98 research outputs found
EPHECT II: Exposure assessment to household consumer products
No full textWithin the framework of the EPHECT project (Emissions, exposure patterns and health effects of consumer products in the EU), irritative and respiratory health effects were assessed in relation to acute and long-term exposure to key and emerging indoor air pollutants emitted during household use of selected consumer products. In this context, inhalation exposure assessment was carried out for six selected 'target' compounds (acrolein, formaldehyde, benzene, naphthalene, d-limonene and α-pinene). This paper presents the methodology and the outcomes from the micro-environmental modelling of the 'target' pollutants following single or multiple use of selected consumer products and the subsequent exposure assessment. The results indicate that emissions from consumer products of benzene and α-pinene were not considered to contribute significantly to the EU indoor background levels, in contrast to some cases of formaldehyde and d-limonene emissions in Eastern Europe (mainly from cleaning products). The group of housekeepers in East Europe appears to experience the highest exposures to acrolein, formaldehyde and benzene, followed by the group of the retired people in North, who experiences the highest exposures to naphthalene and α-pinene. High exposure may be attributed to the scenarios developed within this project, which follow a 'most-representative worst-case scenario' strategy for exposure and health risk assessment. Despite the above limitations, this is the first comprehensive study that provides exposure estimates for 8 population groups across Europe exposed to 6 priority pollutants, as a result of the use of 15 consumer product classes in households, while accounting for regional differences in uses, use scenarios and ventilation conditions of each region
Progetto Officair: i risultati dello “Studio di dettaglio” della qualità dell’aria indoor in edifici italiani moderni adibiti ad uso ufficio
No full textAn integrated approach for the chemical characterization and oxidative potential assessment of indoor PM2.5
No full textAn integrated approach has been developed for the multi-component analysis of indoor PM2.5 collected onto the same quartz fiber filter (QFF) by using an innovative combination of techniques such as inductively coupled sector field plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-SF-MS) with vapor-phase microwave-assisted aqua regia or sonication-assisted water extraction, ion chromatography, thermal-optical transmittance as well as high performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) assay for the determination of elemental composition, major inorganic ions, elemental/organic carbon (EC/OC) as well as oxidative potential (OP) through ascorbate (AA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) depletion, respectively. The low mass of PM2.5 collectable indoors, the elemental blank values of the QFFs and the sample volume/acidity requirements of the ICP-SF-MS represented a challenge for elemental determination. Finally, this approach was successfully applied for determination of 15 elements (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Sn and Pb) at the ngm-3 level in more than two-thirds of indoor PM2.5 (n=25) collected in mechanically ventilated offices within the European Union project OFFICAIR at increased sampling flow rates (0.6m3h-1-2.3m3h-1) and sampling time (cca. 100h) in the acidic/aqueous extracts. The concentration of Cl-, NO3 -, SO4 2-, Na+, NH4 +, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, OC and EC was at the μgm-3 level in the aqueous extracts. This new approach aiming at the comprehensive characterization of low mass indoor PM2.5 samples allowed assessment of OPAA and OPGSH in all samples. The PM2.5 critical sample mass to achieve elemental determination was approximately 400μ
How to choose the best simulation for a specific purpose?
No full textThe decision on the fitness for purpose of a simulation should be based on the quantity of interest. However, in general, models are used because there is no complete experimental information available on the quantity of interest, so a direct judgement is not possible. The aim of this article is to put in light this dichotomy, and propose a methodology to decide if a simulation is fit for purpose, based on the experimental data available and an ensemble of simulations. The methodology is illustrated with one example of microscale simulations
THE MUST MODEL EVALUATION EXERCISE: STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF MODELLING RESULTS
No full textThe first validation exercise of the COST action 732 lead to a substantial number of simulation results for comparison
with the MUST wind tunnel experiments. Validation metrics for selected simulation results of the flow field and the concentrations
are presented and compared to the state of the art. In addition mean metrics and corresponding scatter limits are computed from the
individual results
The must model evaluation exercise: statistical analysis of modelling results
No full textThe first validation exercise of the COST action 732 lead to a substantial number of simulation results for comparison with the MUST wind tunnel experiments. Validation metrics for selected simulation results of the flow field and the concentrations are presented and compared to the state of the art. In addition mean metrics and corresponding scatter limits are computed from the individual results
Self-reported health and comfort in 'modern' office buildings : first results from the European OFFICAIR study
No full textIn the European research project OFFICAIR, a procedure was developed to determine associations between characteristics of European offices and health and comfort of office workers, through a checklist and a self-administered questionnaire including environmental, physiological, psychological, and social aspects. This procedure was applied in 167 office buildings in eight European countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Finland) during the winter of 2011-2012. About 26 735 survey invitation e-mails were sent, and 7441 office workers were included in the survey. Among respondents who rated an overall comfort less than 4 (23%), 'noise (other than from building systems)', air 'too dry', and temperature 'too variable' were the main complaints selected. An increase of perceived control over indoor climate was positively associated with the perceived indoor environment quality. Almost one-third of office workers suffered from dry eyes and headache in the last 4 weeks. Physical building characteristics were associated with occupants' overall satisfaction (acoustical solutions, mold growth, complaints procedure, cleaning activities) and health (number of occupants, lack of operable windows, presence of carpet and cleaning activities). OFFICAIR project provides a useful database to identify stressors related to indoor environmental quality and office worker's health
Turbulence modeling in the atmospheric boundary layer: a review and some recent developments
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