Disasters and Their Impacts on Air Quality in the Human Living Environment

2017 ◽  
pp. 65-71
Author(s):  
Yoshika Sekine ◽  
Naohide Shinohara
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Living Environment

scholarly journals Changes in Air Quality during the First-Level Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic in Shanghai Municipality, China

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 8887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Bai ◽  
Yi Zhou ◽  
Juha M. Alatalo ◽  
Alice C. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Pollutant Concentrations ◽  
Airborne Pollutant ◽  
Urban Population Growth ◽  
Shanghai Municipality

Ongoing rapid urban population growth world-wide has led to serious environmental problems that affect ecosystems and also lower the security and happiness of urban residents about their living environment. The most frequently reported negative impact is a deterioration in urban air quality. In this study, we performed a comprehensive assessment of the effects of the city lockdown policy in response to Covid-19 on air quality in Shanghai Municipality, China, and sought to identify a balance point between human activities and improving air quality. The first-level response (FLR) by Shanghai to control the spread of Covid-19 was to launch a lockdown, which remained in place from 24 January to 23 March, 2020. We compared airborne pollutant concentrations in different regions (downtown, suburbs) of Shanghai city in three periods (Pre-FLR, During-FLR, and Post-FLR) and in the corresponding periods in the previous year. The results showed that air quality improved significantly During-FLR compared with Pre-FLR, with the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO all decreasing significantly. The concentrations of all pollutants except O3 also decreased significantly compared with the same period in the previous year. There were also some differences in pollutant concentrations between the downtown region and the suburbs of Shanghai. However, we found that the concentrations of pollutants rebounded gradually when the restrictions on human activities ended after two months of lockdown. This study provides empirical evidence of the important effect of limiting human activities on air quality. For sustainable and clean future urban management in Shanghai and beyond, central government policy regulations requiring a low-carbon lifestyle and cleaner production in industries should be established.

scholarly journals Planning and Design of Low-Power-Consuming Full-Outer-Air-Intake Natural Air-Conditioning System

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Chien-Lun Weng ◽  
Lih-Jen Kau
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Low Power ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Air Conditioning System ◽  
Solvent Vapor ◽  
Air Intake

A person stays indoors for about 85%∼90% time of his lifetime, and the need for a comfortable indoor environment is getting higher; thus, the air-conditioning dependency becomes intense too. Nowadays, residents focus on both the comfortable living environment and indoor air quality. A closed environment will become hazardous because of carbon dioxide released during respiration and toxic organic solvent vapor released from interior decoration. In order to improve the indoor air quality (IAQ), we must allow outer fresh air into the indoor space and release the dirty air out. But while taking in fresh air, the heat and factory/vehicle exhaust are also introduced. Indoor CO2, HCHO, and VOCs and outer dirty gas threaten human health badly. To solve this problem, we bring up an innovative low-power-consuming full-outer-air-intake natural air-conditioning system that completely separates intake and exhaust air, which is a solution for cross-contamination and makes mass/energy exchange by means of air and water. Design airflow exceeds 300∼500 CFM, steam evaporation mass rate reaches 3.13∼3.88 kg/hr, and heat exchange capacity becomes 1,855∼2,300 kcal/hr. The sensible heat effectiveness is 71%∼112%, and EER exceeds 14.05∼17.42 kcal/W·h. In addition, the system under design can be of positive or negative pressure status according to the user’s or work’s requirement. It creates a comfortable and healthy living environment by supplying clean and fresh outer ambient air with low power consumption.

scholarly journals A Novel Soundproof Ventilation Plant Design with High Performance and No Energy Consumption

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Ya-Lin Yu ◽  
Yu-Tin Chao ◽  
Lai-Chung Lee ◽  
Jia-Yush Yen ◽  
Yun-Chiu Fan
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Interference Effect ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Plant Design ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Content ◽  
Noise Interference

This paper proposes an advanced approach for designing soundproof windows with good ventilation. The structure of this study is based on three acoustics theorem and can reduce noise and ventilate the space at the same time. Using this structure on wall can help also avoid noise interference effect indoors and increase air quality. This study uses plants as appropriate soundproof structure to improve carbon dioxide content for providing better living environment. Simulations of the sound field and CFD demonstrate that the structure has good performance on noise reduction and effect of ventilation.

The Principles of Energy Efficient Microclimate Provision in the Skyscraper “Biotecton” of 1 km Height

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Krivenko ◽  
V. Mileikovskyi ◽  
T. Tkachenko
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Anthropogenic Pollution ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
Natural Form ◽  
Entire Height ◽  
Clean Air ◽  
Total Capacity ◽  
Natural Pressure

The article deals with the formation of a healthy human living environment in superstructure buildings with the requirements of indoor air quality, environmental and constructive safety. The results of the development of "Biotecton" - an ultra-high-rise multi-functional building (the height is 1000 m) are presented. In order to effectively overcome the wind and seismic loads, the principles of the structure of the natural form (Gramineae stems, Triticale) are used. It is a multi-tiered spatial structure, in the nodes of which there are dampers for limiting oscillatory movements. For solving the problems of increasing the energy efficiency of ventilation and air conditioning, the use of air from height 1000 m with the minimum of anthropogenic pollution is investigated. Two mechanisms of the movement of air in a superstructure were investigated: natural impulses (under the action of gravitational pressure and wind) and mechanical (fans). It is shown that the natural pressure is insufficient for air movement. The mechanical impulse is necessary, but its energy requirement can be compensated by a renewable energy source - wind turbines with a total capacity of 5.3 MW. For high air quality, the use of "oxygen gardens" in green areas, which are evenly spaced along the entire height of the building, is explored. The study proposed a list of plants that effectively clean air from pollution, sequestrate excess CO2, enrich the air with oxygen and release phytoncides that effectively fight against pathogenic microorganisms.

A high precise E-nose for daily indoor air quality monitoring in living environment

Integration ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 286-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie He ◽  
Liyuan Xu ◽  
Peng Wang ◽  
Qin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Air Quality Monitoring

Study on the Relationship between Indoor Air Quality and Children's Health in Beijing

2013 ◽  
Vol 368-370 ◽  
pp. 525-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Cui ◽  
Jing Chao Xie ◽  
Wen Yue Bian ◽  
Hiroshi Yoshino ◽  
U Yanagi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
General Information ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Children's Health ◽  
Children’S Health

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been concerned since 1970s in some western countries. Many researchers have studied the effects of air pollution on children's health and evidence suggested that it did contribute significantly to the risk of adverse health in children. Children spend the majority of their time indoors, mostly at home. To study health effects of long-term exposure to indoor air, we conducted a questionnaire survey about indoor environment and children's health status in 2012 on the 4-5 grades children of a primary school in Beijing. The questionnaire was used to collect data on general information of children, living environment, residential equipments and lifestyle and children's health status. We classified the investigated families into several categories according to residential surrounding air pollution, decoration and smoking. Then we observed respiratory symptoms like cough, dyspnea with phlegm, nasal obstruction, asthma and some allergy symptoms in different categories. The results of this survey suggest that indoor air quality is associated with children's health. Morbidity of children's respiratory system symptoms and some allergy symptoms is higher in relatively poor indoor environment.

scholarly journals AIR QUALITY AND WELL-BEING AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS IN EAST ASIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S266-S267
Author(s):  
Takashi Yamashita ◽  
Giyeon Kim ◽  
Darren Liu ◽  
Anthony R Bardo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
East Asia ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Self Rated Health

Abstract There is a well-established link between air quality, an important component of one’s local living environment, and well-being. However, the link between well-being and air quality is largely based on findings from western nations, and evidence from East Asia (where air pollution is a major challenge) is scant. Thus, the present study sheds much needed light on the association between well-being and air quality in four East Asian countries (i.e., China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan). Data for this study were drawn from the internationally representative 2010 East Asian Social Survey Health Module. The sample was limited to middle-age and older adults (i.e., 50 years and older) to account for differential exposure across the life course (N = 4,052). Linear regression models with robust standard error estimation and full information maximum likelihood were used to examine associations between four well-being indicators (self-rated health, SF-12 physical health and mental health, and happiness) and self-reported air quality. Results showed that air quality was negatively associated with well-being across East Asian nations --- with self-rated health in Japan (b = -0.09, p < 0.05) and Taiwan (b = -0.14, p < 0.05); physical health in Japan (b = -0.96, p < 0.05); mental health in China (b = -1.05, p < 0.05) and Japan (b = -1.49 , p < 0.05); and happiness in China (b = -0.07, p < 0.05). Possible explanations underlying these distinct national patterns and strategies to enhance well-being through environmental and behavioral interventions are discussed.

scholarly journals The Dynamic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Air Quality: The Beijing Lessons

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6478
Author(s):  
Chenlu Tao ◽  
Gang Diao ◽  
Baodong Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Dynamic Relationship ◽  
Daily Data ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Business As Usual

Air pollution is one of the major environmental problems that endanger human health. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an excellent opportunity to investigate the possible methods to improve Beijing’s air quality meanwhile considering Beijing’s economic impact. We used the TVP-VAR model to analyze the dynamic relationship among the pandemic, economy and air quality based on the daily data from 1 January to 30 August 2020. The result shows that the COVID-19 pandemic indeed had a positive effect on air governance which was good for human health, while doing business as usual would gradually weaken this effect. It shows that the Chinese authority’s production restriction effectively deals with air pollution in a short period of time since the pandemic is just like a quasi-experiment that suddenly suspended all the companies. However, as the limitation stops, the improvement decreases. It is not sustainable. In addition, a partial quarantine also has a positive impact on air quality, which means a partial limitation was also helpful in improving air quality and also played an important role in protecting people’s health. Second, the control measures really hurt Beijing’s economy. However, the partial quarantine had fewer adverse effects on the economy than the lockdown. It is supposed to be a reference for air governance and pandemic control. Third, the more the lag periods were, the smaller their impact. Thus, restrictions on production can only be used in emergencies, such as some international meetings, while it is hard to improve the air quality and create a healthy and comfortable living environment only by limitation in the long-term.

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