Article
Environmental Sciences
Forough Tajiki, Hossein Mohammad Asgari, Isaac Zamani, Farshid Ghanbari
Summary: This study assessed the impact of two dust sources on the concentration and diversity of airborne fungi, as well as the contribution of dust sources to airborne fungi. The results showed that dust from Hor al-Azim and Shadegan contributed significantly to the ambient fungal community in the study area.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaoyu Liu, Edgar Folk
Summary: The study investigated the emission, sorption, and migration of organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) from different sources to settled dust. It was found that dust with lower organic content and smaller size tended to absorb more OPFRs, but different types of dust did not significantly affect OPFRs emission into chamber air from the same source. The partitioning between dust-air favored less volatile OPFRs, while emission from sources favored volatile chemicals.
Article
Microbiology
Chun-Chieh Tseng, Ning Huang, Chia-Jung Hsieh, Chien-Che Hung, Yue-Liang Leon Guo
Summary: Indoor fungal air concentrations are significantly correlated with outdoor concentrations, but a high surface fungal density does not necessarily lead to high airborne fungal concentrations. Therefore, quantification of the surface fungal area is recommended to assess the risk of surface fungi propelling into the air.
Article
Microbiology
Nazima Habibi, Saif Uddin, Montaha Behbehani, Fadila Al Salameen, Nasreem Abdul Razzack, Farhana Zakir, Anisha Shajan, Faiz Alam
Summary: The airborne transmission of COVID-19 has led to a focus on bioaerosols. This study provides baseline data on the bacterial and fungal communities in indoor hospital environments dealing with COVID-19 patients. The findings highlight the need for regular surveillance of indoor hospital environments to prevent future outbreaks.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Victor Pertegal, Eva Riquelme, Julia Lozano-Serra, Pablo Canizares, Manuel A. Rodrigo, Cristina Saez, Engracia Lacasa
Summary: This study evaluates the concentration of airborne bacteria and fungi in the University Hospital Complex of Albacete (Spain), and identifies Staphylococcus as the most prevalent bacterial genus and Aspergillus as the dominant fungal genus. The lack of advanced technology for indoor air purification requires further research, and the integration of filtration, irradiation, and chemical gas treatment systems is discussed as a potential solution.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hai-Ling Li, Pu-Fei Yang, Li-Yan Liu, Bei-Bei Gong, Zi-Feng Zhang, Wan-Li Ma, Robie W. Macdonald, Anatoly N. Nikolaev, Yi-Fan Li
Summary: Equations have been developed to predict the partitioning of gas/particle and dust/gas in indoor environments, and these equations have been verified by global monitoring data. The assumption of instantaneous equilibrium for compounds with high partition coefficients may not be valid. The newly developed equations provide a tool for accurate assessment of human exposure to SVOCs in the indoor environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Helle Vibeke Andersen, Marie Frederiksen
Summary: The study investigated human exposure pathways to PCB in a high-rise estate in Denmark by conducting an experiment on the sorption of PCB from air to settled house dust. Different origin house dust samples were exposed to elevated air concentrations of PCB in a vacant apartment, and most samples reached equilibrium for PCB congeners after 40 days. The measured partition coefficients were in agreement with literature values, and comparisons with predicted estimates showed good correlation with some overestimation. Additionally, dust-air ratios from field investigations confirmed the results from the exposure experiment, indicating near steady state conditions for PCB congeners in the dust.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Kraiwuth Kallawicha, Supichaya Boonvisut, H. Jasmine Chao, Tanachai Nitmetawong
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between sleep quality and bedroom characteristics among residents in urban Bangkok. Results showed that the presence of cockroaches and Aspergillus spp. was positively associated with poor sleep quality, while perceived cold indoor air temperature also contributed to poor sleep quality. Regular cleaning to reduce indoor allergens and maintaining a comfortable indoor air temperature are recommended to improve sleep quality among apartment residents in urban Bangkok.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hao Wang, Haimei Wang, Xuankai Zhang, Jianyin Xiong, Xiaoyu Liu
Summary: This study develops an analytical model to elucidate the mechanism of direct contact between SVOC sources and settled dust. The key parameters for SVOC transport are determined through experiments and curve fitting, improving the accuracy and reliability of exposure assessment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elena Kruglyakova, Ekaterina Mirskaya, Igor E. E. Agranovski
Summary: Bursting bubbles are a common mechanism for aerosol formation from waterbodies, and the presence of microbial materials in the liquid can lead to the generation of bioaerosols. This study investigated the effects of air flow, bubble size, liquid temperature, and surface tension on the efficiency of bioaerosol generation. Higher air flow rates and smaller bubble size were found to enhance bioaerosol production. Liquid temperature was also found to have a significant impact, with bioaerosol concentration increasing by an order of magnitude over a temperature range of 4°C to 38°C. The addition of surfactants suppressed foam formation, which had a negative effect on the process, while increasing antifoam concentration improved bioaerosol generation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nuno Baia Saraiva, Luisa Dias Pereira, Adelio Rodrigues Gaspar, Jose Joaquim Costa
Summary: This study focuses on developing a methodology that uses portable particle counters to monitor the indoor conservation quality of the Joanina Library in Coimbra, Portugal. Long-term and spatial analyses were conducted to identify the main sources of pollution and propose a new classification method. The results showed poor indoor environment quality and the proposed method can be an effective tool for long-term and spatial assessment in heritage buildings.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yin Zhang, Fangxia Shen, Yi Yang, Mutong Niu, Da Chen, Longfei Chen, Shengqi Wang, Yunhao Zheng, Ye Sun, Feng Zhou, Hua Qian, Yan Wu, Tianle Zhu
Summary: This study analyzed the relationships between expiratory microbiotas and indoor microbiotas, and found a potential microbial exchange between the respiratory tract and indoor environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andres Nunez, Ana M. Garcia, Diego A. Moreno, Raul Guantes
Summary: Compared to soil or aquatic ecosystems, the atmosphere remains relatively unexplored in terms of microbial diversity. This study surveyed microbes in the near surface atmosphere of a highly populated area around Madrid, finding a stable ecosystem with a core of abundant bacterial genera across space and time, modulated by climatic variations. The microbial communities exhibited clear seasonal patterns driven by environmental factors, contributing to our understanding of long-term changes in human exposure in highly populated urban areas.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katie Miaow, Donnabella Lacap-Bugler, Hannah L. Buckley
Summary: This study addresses the dispersal of microbes in the air and the molecular methods for characterizing microbial diversity in the air, highlighting the importance of choosing the appropriate bioinformatics tools and databases.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Mengli Zhou, Xiaolong Li, Chi Feng, Hans Janssen
Summary: The impact of reduced air pressure on hygric properties of porous building materials in high-altitude areas was investigated. Results showed limited influences on sorption isotherm, moisture retention curve, capillary absorption coefficient and capillary moisture content, while the vapor permeability increased significantly.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcin Cyprowski, Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Rafal L. Gorny, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Aneta Ptak-Chmielewska, Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk
ANNALS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcin Cyprowski, Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Krzysztof Fraczek, Jacek Kozdroj, Rafal L. Gorny
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Rafal L. Gorny
AIR QUALITY ATMOSPHERE AND HEALTH
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rafal L. Gorny, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak
ANNALS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2020)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Rafal L. Gorny
KONA POWDER AND PARTICLE JOURNAL
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Rafal L. Gorny, Marcin Cyprowski
JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rafal L. Gorny, Krzysztof Fraczek, Dariusz R. Ropek
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rafal L. Gorny, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Angelina Wojcik-Fatla, Marcin Cyprowski, Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk
Summary: The study confirmed that means of payment are active sources of microbial emission in money sorting facilities. The bioaerosol concentrations did not exceed the proposed threshold limit values for office premises, indicating efficient ventilation systems. However, the high concentrations of bacteria and fungi on tabletop surfaces in banknote and coin sorting rooms pose a potential health risk due to microbiological contamination.
ANNALS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Anne Mette Madsen, Monika Raulf, Philippe Duquenne, Pal Graff, Marcin Cyprowski, Alan Beswick, Sirpa Laitinen, Pil Uthaug Rasmussen, Manfred Hinker, Annette Kolk, Rafal L. Gorny, Anne Oppliger, Brian Crook
Summary: The management of household waste has shifted towards waste sorting in many countries, resulting in lower collection frequency for certain waste fractions. This change can lead to increased growth of microorganisms before collection, potentially increasing exposure to bioaerosols for waste collection workers. Exposure levels to fungi, bacteria, and endotoxin vary across countries and waste types, with factors such as ventilation, cleaning, and waste handling methods affecting exposure levels. The occupational exposure to bioaerosols can lead to health issues such as gastrointestinal problems, eye and skin irritation, and reduced lung function, highlighting the importance of implementing measures to reduce exposure in the waste collection industry.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marcin Cyprowski, Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk, Rafal L. Gorny
Summary: The study focused on exposure assessment to bacterial aerosols and organic dust in waste sorting plant. The waste reloading plant was found to be the most contaminated with anaerobic bacteria, while the control room had the lowest levels. The presence of anaerobic bacteria, including clostridia, was significantly affected by microclimate parameters.
JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Rafal Gorny
Summary: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of potentially infectious adenoviruses (AdV) and rotaviruses (RoV) in surface water near treated wastewater discharge. The presence of these viruses may pose a health risk for the local population.
ANNALS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rafal L. Gorny, Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Marcin Cyprowski, Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk
Summary: ATM surfaces are heavily polluted by bacteria, fungi, coronaviruses, and adenoviruses. Data on virus contamination on ATM surfaces are lacking. Effective hygiene measures are needed to prevent contamination spread.
ANNALS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Marcin Cyprowski, Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk, Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Rafal L. Gorny
Summary: The aim of this study was to characterize the occupational exposure of archive and library workers to inhalable dust and airborne fungi. The results showed that airborne fungi were able to efficiently contaminate the nasal cavity of employees. The analysis of nasal swabs can be considered as an important tool for assessing workers' exposure to bioaerosols.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rafal L. Gorny, Malgorzata Golofit-Szymczak, Marcin Cyprowski, Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk, Agata Stobnicka-Kupiec, Lidia A. Wolska
Summary: This study assessed occupational and environmental exposures to airborne microorganisms in a poultry house. The presence of reared chickens resulted in increased concentrations of airborne bacteria and fungi, which spread through the ventilation system. The identified microbiota included pathogens that may have adverse health effects on poultry house employees.
ANNALS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anna Lawniczek-Walczyk, Marcin Cyprowski, Rafal L. Gorny
Summary: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of enterococci strains (including vancomycin-resistant) in meat plants and found that enterococci were present in more than 72% of the tested samples. In addition, more than 25% of the tested samples contained vancomycin-resistant enterococci strains, and they showed potential for biofilm formation.
ROCZNIK OCHRONA SRODOWISKA
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Parth Bansal, Steven Jige Quan
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between urban form and canopy layer urban heat island (CUHI) using a relatively large sample of microclimate sensors in Seoul, Korea. The study compares different statistical models and finds that the spatially explicit gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) model has the highest accuracy. The study also shows that the effect of urban form on CUHI varies at different time instances during the day. These findings provide valuable insights for planners to understand the complexity of urban climate and reduce CUHI magnitude.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Miaomiao Liu, Salah Almazmumi, Pinlu Cao, Carlos Jimenez-bescos, John Kaiser Calautit
Summary: Windcatchers provide effective low-energy ventilation and summer passive cooling in temperate climates. However, their use in winter is limited due to significant ventilation heat loss and potential discomfort. This study evaluates the applicability of windcatchers in low-temperature conditions, highlighting the need for control strategies to reduce over-ventilation and the integration of heat recovery or thermal storage to enhance winter thermal conditions.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Behrouz Nourozi, Aneta Wierzbicka, Runming Yao, Sasan Sadrizadeh
Summary: This article presents a systematic review of ventilation solutions in hospital wards, aiming to enhance pathogen removal performance while maintaining patient and healthcare staff comfort using air-cleaning techniques. The study reveals the importance of proper ventilation systems in reducing infection risk and adverse effects of cross-contamination.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhen Yang, Weirong Zhang, Hongkai Liu, Weijia Zhang, Mingyuan Qin
Summary: The study examines the influence of personalized local heating on the thermal comfort of occupants in old residential buildings. The findings reveal that personalized local heating can increase the overall thermal sensation of occupants, but only a few methods are effective in enhancing thermal comfort. The chosen heating methods and background temperature affect the participants' selection of heating parts.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hong Cheng, Dan Norback, Huilin Zhang, Liu Yang, Baizhan Li, Yinping Zhang, Zhuohui Zhao, Qihong Deng, Chen Huang, Xu Yang, Chan Lu, Hua Qian, Tingting Wang, Ling Zhang, Wei Yu, Juan Wang, Xin Zhang
Summary: The home environment and sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms in five southern Chinese cities have been studied over time. The study found a decrease in asthma prevalence and an increase in allergic rhinitis. Cockroaches, rats, mice, mosquitoes or flies were identified as consistent biological risk factors for SBS symptoms, while redecoration, buying new furniture, and traffic air pollution were identified as other risk factors.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Chaojie Xing, Zhengtao Ai, Zhiwei Liu, Cheuk Ming Mak, Hai Ming Wong
Summary: This study experimentally investigated the emission characteristics of droplets around the mouth during dental treatments. The results showed that the peak mass fraction of droplets occurs within the size range of 20 μm to 100 μm, and droplets with a diameter less than 200 μm account for over 80% of the mass fraction. The dominant emission direction of droplets is towards the dummy's head and chest, forming an approximately cone shape.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhijian Liu, Zhe Han, Lina Hu, Chenxing Hu, Rui Rong
Summary: This study compared the effects of different respiratory behaviors on the distribution of aerosols in a ward and the risk of infection for healthcare workers using numerical simulation. It was found that talking in the ward significantly increased aerosol concentrations, particularly short periods of talking. Wards designed with side-supply ventilation had lower overall infection risk. Talking alternately between healthcare workers and patients slightly extended the impact time of aerosols.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yan Yan, Mengyuan Kang, Haodong Zhang, Zhiwei Lian, Xiaojun Fan, Chandra Sekhar, Pawel Wargocki, Li Lan
Summary: In a high-density city, opening windows for sleep may lead to increased indoor temperature, higher PM2.5 concentration, and noise disturbance, which can negatively impact sleep quality.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yan Bai, Liang Liu, Kai Liu, Shuai Yu, Yifan Shen, Di Sun
Summary: This study developed a non-intrusive personal thermal comfort model using machine learning techniques combined with infrared facial recognition. The results showed that the ensemble learning models perform better than traditional models, and the broad learning model has a higher prediction precision with lower computational complexity and faster training speed compared to deep neural networks. The findings provide a reference for optimizing building thermal environments.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yue Lei, Zeynep Duygu Tekler, Sicheng Zhan, Clayton Miller, Adrian Chong
Summary: Mixed-mode ventilation is a promising solution for achieving energy-efficient and comfortable indoor environments. This study found that occupants can thermally adapt when switching between natural ventilation (NV) and air-conditioning (AC) modes within the same day, with the adaptation process stabilizing between 35 to 45 minutes after the mode switch. These findings are important for optimizing thermal comfort in mixed-mode controls, considering the dynamic nature of thermal adaptation.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Nan Mo, Jie Han, Yingde Yin, Yelin Zhang
Summary: This study develops a method based on the LCZ framework for a comprehensive evaluation of urban-scale heat island effects, considering the impact of geographic factors on LST. The results show that Guilin's geomorphological conditions lead to abnormal heat island effects during winter, and the cooling effects of mountains and water bodies vary seasonally in different built areas, with LCZ 2 exhibiting the strongest cooling effect.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Tunga Salthammer
Summary: Monitoring the potential formaldehyde emission of wood-based materials through test chamber investigations has significantly contributed to reducing indoor formaldehyde concentrations. However, the different methodologies used in these procedures prevent direct result comparison. Empirical models for converting formaldehyde steady-state concentrations based on temperature, humidity, air change rate, and loading were developed in the 1970s and have been modified to accommodate the development of lower-emitting materials. Formaldehyde emissions from wood-based materials are complex and require nonlinear regression tools for mathematical analysis.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Katarina Stebelova, Katarina Kovacova, Zuzana Dzirbikova, Peter Hanuliak, Tomas Bacigal, Peter Hartman, Andrea Vargova, Jozef Hraska
Summary: This study investigated the impact of reduced short-wavelength light on the hormone melatonin metabolite 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (u-sMEL) and examined the association between previous day's light exposure and u-sMEL. It was found that reducing short-wavelength light during the day did not change the concentration of u-sMEL. Personal photopic illuminance was positively correlated with u-sMEL in the reference week. The illuminance had a significant impact on u-sMEL, as shown by the evaluation of the mean of all three urine samples. However, this correlation was not found in the experimental week.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Ruoxin Xiong, Ying Shi, Haoming Jing, Wei Liang, Yorie Nakahira, Pingbo Tang
Summary: This study proposes a data-model integration method to identify and calibrate uncertainties in machine learning models, leading to improved thermal perception predictions. The method utilizes the Multidimensional Association Rule Mining algorithm to identify biased human responses and enhances prediction accuracy and reliability. The study also evaluates different calibration techniques and discovers their potential in enhancing prediction reliability.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Beichao Hu, Zeda Yin, Abderrachid Hamrani, Arturo Leon, Dwayne McDaniel
Summary: This paper introduces an innovative super-resolution approach to model the air flow and temperature field in the cold aisle of a data center. The proposed method reconstructs a high-fidelity flow field by using a low-fidelity flow field, significantly reducing the computational time and enabling real-time prediction.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
