Indoor Environmental Surveys Research Articles

Microplastics and their Additives in the Indoor Environment

AbstractAnalyses of air and house dust have shown that pollution of the indoor environment with microplastics could pose a fundamental hygienic problem. Indoor microplastics can result from abrasion, microplastic beads are frequently added to household products and microplastic granules can be found in artificial turf for sports activities and in synthetic admixtures in equestrian hall litter. In this context, the question arose as to what extent particulate emissions of thermoplastic materials from 3D printing should be at least partially classified as microplastics or nanoplastics. The discussion about textiles as a possible source of indoor microplastics has also been intensified. This Minireview gives an overview of the current exposure of residents to microplastics. Trends can be identified from the results and preventive measures can be derived if necessary. It is recommended that microplastics and their additives be given greater consideration in indoor environmental surveys in the future.

Microplastics and their Additives in the Indoor Environment.

Analyses of air and house dust have shown that pollution of the indoor environment with microplastics could pose a fundamental hygienic problem. Indoor microplastics can result from abrasion, microplastic beads are frequently added to household products and microplastic granules can be found in artificial turf for sports activities and in synthetic admixtures in equestrian hall litter. In this context, the question arose as to what extent particulate emissions of thermoplastic materials from 3D printing should be at least partially classified as microplastics or nanoplastics. The discussion about textiles as a possible source of indoor microplastics has also been intensified. This Minireview gives an overview of the current exposure of residents to microplastics. Trends can be identified from the results and preventive measures can be derived if necessary. It is recommended that microplastics and their additives be given greater consideration in indoor environmental surveys in the future.

Drain outlets in patient rooms as sources for invasive fusariosis: an analysis of patients with haematological disorders

Invasive fusariosis (IF) is a frequently fatal disease as there are few antifungals to treat it, making the prevention of IF crucial. However, fusarium infections have not been as thoroughly studied as other common pathogenic fungi such as Aspergillus or Candida. To investigate the epidemiology of IF in patients with haematological diseases in Japan and to elucidate the infectious route of fusarium infection. We retrospectively analysed 29 IF cases in patients with haematological diseases from 2009 to 2019 in Japan. To discover the infectious source of IF, we performed an indoor environment survey targeted at indoor air and drain outlets in medical institutions and residences using culture-based and metagenomic methods. Finally, we performed aerosol- and droplet-mediated dispersion studies. The epidemiological study showed that the primary pathogen of IF was Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), and the most common species was Fusarium petroliphilum. Most patients were likely to develop IF during hospitalization. A fusarium culture was positive in 26 of 72 drain samples. Few fusarium were detected from air samples; by contrast, 29 of 108 isolates from the drain outlets were identified as fusarium. Furthermore, similar results were obtained in the metagenomic analysis. Interestingly, species belonging to FSSC were isolated from indoor drain outlets, which was similar to those of the IF patients. In the droplet-mediated dispersion study, eight to 17 colonies of fusarium were isolated. Our study indicates that causative Fusarium spp. could inhabit drain outlets in hospitals or residences, and droplet-mediated fusarium dispersion is a potential cause of IF.

大学施設における環境負荷低減手法に関する研究 その21 個別分散空調機を用いた暖房時の室内環境の評価

大学施設における環境負荷低減手法に関する研究 その21 個別分散空調機を用いた暖房時の室内環境の評価

ゼロ・エネルギー・ハウスの実現に向けた実証研究 （第2報）対象住宅の断熱性能・室内環境実測および年間エネルギー予測

ゼロ・エネルギー・ハウスの実現に向けた実証研究 （第2報）対象住宅の断熱性能・室内環境実測および年間エネルギー予測

Building-Related Symptoms and Characteristics in a Sensitive Multiple-Use Complex

We investigated environmental conditions by many modalities in 71 discreet areas of 12 of 40 buildings in a sensitive government building complex. An on-line health survey was completed by 7,637 building occupants (49% response rate), a sub-set of whom voluntarily underwent medical evaluation. Few environmental conditions directly correlated with individual clinical endpoints, except that low relative humidity was significantly associated with lower respiratory and “sick building syndrome”-type symptoms. Five environmental factors were associated with group-level building-related health complaints: physical comfort, odor, job stress, glare, cleanliness, renovation and construction activity, and noise. The most common physician-diagnosed disorders reported by respondents were sinusitis, allergies, and asthma. The clinical diagnosis of asthma was associated with increased absence and presenteeism (presence at work but at a reduced capacity) and reports of symptoms, including those not related to respiratory disease. This investigation supports a recommended approach to assessment of building-related health complaints, that the assessment should begin with an occupant-centered medical evaluation in order to guide environmental investigations, rather than relying primarily on building-wide indoor environmental surveys.

Indoor Environment and Energy Use in Historic Buildings - Comparing Survey Results with Measurements and Simulations

Increasing demand for energy efficiency places new requirements on energy use in historic buildings. Efficient energy use is essential if a historic building is to be used and preserved, especially buildings with conventional uses such as residential buildings and offices. This paper presents results which combine energy auditing with building energy simulation and an indoor environment survey among the occupants of the building. Both when comparing simulations with measurements as well as with survey results good agreement was found. The two efficiency measures that are predicted to increase energy and thermal performance the most for this group of buildings were reduced infiltration and increasing heat-exchanger efficiency.

Risk Factor for Lifestyle and Way of Living for Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome: Epidemiological Survey in Japan

To investigate the association among symptoms of sick building syndrome (SBS). Self-reported questionnaire and indoor environmental surveys of newly build dwellings in Japan were conducted. The questionnaire included items on symptoms of SBS and lifestyle, and an indoor environmental survey (i.e., mold, mites, and volatile organic compounds (VOC)) was conducted in family rooms of dwellings in Japan (Sapporo, Fukushima, Nagoya, Osaka, Okayama, and Kitakyusyu), from 2004 to 2007. Data from Osaka in 2004 indicated significant odds ratios for symptoms of SBS for questionnaire items on renovation, air freshener, carpet, use of benzin, use of thinner, use of coating materials, moldiness, smell of house, and feeling of having insufficient sleeping hours. Significant odds ratios were noted for total CFU, Auerbasidum genus, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus sp., Aureobasidium pullulans, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., Rhodotorula minuta, and Wallemia sebi. Concerning concentrations of VOCs, TVOC, limonene, o,m-tolualdehyde, 2-pentanone, tetrachloroethylene, n-decane, and n-heptane are significantly higher in those who have symptoms of SBS. Significant odds ratios were indicated for questionnaire items on smell of house, stuffiness, moldiness, fustiness, dampness, water leakage, and feeling of having insufficient sleeping hours from data of six areas in Japan in 2004. Continuous data analysis of Osaka from 2004 to 2006 suggested that improvement of symptoms of SBS might be due to lifestyle modification. Mites, molds, VOCs, renovation, moldiness, stuffiness, feeling of having insufficient sleeping hours, carpet use, benzin, thinner, and coating materials, increase the risk of developing symptoms of SBS, whereas modification of lifestyle and ways of living factors might alleviate them.

Office Environment Syndrome Study: Part I

An indoor environment survey (temperature, relative humidity, illuminance, noise, infrasound, CO, CO2, formaldehyde, respirable dust weight, particle counts, mite allergen in carpet or chair dust, individual and total volatile organic compounds, individual and total microbiological volatile organic compounds) was conducted in 4 office buildings. A detailed self-report occupant comfort, ergonomic conditions and SBS questionnaire survey was administered to all employees, and 1,508 returns were received (72% return rate). There were few associations between specific SBS symptoms and specific environment measures were found, but total SBS symptoms were not correlated with most of the indoor environment measures. There was a significant difference in SBS reports between areas above and below 650 ppm CO2. SBS symptoms were correlated with perceived indoor environment conditions, cacosmia, overwork, migraine, allergies, and musculoskeletal complaints. SBS symptoms were not associated with negative affect, worry, or general anxiety and stress.

Field study on the indoor thermal environment and carbon monoxide levels in a large underground car park

Results of an indoor environment survey in a large underground car park in Hong Kong are reported in this paper. Field measurements were divided into three parts: (1) assessment of the thermal environment; (2) measurement of the carbon monoxide concentration; and (3) a survey on thermal comfort. The indoor air temperature, relative humidity, instantaneous airspeeds, turbulence intensity, and carbon monoxide concentration at different locations in the car park were measured. Design and operation of the installed ventilation systems were studied and the number of cars staying at the car park was investigated. Correlation relationships between the mean carbon monoxide and the mean air speed, the turbulence intensity, and the number of cars entering or leaving the car park were derived. Field studies of this kind are very important for providing ventilation system design data.

Survey on the indoor environment of enclosed car parks in Hong Kong

Results of an indoor environment survey of 19 underground car parks in Hong Kong are reported. The indoor air temperature, relative humidity and air speed were measured. Subjective feelings of the occupants and their views on the indoor environment were surveyed by questionnaire. The design and operation of the installed ventilation systems and the number of occupants staying at the car parks were also investigated. It was found that studies of this kind are very important in providing design data. Further, a four-point assessment system is proposed to quantify the indoor thermal environment of the car parks.

Indoor Thermal Environment Survey in Air-Conditioned Shopping Malls in Hong Kong

This paper reports the results of an indoor environment survey in air-condi tioned shopping malls in Hong Kong. Three key parameters, the indoor air temperature, relative humidity and air speed, were measured in the occupied zone and their mean values were calculated. Subjective feelings of the occu pants and their views on the indoor environment were surveyed by question naires. A subjective system of assessment was used in which the overall per ception of the environment in terms of the mean values of air temperature, air relative humidity and air speeds was expressed by five grades: very comforta ble, comfortable, acceptable, uncomfortable and very uncomfortable. The design and operation of the air-conditioning systems that were installed and the number of occupants staying at the mall were also investigated. In the survey, it was found that the overall perception of the indoor air quality was affected by odours. Furthermore, people in Hong Kong prefer to have higher air speeds to give a feeling of air movement. They feel comfortable in a shop ping mall with a mean air temperature of 20-24 ° C, mean relative air humidi ty of 50-65% and mean air speed of 0.2-0.4 mÚs-1.