| 1. |
- Ahlberg, Erik, et al.
(author)
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"Vi klimatforskare stödjer Greta och skolungdomarna"
- 2019
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In: Dagens nyheter (DN debatt). - 1101-2447.
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Journal article (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- DN DEBATT 15/3. Sedan industrialiseringens början har vi använt omkring fyra femtedelar av den mängd fossilt kol som får förbrännas för att vi ska klara Parisavtalet. Vi har bara en femtedel kvar och det är bråttom att kraftigt reducera utsläppen. Det har Greta Thunberg och de strejkande ungdomarna förstått. Därför stödjer vi deras krav, skriver 270 klimatforskare.
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| 2. |
- Ali, Neserin, et al.
(author)
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Comprehensive proteome analysis of nasal lavage samples after controlled exposure to welding nanoparticles shows an induced acute phase and a nuclear receptor, LXR/RXR, activation that influence the status of the extracellular matrix
- 2018
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In: Clinical Proteomics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1542-6416 .- 1559-0275. ; 15:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Epidemiological studies have shown that many welders experience respiratory symptoms. During the welding process a large number of airborne nanosized particles are generated, which might be inhaled and deposited in the respiratory tract. Knowledge of the underlying mechanisms behind observed symptoms is still partly lacking, although inflammation is suggested to play a central role. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of welding fume particle exposure on the proteome expression level in welders suffering from respiratory symptoms, and changes in protein mediators in nasal lavage samples were analyzed. Such mediators will be helpful to clarify the pathomechanisms behind welding fume particle-induced effects. Methods: In an exposure chamber, 11 welders with work-related symptoms in the lower airways during the last month were exposed to mild-steel welding fume particles (1 mg/m3) and to filtered air, respectively, in a double-blind manner. Nasal lavage samples were collected before, immediately after, and the day after exposure. The proteins in the nasal lavage were analyzed with two different mass spectrometry approaches, label-free discovery shotgun LC-MS/MS and a targeted selected reaction monitoring LC-MS/MS analyzing 130 proteins and four in vivo peptide degradation products. Results: The analysis revealed 30 significantly changed proteins that were associated with two main pathways; activation of acute phase response signaling and activation of LXR/RXR, which is a nuclear receptor family involved in lipid signaling. Connective tissue proteins and proteins controlling the degradation of such tissues, including two different matrix metalloprotease proteins, MMP8 and MMP9, were among the significantly changed enzymes and were identified as important key players in the pathways. Conclusion: Exposure to mild-steel welding fume particles causes measurable changes on the proteome level in nasal lavage matrix in exposed welders, although no clinical symptoms were manifested. The results suggested that the exposure causes an immediate effect on the proteome level involving acute phase proteins and mediators regulating lipid signaling. Proteases involved in maintaining the balance between the formation and degradation of extracellular matrix proteins are important key proteins in the induced effects.
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| 3. |
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| 6. |
- Dierschke, Katrin, et al.
(author)
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Acute respiratory effects and biomarkers of inflammation due to welding-derived nanoparticle aggregates
- 2017
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In: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 90:5, s. 451-463
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Welders are exposed to airborne particles from the welding environment and often develop symptoms work-related from the airways. A large fraction of the particles from welding are in the nano-size range. In this study we investigate if the welders' airways are affected by exposure to particles derived from gas metal arc welding in mild steel in levels corresponding to a normal welding day. In an exposure chamber, 11 welders with and 10 welders without work-related symptoms from the lower airways and 11 non-welders without symptoms, were exposed to welding fumes (1 mg/m(3)) and to filtered air, respectively, in a double-blind manner. Symptoms from eyes and upper and lower airways and lung function were registered. Blood and nasal lavage (NL) were sampled before, immediately after and the morning after exposure for analysis of markers of oxidative stress. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) for analysis of leukotriene B4 (LT-B4) was sampled before, during and immediately after exposure. No adverse effects of welding exposure were found regarding symptoms and lung function. However, EBC LT-B4 decreased significantly in all participants after welding exposure compared to filtered air. NL IL-6 increased immediately after exposure in the two non-symptomatic groups and blood neutrophils tended to increase in the symptomatic welder group. The morning after, neutrophils and serum IL-8 had decreased in all three groups after welding exposure. Remarkably, the symptomatic welder group had a tenfold higher level of EBC LT-B4 compared to the two groups without symptoms. Despite no clinical adverse effects at welding, changes in inflammatory markers may indicate subclinical effects even at exposure below the present Swedish threshold limit (8 h TWA respirable dust).
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| 7. |
- Familari, Mary, et al.
(author)
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Exposure of trophoblast cells to fine particulate matter air pollution leads to growth inhibition, inflammation and ER stress
- 2019
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 14:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ambient air pollution is considered a major environmental health threat to pregnant women. Our previous work has shown an association between exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) and an increased risk of developing pre-eclamspia. It is now recognized that many pregnancy complications are due to underlying placental dysfunction, and this tissue plays a pivotal role in pre-eclamspia. Recent studies have shown that PM can enter the circulation and reach the human placenta but the effects of PM on human placental function are still largely unknown. In this work we investigated the effects of airborne PM on trophoblast cells. Human, first trimester trophoblast cells (HTR-8/SV) were exposed to urban pollution particles (Malmö PM2.5; Prague PM10) for up to seven days in vitro and were analysed for uptake, levels of hCGβ and IL-6 secretion and proteomic analysis. HTR-8/SVneo cells rapidly endocytose PM within 30 min of exposure and particles accumulate in the cell in perinuclear vesicles. High doses of Prague and Malmö PM (500–5000 ng/ml) significantly decreased hCGβ secretion and increased IL-6 secretion after 48 h exposure. Exposure to PM (50 ng/ml) for 48h or seven days led to reduced cellular growth and altered protein expression. The differentially expressed proteins are involved in networks that regulate cellular processes such as inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, cellular survival and molecular transport pathways. Our studies suggest that trophoblast cells exposed to low levels of urban PM respond with reduced growth, oxidative stress, inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress after taking up the particles by endocytosis. Many of the dysfunctional cellular processes ascribed to the differentially expressed proteins in this study, are similar to those described in PE, suggesting that low levels of urban PM may disrupt cellular processes in trophoblast cells. Many of the differentially expressed proteins identified in this study are involved in inflammation and may be potential biomarkers for PE.
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| 11. |
- Isaxon, Christina, et al.
(author)
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Contribution of indoor-generated particles to residential exposure
- 2015
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In: Atmospheric Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 1352-2310 .- 1873-2844. ; 106, s. 458-466
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The majority of airborne particles in residences, when expressed as number concentrations, are generated by the residents themselves, through combustion/thermal related activities. These particles have a considerably smaller diameter than 2.5 mu m and, due to the combination of their small size, chemical composition (e.g. soot) and intermittently very high concentrations, should be regarded as having potential to cause adverse health effects. In this study, time resolved airborne particle measurements were conducted for seven consecutive days in 22 randomly selected homes in the urban area of Lund in southern Sweden. The main purpose of the study was to analyze the influence of human activities on the concentration of particles in indoor air. Focus was on number concentrations of particles with diameters <300 nm generated by indoor activities, and how these contribute to the integrated daily residential exposure. Correlations between these particles and soot mass concentration in total dust were also investigated. It was found that candle burning and activities related to cooking (using a frying pan, oven, toaster, and their combinations) were the major particle sources. The frequency of occurrence of a given concentration indoors and outdoors was compared for ultrafine particles. Indoor data was sorted into non-occupancy and occupancy time, and the occupancy time was further divided into non-activity and activity influenced time. It was found that high levels (above 10(4) cm(-3)) indoors mainly occur during active periods of occupancy, while the concentration during non-activity influenced time differs very little from non-occupancy time. Total integrated daily residential exposure of ultrafine particles was calculated for 22 homes, the contribution from known activities was 66%, from unknown activities 20%, and from background/non-activity 14%. The collected data also allowed for estimates of particle source strengths for specific activities, and for some activities it was possible to estimate correlations between the number concentration of ultrafine particles and the mass concentration of soot in total dust in 10 homes. Particle source strengths (for 7 specific activities) ranged from 1.6.10(12) to 4.5.10(12) min(-1). The correlation between ultrafine particles and mass concentration of soot in total dust varied between 0.37 and 0.85, with an average of 0.56 (Pearson correlation coefficient). This study clearly shows that due to the importance of indoor sources, residential exposure to ultrafine particles cannot be characterized by ambient measurements alone. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Lovén, Karin, et al.
(author)
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Characterization of airborne particles from cleaning sprays and their corresponding respiratory deposition fractions
- 2019
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In: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1545-9624 .- 1545-9632. ; 16:9, s. 656-667
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Ludvigsson, Linus, et al.
(author)
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Carbon Nanotube Emissions from Arc Discharge Production: Classification of Particle Types with Electron Microscopy and Comparison with Direct Reading Techniques.
- 2016
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In: Annals of Occupational Hygiene. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1475-3162 .- 0003-4878. ; 60:4, s. 493-512
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: An increased production and use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is occurring worldwide. In parallel, a growing concern is emerging on the adverse effects the unintentional inhalation of CNTs can have on humans. There is currently a debate regarding which exposure metrics and measurement strategies are the most relevant to investigate workplace exposures to CNTs. This study investigated workplace CNT emissions using a combination of time-integrated filter sampling for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and direct reading aerosol instruments (DRIs). Material and Methods: Field measurements were performed during small-scale manufacturing of multiwalled carbon nanotubes using the arc discharge technique. Measurements with highly time- and size-resolved DRI techniques were carried out both in the emission and background (far-field) zones. Novel classifications and counting criteria were set up for the SEM method. Three classes of CNT-containing particles were defined: type 1: particles with aspect ratio length:width >3:1 (fibrous particles); type 2: particles without fibre characteristics but with high CNT content; and type 3: particles with visible embedded CNTs. Results: Offline sampling using SEM showed emissions of CNT-containing particles in 5 out of 11 work tasks. The particles were classified into the three classes, of which type 1, fibrous CNT particles contributed 37%. The concentration of all CNT-containing particles and the occurrence of the particle classes varied strongly between work tasks. Based on the emission measurements, it was assessed that more than 85% of the exposure originated from open handling of CNT powder during the Sieving, mechanical work-up, and packaging work task. The DRI measurements provided complementary information, which combined with SEM provided information on: (i) the background adjusted emission concentration from each work task in different particle size ranges, (ii) identification of the key procedures in each work task that lead to emission peaks, (iii) identification of emission events that affect the background, thereby leading to far-field exposure risks for workers other than the operator of the work task, and (iv) the fraction of particles emitted from each source that contains CNTs. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for a standardized/harmonized method for electron microscopy (EM) analysis of CNTs. The SEM method developed in this study can form the basis for such a harmonized protocol for the counting of CNTs. The size-resolved DRI techniques are commonly not specific enough to selective analysis of CNT-containing particles and thus cannot yet replace offline time-integrated filter sampling followed by SEM. A combination of EM and DRI techniques offers the most complete characterization of workplace emissions of CNTs today.
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| 16. |
- Stroh, Emilie, et al.
(author)
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Luftkvalitet i överbyggda stationsmiljöer
- 2019
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Den pågående expansionen av järnvägstransporter, för både personresor och varutransporter, gör att den rälsbundna trafiken ökar kraftigt. I samband med att personresor och pendling med tåg och järnväg ökar sker också en expansion av antalet mer eller mindre slutna stationsmiljöer under mark. Dessa miljöer kan innebära en hälsorisk genom kombinationen av slutna utrymmen och höga halter av luftburna partiklar som den rälsbundna trafiken ger upphov till. Det finns därför ett behov av att analysera vilka kritiska nivåer av luftföroreningar som kan uppkomma i stationsmiljöer och vilka eventuella risker denna exponering kan medföra för individers hälsa.Mätningar har visat att halterna på överbyggda järnvägsstationer samt stationer under mark är väsentligt högre än på motsvarande öppna stationer. Forskningen inom området är begränsad och Trafikverket har inga rutiner för att utföra luftmätningar, och inga rikt- eller gränsvärden för luftföroreningar att förhålla sig till. År 2013 genomförde därför Institutionen för Folkhälsa och klinisk medicin vid Umeå Universitet på uppdrag av Trafikverket en kunskapssammanställning över hälsoeffekter av luftföroreningar i stationsmiljöer till järnvägstunnlar [1]. Denna kunskapssammanställning visade bl.a. på att det fanns omfattande kunskapsluckor rörande emissioner och exponeringsförhållande i järnvägstunnlar. Baserat på tillgängliga studier inom området sammanfattar rapporten att riktvärden för emissioner i järnvägstunnlar behöver ta hänsyn till typ av trafik (exempelvis diesellok eller el). Vidare konkluderas att gränsvärden för partikelhalter (baserade på massa) bör utgå från de gränsvärden som gäller i ”vanliga” urbana miljöer. Nytillkomna studier avseende luftkvalitén i överbyggda stationer, mätt som partikelhalter, visar att halterna riskerar att bli mycket höga i denna typ av miljöer. Det är främst järnhaltiga partiklar som emitteras i dessa miljöer till följd av slitage mellan tågsätt och räls. Vid bristfällig ventilation kan partikelhalterna bli mycket höga. Partikelhalterna i dessa miljöer uppvisar vecko- och dygnsvariationer som följer trafikintensiteten på rälsen. Halterna tenderar att vara som högst under veckodagar och vid pendlingstid eller strax därefter för att sedan sjunka.Studier avseende pendling och vistelse i överbyggda stationsmiljöer och tunnelbanor har visat att exponeringen för partiklar kan bli omfattande och, i Europa, oftast högre än vid pendling med andra färdsätt.Kunskapen kring järnvägsemitterade partiklars sammansättning och toxicitet är fortfarande begränsad. Partiklarna har, jämfört med partiklar i urban bakgrundsmiljö, högt metallinnehåll vilket skulle kunna innebära att de är mer toxiska. Den begränsade litteraturen på området är inte samstämmig i detta avseende. Då det fortfarande finns ett begränsat antal epidemiologiska studier kring hälsoeffekter från vistelse (pendling, arbete) i överbyggda stationsmiljöer och då detta är en miljö i vilken även känsliga individer ska kunna vistas utan risk för negativ hälsopåverkan bör försiktighetsprincipen råda; Miljöbalken 2 kap. 2 §. Klarlagt är dock att den allmänna partikelbelastningen i dessa miljöer riskerar att bli mycket hög och att höga halter och koncentrationer av partiklar i sig har en negativ inverkan på hälsan.Då specifika rikt- och gränsvärden saknas för överbyggda stationsmiljöer och tunnelbanesystem är det rimligt att rådande miljökvalitetsnormer bör gälla även i dessa miljöer. Baserat på ovanstående ser vi ingen anledning att ändra på de föreslagna riktvärden för PM10 på 200 µg/m3 (timmedelvärde) och 100 µg/m3 (dygnsmedelvärde) som föreslogs av Järvholm et al. (2013). I beaktande av nuvarande kunskapsläge kring de negativa hälsoeffekterna av finare partiklar (PM2,5) och höga partikelkoncentrationer anser vi det däremot tillämpligt att även basera riktvärden på de mindre partikelfraktionerna. Då det saknas miljökvalitetsnormer avseende partikelantal bör riktvärdet utgå ifrån partikelhalt där dygnsmedelhalten av PM2,5 inte bör överskrida 50 µg/m3 för att utgöra ett skydd för de individer som vistas längre tider i dessa miljöer. För att säkerställa en hälsosam vistelse och arbetsmiljö i överbyggda stationsmiljöer rekommenderar vi vidare en implementering till svenska förhållanden av åtgärdsförslagen enligt rekommendationerna från det EU-baserade IMPROVE-projektet vilket återfinns i rapporten ”Improving air quality in the subway environment – technical guide” [70].
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| 17. |
- Wierzbicka, Aneta, et al.
(author)
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Healthy Indoor Environments : The Need for a Holistic Approach
- 2018
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In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 15:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Indoor environments have a large impact on health and well-being, so it is important to understand what makes them healthy and sustainable. There is substantial knowledge on individual factors and their effects, though understanding how factors interact and what role occupants play in these interactions (both causative and receptive) is lacking. We aimed to: (i) explore interactions between factors and potential risks if these are not considered from holistic perspective; and (ii) identify components needed to advance research on indoor environments. The paper is based on collaboration between researchers from disciplines covering technical, behavioural, and medical perspectives. Outcomes were identified through literature reviews, discussions and workshops with invited experts and representatives from various stakeholder groups. Four themes emerged and were discussed with an emphasis on occupant health: (a) the bio-psycho-social aspects of health; (b) interaction between occupants, buildings and indoor environment; (c) climate change and its impact on indoor environment quality, thermal comfort and health; and (d) energy efficiency measures and indoor environment. To advance the relevant research, the indoor environment must be considered a dynamic and complex system with multiple interactions. This calls for a transdisciplinary and holistic approach and effective collaboration with various stakeholders.
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