu g/m(3)) and 13.7 A mu g/m(3) (95% CI 8.3-22.7 A mu g/m(3)) for Refinery 1 and 2, respectively. Process technicians working outdoors had higher exposure than maintenance workers (20.7 versus 5.9 A mu g/m(3), p < 0.01). Working in the harbour and tank park (Refinery 1), compared with the process area, was associated with higher exposure. The 1,3-butadiene exposure was low, 5.4 and 1.8 A mu g/m(3), respectively. The total variation was generally attributed to within-worker variability. Low benzene and 1,3-butadiene levels were found among refinery workers. Mean benzene exposure was about 1% of the Swedish occupational limit (1500 A mu g/m(3)) and for 1,3-butadiene, exposure was even lower. A large fraction of values below the LOD can be managed by carefully modelled, computer-generated data.
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| 2. |
- Andersen, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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Emissions of soot, PAHs, ultrafine particles, NOx, and other health relevant compounds from stressed burning of candles in indoor air
- 2021
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 0905-6947 .- 1600-0668. ; 31:6, s. 2033-2048
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Burning candles release a variety of pollutants to indoor air, some of which are of concern for human health. We studied emissions of particles and gases from the stressed burning of five types of pillar candles with different wax and wick compositions. The stressed burning was introduced by controlled fluctuating air velocities in a 21.6 m3 laboratory chamber. The aerosol physicochemical properties were measured both in well-mixed chamber air and directly above the candle flame with online and offline techniques. All candles showed different emission profiles over time with high repeatability among replicates. The particle mass emissions from stressed burning for all candle types were dominated by soot (black carbon; BC). The wax and wick composition strongly influenced emissions of BC, PM2.5 , and particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and to lower degree ultrafine particles, inorganic and organic carbon fraction of PM, but did not influence NOx , formaldehyde, and gas-phase PAHs. Measurements directly above the flame showed empirical evidence of short-lived strong emission peaks of soot particles. The results show the importance of including the entire burn time of candles in exposure assessments, as their emissions can vary strongly over time. Preventing stressed burning of candles can reduce exposure to pollutants in indoor air.
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| 3. |
- Bergemalm-Rynell, kerstin, 1949, et al.
(författare)
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Laboratory and field evaluation of a diffusive sampler for measuring halogenated anesthetic compounds
- 2008
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Ingår i: J Environ Monit. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1464-0325. ; 10, s. 1172-78
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anesthetic gases such as desflurane, sevoflurane, isoflurane, enflurane, and halothane are used on a daily basis in operating theaters. Active sampling has historically been used to control the level of exposure to personnel. SKC 575-002 is a diffusive passive sampler filled with Anasorb 747. We validated this sampler in both laboratory and field experiments. Parameters tested were desorption efficiency, concentration, sampling time, relative humidity, and reverse diffusion, as well as storage stability for up to 8 weeks. Uptake rates were achieved by comparison with active sampling for each passive sampling trial of 1, 4, or 8 h. Analysis and detection were performed using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC/FID). Multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of time, concentration, dose, and relative humidity. In the field evaluation experiments, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were estimated. In the laboratory experiments, no problems were found with storage stability or reverse diffusion. The sampling rates for the five anesthetics vary, however, with exposure time and exposure level, with generally higher uptake rates at low concentrations and short sampling times. In the field experiments there was high agreement between the active and passive samplers for halothane, sevoflurane, and isoflurane (ICC > 0.83). When performing whole-day workplace measurements (TWA measurements) the SKC 575-002 can be recommended, and at levels around 1 ppm the following uptake rates should be used: enflurane and halothane, 12.3 mL min−1; desflurane, 13.6 mL min−1; isoflurane, 12.0 mL min−1; and sevoflurane, 11.9 mL min−1.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Bohlin, Pernilla, et al.
(författare)
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Field evaluation of a passive personal air sampler for screening of PAH exposure in workplaces
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Monitoring. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1464-0325 .- 1464-0333. ; 12:7, s. 1437-1444
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- New sampling methods are needed to simplify and enable frequent monitoring of workers' exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The sampler needs to fulfil some key operational requirements for occupational exposure assessments: (i) be usable as a personal sampler; (ii) work over 8 h exposure time; (iii) sequester PAHs both in gas and particle phase, (iv) yield reliable estimates of air concentrations. Here, a new smaller design of the traditional polyurethane foam (PUF) passive air sampler (PAS) (i.e. a 'mini-PUF') was introduced and assessed against these requirements in sites with elevated PAH concentrations. The exposure times were 2 weeks and 8 hours. The obtained sampling rates (R-values) were not significantly different between gas phase (0.4-3.3 m(3) day(-1), 0.3-2.3 L min(-1)) and particle associated PAHs (0.5-1.9 m(3) day(-1), 0.4-1.3 L min(-1)). The accuracy in estimating air concentrations was within +/-25% from the active sampler for half of the PAHs for the mini-PUF under 8 h exposures. Significant correlations (p < 0.003) were found between personally deployed mini-PUFs and a co-deployed personal active sampling method. This together with the low costs and ease-of-use of the mini-PUF encourage application in exposure assessments.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Bohlin, Pernilla, 1976, et al.
(författare)
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Observations on persistent organic pollutants in indoor and outdoor air using passive polyurethane foam samplers
- 2008
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Ingår i: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310. ; 42:31, s. 7234-7241
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Air quality data of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) indoors and outdoors are sparse or lacking in several parts of the world, often hampered by the cost and inconvenience of active sampling techniques. Cheap and easy passive air sampling techniques are therefore helpful for reconnaissance surveys. As a part of the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) project in Mexico City Metropolitan Area in 2006, a range of POPs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)) were analyzed in polyurethane foam (PUF) disks used as passive samplers in indoor and outdoor air. Results were compared to those from samplers deployed simultaneously in Gothenburg (Sweden) and Lancaster (United Kingdom). Using sampling rates suggested in the literature, the sums of 13 PAHs in the different sites were estimated to be 6.1–180 ng m−3, with phenanthrene as the predominant compound. Indoor PAH levels tended to be higher in Gothenburg and outdoor levels higher in Mexico City. The sum of PCBs ranged 59–2100 ng m−3, and seemed to be highest indoors in Gothenburg and Lancaster. PBDE levels (sum of seven) ranged 0.68–620 ng m−3, with the highest levels found in some indoor locations. OCPs (i.e. DDTs, HCHs, and chlordanes) were widely dispersed both outdoors and indoors at all three studied areas. In Gothenburg all POPs tended to be higher indoors than outdoors, while indoor and outdoor levels in Mexico City were similar. This could be due to the influence of indoor and outdoor sources, air exchange rates, and lifestyle factors. The study demonstrates how passive samplers can provide quick and cheap reconnaissance data simultaneously at many locations which can shed light on sources and other factors influencing POP levels in air, especially for the gaseous fractions.
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| 10. |
- Erlandsson, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Exposure to wood smoke particles leads to inflammation, disrupted proliferation and damage to cellular structures in a human first trimester trophoblast cell line
- 2020
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Ingår i: Environmental Pollution. - : Elsevier. - 0269-7491 .- 1873-6424. ; 264
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ongoing transition to renewable fuel sources has led to increased use of wood and other biomass fuels. The physiochemical characteristics of biomass combustion derived aerosols depends on appliances, fuel and operation procedures, and particles generated during incomplete combustion are linked to toxicity. Frequent indoor wood burning is related to severe health problems such as negative effects on airways and inflammation, as well as chronic hypoxia and pathological changes in placentas, adverse pregnancy outcome, preterm delivery and increased risk of preeclampsia. The presence of combustion-derived black carbon particles at both the maternal and fetal side of placentas suggests that particles can reach the fetus. Air pollution particles have also been shown to inhibit trophoblast migration and invasion, which are vital functions for the development of the placenta during the first trimester. In this study we exposed a placental first trimester trophoblast cell line to wood smoke particles emitted under Nominal Burn rate (NB) or High Burn rate (HB). The particles were visible inside exposed cells and localized to the mitochondria, causing ultrastructural changes in mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Exposed cells showed decreased secretion of the pregnancy marker human chorionic gonadotropin, increased secretion of IL-6, disrupted membrane integrity, disrupted proliferation and contained specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the particles. Taken together, these results suggest that wood smoke particles can enter trophoblasts and have detrimental effects early in pregnancy by disrupting critical trophoblast functions needed for normal placenta development and function. This could contribute to the underlying mechanisms leading to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, premature birth, preeclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction. This study support the general recommendation that more efficient combustion technologies and burning practices should be adopted to reduce some of the toxicity generated during wood burning.
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