Outdoor Samples Research Articles

Unraveling Various Sources of Particulates Matter in Air-Dust Samples Collected from North India Through Elemental Mapping and Concentration Correlation Using Micro-Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy.

Particulate matter (PM) found in the air is one of the major sources of pollution and air-borne diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to examine the elemental concentration distribution of the PM to identify the pollutant sources. In this study, it has demonstrated the capabilities of micro-particle-induced X-ray emission (micro-PIXE) spectroscopy in quantitative analysis of air samples collected from the Old Delhi outdoor market and indoor locations in the Panjab University hostel in the winter months. A 2-million electronvolts energetic scanning proton micro-beam (diameter ≈1 µm2) is used in micro-PIXE experiments generating high-resolution elemental maps of different regions of interest (ROI). Micro-PIXE along with the GeoPIXE analysis provides a non-destructive, standard-less, and ng/mg level-sensitive tool for the investigation of elemental distributions and highlighting pixels, which correlates to specific concentration ratios between elements at ROIs, thereby enabling a comprehensive understanding of the source of each elemental particulate. Si, Ca, and K detected in indoor PM suggest the source to soil erosion and crop burning, while high S levels in outdoor PM are primarily associated with coal power plants. Additionally, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, and Zn are found in outdoor samples, while indoor locations also contained trace amounts of V, Co, and Cu.

P-353. Aspergillus Burdens in Outdoor and Indoor Air at Hospitals Housing Patients at High Risk for Invasive Fungal Infections

Abstract Background Airborne dissemination of conidia is implicated in transmission of pathogenic fungi. There is lack of knowledge on airborne fungal burdens in hospital environments. Methods Air at hospitals A and B (1.5 miles apart) was sampled monthly (SASS 3100; 36000 L/2 hrs) from May ‘23-April ‘24 including outdoor, lobby, nurse stations (NS) and patient (pt) rooms on units caring for patients with immunocompromising conditions [Table 1]. New building construction was ongoing next to hospital A. Filter extracted DNA genome equivalent (GE) was quantitated by pan-Aspergillus (ASP) qPCR and standard curve; sonicated and non-sonicated filters were cultured. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests were used.Figure 1.Comparisons of Aspergillus burdens at 2 hospitals1A. Comparison of log ASP GE of outdoor air (outside of the entrance to the hospital lobby) over time at hospitals A and B (standard error shown in grey shade). 1B. Log ASP GE of air in the lobby of hospitals A and B. Note that ASP burden was higher in the lobby of hospital A, which is much more heavily trafficked than the lobby of hospital B. 1C. Log ASP GE of air at the nurses’ stations of 7 units in hospitals A and B. There is no significant difference between burdens at the 2 hospitals (p=0.74). 1D. Log ASP GE for rooms at hospitals A and B without HEPA filtration and positive pressure. Curves were plotted via locally estimated scatterplot smoothing (LOESS) with standard error shown in grey. Results Mean log-GEs were greatest for outdoor samples, followed by lobby, NS and pt rooms. Protected (HEPA-filtered and positive pressure) pt room GEs were significantly lower than unprotected rooms. There were no significant location-specific differences between hospitals A and B, except the lobbies [Fig 1]. GE from HEPA filtered rooms in hospital B unit 0 was taken as a comparative “safety threshold”, since filtering protects against infections. Extra GE burden in unprotected rooms was ∼0.5-1.2 log GE. A construction accident that exposed a unit in hospital A directly to outdoor air caused a ≥ 1-log GE spike that persisted from 2-4 weeks [Fig 2]. Seasonality data indicate outdoor peak and trough GEs in fall and spring, respectively. GEs were validated by + ASP and A. fumigatus air cultures [Fig 3].Figure 2.Trends of Aspergillus burden in units at hospital A Trends of log ASP GE over time for the patients’ rooms at hospital A ( A-1, A-2, A-3 units). Three new buildings were under construction within a block of hospital A. A-1 is the unit closest to the construction. Note the higher ASP burden in A-1 rooms compared with other units. Breach of the wall separating the outside environment and the patients’ rooms in A-1 occurred in late Nov (arrow). Note 1) the higher ASP GE in unit A-1 than other units even before the accident, and 2) the further increase in burden around the accident, which gradually came down to baseline after 2-3 weeks. Curves were plotted via LOESS with standard error shown in grey. Conclusion Airborne fungal exposure within hospitals is significantly lower than immediately outside the hospital. Fungal burdens within protected pt rooms can be used to estimate extra burdens encountered by immunosuppressed pts in unprotected rooms. Elevated fungal burdens stemming from contamination of a unit can persist for weeks following remediation. We are continuing studies of seasonality and correlations between airborne burdens, environmental and clinical fungal cultures, and fungal infections.Figure 3.Comparison of Aspergillus burden measured by qPCR and culture, stratified by locations3A. Mean log ASP GE for each location sampled. The reference line is the difference in mean log ASP GE when comparing that location to the B-0 rooms (HEPA-filtered, positive pressure). Note that the differences in log ASP GE between B-0 and other unfiltered units range from 0.52 to 1.2-log ASP GE. Upon entering the lobby, the log ASP GE was decreased by a median of ∼1 log, which was further decreased in patients’ rooms (3.16 to 4.42). 3B. Percent of positive cultures from each sampled location. AF designates cultures positive for Aspergillus fumigatus while ASP designates pan-Aspergillus¬ cultures. There was ∼30% decrease in positive cultures from outdoors to indoors, and an additional >10% decrease when moving to units. Culture positivity in unprotected NS and rooms was higher than protected NS and rooms by ∼10%. 3C. There is no significant difference between the means of GEs between the outdoors of the 2 hospitals (p=0.16). ASP burden was higher in the lobby of hospital A than B (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between means of the log ASP GE between the unfiltered rooms at hospital A and the unfiltered rooms at hospital B (p=0.67). Disclosures Alexander Sundermann, DrPH, CIC, FAPIC, OpGen: Honoraria Graham M. Snyder, MD, SM, Infectious Diseases Connect: Advisor/Consultant Cornelius J. Clancy, MD, Cidara: Grant/Research Support|Gilead: Honoraria|Merck: Grant/Research Support|Scynexis: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant|Venatorx: Advisor/Consultant

Unveiling emerging polycyclic aromatic compounds in the urban atmospheric particulate matter.

Despite the ubiquity and complexity of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), many of these compounds are largely unknown and lack sufficient toxicity data for comprehensive risk assessments. In this study, nontarget screening assisted by in-house and self-developed spectra databases was, therefore, employed to identify PACs in atmospheric particulate matter collected from multiple outdoor settings. Additionally, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties were evaluated to indicate PAC's overall abilities to cause adverse outcomes and incorporated into a novel health risk assessment model to assess their inhalation risks. Here, except for target PACs, 98 PAC analogues across eight categories were identified in the outdoor samples of atmospheric particulate matter. Their concentrations were source-specific and correlated to that of the total 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Virtual high-throughput screening results suggested that metabolism disruption and endocrine disruption might be significant non-carcinogenic effects caused by the PACs. However, PAHs and oxygenated PAHs exhibited stronger overall abilities to induce non-carcinogenic adverse outcomes in human body when compared to the other PACs. Among PACs, total PAHs exhibited the highest carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, while emerging PAHs accounted for 47% and 27% of total carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, respectively. This study advances our understanding of the potential harmful effects of PACs and provides insights into mitigating the inhalation risks from complex PAC exposures based on classified risk levels.

Exposure of school children to particulate matter and inorganic gaseous pollutants in Hawassa city, Ethiopia.

The detrimental consequences of air pollution on people, particularly vulnerable groups like children, have drawn a lot of attention globally. Studies on the levels and sources of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and inorganic gaseous pollutants (NO2, CO, and SO2) in primary schools in Africa, including Ethiopia, are scanty. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the levels of particulate matter and inorganic gaseous pollutants in primary schools in Hawassa, Ethiopia, and assess potential health risks. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were determined using a portable gas monitor device (HoldPeak Laser PM meter, HP 5800D), whereas NO2, CO, and SO2 levels were determined using the Aeroqual Series 500 Portable Air Quality Monitor (Aeroqual Ltd., New Zealand). The levels of PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 in all sampling sites ranged from 11-66.3, 30.8-399.7, and 60.5-152µg/m3, respectively. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were found to be above the World Health Organization recommendations in 55% and 85% of the sampling sites, respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) values for PM10 and PM2.5 ranged from 0.3 to 3.2 and 0.2 to 1.1, respectively. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at 40% and 30% of the outdoor sampling sites was unhealthy for sensitive groups due to exposure to PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10, as well as the AQI and HQ values, indicate a poor condition of the air in the schools, especially in the schools near busy traffic roads.

Airborne microplastic monitoring: Developing a simplified outdoor sampling approach using pollen monitoring equipment

A novel, yet simple, airborne microplastic (MP) sampling approach using global pollen monitoring equipment was applied to identify, characterise and quantify outdoor airborne MPs for the first time. Modification of Burkard spore trap tape adhesive provided particle capture and facilitated downstream spectroscopy analysis. 36 polymer types were identified from a total of 21 days sampling using Burkard spore traps at two locations (United Kingdom and South Africa). MPs were detected in 95 % of daily samples. Mean MP particle levels were 2.0 ± 0.9 MP m-3 (11 polymer types) in Hull (U.K.), during March, 2.9 ± 2.0 MP m-3 (16 types) in Hull in July, and 11.0 ± 5.7 MP m-3 (29 types) in Gqeberha, (S.A.) in August 2023. The most abundant polymer type was nylon (Gqeberha). The approach was compared with two passive sampling methods whereby 27 polymer types were identified and of these, 6 types were above the limit of quantification (LOQ), with poly(methacrolein:styrene) (PMA/PS) the most abundant. Irregularly shaped MPs < 100 µm in length were predominant from all sampling approaches. For the first time, airborne MPs were chemically characterised and quantified using volumetric pollen sampling equipment, representing a viable approach for future airborne MP monitoring.

Heavy metal levels of outdoor dust from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea region and assessment of the ecological and health risk.

As a result of some chemical element (heavy metals) pollution of dust, environmental pollution of dust has become an increasing concern, necessitating an assessment of risks to both ecology and human health, particularly in urban areas. Most of these pollutants settle on the outdoors and eventually become part of the outdoor dust. These will have negative long-term repercussions on ecosystems and human health. In this research, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry analytical method was used to assess the pollution characteristics of the eight heavy metals (HMs): Mn, Cu, As, Hg, Ni, Cr, Zn, and Pb in the East Mediterranean Sea area. The concentration of As, Mn, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn analyzed in outdoor dust samples varied from 0.94 to 19.52 mg kg-1, 190.08 to 1019.7 mg kg-1, 20.46 to 45.9 mg kg-1, 19.5 to 62.56 mg kg-1, 0.01 to 0.93 mg kg-1, 10.48 to 40.64 mg kg-1, 12. 6 to 36.1 mg kg-1, and 48.96 to 112.41mg kg-1, respectively. HMs have been detected in the outdoor dust samples analyzed in the study, and, as a result, mean concentrations followed the order Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Pb > As > Hg, respectively. The ecological risk was observed at various contamination levels, with As and Hg pollution being the most severe. The highest hazard quotient (HQ) for adults and children was determined as a result of As and Cr, respectively. According to the US-EPA health risk threshold, the cancer risk in the study area is negligible.

Long term measurements of aerosol mass concentration with optical particle counters: Discrepancies with plausible reasons

Gravimetry-based direct measurements of mass concentration require offline analysis which is not suited for field campaigns. Hence such campaigns rely on the estimation of mass concentration by indirect methods mostly calibrated in controlled laboratory conditions. Optical particle counter (OPC) employs algorithms converting the measured number concentration to mass concentration using appropriate conversion factors. The accuracy of such conversion has not been validated for widely varying atmospheric conditions. This study compares the mass concentration estimated by OPC with those directly obtained from gravimetry-based instruments for outdoor samples collected in Bathinda City, Punjab, India from January 2022 to November 2023. The difference in the gravimetrically measured and OPC predicted values quantified in terms of ratios (gravimetric to optically estimated mass concentration), came out to be 1.42 ± 0.77, 0.99 ± 0.51, and 1.17 ± 0.58 for PM10, PM2.5 and PM1, respectively. This difference when estimated with the back-up filter of OPC itself (C Factor), was 1.37 ± 0.66. More than half of the samples showed ratios outside the 0.8–1.2 range thus indicating under or over-estimation in the OPC predicted values. The probable role of variation in density, shape, and refractive index of atmospheric aerosol particles towards the observed inaccuracy of estimated mass concentration has been highlighted. In the absence of clear guidelines and protocols, the study suggests ways to improve the accuracy via periodic measurement of the C Factor and/or incorporating calibration factors in such measurements.

Health and environmental risk assessment of mercury in outdoor and indoor dust in artisanal and small-scale gold mining area in Amansie-west district in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Mercury (Hg) pollution around artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) areas has been of much concern. Many studies have reported elevated Hg concentrations in environmental media, but studies on dust relating to inhalation exposure of Hg around ASGM area are limited. In this study, we investigated Hg in indoor and outdoor dust to reveal environmental and human health risk around ASGM in Amansie West district, Ghana. Indoor and outdoor dust samples were collected from Manso Abore and Manso Nkwanta in Ashanti Region. Concentration of Hg in the samples were analyzed using a direct Hg analyzer. The mean and median value of Hg concentration in the indoor dust (n = 31) were 2.2 ± 3.6mg/kg and 0.72mg/kg respectively while that of the outdoor dust (n = 60) were 0.19 ± 0.48mg/kg and 0.042mg/kg, respectively. The mean and median Hg concentration in indoor dust were about 11 and 17 times higher respectively than that in the outdoor dust. The Hg concentration in the indoor dust was statistically significantly higher than that of the non-miner in Manso Abore (p < 0.05) but was not significant in Manso Nkwanta, probably due to higher mining activity. The geo-accumulation index of the outdoor dust ranged from unpolluted to extremely polluted while that of the indoor dust ranged from moderately polluted to extremely polluted. Health risk assessments suggested that there was no potential non-carcinogenic health effect for Hg exposure relating to the dust to residents living in rooms of miners and non-miners.

Conjugated metabolites of bisphenol A and bisphenol S in indoor dust, outdoor dust, and human urine

Bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) have been widely spread in the global environment. However, for conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites, limited studies have investigated their occurrence in environmental matrices. We collected paired indoor and outdoor dust (n = 97), as well as human urine (n = 153) samples, from residential houses in Quzhou, China, and measured these samples for 8 conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites. Three BPA metabolites were found in collected indoor and outdoor dust, with BPA sulfate (mean 0.75 and 1.3 ng/g, respectively) and BPA glucuronide (0.13 and 0.26 ng/g) being more abundant. BPA conjugates accounted for a mean of 42 and 56% of total BPA (sum of conjugated BPA and BPA metabolites) in indoor and outdoor dust, respectively. BPS sulfate (mean 0.29 and 0.82 ng/g, respectively) had consistently higher concentrations than BPS glucuronide (0.13 and 0.27 ng/g) in indoor and outdoor samples. BPS conjugates contributed a mean 32% and 45% of total BPS (sum of BPS and BPS metabolites) in indoor and outdoor dust, respectively. Moreover, conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites in indoor or outdoor dust were not significantly correlated with those in urine from residents. Overall, this study first demonstrates the wide presence of conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites, besides BPA and BPS, in indoor and outdoor dust. These data are important for elucidating the sources of conjugated BPA and BPS metabolites in the human body.

Environmentally responsive changes in mucus indicators and microbiota of Chinese sturgeon Acipensersinensis

The impact of environmental factors on the health of the endangered Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) and the potential hazards associated with sample collection for health monitoring pose urgent need to its conservation. In this study, Chinese sturgeons were selected from indoor and outdoor environments to evaluate metabolic and tissue damage indicators, along with a non-specific immune enzyme in fish mucus. Additionally, the microbiota of both water bodies and fish mucus were determined using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The correlation between the indicators and the microbiota was investigated, along with the measurement of multiple environmental factors. The results revealed significantly higher levels of two metabolic indicators, total protein (TP) and cortisol (COR) in indoor fish mucus compared to outdoor fish mucus (p < 0.05). The activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine kinase (CK), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly higher in indoor fish, serving as indicators of tissue damage (p < 0.05). The activity of lysozyme (LZM) was significantly lower in indoor fish (p < 0.01). Biomarker analysis at the phylum and genus levels in outdoor samples revealed that microorganisms were primarily related to the catabolism of organic nutrients. In indoor environments, microorganisms displayed a broader spectrum of functions, including ecological niche establishment, host colonization, potential pathogenicity, and antagonism of pathogens. KEGG functional enrichment corroborated these findings. Dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N), turbidity (TU), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) exerted effects on outdoor microbiota. Temperature (TEMP), nitrate (NO3−), total phosphorus (TP), and total nitrogen (TN) influenced indoor microbiota. Changes in mucus indicators, microbial structure, and function in both environments were highly correlated with these factors. Our study provides novel insights into the health impacts of different environments on Chinese sturgeon using a non-invasive method.

Soil and Sediments in Natural Underground Ecosystems as a Source of Culturable Micromycetes: A Case Study of the Brestovská Cave (Western Tatras, Slovakia)

Soil and sediment host microorganisms are able to survive in extremely resource-limited environments. Therefore, more and more attention is being paid to cave sediments as a reservoir of microbiota. The aim of this study is the speleomycological evaluation of the culturable soil and sediment fungal communities in the Brestovská Cave. To explore the origins of fungi, speleomycological studies were conducted both inside and outside the cave under investigation. Additionally, two incubation temperatures (5 and 24 °C) were used to increase the species spectrum of isolated fungi. To achieve the most accurate species identification, we combined an assessment of morphological characteristics of the isolates with molecular sequencing (ITS, internal transcribed spacer). Twenty different species were found and the most frequent was Penicillium commune, followed by Trichosporiella cerebriformis and Pseudogymnoascus pannorum. To our knowledge, our study has enabled the first identification of fungal species such as Penicillium swiecicki, Cephalotrichum hinnuleum, Cosmpospora berkeleyana, Lecythophora hoffmannii, Ambomucor seriatoinflatus, and Mortierella minutissima in underground sites. Our data showed that the abundance and composition of the fungal community varied between the indoor and outdoor samples and thus from the entrance and less visited sites deeper in the cave.

Exposure to Environmental Pollution in Schools of Puchuncaví, Chile: Characterization of Heavy Metals, Health Risk Assessment, and Effects on Children’s Academic Performance

In Chile, Puchuncaví and Quintero face substantial environmental pollution challenges. Industrial and vehicular emissions expose schoolchildren to elevated levels of pollutants, decreasing sustainability and posing risks to both their health and educational advancement. The aim of this study is to determine the distribution of heavy metals (Li, Be, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Mo, Cd, Sb, Tl, Pb, and Cu) in the dust in and around the schools in these cities. We also evaluate the associated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, as well as whether their concentrations affect the academic performance (AP) of the students. The chemical composition of the collected dust samples is analyzed using positive matrix factorization, and two interpretable factors related to two sources of contamination (industrial and traffic + crustal) are determined. The health risk is assessed using a model including inhalation, dermal contact, and ingestion, and the influence of metal concentration on the AP of students is determined using an econometric model. The metal concentration is found to be related to the distance to the pollution source, and differences are observed between indoor and outdoor samples. The carcinogenic risk is low, while the non-carcinogenic risk is high in Greda School. The levels of heavy metals inside and outside the schools are found to influence AP. In these cities, children are exposed to high levels of environmental pollution, which may pose a risk to their health and impact their AP.

Phenylmethylsiloxanes in indoor dust from residential area of China: Source, occurrence, bioavailability and exposure assessment

Phenylmethylsiloxanes, as modified products of dimethylsiloxanes, have been used in personal care products (PCPs) and household appliances, with indoor dust serving as one potential reservoir due to their particle-binding properties. This study measured six isomers of two phenylmethylsiloxanes (P3 and P4) in PCPs (<LOD-381 μg/g, df = 38–43 %, n = 58), indoor dust (<LOD-158 ng/g, df = 33–65 %, n = 103), and outdoor soil samples (<LOD-3.2 ng/g, df = 0–25 %, n = 20) from Chinese Cities. Overall, mean dust concentrations of ∑(P3 + P4) were highest in barbershops (176 ng/g), followed by bathrooms (49.5 ng/g), living rooms (13.3 ng/g), and bedrooms (5.4 ng/g) of residences. Dust phenylmethylsiloxanes had positive correlations with the number of PCPs in bathrooms (R = 0.95 for ∑P3, 0.82 for ∑P4) and electronic appliances (R = 0.86 for ∑P3, 0.84 for ∑P4) in living rooms, suggesting their important contribution to phenylmethylsiloxane emission. The mean concentration ratio of ∑(P3 + P4) to their major degradation product, i.e., PhMeSi(OH)2, in dust was 2.4 times higher than that in soil, indicating stronger persistence of phenylmethylsiloxanes in indoor environment. Simulated experiments indicated bioavailabilities (1.1–8.2 %) of phenylmethylsiloxanes during dust ingestion lower than that (20.4 %) of their degradation product. Dermal absorption of PCPs dominated (>99 %) intakes of phenylmethylsiloxanes for adults, while dust ingestion/adsorption (0.19 ng/d) may play important roles for toddlers/infants with little usage of phenylmethylsiloxanes-containing PCPs. Additionally, total daily intakes of PhMeSi(OH)2 (0.30–0.84 ng/d) via ingestion and dermal absorption of dust were higher than P3 (0.06–0.31 ng/d) and P4 (0.02–0.09 ng/d), suggesting exposure risk of degradation product of phenylmethylsiloxanes deserving attention.

Diversity and Distribution Patterns of Culturable Airborne Fungi in Jiroft City

Background and Aims: Fungal spores constitute a significant portion of primary biological aerosol particles, and large amounts have been identified in the air. They are present in the atmosphere throughout the year, and their concentration varies due to meteorological factors such as temperature, relative humidity, location, construction conditions, and vegetation. Exposure to airborne fungi has been linked with diseases such as allergic respiratory symptoms, rhinitis, asthma, and various infections. This study investigates the diversity and distribution of airborne fungal spores in Jiroft City, located in the southern region of Iran. Materials and Methods: Airborne fungal composition was sampled from indoor, outdoor, and hospital air using the sedimentation plate method. Grown fungi were identified using standard mycological techniques, including determining macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Results: A total of 230 colonies belonging to 11 genera of fungi were isolated from all culture media. Fungi were isolated from 53 (80.3%) samples. The highest and lowest percent of positive samples were found in outdoor (100%) and hospital (64.3%) air samples, respectively. Cladosporium (43.9%) and Aspergillus (36.4%) were the most common fungi isolated from the samples. Rhodotorula, Syncephalastrum, Paecilomyces, Mucor, and Acremonium were the least isolated fungi (1.5%). Conclusion: This study showed the difference in the diversity and distribution of fungi in different environments. Cladosporium and Aspergillus were the most common fungi isolated, which need to be considered due to their ability to cause various diseases.

Occurrence and exposure evaluation of bisphenol A and its analogues in indoor and outdoor dust from China

Bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues have been proved to be harmful to human reproduction, endocrine and nervous system. But information on the occurrence and human exposure to bisphenol compounds (BPs) in dust (especially outdoor dust) is limited. In this study, 14 BPs were determined in 174 indoor dust samples and 202 outdoor dust samples from Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. BPA, BPS, BPAF, BPF, BPAP and BPE were widely detected with detection frequencies of 98.94 %, 98.67 %, 97.87 %, 95.21 %, 87.23 % and 71.54 %, respectively. The median total concentrations of the most detected six BPs in the dust were in the order of south urban indoors (556 ng/g) > south rural outdoors (438 ng/g) > south urban outdoors (432 ng/g) > south rural outdoors (418 ng/g) > north rural indoors (412 ng/g) > north urban outdoors (341 ng/g) > north urban indoors (311 ng/g) > north rural outdoors (246 ng/g). The amounts of garbage incineration, plastic output and recycled paper may have influence on the BPs levels. Some BPs (BPAF, BPAP, BPF and BPS) in the indoor and outdoor samples were significantly positively correlated. In addition, the BPs in the indoor dust from different indoor micro environments in Chengdu were investigated. BPA (median concentration: 571.2 ng/g) and BPF (median concentration: 114.3 ng/g) were the two primary BPs, accounting for 78.1 % of the median total concentrations of the investigated BPs. High concentration of BPA appeared in printing workshops and offices, while high concentration of BPAP, BPC, BPE and BPF appeared in electronic repair shops. Occupational exposure to BPs deserves attention in the future. ΣBPs exposure risk for children and adults in the urban areas of southern China was the highest. To our knowledge, this is the first report in China to study BPs in outdoor dust sample.

Characterization of microplastics in outdoor and indoor air in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India: First insights from the region

The study focused on detecting and characterizing microplastics in outdoor and indoor air in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India during post-monsoon (2022) and winter (2023). Stereo microscopic analysis showed that plastic fibres had a dominant presence, fragments were less abundant, whereas fewer films could be detected in indoor and outdoor air. The atmospheric deposition of microplastics outdoors observed 465 ± 27 particles/m2/day in PM10 and 12104 ± 665 and 13833 ± 1152 particles/m2/day in PM2.5 in quartz and PTFE, respectively during the post-monsoon months. During winter, microplastic deposition rates in PM10 samples were found to be 689 ± 52 particles/m2/day and 19789 ± 2957 and 30087 ± 13402 in quartz and PTFE particles/m2/day respectively in PM2.5. The mean deposition rate in indoor environment during post-monsoon was 8.3 × 104 and 1.03 × 105 particles/m2/day in winter. During the post-monsoon period in PM10, there were fibres from 7.7 to 40 μm and fragments from 2.3 μm to 8.6 μm. Indoor atmospheric microplastics, fibres ranged from 1.2 to 47 μm and fragments from 0.9 to 16 μm present respectively during the post-monsoon season. Fibres and fragment sizes witnessed during winter were 3.6–6.9 μm and 2.3–34 μm, respectively. Indoor air films measured in the range of 4.1–9.6 μm. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that outdoor air contained polyethylene, polypropylene, Polystyrene, whereas indoor air had polyvinyl chloride. Polyethylene mainly was present in outdoor air, with lesser polypropylene and polystyrene than indoors, where polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene were in dominant proportions. Elemental mapping of outdoor and indoor air samples showed the presence of elements on the microplastics. The HYSPLIT models suggest that the particles predominantly were coming from North-West during the post-monsoon season. Principal component analysis indicated wind speed and direction influencing the abundance of microplastics. Microplastics concentration showed strong seasonal influence and potential to act as reservoir of contaminants.

Terra-22: an aerial soil sampling in densely compacted agricultural fields

Soil sampling is used in agriculture to monitor fields and plan fertilizer application. This task is typically performed manually, but ground robots have recently been introduced. However, ground robots are often slow and heavy, which contributes to soil compaction. Fast-flying drones could provide an interesting alternative to ground robots. However, drones are severely limited in their payload and in the forces that they can apply to the soil. This paper presents the Terra-22, the first airborne system capable of sampling densely compacted agricultural soils. To do so, many challenges were addressed, including the development of (i) a high-power density drilling system that outperforms typical brushed DC gear motor by 39%, (ii) a drill design that is 48% lighter than traditional steel auger drills and that keeps cross-contamination under 4%, and (iii) a drill penetration rate controller that reduces the torque requirement by 33% and the axial force requirement by eight folds when compared to a constant penetration speed controller. Outdoor soil sampling tests in a corn field (sandy loam soil, compaction between 0.8 and 2 MPa) demonstrated a 94% success rate on flat terrain and a sampling duration under one minute.

Distribution characteristics, source attribution, and health risk assessment of organophosphate esters in indoor and outdoor dust from various microenvironments in Beijing

The occurrence and profiles of organophosphate esters (OPEs) were studied in indoor and outdoor dusts from various microenvironments, including forty-seven outdoor dusts from green belts, roads, parks and residence areas, seventy-seven indoor dusts from private cars, print shops, taxis, furniture shops, offices, dormitories, shopping malls and residences house in different districts in Beijing. The total concentrations (Σ12OPEs) were eighteen times higher in indoor dusts (7.14 ×102 to 2.24 ×104 ng/g) than in outdoor dusts (36.0–1.56 ×103 ng/g). OPEs concentrations in samples from taxi and private cars were obviously higher than other indoor microenvironments. Both indoor and outdoor microenvironments also showed different compositional profiles of OPEs, indicating that polyurethane foam/building materials and hydraulic fluids/plastics were the greatest contributions in different microenvironments, with chlorinated alkyl phosphates (Cl-OPEs) being the predominant compound in both indoor dust (52.1–86.5%) and outdoor dust samples (42.6–81.3%). The uncertainty was reduced by Monte Carlo simulation, and the pollution levels of 50th and 95th percentiles were employed to calculate the average daily dosage, which was then used to calculate hazard quotient (HQ) for assessing the health risks to adults and children. Results showed that OPEs were safe even at extremely consumed concentration percentile (95th) in all groups.

Magnetic and chemical biomonitoring of particulate matter at cultural heritage sites: The Peggy Guggenheim Collection case study (Venice, Italy)

Cultural heritage (CH) is heavily threatened by air pollution, especially by airborne particulate matter (PM), that acts on the surfaces of fine arts, causing artistic loss. Therefore, the monitoring of air quality assumes a central role for the preventive conservation of CH.In this study, magnetic and chemical biomonitoring of PM was applied at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, a contemporary and modern art museum in Venice, Italy. It is located in an aquatic context, where the PM sources are considerably different, with respect to the usual vehicular-dominated urban emissions.Lichen biomonitoring is a well-established technique for the assessment of air quality, especially where PM collecting devices cannot be operated for aesthetic and practical reasons.Samples of the lichen species Evernia prunastri were collected from a pristine area and exposed for three months (November 2022–February 2023) at increasing distances from the Grand Canal, planning an outdoor vs. indoor sampling design, for outlining the diffusion of airborne PM inside the museum.In combination with lichen exposure, the leaves of Pittosporum tobira hedges were sampled for determining their efficiency as bioaccumulators.The magnetic properties of lichens showed a moderate bioaccumulation of magnetite-like particles outdoors. Conversely, the magnetic properties of the indoor samples were like those of the unexposed ones, indicating a negligible accumulation of metallic particles indoors. Pittosporum tobira leaves mostly showed diamagnetic properties, resulting an ineffective species for preventing conservation purposes. Chemical analysis did not show any significant difference between unexposed, indoor and outdoor samples. A directional gradient of bioaccumulation was not evident, thus implying that the sources of metallic PM are distant or diffused, with respect to the site.The joint use of magnetic and chemical analyses was useful for evaluating the negligible impact of airborne particulate pollution arising from the Grand Canal towards the Halls of the Collection.

Characterization of the Airborne Microbiome in Different Indoor and Outdoor Locations of a University Building Using an Innovative Compositional Data Analysis Approach

In this work, we investigated the structure of the airborne bacterial community obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing performed on aerosol samples from different indoor and outdoor locations. The 48-h aerosol samples were collected in two laboratories, in the corridors, and on the roof of the Mathematics and Physics Department of the University of Salento (Italy). The investigation was carried out through the application of an innovative compositional data analysis approach, mainly based on a centered log-ratio transformation as a standardization procedure, the Aitchison distance for data ordination, and the principal component analysis via singular value decomposition for data clustering. This methodology allowed us to explore the main relationships among samples, identifying different results between indoor and outdoor samples both at the genus level and at the species level. Bacillus and Pseudomonas represented the most abundant genera identified in the analyzed samples. Out of the 21 identified bacterial species with the highest abundances in the collected aerosol samples, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Propionibacterium acnes, Diplorickettsia massiliensis, and Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum were the only four commonly classified as human opportunistic pathogens. Among the genera mostly associated with indoor environments, Hymenobacter and Arthrobacter could be noted as including many species that are unique in being radiation resistant.