Bad Air Research Articles

Pioneer of epidemiology and anesthesiology – John Snow (1813–1858)

IntroductionJohn Snow, a British physician of the 19th century, played a pivotal role in challenging prevailing medical beliefs during his time. His groundbreaking studies on the cholera epidemic led to the rejection of the miasma theory and the establishment of the link between contaminated water and the spread of the disease.AimThis study aims to explore the contributions of John Snow to the fields of anaesthesiology and epidemiology, focusing on his significant findings and methodologies.Material and methodsThis study utilizes a literature review approach to examine John Snow's contributions to anaesthesiology and epidemiology. Searches were conducted in databases using relevant keywords, focusing on peer-reviewed articles and authoritative sources. The data was qualitatively synthesized to extract key insights into Snow's methodologies and findings, aiming to provide a brief overview of his impact on medical science.Results and discussion:John Snow (1813-1858) is celebrated as a pioneer in epidemiology and anaesthesiology. He identified contaminated water as the source of the 1854 cholera outbreak in London, establishing the basis for modern epidemiology. Snow's innovative mapping of cholera cases was crucial in controlling the epidemic. He also advanced anaesthetic techniques, notably using chloroform on Queen Victoria during childbirth, improving the safety of anaesthesia. His work remains influential in both fields.Conclusions:John Snow's pioneering work significantly impacted the development of anaesthesiology and epidemiology. His insights into cholera transmission and anaesthetic agents, along with his seminal publication On Chloroform and Other Anaesthetic, continue to inspire advancements in medical science. Snow's legacy underscores the importance of evidence-based medicine and the pursuit of knowledge in addressing public health challenges.

Microscopy and microbiology: Moving forward together

Abstract For more than four thousand years technological advances have enabled us to see the invisible through the invention and development of microscopes that have delivered magnification alongside resolution. Over the same timescale this has led to the discovery of microscopic organisms and the birth of the science of microbiology. From ancient theories that an invisible life form existed light microscopy established their presence in the 1600s. Over the next couple of centuries light microscopes were developed with improved illumination and precision as microbiologists created ways to grow and sample their microbes. In so doing microscopy and microbiology extended our understanding of infection transmission from generalised miasma and germ theories to linking specific diseases with particular microbes to make diagnosis and prevention more reliable. Electron and fluorescent microscopy provided step changes in the visualisation of the finer detail of microbes, enabling the characterisation of internal structures and the unravelling of the molecular mechanisms of biological processes. We are now within an era of imaging microbes in three dimensions over time with sensitivity and super resolution to study the microbes in their natural habitat such as within infected tissues. With the advent of multi-modal, correlative and molecular imaging the future holds the promise of a full interrogation of the internal machineries of microbes and real-time tracking of their lifecycle and interactions. This will help deliver the next generation of antibiotics and alternative prevention strategies to enable everyone to live longer, healthier lives.

Term ‘zlorastvoreniye’ in liturgical texts: loan translation and re-interpretation

The article analyzes the use of an unclear term “zlorastvoreniye” (traced from the ancient Greek compound word δυσκρασία or its Latin analogue intemperies “bad mixing; immoderation”) and its derivatives in Church Slavonic texts. The paper gives examples of these classical language lexemes and explains how these terms reflect ideas dating back to antiquity about the correct, favorable combination of tangible qualities of the weather. Apart from a single example (the expression “zlorastvoreniye vetrov”), translated into Slavonic from Greek, the article provides examples with phraseological units “zlorastvoreniye vozdukhov / zlorastvorennii vozdusi” from the original texts, whose authors most likely copied Latin phraseology. The work explains the meaning of the petitions from the blessing of the bell worship (which has a Rome Catholic origin, although is not a direct translation) — bell ringing was believed to have a beneficial effect on the phenomena occurring in the air. Moreover, we present examples of how, in connection with the wide spread of the miasmatic theory of diseases in Russia, the studied expressions were reinterpreted by authors who were not experienced in the classical languages as bad smell and contagiousness of the air.

Dr. Ignaz Phillip Semmelweis: The Unrecognized Pioneer of Aseptic Practices.

Modern medicine is well-versed in aseptic and infection control practices, such as hand hygiene, proper use of disinfectants, and personal protective equipment. The early 1800s lacked any concept of effective antisepsis because they predominantly believed in the miasma theory (now abandoned), which believed that disease was caused by bad air coming out of rotting organic matter. In the era of "miasma theory," Ignaz Semmelweis dared to pave the way for germ theory disease. Vienna General Hospital supported his work, but his hypothesis remained unpublished and unheard by the rest of the world. In 1861, his major publication, "The etiology, concept, and prophylaxis of childbed fever," sparked strong opposition and rejection of his theories. His mental condition deteriorated due to the strong rejection and criticism from his peers, leading to the development of amnesia, anxiety, and severe depression. He was unfortunately admitted to an Austrian asylum, where he was confined and beaten. Eventually, the man who conquered puerperal fever succumbed to septicemia due to an infected wound from the beating.

Research on Tropical Medicine and Germ Theory in Colonial Hong Kong: Focusing on Malaria and Plague Prevention.

At the end of the nineteenth century, Hong Kong was in the midst of a malaria and plague epidemic which caused a fierce dispute within the medical community over disease theories and quarantine practices. However, the Hong Kong colonial authorities and medical community did not immediately accept the theory of etiology based on germ theory. Although germ theory was becoming scientifically established through research on plague and malaria in the 1890s, the Hong Kong colonial authorities and medical community did not immediately accept it. Patrick Manson (1844-1922) began studying tropical medicine based on germ theory by studying elephantiasis and malaria in Amoi and Hong Kong during the 1880s. However, he was unable to strongly advocate for a quarantine policy based on germ theory because the exact transmission routes of these diseases were not yet fully understood. Although the scientific community began to shift towards germ theory after the discovery of causative bacteria for diseases like malaria and plague in the 1880s and 1890s, many medical and colonial health officials in Hong Kong still held on to the quarantine policy based on miasma theory. However, a series of infectious diseases and destructive miasma theory-based quarantine measures were pushing Hong Kong society into chaos, and the existing quarantine measures was no longer sustainable. In the twentieth century, colonial authorities and medical community in Hong Kong adopted tropical medicine and quarantine measures based on germ theory as their prominent position. Despite the establishment of tropical disease theory based on germ theory, racial perceptions of disease did not change significantly. Instead, the theory of tropical medicine reinforced orientalist views of disease.

The Publication and Historical Significance of Modern Chinese Medical Reports.

Unlike Western medical journals such as The Lancet which focused on Western-centric medical cases, Medical Reports analyzed medical and sanitary issues in East Asia, including China, Korea, and Japan and sought solutions to these problems. Medical Reports, a medical project initiated by the Chinese Maritime Customs Service (CMCS) in 1871, aimed to compile reference materials on the health conditions and diseases in ports. It was launched by the British Inspector General Robert Hart, who appointed the British Shanghai Customs Surgeon R. Alexander Jameson as the editor. Beginning in the 1860s, the British-led CMCS began expanding its reach from major cities to border areas, western regions, Taiwan Island, and Hainan Island, as well as territories beyond Qing Dynasty, such as Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Hong Kong, and Macau. This expansion required multinational cooperation, leading to the participation of Customs Surgeons, medical missionaries, and military doctors from ten countries, including the UK, the United States, France, China, Germany, Canada, Portugal, Norway, the Netherlands, and Australia, in the Medical Reports project. The Medical Reports were directly tied to the medical and sanitary initiatives in that community. They were authored by Customs Surgeons from a country with substantial regional influence. An analysis of the authors' nationalities, primary research focuses, and the relationship between the customs regions they covered revealed a statistically significant correlation. Even after Robert Koch discovered bacteria in the late nineteenth century, the miasma theory remained dominant, and most British doctors in India did not acknowledge the possibility that diseases could be caused by parasites. Despite this conservative historical context, the Medical Reports featured progressive research, including studies on leprosy based on germ theory and studies that actively embraced the emerging theory that parasites could be the cause of certain illnesses. In this process, the relatively unknown young physician named Patrick Manson, while working at the CMCS for 13 years, significantly advanced his medical knowledge by publishing numerous studies on filaria in the Medical Reports. His work led to the groundbreaking discovery that mosquitoes transmit infectious diseases. These research achievements pioneered the field of tropical medicine, a discipline that had not been established even in the extensive colonial holdings of France and Britain in tropical regions. Manson's work for the Medical Reports significantly advanced human efforts to prevent and respond to infectious diseases.

Evaluation of WRF-Chem air quality forecasts during the AEROMMA and STAQS 2023 field campaigns

ABSTRACT A real-time air quality forecasting system was developed using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) to provide support for flight planning activities during the NOAA Atmospheric Emissions and Reactions Observed from Megacities to Marine Areas (AEROMMA) and NASA Synergistic TEMPO Air Quality Science (STAQS) 2023 field campaigns. The forecasting system operated on two separate domains centered on Chicago, IL, and New York City, NY, and provided 72-hour predictions of atmospheric composition, aerosols, and clouds. This study evaluates the Chicago-centered forecasting system’s 1-, 2-, and 3-day ozone (O3) forecast skill for Chiwaukee Prairie, WI, a rural area downwind of Chicago that often experiences high levels of O3 pollution. Comparisons to vertical O3 profiles collected by a Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet) instrument revealed that forecast skill decreases as forecast lead time increases. When compared to surface measurements, the forecasting system tended to underestimate O3 concentrations on high O3 days and overestimate on low O3 days at Chiwaukee Prairie regardless of forecast lead time. Using July 25, 2023, as a case study, analyses show that the forecasts underestimated peak O3 levels at Chiwaukee Prairie during this regionwide bad air quality day. Wind speed and direction data indicates that this underestimation can partially be attributed to lake breeze simulation errors. Surface fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measurements, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-16 (GOES-16) aerosol optical depth (AOD) data, and back trajectories from the NOAA Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model show that transported Canadian wildfire smoke impacted the Lake Michigan region on this day. Errors in the forecasted chemical composition and transport of the smoke plumes also contributed to underpredictions of O3 levels at Chiwaukee Prairie on July 25, 2023. The results of this work help identify improvements that can be made for future iterations of the WRF-Chem forecasting system. Implications: Air quality forecasting is an important tool that can be used to inform the public about upcoming high pollution days so that individuals may plan accordingly to limit their exposure to health-damaging air pollutants. Forecasting also helps scientists make decisions about where to make observations during air quality field campaigns. A variety of observational datasets were used to evaluate the accuracy of an air quality forecasting system that was developed for NOAA and NASA field campaigns that occurred in the summer of 2023. These evaluations inform areas of improvement for future development of this air quality forecasting system.

Ronald Ross: Pioneer of Malaria Research and Nobel Laureate.

Sir Ronald Ross, a British medical doctor and researcher, is renowned for his pioneering work in malaria research. His discovery of the malaria parasite's lifecycle within mosquitoes revolutionized the understanding and control of malaria, transitioning the field from the miasma theory to vector-based strategies. This literature review aims to explore the comprehensive contributions of Ronald Ross to malaria researchand their enduring impact on public health.

Surgical antisepsis in Russia: historical parallels

The origins of surgery and the improvement of surgical practices did not always guarantee a favorable surgical outcome. Even a masterfully performed operation could lead to a purulent-inflammatory process. Even at the stage of empirical development of medicine, before the great microbiological discoveries, an understanding was formed about a certain “substrate” that penetrates the surgical wound from the external environment and causes its suppuration. Supporters of the contagionist theory called it contagium, and supporters of the miasmatic theory considered the external (air) environment as such a source. The ideas of the supporters of the contagionist theory of the occurrence of purulent-septic complications in surgery in the middle of the 18th century are reflected in the works of D.S. Samoilovich and I.F. Semmelweis; the latter proved the transmission of the infectious principle by the surgeon’s hands, which became the starting point for the development of preventive antiseptics. In historical retrospect, the technology and means used for surgical hand antisepsis in Russia were analyzed from the mid-18th to the early 20th centuries. Moreover, literary sources for the period from 1783 to 2023 were analyzed, containing information about the antiseptic treatment of surgeons’ hands. Historical, descriptive, evaluative, analytical, and bacteriological research methods were used. As an experiment, the original antiseptic recipe described by D.S. Samoilovich (1783) was restored, and its effectiveness was confirmed. During surgical practices in Russia, starting from the mid-18th century, facts about the use of drugs with antiseptic activity for hand treatment are described. It is shown how, in historical retrospect, views on the final result of surgical antisepsis changed: from partial to complete destruction of microorganisms, preventing their entry from the deep layers of the skin, to the destruction of transient microflora and reduction of the abundance of resident microflora. Despite the influence of the English (J. Lister) and German (P. Fürbringer, J.F. Ahlfeld) surgical schools on the development of antiseptics in Russia, it retained its originality, determined by the needs of society and the possibility of using certain chemical antiseptics and their compositions for its implementation. The contribution of domestic surgeons to the improvement of antiseptic technologies and drugs in military field conditions is shown (N.I. Pirogov, A.M. Zabludovsky, D.I. Tatarinov et al.).

First-time calculation of the spatial distribution of concentration and air quality index over South Africa using TROPOMI data

ABSTRACT The release of toxic gases into the atmosphere may reach concentrations that can cause undesirable health, economic, or aesthetic effects. It is therefore important to monitor the amounts of pollutants injected into the atmosphere from various sources. Most countries have a ground network with multiple measuring sites and instruments, that can measure the air quality index (AQI). However, the main challenge with the networks is the low spatial coverage. In this work, satellite data is used to calculate for the first time the spatial distribution of AQI and pollutant concentration over South Africa. The TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) onboard Sentinel-5P data is used to calculate AQI from carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gases. The results that the month of June has the worst air quality distribution throughout the country, while March has the best air quality distribution. Overall, the results clearly show that TROPOMI has the capability to measure air quality at a country and city level. Implications: In this work, satellite data is used to calculate for the first time the spatial distribution of the air quality index (AQI) and pollutant concentration over South Africa. The TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) onboard Sentinel-5P data is used to calculate AQI from carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gases. Currently, South Africa has a ground network of instruments that measure AQ, however, the network does not cover the whole country. In this work, we show that the use of TROPOMI can compliment the current network and provide data for the areas not covered.

Evaluation of Lung Function as a Result of Bad Air Quality from Forest and Peatland Fires Concerning Work Activities

Evaluation of Lung Function as a Result of Bad Air Quality from Forest and Peatland Fires Concerning Work Activities

Effectiveness of respiratory face masks in reducing acute PM2.5 pollution exposure during peak pollution period in Delhi

The cities of North India, such as Delhi, face a significant public health threat from severe air pollution. Between October 2021 and January 2022, 79 % of Delhi's daily average PM2.5 (Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) values exceeded 100 μg/m3 (the permissible level being 60 μg/m3 as per Indian standards). In response to this acute exposure, using Respiratory Face Masks (RFMs) is a cost-effective solution to reduce immediate health risks while policymakers develop long-term emission control plans. Our research focuses on the health and economic benefits of using RFMs to prevent acute exposure to PM2.5 pollution in Delhi for different age groups. Our findings indicate that, among the fifty chosen RFMs, M50 has greatest potential to prevent short-term excess mortality (908 in age ranges 5–44), followed by M49 (745) and M48 (568). These RFMs resulted in estimated economic benefits of 500.6 (46 %), 411.1 (37 %), and 313.4 (29 %) million Indian Rupee (INR), respectively during October–January 2021–22. By wearing RFMs such as M50, M49, and M48 during episodes of bad air quality, it is estimated that 13 % of short-term excess mortality and associated costs could be saved if at least 30 % of Delhi residents followed an alert issued by an operational Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) developed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Our research suggests that RFMs can notably decrease health and economic burdens amid peak PM2.5 pollution in post-monsoon and winter seasons until long-term emission reduction strategies are adopted. It is suggested that an advisory may be crafted in collaboration with statutory bodies and should be disseminated to assist the vulnerable population in using RFMs during winter. The analysis presented in this research is purely science based and outcomes of study are in no way to be construed as endorsement of product.

The Air Quality Smart Monitoring and Management System

In this project, the problem that I attempt to solve is the lack of knowledge and action surrounding poor air quality. Inspired by a trip to India, I took action and built a prototype device that gave auditory and visual indications of the air quality and turned an air ionizer as necessary. During project development, I interfaced a microcontroller with multiple peripheral devices, and I studied associated documentation as necessary. Using this knowledge, I wired each component to a digital or analog pin, and a ground power connection. Some components also required a 5 voltage connection. I then programmed my microcontroller to read the temperature, humidity, and pollutant ppm values from the associated sensors. During project development, I tested my device in five environments: my room, my backyard, an open garage with a car running, the air after a car runs, and a car running in a closed garage. I used this data to determine what pollutant ppm values constitute good, poor, and bad air quality. Using this information, I programmed the microcontroller to use LEDs and a buzzer to notify users of the current air quality conditions. Finally, I later incorporated an ionizer into the project, and programmed the system to switch it on when the air quality is bad. Through further testing, I determined that each component did its job, allowing me to validate. Thus, this device could make a difference for people in industrial countries facing respiratory diseases and can be applied to various fields of science.

Protecting Flowers of Fruit Trees From Frost With Dynamic Agrivoltaic Systems

Spring frost is a risk for fruit tree production. In this study, a dynamic agrivoltaic system (AV) was tested as a solution to protect trees from frosts. The study was done in a nectarine AV in France in 2022 and 2023. The AV plot was paired with an adjacent control plot without panels. Air temperature nearby the trees was measured continuously with thermo-hygrometers each year. In 2022 and 2023 frost sensors to mimic organ temperature were also used. In 2023, bud temperatures were continuously measured during bloom. Frosts during bloom were observed in 2022 and 2023 but only the 2022 frost was associated with flower damage. Solar panels were positioned in horizontal position during the nights with frost. Night air temperature nearby the AV trees was warmer in comparison with control trees (increases between 0.27 and 0.47 °C). An increase between 0.25-1.29 °C was also observed for frost sensors and between 1.61-1.69 °C for the flower buds. Phenology was similar between control and AV trees. In 2002, 35% of control flowers were injured during frost while less than 10% were injured in the AV. We conclude that agrivoltaics can be used to protect flowers from frost.

Bivariate extreme value analysis of extreme temperature and mortality in Canada, 2000-2020.

Climate change increases the risk of illness through rising temperature, severe precipitation and worst air pollution. This paper investigates how monthly excess mortality rate is associated with the increasing frequency and severity of extreme temperature in Canada during 2000-2020. The extreme associations were compared among four age groups across five sub-blocks of Canada based on the datasets of monthly T90 and T10, the two most representative indices of severe weather monitoring measures developed by the actuarial associations in Canada and US. We utilize a combined seasonal Auto-regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and bivariate Peaks-Over-Threshold (POT) method to investigate the extreme association via the extreme tail index and Pickands dependence function plots. It turns out that it is likely (more than 10%) to occur with excess mortality if there are unusual low temperature with extreme intensity (all except Northeast Atlantic (NEA), Northern Plains (NPL) and Northwest Pacific (NWP) for age group 0-44), while extreme frequent high temperature seems not to affect health significantly (all except NWP). Particular attention should be paid to NWP and Central Arctic (CAR) since population health therein is highly associated with both extreme frequent high and low temperatures (both for all age groups). The revealed extreme dependence is expected to help stakeholders avoid significant ramifications with targeted health protection strategies from unexpected consequences of extreme weather events. The novel extremal dependence methodology is promisingly applied in further studies of the interplay between extreme meteorological exposures, social-economic factors and health outcomes.

Influences of daily solar radiation intensity on the sea-land breeze and pollutant dispersion in coastal areas

Solar radiation plays a crucial role in the formation of sea-land breeze (SLB) circulation in coastal areas, and the SLB circulation in turn influences the atmospheric diffusion of pollutants in coastal cities. Therefore, the characteristics of the SLB and its impacts on the pollutant distributions in Shanghai, China, are numerically investigated for three (low, medium, and high) daily solar radiation intensities (DSRIs). The results show that the pollutant dispersion is affected by both the horizontal flow of SLB circulation and the vertical thermal plume (TP). The SLB only transports pollutants within the near-ground layer, while TP removes pollutants from the boundary layer and then improves near-ground air quality. Both the intensities of the SLB and TP increase with the increase of DSRI, however, the relative strength of the two are different at different DSRIs. When the DSRI is high (28.35 MJ/m2/day) or low (9.45 MJ/m2/day) during the daytime, the sea breeze (SB) is much stronger than the TP, so the prevailing flow direction on the land is horizontal, causing large amounts of pollutants to be blown inland. For the medium DSRI (18.90 MJ/m2/day), the TP is more powerful in the early stage of the SB period, so the airflow across the land is dominated by the rising TP. Pollutants are mainly transported to the upper atmosphere and the best air quality can be achieved in the residential region. At night, the worst air quality occurs at low DSRI, because when the DSRI is low, the speed of the land breeze is also low and this decelerates the diffusion of pollutants to the sea by the wind.

HYBRID MODEL AND FRAMEWORK FOR PREDICTING AIR POLLUTANTS IN SMART CITIES

The pollution index of any urban area is indicated by its air quality. It also shows a fine balance is maintained between the needs of the populace and the industrial ecosystem. To mitigate such pollution in real-time, smart cities have a significant role to play. It's common knowledge that air pollution in a city severely affects the health of its dependents. More alarmingly, human health damage and disease burden are caused by phenomena like acid rain, and global warming. More precisely, lung ailments, CPOD, heart problems and skin cancer are caused by polluted air in congested urban places. Amongst the worst air pollutants, CO, C6H6, SO2, NO2, O3, RSPM/PM10, and PM2.5 cause maximum havoc. The climatic variables like atmospheric wind velocity, direction, relative humidity, and temperature control air contaminants in the air. Lately, numerous techniques have been applied by researchers and environmentalists to determine the Air Quality Index over a place. However, not a single technique has found acceptance from all quarters as being effective in every situation or scenario. Here, the main aspect relates to achieving authentic prediction in AQI levels by applying Machine Learning algorithms so worst situations can be averted by timely action. To enhance the performance of Machine Learning methods study adopted imputation and feature selection methods. When feature selection is applied, the experimental outcomes indicate a more accurate prediction over other techniques, showing promise for the application of the model in smart cities by syncing data from different monitoring stations.

Indoor air quality and sick building syndrome symptoms in administrative office at public university

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is an illness among workers linked to time spent in a building. This study aimed to investigate the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) among administrative office workers. The IAQ parameters consist of ventilation performance indicators, and physical and chemical parameters were measured using specified instruments for three days during weekdays. The SBS symptoms were assessed by a questionnaire adopted from the Industry Code of Practice of Indoor Air Quality (ICOP-IAQ) 2010 among 19 employees from the office in East Coast Malaysia. Relationship between past symptoms and present symptoms which are draught (past symptoms) with feeling heavy headed (present symptoms) (r = 0.559, p < 0.05), room temperature too high (past symptoms) was highly correlated with feeling heavy headed (present symptoms) (r = 0.598, p < 0.01) and cough (present symptoms) (r = 0.596, p < 0.01). Room temperature (past symptoms) has a positive medium relationship with cough (present symptoms) (r = 0.477, p < 0.05) and scaling itching scalp or ears (present symptoms) has a relationship between stuffy bad air (r = 0.475, p < 0.05) and dry air (r = 0.536, p < 0.05). There was a significant association between RH with drowsiness (χ2 = 7.090, p = 0.049) and dizziness (χ2 = 7.090, p = 0.049). The association was found between temperature and SBS symptoms between temperature with headache (χ2 = 7.574, p = 0.051), feeling heavy-headed (χ2 = 8.090, p = 0.046), and skin rash itchiness (χ2 = 7.451, p = 0.044). Air movement also showed a positive association with symptoms of feeling heavy-headed (x2 = 8.726, p = 0.021). PM10 has positive significance with SBSS which are feeling heavy-headed (χ2 = 7.980, p = 0.023), and eyer's irritation (χ2 = 7.419, p = 0.038). The conclusion of this study showed that there were positive significant between temperature and relative humidity toward SBSS.

The prevalence and association of measured and perceived indoor air quality, housing characteristics, and residents’ behavior and health

BackgroundIn social housing buildings, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been shown to be more prevalent, and residents living in social housing areas are often more vulnerable and susceptible to adverse health effects from IAQ.AimTo examine the state and the association of measured and perceived IAQ, how housing characteristics and residents' behavior are associated with IAQ, and the association with residents' health.MethodThe HOME-Health study is a cross-sectional study among residents living in social housing in Denmark (n = 432). Seasonal measurements examined the IAQ by a 14-day period measuring carbon dioxide (CO2), temperature (TP), relative humidity (RH), and air change rate. Residents' self-reported behavior, comfort, and health were obtained from a structured interview.ResultsThermal discomfort and draught were the most common challenges. During summer, the mean TP was higher, the mean RH was lower, and residents more frequently reported dry air in homes where it was not possible to create cross ventilation. There were a higher mean CO2 and RH when crowdedness increased, particularly during winter. In addition, the proportion of residents reporting dry air was higher when CO2-level was below 1,000 ppm. When the mean RH-level was above 50%, a higher proportion of residents reported experiencing damp air, and when the mean RH-level was below 40% residents more frequently reported dry air. Perception of bad air quality was higher when the mean CO2-level exceeded 1,000 ppm. Additionally, residents reported being most thermally comfortable when the TP was within the range of 20–20.99°C and least comfortable within a range of 22–22.99°C. The residents' perceived experience of impaired IAQ was associated with negative general health symptoms.ConclusionIt is key that homes have the capability to create cross ventilation in order to allow for proper ventilation and to avoid overheating. When evaluating IAQ it is important to not only consider the measured parameters but to also include the residents' behavior and perception of IAQ as these both are related to the actual IAQ and associated health effects.

Air pollutant concentration and population distribution economic planning simulation based on target tracking

China has emerged as one of the nations with the worst air pollution in recent years. The severe air pollution has caused a large number of population migration and also caused serious economic problems. Since the concentration of air pollutants can change quickly in a short amount of time, the study first tracked PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, SO2, and O3 as targets before using the particle swarm optimization algorithm to improve the PIO algorithm, which is based on the traditional pigeon swarm algorithm. To estimate the concentration of air pollutants, combine the wavelet packet decomposition technique, MDS visualization method, and k-means algorithm. Then, apply the enhanced PIO algorithm to optimize the ELM algorithm. Finally, a new type of decomposition-optimization-clustering-integration hybrid learning model, namely DOCIAPC model, is constructed. The experimental findings indicate that, when predicting the concentration of various air pollutants, the DOCIAPC model’s average direction prediction accuracy is 90.37% . In conclusion, the model suggested in the study has excellent performance and applicability, and it can accurately predict the concentration of air pollutants, help the government take action to reduce air pollution, balance the environment and economy, as well as the allocation of labor and its resources in the city.