Semi-enclosed Spaces Research Articles

Bedroom ventilation performance in daycare centers under three typical ventilation strategies

With increasing reliance on daycare centers for early childhood development, ensuring healthy environments in semi-enclosed baby beds for napping is crucial, given infants' vulnerability to air pollutants and their inability to control surroundings. Despite concerns about indoor air quality, research on bed-level ventilation conditions remains scarce. This study investigates the performance of three ventilation strategies (mixing ventilation (MV), displacement ventilation (DV), and personalized ventilation (PV)) in enhancing air quality at bed level in daycare center bedrooms. Using a full-scale setup representing a typical Dutch daycare bedroom, ventilation performance was evaluated by examining CO2 dispersion and inhalation for 12 breathing thermal baby models sleeping in 12 beds, considering two sleep positions and ventilation rates. A total of 58 strategically located CO2 sensors enabled a thorough understanding of CO2 levels at inhalation and both the bed and room scales. The findings reveal the superior performance of PV, followed by DV and MV, with significantly different inhaled CO2 concentrations per baby: 1713 ppm (MV), 1104 ppm (DV), and 801 ppm (PV), though the mean in-bed values differed by less than 20 ppm among the modes. Thus, assessing ventilation performance of various ventilation strategies necessitates examining inhaled air quality. Sleep positions and ventilation rates significantly influenced MV and DV modes' performance. Importantly, PV demonstrated energy-saving potential by achieving comparable inhaled air quality at lower ventilation rates. These findings have practical implications for designing occupant-centric ventilation systems in daycare center bedrooms and effective CO2 monitoring in semi-enclosed spaces.

An efficient Co-Ni hydrous oxide catalyst for elimination of NO pollutant in semi-enclosed spaces at ambient temperature

Co-Ni bimetallic hydrous oxides are applied for the abatement of low-concentration nitric oxide (NO) pollution in semi-enclosed spaces. The textural properties of these materials are characterized by surface area/porosity analyzer, SEM/TEM imaging coupled with elemental mapping. In situ DRIFTS, XPS and temperature-programmed desorption are applied to elucidate the NO trapping mechanisms. The NO storage capacity is tested by flowing low-concentration NO in O2/He through these materials at ambient temperature. The Co/Ni molar ratio is found to greatly influence the surface area, pore structure and morphology of the Co-Ni bimetallic hydrous oxides, thus affecting the elimination performance of low-concentration NO. During NO storage, nitrite formation is found to be associated with Co, and nitrate formation is found to be associated with Ni. In the Co-Ni bimetallic materials, a synergy exists where nitrite formed on Co is further oxidized to nitrate by lattice oxygen on Ni. Finally, these materials are readily regenerated by washing with Na2S2O8 aqueous solution.

Performance and Mechanism of Chlorine Dioxide on BTEX Removal in Liquid and Indoor Air.

With the development of the chemical industry, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) have gradually become the major indoor air pollutants. Various gas treatment techniques are widely used to prevent the physical and mental health hazards of BTEX in semi-enclosed spaces. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is an alternative to chlorine as a secondary disinfectant with a strong oxidation ability, a wide range of action, and no carcinogenic effects. In addition, ClO2 has a unique permeability which allows it to eliminate volatile contaminants from the source. However, little attention has been paid to the removal of BTEX by ClO2, due to the difficulty of removing BTEX in semi-enclosed areas and the lack of testing methods for the reaction intermediates. Therefore, this study explored the performance of ClO2 advanced oxidation technology on both liquid and gaseous benzene, toluene, o-xylene, and m-xylene. The results showed that ClO2 was efficient in the removal of BTEX. The byproducts were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the reaction mechanism was speculated using the ab initio molecular orbital calculations method. The results demonstrated that ClO2 could remove the BTEX from the water and the air without causing secondary pollution.

Improved acoustics for semi-enclosed spaces in the proximity of residential buildings

Continuous urban densification exacerbates acoustic challenges for residents of housing complexes. They are confronted with higher noise immission from railway, road traffic, construction, as well as louder neighborhood acoustic environments. Thereby, not only noise immission indoors is associated with stress, annoyance, and sleep disturbance, but also the immediate outdoor living environment (e.g., courtyards, private gardens, and playgrounds, etc.) can be acoustically unpleasant and annoying. This non-exhaustive narrative review paper elaborates on the role of a number of design parameters on improving the quality of the outdoor soundscape of housing complexes: architectural and morphological design, facade material characteristics, balconies, greenery, ground, background sounds, and several factors concerning quality of sounds (e.g., multisensory perception, holistic design, the relevance of space, context, social factors, co-creation, etc.). It mainly covers literature including both acoustical (e.g., sound pressure level and room acoustical parameters) and human/perceptual (e.g., comfort and annoyance) factors. A series of recommendations are presented here as to how the semi-enclosed outdoor spaces in the proximity of residential complexes can be acoustically improved.

Landscape Configuration Effects on Outdoor Thermal Comfort across Campus—A Case Study

As a main place for student activities on campus, outdoor spaces have positive impacts on students’ physical and mental health. Namely, outdoor heat and comfort are of great significance to improve activity quality. Here, four unique outdoor spaces were studied to explore the varying effects on human thermal comfort during hot-summer and cold-winter periods. Distinct outdoor spaces (fully open, semi-open, semi-enclosed, and fully enclosed areas) from the southern campus of Anhui Jianzhu University were chosen. The PET was used as a metric for measuring thermal comfort and analyzing correlated spatiotemporal distributions. The results showed that outdoor thermal comfort was derived from multiple factors, including vegetation, underlying surface materials, building presence, and wind-heat environment. Notably, high correlations between Tmrt and thermal comfort were revealed, where such temperatures of places with trees or building shade were low; thus, PET was low. Further, Ws showed a significantly negative correlation with PET. Of the four outdoor space forms, the fully enclosed location had the lowest thermal comfort level, while the semi-enclosed spaces showed the highest level of body comfort. Therefore, semi-enclosed space (U-shaped) is recommended in campus planning and construction. Accordingly, an improved strategy was proposed based on experimental transformation for fully enclosed spaces. The thermal comfort after optimization was simulated to provide references for outdoor space thermal comfort improvement during seasonal extremes.

Study on the Explosion of the Hydrogen Fuel Tank of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles in Semi-Enclosed Spaces

The rise in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is expected to pose a variety of hazards on the road. Vehicles using hydrogen could cause significant damage, owing to hydrogen vapor cloud explosions, jet fires caused by leakage, or hydrogen tank explosions. This risk is expected to further increase in semi-enclosed spaces, such as underground parking lots and road tunnels. Therefore, it is necessary to study the fire safety of hydrogen vehicles in semi-enclosed spaces. In this study, an experiment on hydrogen tank explosion was performed. In addition, the CFD numerical model was verified using the experimental results, and the damaging effect due to pressure propagation during hydrogen tank explosions in underground parking lots and road tunnels was analyzed using numerical analysis. From the experiment results, the hydrogen tank exploded at about 80 Mpa, a maximum incident pressure is generated 267 kPa at a distance of 1.9 m. As a result of numerical analysis based on the experimental results, the limit distance that can cause serious injury due to the explosion of a hydrogen tank in a road tunnel or underground parking lot was analyzed up to about 20 m from the point of explosion.

DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CHOICE OF TYPES OF ROAD MAPS IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF VICTIMS OF UKRAINIAN SETTLEMENTS

The scientific task of developing recommendations for the selection of types of road maps as an element of engineering structures with the predictive effect of minimizing fragmentation of civilians in case of fire damage by high-explosive munitions during reconstruction of affected settlements of Ukraine. The analysis of literature sources proved the need for detailed research of engineering and building materials and structures in order to increase their resistance to the fire effects of modern ammunition used in Russian aggression against the people and territory of Ukraine. It has been proven that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas leads to numerous casualties and injuries to civilians. The detonation of high-explosive munitions is enhanced in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces, such as buildings, tunnels, narrow streets or vehicles. This leads to a higher proportion of deaths due to secondary damage. It is established that the recommendations on the choice of types of road maps as an element of engineering structures with a predictive effect of minimizing fragmentation of civilians in case of fire damage by high-explosive munitions, allow to further develop a methodology for developing road surfaces damage to the civilian population by 30% of the primary and 70% of the secondary factors of fire damage by high-explosive fragmentation munitions. From so against fragmentation of the road surface and competent engineering placement and layout of buildings in the settlement and type in can significantly increase the likelihood of human survival in cities and villages. Future engineering solutions should also take into account regional differences in structures and building materials. Further research should be conducted to determine the minimization effects of fire damage from the use of building materials with regional characteristics. As a result, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas leads to numerous victims and injuries of the civilian population. In addition to the human cost, fire damage to populated areas results in significant damage to basic infrastructure, homes and businesses. At the same time, the detonation effect of high-explosive munitions is enhanced in closed or semi-closed spaces, such as buildings, tunnels, narrow streets or vehicles. This leads to a higher proportion of deaths due to secondary damage. Since then, there is a need to develop engineering and technical recommendations, which, based on the quantitative assessment of the effects of fire damage, would allow to form measures against potential factors of secondary damage during the reconstruction of cities and villages. of Ukraine. The developed recommendations on the selection of types of road maps as an element of engineering structures with the predictive effect of minimizing shrapnel damage to the civilian population in the event of fire damage by high-explosive munitions allow to further develop a methodology for the development of road surfaces in cities and towns of Ukraine during their reconstruction. This will reduce the probability of damage to the civilian population by 30% from primary and by 70% from secondary factors of fire damage by high-explosive munitions. Keywords: minimization of consequences, fire damage, road surface, civilians, city

CFD simulations of wind-driven rain on typical football stadium configurations in China's hot-summer and cold-winter zone

A crucial weather event that impacts spectators' comfort is wind-driven rain (WDR). WDR can be especially pronounced inside football stadiums because they are semi-enclosed spaces. So far, only vertical rainfall has been considered in the design of spectator stands whereas oblique rainfall, which has wetted out stands to a certain extent, has been neglected. China's Hot-summer and Cold-winter Zone are typical regions in which the frequency of WDR is highest. Therefore, it is significant to analyze the WDR patterns in typical football stadium configurations and their effects on stand wetting patterns.Wind-flow and WDR patterns were studied in 27 typical football stadium configurations in China. Conditions were observed under light, moderate, and heavy rain using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations with wind tunnel testing as validation. Wind-flow patterns were calculated by a steady-state RANS simulation while the Eulerian Wall Film model interacted with a discrete phase model that was applied to calculate the WDR pattern. Then, the stand wetting percentages of typical configurations were compared. Results revealed that the WDR distribution on stands is significantly impacted by cross-section types, stand arrangement, and roof geometry. WDR was shielded best with a descending roof, followed by flat and ascending roofs. Football stadiums with four separate stands got severely wet compared to rectangular stands. An elevated rectangular roof with horizontal windshields is the most preferential for design, with a wet percentage of 10%.

The Cooling Station: Combining hydronic radiant cooling and daytime radiative cooling for urban shelters

Global warming has tried the world with challenges like increased cooling energy demand, heatwaves, and unbearable summers, with accentuated nuances in dense urban areas. Here heat island effects are most pronounced and heat-safe pockets are a necessity rather than a comfort. Bus stops can act as shelters for commuters with the advantage of usually being well distributed across the cities in the form of semi-enclosed spaces. Daytime radiative cooling is a novel technology that enables free cooling of a substance under direct solar radiation. In this study, radiative cooling is combined with the hydronic radiant cooling technology in the integrated design of the Cooling Station, a bus shelter capable of providing energy-free urban thermal comfort throughout the summer. The study aims at evaluating the effect of geometry, orientation, surrounding elements, and climate on the performance of the Cooling Station. It is found that humidity and surrounding buildings diminish the performance of the radiative cooling panels, but the penalty can be significantly mitigated by applying non-reciprocal asymmetric transmission windows on top of the panels. The results indicate that the optimized design of the Cooling Station is capable of decreasing the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) by up to 10 °C in the considered scenario of a mid-rise area in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Further, the performance evaluation across all Köppen-Geiger climate classes demonstrates that in hot and semi-arid climates, the Cooling Station develops its full potential.

Mesoporous multi-shelled hollow resin nanospheres with ultralow thermal conductivity.

Hollow nanostructures exhibit enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces inside and the consequent features of restricting molecular motion, which is crucial for intrinsic physicochemical properties. Herein, we developed a new configuration of hollow nanostructures with more than three layers of shells and simultaneously integrated mesopores on every shell. The novel interior configuration expresses the characteristics of periodic interfaces and abundant mesopores. Benefiting from the suppression of gas molecule convection by boundary scattering, the thermal conductivity of mesoporous multi-shelled hollow resin nanospheres reaches 0.013 W m-1 K-1 at 298 K. The designed interior mesostructural configuration of hollow nanostructures provides an ideal platform to clarify the influence of nanostructure design on intrinsic physicochemical properties and propels the development of hollow nanostructures.

Extending the adaptive thermal comfort models for courtyards

Temperatures in Mediterranean cities are rising due to the effects of climate change, with a consequent increase in the heat waves frequency. Recent research has shown the tempering potential of semi-outdoor spaces such as courtyards, which are semi-enclosed spaces that are widely used by the users of buildings in Mediterranean cities. International standards addressing thermal comfort parameters provide technical guidelines for indoor spaces only. Expanding this concept, this paper focuses on the potential to extend and interpret the existing calculation models for indoor thermal comfort, EN 16798 and ASHRAE 55, to determine thermal comfort, monitoring two different courtyards in Cordoba, Spain, during both typical summer and heat wave periods. The results show that during the typical summer, the monitored courtyards can reach temperatures up to 8.4 °C cooler than outside. Subsequently can be considered to be in thermal comfort on average for 88% of the time according to EN 16798, and 75% according to ASHRAE 55, which drop to 71% and 52% respectively during heat wave (HW) periods, in spite of increasing thermal gap (TG) up to 13.9 °C. The results are also compared with the PET indicator used for evaluation of outdoor thermal comfort, which provides comparable figures: 81% summer and 73% HW. Implications of implementing passive shading strategies to increase comfort in these transition spaces are also evaluated. The research highlights the thermal potential and usefulness of courtyards in warm climates, so they can ultimately be included in the building analysis as a potentially comfortable and habitable space.

A study on contactless airborne transfer of textile fibres between different garments in small compact semi-enclosed spaces

Interpretation of fibre evidence at activity level requires extensive knowledge of all the possible transfer mechanisms that may explain the presence of fibres on a recipient surface of interest. Herein, we investigate a transfer method that has been largely understudied in previous literature: contactless transfer between garments through airborne travel. Volunteers were asked to wear UV-luminescent garments composed of different textile materials and situate themselves in a semi-enclosed space (elevator) for a pre-determined period of time with other participants, who wore non-luminescent recipient garments. The latter were then inspected for fibres using UV-luminescent photographic techniques. Results showed that contactless transfer between garments is possible. Indeed, a number of fibres were observed after most of the experiments. As many as 66 and 38 fibres were observed in the experiments involving cotton and polyester donor garments, compared to 2 and 1 fibres in those involving acrylic and wool donor garments, respectively. In this regard, the type of donor garment was found to be a significant factor. Multifactorial ANOVA supported these observations (p<0.001) and further indicated a statistically significant influence of elevator door opening/closing (p<0.001), people entering/exiting (p=0.078) and the recipient garment (p=0.030). Therefore, contactless transfer of fibres between garments can occur and can do so in (ostensibly) high numbers. This should be taken into consideration when interpreting fibre evidence at activity level and may have a major implication for the assignment of evidential values in some specific cases.

Elimination of NO pollutant in semi-enclosed spaces over sodium-promoted cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) by oxidation and adsorption mechanism

Low-concentration NOx accumulated in semi-enclosed spaces is a severe health hazard, but its efficient removal at low cost is a grand challenge. A simple method in preparing CoOOH for removal of low-concentration NO at ambient temperature is described here. The materials are synthesized by oxidizing Co(OH)2 to CoOOH with different oxidants (Na2S2O8, O2 and H2O2). Among them, CoOOH material prepared by Na2S2O8 (Co-NS) shows remarkable performance for NO abatement through oxidation and adsorption mechanism, while the materials synthesized by H2O2 (Co-HO) and O2 (Co-OG) have no apparent NO removal ability. It is found that the Co-NS material contains a higher concentration of residual Na, which contributes to the decreased crystallinity and more exposed Co atoms as the active sites for NO adsorption. Following NO elimination, this material can be readily regenerated by washing treatment of Na2S2O8 aqueous solution.

Design of thermal wind sensor with constant power control and wind vector measurement method.

This paper presents a conceptual wind vector detector for measuring the velocity and direction of wind in enclosed or semi-enclosed large spaces. Firstly, a thermal wind sensor with constant power control was manufactured and then used as a wind velocity sensing unit. Secondly, a sensor bracket equipped with three thermal wind sensors was designed, the fluid dynamic response regularity of the measured wind field to the sensor bracket was analyzed using ANSYS Fluent CFD software, and then its structural parameters were optimized to improve measurement accuracy. The sensor bracket was fabricated via 3D printing. Finally, a unique wind vector measurement method was developed for the wind vector detector. Experimental results showed that the measured velocity range of the thermal wind sensor satisfied the requirements of being within 0–15 m/s with an accuracy of ±0.3 m/s, and the wind direction angle range of the wind vector detector was within 0–360° with an accuracy of ±5°. By changing the applied power control value of the thermal wind sensor and structural parameters of the sensor bracket, the measurement range and accuracy of the wind vector detector can be adjusted to suit different applications.

Investigation on the removal of suspended particles during internal rotating plasma spraying using numerical and experimental methods

Internal rotating plasma spraying (IRPS) plays an important role in improving the properties and prolonging the service life of internal parts and components of mechanical systems. IRPS is conducted in the confined and semi-enclosed spaces at a spraying distance of 30–70 mm to coat the engine cylinders of automobiles or heavy equipment. Occasionally, particles cannot be appropriately treated in the plasma flow, and owing to several factors, the particles remain suspended in the air rather than being deposited onto the substrate. Consequently, the suspended particles are difficult to remove efficiently within the confined space, and can thus have severe effects on the properties of coatings, including porosities and inclusions. It is therefore essential to develop appropriate methods to avoid defects in the coating by removing suspended particles inside the cylinder. In this study, numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the flow-velocity field and particle-mass-concentration distribution within the cylinder. The flow-velocity and particle mass concentration in the cylinder space were analyzed under different working conditions that can induce different suction pressures driven by a three-phase asynchronous motor connected to the bottom of the cylinder by a suction tube. The results showed that the flow-velocity field is symmetrical along the axis of the cylinder and the mass concentration of particle is concentrated on the region from middle to bottom of the cylinder, under the effect of the suction pressure. In addition, the low-velocity and high-particle-mass-concentration regions are mainly located in the vicinity of the internal wall. Furthermore, the flow velocity was measured using a hot-wire-anemometer and the coating microstructure was observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). We compared numerical simulation results and experimental measurements, which validated the flow-velocity field directly and the distribution of particle mass concentration indirectly. Based on the numerical results that consider the removal degree of suspending particles and the stability of the plasma jet, it can be determined that the optimal suction pressure is −100 Pa for decreasing dust pollution during the spraying process.

A Large Measurement Range Bending Sensor Based on Microfiber Probe

A large measurement range bending sensor based on a microfiber probe is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The microfiber probe is simply fabricated by snapping a multimode biconical microfiber in the nonadiabatic tapering process, forming a reflection-type sensing unit. Such probe-type sensor is operated as an in-line Michelson interferometer with compact size. Bending deformation applied on the sensor will affect the refractive index profile of microfiber probe, resulting in the wavelength shift of resonance dip. The experimental results indicate that the microfiber probe-based bending sensor has a large curvature range of 0-11.82m−1. Meanwhile, the maximum curvature sensitivity of 700pm/m−1 has been achieved in the range of 8.73-11.82m−1. The microfiber probe-based bending sensor has the excellent advantages of compact size, large curvature range and good flexibility, which is suitable to measure bending deformation in semi-enclosed spaces and provides a great application prospect in wearable sensing devices for human motion monitoring.

Modelling heat and mass transfer of a broiler house using computational fluid dynamics

Improvements to the living conditions in semi-enclosed spaces such as broiler houses can be achieved by better control of the heat and mass transport that occur in climate and air quality. This study shows that computer-aided modelling, and in particular computational fluid dynamics (CFD), can provide to researchers the ability to integrate the primary forces that interact at the interior environment. A two dimensional CFD model was used to assess the dynamics of a broiler house by investigating sensible and latent heat, as well as mass transport and radiative transfer energy, as these relate to the environment of the broiler house. Validation data related to temperature, absolute humidity and CO2 were collected both inside and outside of a naturally ventilated broiler house. Inside data was logged at various locations to identify the degree of homogeneity throughout space. The CFD model replicated two contrasting cases: an early stage and a late stage of production. The predicted values for temperature, absolute humidity and CO2 were in good agreement with experimental data. For instance, the first case had a ventilation rate of 10 air changes h−1, and obtained a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.0 °C, 0.3 g [H2O] kg−1 [dry air] and 134 ppm for temperature, absolute humidity and CO2, respectively. The second case had ventilation rates of 25 air changes h−1, and obtained a RMSE of 0.9 °C and 0.48 g [H2O] kg−1 [dry air] for temperature and absolute humidity, respectively.

Façade photovoltaic systems on multifamily buildings: An urban scale evaluation analysis using geographical information systems

In this paper is presented the application of a comprehensive methodology for the prediction of the photovoltaic (PV) potential in building façade surfaces and particularly with an application example for the Greek residential sector. The methodology is based on the determination of typical façade PV installations for Greek multifamily buildings considering architectural and technical aspects. The proposed solutions are then evaluated with dynamic energy simulation to determine the most efficient ones. The results produced in this way are used as baselines for a large scale analysis, which is implemented in the urban area of Greece׳s second largest city, Thessaloniki, by means of Geographical Information Systems. This led to the exploitable PV potential and the solar electricity production as well as the respective CO2 savings. One of the interesting findings is the discrepancy between the architectural availability and the overall solar suitability of façade surfaces. This discrepancy is based on the following main factors: firstly, the high density of the built environment consisting of street canyons with high Height-Width ratio, secondly the varying orientation of the buildings and, finally, the buildings׳ typology, with the complex geometry due to verandas, erkers and semi-enclosed spaces.

Tobacco Control Policies in Outdoor Areas of High Volume American Transit Systems

Very little is known about how smoking and other tobacco use is regulated in outdoor and semi-enclosed spaces across transit systems. The purpose of this study was to understand how American transit systems are regulating cigarettes and other tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes, in outdoor or quasi-outdoor spaces. Within four regions of the United States, a purposive convenience sample was taken of the top five volume American transit systems (n = 20) based on annual ridership. Each transit authority website was systematically reviewed to produce a cross-sectional study of the published policies regarding tobacco product use for indoor, outdoor, and quasi-outdoor spaces of transit property; rules regarding cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and electronic cigarettes were identified. Policies regulating tobacco use were enacted by transit systems and/or the cities and states in which transit systems are located. The majority (80%) of transit systems banned smoking in outdoor areas; few prohibited smokeless tobacco use (15%, n = 3) and some disallowed e-cigarettes (30%, n = 6). Violation consequences ranged widely from none to verbal warnings, ejection from transit property, fines, and imprisonment. Regulating smoking in outdoor or quasi-outdoor environments is common in American transit environments. These policies can help protect vulnerable populations from exposure to secondhand smoke and communicate a tobacco-free norm.

Air quality in urban parking garages (PM10, major and trace elements, PAHs): Instrumental measurements vs. active moss biomonitoring

This study was performed in four parking garages in downtown of Belgrade with the aim to provide multi-pollutant assessment. Concentrations of 16 US EPA priority PAHs and Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn were determined in PM10 samples. The carcinogenic health risk of employees' occupational exposure to heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb) and PAHs (B[a]A, Cry, B[b]F, B[k]F, B[a]P and DB[ah]A) was estimated. A possibility of using Sphagnum girgensohnii moss bags for monitoring of trace element air pollution in semi-enclosed spaces was evaluated as well. The results showed that concentrations of PM10, Cd, Ni and B[a]P exceeded the EU Directive target values. Concentration of Zn, Ba and Cu were two orders of magnitude higher than those measured at different urban sites in European cities. Cumulative cancer risk obtained for heavy metals and PAHs was 4.51 × 10−5 and 3.75 × 10−5 in M and PP, respectively; upper limit of the acceptable US EPA range is 10−4. In the moss, higher post-exposure than pre-exposure (background) element concentrations was observed. In comparison with instrumental monitoring data, similar order of abundances of the most elements in PM10 and moss samples was found. However, using of the S. girgensohnii moss bag technique in indoor environments needs further justification.