2023 CiteScore: 1.9
eISSN: 2476-3071
Editor-in-Chief:
Ramin Nabizadeh Nodehi, Ph.D.
Vol 9 No 1 (2024): Winter 2024
Original Research
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Introduction: This study quantified Particulate Matter (PM) deposition and its clearance in the Human Respiratory Tract (HRT) at different microenvironments of a university. The university is located adjacent to the National Highway (NH 334) and main bus stop of the city, thus highly affected by PM pollution.
Materials and methods: The deposition calculations were performed using a widely accepted MPPD 3.04 model. Three seasons (summer, winter and monsoon), seven microenvironments (including three Lecture Hall Complexes (LHCs), a library, two laboratories and outdoor), and different activity patterns associated with each microenvironment were considered.
Results: The deposited mass of coarse fraction (PM2.5-10) in different HRT regions follows the order: pulmonary (0.5%)<tracheobronchial (2%)<head (or extrathoracic region) (97.5%). In the case of lobar region, because of the larger volume of lower lobes, they received higher deposition (53%) than the middle (8%) and upper lobes (39%). Further, the sitting activity level was found to be most critical for lobar deposition. The total deposited mass in the HRT was maximum outdoors and minimum at the library. The difference in winter and monsoon deposition was 100% for PM2.5-10, 75% for PM1-2.5 and 126% for PM1. The clearance rate of PM1 is such that 1.5 % of particles in the tracheobronchial and 64% in the pulmonary region remained even after six months.
Conclusion: The results implied that physical activity levels, mode of inhalation and particle size significantly influence regional deposition. For instance, heavy exercise causes greater deposition in the head region, whereas sitting activity contributes to higher pulmonary and tracheobronchial deposition. -
Introduction: Biomass Fuels (BMF) used for daily cooking in developing countries inside home is the highest exposures to air pollutants. Inhalation of these pollutants causes harmful health effects. This study aims to assess the health effects with the indoor air pollutants generated BMF.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study, conducted in a rural village of India. 450 households were divided into two groups based on the cooking fuel, the BMF group and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) clean fuel group. Socioeconomic and respiratory symptoms information was obtained using a standard questionnaire. Indoor air concentration for PM10 and PM2.5 was measured during cooking hours. Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) were conducted for the women inhabitants using spirometer.
Results: Respiratory symptoms like chest pain, breathlessness, eye irritation, and blackout found to be significantly higher in biomass users (P<0.05). Moreover, an increasing trend in the prevalence of symptoms/ morbid conditions observed with an increase in exposure.
Conclusion: Findings of the study confirms that the traditional use of biomass fuels exposes all family members daily to air pollution levels that well exceed available health guidelines for indoor air quality and highlights the critical gender and age dimensions of the Household Air Pollution (HAP) problem. Women exposed to BMF smoke suffer more from health problems and are at higher risk of respiratory illnesses than other fuel users. -
Introduction: The air pollution is a significant environmental issue that profoundly impacts urban areas and their surrounding regions. The processes involved in air pollution are complex, as primary pollutants are released into the atmosphere and then transported by the action of wind. Primary pollutants may undergo chemical reactions, change phases, and eventually be eliminated from the atmosphere through dry and wet deposition.
Materials and methods: The Air Quality Index (AQI) has been used to analyse the variations in the AQI over a span of three years (2019-2021) for Gurugram city. The study aimed to quantify the changes in the AQI values on seasonal basis (winter, summer, and monsoon).
Results: The results show that there has been a slight improvement in the air quality in certain areas, but it still remains critical. Therefore, it highlights the need for continued and concerted efforts to address the issue of air pollution. The deteriorating air quality poses severe threats, including the potential alteration into the natural state of atmospheric composition, besides health-related issues.
Conclusion: It is closely linked to adverse health effects, such as respiratory problems, increased instances of asthma, cancer, and even leads to mortality in extreme cases. The measurements from four monitoring sites namely Seva Sadan, Sector-51, Gawal Pahari, and Manesar, were analysed and a comparison of seasonal trends among these sites were also attempted. -
Introduction: Assessing in-vehicle air pollution and load factor is crucial in developing countries like Nepal within the environmental and social aspects of sustainable urban mobility.
Materials and methods: In this study in-vehicle air quality of public vehicles in Kathmandu valley was monitored for three road sections based on vehicle density i.e. Ring Road Section (RRS), Urban Commercial Route 1 (UCR1), and Urban Commercial Route 2 (UCR2) using Air Visual Pro N1 Model for which validationand was done with reference Particulate Matter (PM) values obtained from the GRIMM EDM 180 analyzer. The quantitative count method was used to sample passenger load. Particulate Matter (PM1 , PM2.5, PM10) were monitored along with indoor-outdoor ratio for PM2.5 to know the relationship between indoor and outdoor air quality.
Results: A higher positive correlation between PM2.5 and PM10 showed common sources of pollution such as road dust, and vehicle exhaust and a ratio study between them showed the dominance of coarser particles in both ambient and in-vehicle environments. RRS recorded the highest PM10 and PM2.5 exposure, possibly due to the inadequate road conditions from Kalanki to Gongabu and loose sediment deposition from roadside activities. A significant difference is observed for peak and non-peak hours due to the difference in mobility of vehicles on two different hours. Higher load factors on UCR1 and UCR2 showed the higher transportation demand on urban commercial sections for both weekdays and weekends in comparison to RRS.
Conclusion: Both in-vehicle air quality and load factor for sections under study were not satisfactory and cannot be counted under sustainable urban mobility practices. -
Introduction: Exposure to Particulate Matter (PM) can cause ill health effects such as coughing, allergies, decreased lung function, chest discomfort and pain. The current study aims to monitor particulate matter concentrations on the highways in Nashik, India and to estimate its exposure to the bikers in the form of Respiratory Deposition Doses (RDDs) with its seasonal variation.
Materials and methods: Low-cost air quality monitor was mounted on the bike to measure Particulate Matter (PM1, PM2.5 and PM10) concentrations at breathing level. Extensive mobile monitoring was performed on seven highway stretches passing through city limits at morning and evening peak hours for all the weekdays for three seasons.
Results: The PM concentrations differed on each route seasonally as well as at peak hours in morning and evening. The maximum PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations monitored were 119.84 μg/m3 , 218.85 μg/m3 and 239.25 μg/m3 respectively on Route R3 in Winter morning. The maximum RDDHD exposure on R5 and R3 in Winter mornings was due to PM10. While maximum RDDTB and RDDAL exposure on R5 in Winter morning and evening was due to PM2.5. Also, the seasonal and particle size effect on RDD has been studied which exhibits higher rise in exposure in Winter mornings due to PM2.5.
Conclusion: This study reveals that maximum exposure was observed during Winter mornings. The results recommend that seasons have a substantial effect on PM concentrations and their exposure. The minimum exposure was observed in monsoon, followed by summer and the maximum exposure was seen in winters.
Review Article(s)
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The textile industry consists of several units that engage different processes namely ginning, spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing, and several other processes which required for converting raw cotton fiber into finished fabrics. Exposure to cotton dust, endotoxin, chemicals, noise, and musculoskeletal disorders causes several health-related hazards to textile workers. This review article aims to study the health issues due to various risk factors associated with the working environment in detail and its impacts on workers' health. This review article also reports dust and endotoxin concentrations in indoor environments of textile industries, as well as discusses the association between workplace exposure to cotton dust, endotoxin, and the prevalence of respiratory disorders. In this review, the focus is also given to the prevalence of indoor pollutants like Particulate Matter (PM), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Carbon monoxide (CO), and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Formaldehyde (HCHO) in the workplace and its effects on human health. The study expands to other aspects that influence human comfort and health during working hours like occupational noise, musculoskeletal disorders, and eyesight problems. In addition, the advanced technologies for monitoring indoor air quality for control and reduction of pollutants indoor environment the current regulatory limits of cotton dust and indoor pollutants, and suggestions to enhance the occupational safety and health conditions in textile sectors are also pointed out. In conclusion, the current study stresses the need to regulate and apply international standards in the textile sector to prevent short- and long-term occupational illness.
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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) play a critical role in the atmosphere and are produced from biogenic and anthropogenic sources. These chemicals have serious health consequences for humans. Among many types of
industrial waste available, Coal Fly Ash (CFA) are mostly produced by coalfired power plants with the ability to capture VOCs from the air. The use of an inexpensive, high-performance electrospun nanofiber membrane to filter out airborne impurities. Adsorption is thought to be the best approach out of all of them due to its convenience, ease of usage, and easy-to-understand design. This review article covers the procedure, and environmental effects of employing fly ash for the adsorption of VOCs. The main concerns with fly ash disposal are the need for massive land areas for landfills and the harmful effects and groundwater pollution caused by the accumulation of heavy metals. Additionally, the methods for overcoming the benefits of using fly ash are also examined. -
Due to their widespread identification in all environmental compartments, Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants that have garnered growing scientific and public attention over the last decades. Early research on MPs and their effects was limited to studies of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, but more recent studies have included MPs in the air. There is now considerable concern about the effects of MPs on pristine environments and urban air quality. A literature search was conducted in Science Direct and Google Scholar using the following keywords: microplastics, indoor environment, outdoor environment, human effects, and ecological risks. Finally, eligible studies were selected for the review. Textiles, such as clothes, carpets, and curtains, are the main indoor sources of MPs. As well as the primary sources of MPs outdoors, there are landfills, urban and home dust, and synthetic particles. According to current theories, human exposure to MPs occurs through dermal contact, ingestion, and inhalation. Recent research has demonstrated that inhalation is the principal mechanism of human exposure to MPs. Early toxicological research suggests that MPs may lead to inflammation and oxidative stress. However, there is growing concern about the possible leaching of hazardous chemicals used as plastic additives. Nevertheless, MP exposure and risk assessment in humans is still in its infancy, and more research on the presence of MPs in various indoor and outdoor environments is required to provide the knowledge base needed for regulations to protect human health and the environment from MPs.
