scholarly journals Simultaneous Monitoring of Particle-Bound PAHs Inside a Low-Energy School Building and Outdoors over Two Weeks in France

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Céline Liaud ◽  
Sarah Chouvenc ◽  
Stéphane Le Calvé
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Ventilation Rate ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Total Particle ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Individual Pahs

The emergence of new super-insulated buildings to reduce energy consumption can lead to a degradation of the indoor air quality. While some studies were carried out to assess the air quality in these super-insulated buildings, they were usually focused on the measurement of gas phase pollutants such as carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds. This work reports the first measurements of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with particles as a function of time and particle size in a low-energy building. The airborne particles were collected indoors and outdoors over three to four days of sampling using two three-stage cascade impactors allowing to sample simultaneously particles with aerodynamic diameter Dae > 10 µm, 2.5 µm < Dae < 10 µm, 1 µm < Dae < 2.5 µm, and Dae < 1 µm. The 16 US-EPA priority PAHs were then extracted and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to fluorescence detection. The resulting total particle concentrations were low, in the ranges 3.73 to 9.66 and 0.60 to 8.83 µg m-3 for indoors and outdoors, respectively. Thirteen PAHs were always detected in all the samples. The total PAH concentrations varied between 290 and 415 pg m−3 depending on the particle size, the environment (indoors or outdoors) and the sampling period considered. More interestingly, the temporal variations of individual PAHs highlighted that high molecular weight PAHs were mainly associated to the finest particles and some of them exhibited similar temporal behaviors, suggesting a common emission source. The indoor-to-outdoor concentration ratios of individual PAH were usually found close to or less than 1, except during the event combining rainy conditions and limited indoor ventilation rate.

scholarly journals House owners’ experience and satisfaction with Danish low-energy houses - focus on ventilation

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 04006
Author(s):  
Henrik N. Knudsen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Ventilation System ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Energy Class ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Environment Temperature ◽  
Low Energy Consumption

The purpose of this study was to evaluate house owners’ experience and satisfaction with the first Danish detached low-energy single-family houses, built according to energy class 2015 before these supplementary requirements became standard for all new dwellings. A questionnaire survey was carried out among owners of newly built energy class 2015 houses. The paper presents the house owners answers to questions on their overall satisfaction, their heat consumption, and their satisfaction with the indoor environment (temperature, draught, air quality, noise and daylight). There is a focus on issues related to having a mechanical ventilation system, i.e. satisfaction with the air quality, does the air feel dry in winter, and does the ventilation system make noise and how the airing behaviour is in winter. As many as 370 out of 869 house owners, corresponding to a response rate of 43%, answered the questionnaire. There was an overall satisfaction with the new low-energy houses. More than 90% of the house owners perceived the indoor environment as satisfactory. The energy consumption was as low as expected by 59%, while only 7% answered that it was higher than expected. Compared with previous similar studies, problems with technical installations have decreased. However, there is a need for continued focus on the commissioning of new and not necessarily thoroughly tested, high-performance installations and new designs. Based on the survey a series of recommendations are given that might help to achieve both a low energy consumption and satisfied occupants of new low-energy dwellings.

scholarly journals Measurement report: Spatiotemporal and policy-related variations of PM<sub>2.5</sub> composition and sources during 2015–2019 at multiple sites in a Chinese megacity

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 16219-16235
Author(s):  
Xinyao Feng ◽  
Yingze Tian ◽  
Qianqian Xue ◽  
Danlin Song ◽  
Fengxia Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Spatial Clustering ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Industrial Emissions ◽  
Traffic Emission ◽  
Average Percentage ◽  
Layer 2

Abstract. A thorough understanding of the relationship between urbanization and PM2.5 (fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm) variation is crucial for researchers and policymakers to study health effects and improve air quality. In this study, we selected a rapidly developing Chinese megacity, Chengdu, as the study area to investigate the spatiotemporal and policy-related variations of PM2.5 composition and sources based on long-term observation at multiple sites. A total of 836 samples were collected from 19 sites in winter 2015–2019. According to the specific characteristics, 19 sampling sites were assigned to three layers. Layer 1 was the most urbanized area and referred to the core zone of Chengdu, layer 2 was located in the outer circle of layer 1, and layer 3 belonged to the outermost zone with the lowest urbanization level. The average PM2.5 concentrations for 5 years were in the order of layer 2 (133 µg m−3) > layer 1 (126 µg m−3) > layer 3 (121 µg m−3). Spatial clustering of the chemical composition at the sampling sites was conducted for each year. The PM2.5 composition of layer 3 in 2019 was found to be similar to that of the other layers 2 or 3 years ago, implying that urbanization levels had a strong effect on air quality. During the sampling period, a decreasing trend was observed for the annual average concentration of PM2.5, especially at sampling sites in layer 1, where the stricter control policies were implemented. The SO42-/NO3- mass ratio at most sites exceeded 1 in 2015 but dropped to less than 1 since 2016, reflecting decreasing coal combustion and increasing traffic impacts in Chengdu, and these values can be further supported by temporal variations of the SO42- and NO3- concentrations. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was applied to quantify PM2.5 sources. A total of five sources were identified, with average contributions of 15.5 % (traffic emissions), 19.7 % (coal and biomass combustion), 8.8 % (industrial emissions), 39.7 % (secondary particles), and 16.2 % (resuspended dust). From 2015 to 2019, a dramatic decline was observed in the average percentage contributions of coal and biomass combustion, but the traffic emission source showed an increasing trend. For spatial variations, the high coefficient of variation (CV) values of coal and biomass combustion and industrial emissions indicated their higher spatial difference in Chengdu. High contributions of resuspended dust occurred at sites with intensive construction activities, such as subway and airport construction. Combining the PMF results, we developed the source-weighted potential source contribution function (SWPSCF) method for source localization. This new method highlighted the influences of spatial distribution for source contributions, and the effectiveness of the SWPSCF method was evaluated.

scholarly journals Indoor air quality of newly built low-energy preschools – Are chemical emissions reduced in houses with eco-labelled building materials?

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 506-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josefin Persson ◽  
Thanh Wang ◽  
Jessika Hagberg
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Ventilation System ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Low Energy Buildings

The use of an airtight frame in low-energy buildings could increase the risk of health-related problems, such as allergies and sick building syndromes (SBS), associated with chemical emissions from building materials, especially if the ventilation system is not functioning properly. In this study, the indoor air quality (IAQ) was investigated in newly built low-energy and conventional preschools by monitoring the indoor air temperature, relative humidity, particle-size distribution and levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). The thermal comfort was satisfactory in all preschools, with average indoor air temperature and a relative humidity at 21.4°C and 36%, respectively. The highest levels of TVOC (range: 130–1650 µg/m3 toluene equivalents) and formaldehyde (range: 1.9–28.8 µg/m3) occurred during the first sampling period associated with strong emissions from building materials. However, those preschools constructed with environmental friendly building materials (such as Swan Eco-label) had lower initial TVOC levels compared to those preschools constructed with conventional building materials. The IAQ and indoor chemical emissions were also strongly dependent on the functioning of the ventilation system. Preliminary risk assessment indicated that exposure to acrolein and crotonaldehyde might lead to respiratory-tract irritation among occupants.

scholarly journals A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 10551-10570
Author(s):  
A. Schladitz ◽  
M. Merkel ◽  
S. Bastian ◽  
W. Birmili ◽  
K. Weinhold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Particle Number ◽  
Zero Point ◽  
Number Concentration ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Particle Number Concentration ◽  
Air Quality Monitoring ◽  
Total Particle Number ◽  
Total Particle

Abstract. An automated function control unit was developed to regularly check the ambient particle number concentration derived from a mobility particle size spectrometer as well as its zero-point behaviour. The aim of the new feature is to conduct unattended quality control experiments under field conditions at remote air quality monitoring or research stations. The automated function control also has the advantage of being able to get a faster system stability response than the recommended on-site comparisons with reference instruments. The method is based on a comparison of the total particle number concentration measured by a mobility particle size spectrometer and a condensation particle counter removing the diffusive particles approximately smaller than 25 nm in diameter. In practice, the small particles are removed by a set of diffusion screens, as traditionally used in a diffusion battery. The other feature of the automated function control is to check the zero-point behaviour of the ambient aerosol passing through a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. An exemplary one-year data set is presented for the measurement site Annaberg-Buchholz as part of the Saxon air quality monitoring network. The total particle number concentration derived from the mobility particle size spectrometer overestimates the particle number concentration by only 2% (grand average offset). Furthermore, tolerance criteria are presented to judge the performance of the mobility particle size spectrometer with respect to the particle number concentration. An upgrade of a mobility particle size spectrometer with an automated function control enhances the quality of long-term particle number size distribution measurements. Quality assured measurements are a precondition for intercomparison studies of different sites. Comparable measurements will improve cohort health and also climate-relevant research studies.

scholarly journals Bioaccessibility of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Grilled Meat: The Effects of Meat Doneness and Fat Content

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 736
Author(s):  
Elliyana Nadia Hamidi ◽  
Parvaneh Hajeb ◽  
Jinap Selamat ◽  
Soo Yee Lee ◽  
Ahmad Faizal Abdull Razis
Keyword(s):  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Fat Content ◽  
Cooking Time ◽  
Total Pahs ◽  
Positive Linear Correlation ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Individual Pahs ◽  
Meat Samples

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) through diet is gaining concern due to the risk it poses to human health. This study evaluated the bioaccessibility of PAHs contained in charcoal-grilled beef and chicken in different segments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) with regard to the degree of doneness and fat content of the meats. The levels of 15 PAHs in the grilled meat samples and bioaccessible fractions were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with PAH column, and UV and fluorescence detectors. Total PAHs were found in beef (30.73 ng/g) and chicken (70.93 ng/g) before its digestion, and different PAHs’ bioaccessibility were observed in the different segments of GIT, with the highest in the stomach followed by the small intestine, despite the relatively higher bioaccessibility of individual PAHs in grilled beef as compared to those in grilled chicken. Additionally, the PAHs’ bioaccessibility increased with the increase in the degree of doneness. Positive linear correlation was observed for the PAHs’ bioaccessibility and the fat contents of grilled meat. Overall, this study highlights the influence of meat doneness (cooking time) and fat contents on the bioaccessibility and bioaccumulation of PAHs.

scholarly journals Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in permafrost peatlands

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Pastukhov ◽  
Sergey Loiko ◽  
Dmitry Kaverin
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Dwarf Shrub ◽  
Quantitative Composition ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Individual Pahs ◽  
Siberian Permafrost ◽  
Peat Plateaus

AbstractThe concentrations of 15 individual PAHs in 93 peat cores have been determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography methods. In the profile the qualitative and quantitative composition of PAHs was non-uniform estimated in a wide range: from 112 to 3673 ng/g with mean 1214 ± 794 ng/g. Among 15 identified individual PAHs, the main contribution to their total amount was made by heavy highly condensed PAHs in the Eastern European peat plateaus, in particular, 6-nuclear benzo[ghi]perylene (1021 ± 707 ng/g), whereas in West Siberian permafrost peatlands, light PAHs were dominating, mostly naphthalene and phenanthrene (211 ± 87 and 64 ± 25 ng/g, respectively). The grass-equisetum peat contained the maximum of heavy PAHs and the dwarf shrub-grass—the minimum. In grass-dwarf shrub, grass-moss and moss peat, the share of 2-nuclear PAHs was most significant: naphthalene and fluorene, as well as 6-nuclear benzo[ghi]perylene. The presence of benzo[ghi]perylene in the entire peat strata, including its permafrost layer, was a marker of the anaerobic conditions that persisted throughout the Holocene and they were necessary for the synthesis of this compound.

High-Performance and Low-Energy Loss Organic Solar Cells with Non-fused Ring Acceptor by Alkyl Chain Engineering

2021 ◽  
pp. 129768
Author(s):  
Dou Luo ◽  
Xue Lai ◽  
Nan Zheng ◽  
Chenghao Duan ◽  
Zhaojin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Energy Loss ◽  
Organic Solar Cells ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Alkyl Chain ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Fused Ring

scholarly journals Reduction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sesame Oil Using Cellulosic Aerogel

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 644
Author(s):  
Do-Yeong Kim ◽  
Boram Kim ◽  
Han-Seung Shin
Keyword(s):  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Oil Quality ◽  
Acid Value ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Sesame Oil ◽  
Miscanthus Sinensis ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
And Control

The effect of cellulosic aerogel treatments used for adsorption of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene [BaP])—generated during the manufacture of sesame oil was evaluated. In this study, eulalia (Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens)-based cellulosic aerogel (adsorbent) was prepared and used high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection for determination of PAHs in sesame oil. In addition, changes in the sesame oil quality parameters (acid value, peroxide value, color, and fatty acid composition) following cellulosic aerogel treatment were also evaluated. The four PAHs and their total levels decreased in sesame oil samples roasted under different conditions (p < 0.05) following treatment with cellulosic aerogel. In particular, highly carcinogenic BaP was not detected after treatment with cellulosic aerogel. Moreover, there were no noticeable quality changes in the quality parameters between treated and control samples. It was concluded that eulalia-based cellulosic aerogel proved suitable for the reduction of PAHs from sesame oil and can be used as an eco-friendly adsorbent.

QuEChERS with ultrasound-assisted extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Wu ◽  
Qiurong He ◽  
Jing Zhang ◽  
Yongxin Li ◽  
Weiqing Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Ultrasound Assisted Extraction ◽  
Sediment Samples ◽  
Assisted Extraction ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Ultrasound Assisted

Abstract Background Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have attracted worldwide attention due to their carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic effects, environmental persistence and bioaccumulation characteristics. Therefore, the sensitive, reliable and rapid detection of PAHs in sediment is of great importance. Objective To develop a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence and ultraviolet detection after QuEChERS treatment for simultaneous determination of 16 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs in sediment samples. Methods The samples were ultrasonically extracted with acetone and then the supernatant was purified with a modified QuEChERS method. After centrifugation, the supernatant was injected into the HPLC system for analysis. The separation was accomplished on a ZORBAX Eclipse PAH column (150 × 4.6 mm, 3.5 μm) and the column temperature was set at 30 °C. The flow rate of the mobile phase consisting of water and acetonitrile in gradient elution mode was fixed at 0.9 mL/min. Detection was conducted on an ultraviolet detector and a fluorescence detector simultaneously. The qualitative analysis was based on retention time and the quantification was based on standard curves. Results Under the optimal conditions, this method showed good linearities in the range of 10–200 μg/L with correlation coefficients greater than 0.9993. The method had the limits of detection (LODs) ranging from 0.00108 to 0.314 ng/g. The mean recoveries ranged from 78.4 to 117% with the intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.592–10.7 and 1.01–13.0%, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the detection of 16 PAHs in sediment samples collected from the Funan River in Chengdu, China with the total contents of 431 to 2143 ng/g·dw. Conclusions The established method is simple, rapid, environment-friendly and cost- effective. It can be applied to the analysis of 16 PAHs in sediment samples. Highlights A method of QuEChERS with ultrasound-assisted extraction combined with HPLC has been established for the analysis of 16 PAHs in sediment samples and the proposed method has been successfully applied to the analysis PAHs in real sediment samples.

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