A fingerprint of source-specific health risk of PM-bound components over a coastal industrial city.

The influence of specific local land-use activities (continuously redistributing elements across environments) and environmental conditions (altering the chemical composition of airborne particulate matter) on the intrinsic health risk of PM exposure is sparsely reported. To fill this gap, we employed a novel integrated approach to address the influence of short-term changes in source-specific PM composition on the exposure-response risk, while controlling for weather conditions. We combine receptor-based source apportionment with conditional logistic regression in a space-time-stratified case-crossover design.

Predicting health impacts of wildfire smoke in Amazonas basin, Brazil.

Worldwide, smoke from forest fires has deleterious health effects. Even so, because of the complexity of fire mechanics, public health authorities face challenges in forecasting and thus mitigating population exposure to smoke. The population in the Amazon basin regularly suffers from fire smoke tied to agriculture and land-use change.

Spatialized PM during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil's most populous southern city: implications for post-pandemic era.

Brazil has experienced one of the highest COVID-19 fatality rates globally. While numerous studies have explored the potential connection between air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter (PM), and the exacerbation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the majority of this research has been conducted in foreign regions-Europe, the United States, and China-correlating generalized pollution levels with health-related scopes. In this study, our objective is to investigate the localized connection between exposure to air pollution exposure and its health implications within a specific Brazilian municipality, focusing on COVID-19 susceptibility.

BTEX profile and health risk at the largest bulk port in Latin America, Paranaguá Port.

Port-related activities have a detrimental impact on the air quality both at the point of source and for considerable distances beyond. These activities include, but are not limited to, heavy cargo traffic, onboard, and at-berth emissions. Due to differences in construction, operation, location, and policies at ports, the site-specific air pollution cocktail could result in different human health risks.

A new strategy for risk assessment of PM-bound elements by considering the influence of wind regimes.

For regulatory purposes, air pollution has been reduced to management of air quality control regions (AQCR), by inventorying pollution sources and identifying the receptors significantly affected. However, beyond being source-dependent, particulate matter can be physically and chemically altered by factors and elements of climate during transport, as they act as local environmental constraints, indirectly modulating the adverse effects of particles on the environment and human health. This case study, at an industrial site in a Brazilian coastal city - Joinville, combines different methodologies to integrate atmospheric dynamics in a strategic risk assessment approach whereby the influence of different wind regimes on environmental and health risks of exposure to PM-bound elements, are analysed.

The new WHO air quality guidelines for PM: predicament for small/medium cities.

The global burden of disease estimated that approximately 7.1 million deaths worldwide were related to air pollution in 2016. However, only a limited number of small- and middle-sized cities have air quality monitoring networks.

The influence that different urban development models has on PM elemental and bioaccessible profiles.

Limited studies have reported on in-vitro analysis of PM but as far as the authors are aware, bioaccessibility of PM in artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF) has not been linked to urban development models before. The Brazilian cities Manaus (Amazon) and Curitiba (South region) have different geographical locations, climates, and urban development strategies. Manaus drives its industrialization using the free trade zone policy and Curitiba adopted a services centered economy driven by sustainability.

Observations of particulate matter, NO, SO, O, HS and selected VOCs at a semi-urban environment in the Amazon region.

This research aims to assess air quality in a transitional location between city and forest in the Amazon region. Located downwind of the Manaus metropolitan region, this study is part of the large-scale experiment GoAmazon2014/5. Based on their pollutant potential, inhalable particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO), sulfur dioxide (SO), ozone (O), hydrogen sulfide (HS), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and meta-, orto-, para-xylene (BTEX) were selected for analysis.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrated analogs associated to particulate matter emission from a Euro V-SCR engine fuelled with diesel/biodiesel blends.

Among the new technologies developed for the heavy-duty fleet, the use of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) aftertreatment system in standard Diesel engines associated with biodiesel/diesel mixtures is an alternative in use to control the legislated pollutants emission. Nevertheless, there is an absence of knowledge about the synergic behaviour of these devices and biodiesel blends regarding the emissions of unregulated substances as the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Nitro-PAHs, both recognized for their carcinogenic and mutagenic effects on humans. Therefore, the goal of this study is the quantification of PAHs and Nitro-PAHs present to total particulate matter (PM) emitted from the Euro V engine fuelled with ultra-low sulphur diesel and soybean biodiesel in different percentages, B5 and B20.

Assessing the impact of PM on respiratory disease using artificial neural networks.

Understanding the impact on human health during peak episodes in air pollution is invaluable for policymakers. Particles less than PM can penetrate the respiratory system, causing cardiopulmonary and other systemic diseases. Statistical regression models are usually used to assess air pollution impacts on human health.

Human exposure to hydrogen sulphide concentrations near wastewater treatment plants.

The hydrogen sulphide (HS) levels from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Curitiba, Brazil have been quantified for the first time. HS generated by anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in WWTPs is a cause for concern because it is an air pollutant, which can cause eye and respiratory irritation, headaches, and nausea. Considering the requirement for WWTPs in all communities, it is necessary to assess the concentrations and effects of gases such as HS on populations living and/or working near WWTPs.

Health implications of atmospheric aerosols from asbestos-bearing road pavements traditionally used in Southern Brazil.

Serpentine and amphibole asbestos occur naturally in certain geologic settings worldwide, most commonly in association with ultramafic rocks, along associated faults. Ultramafic rocks have been used in Piên County, Southern Brazil for decades for the purpose of road paving in rural and urban areas, but without the awareness of their adverse environmental and health impact. The aim of this study was the chemical characterization of aerosols re-suspended in two rural roads of Piên, paved with ultramafic rocks and to estimate the pulmonary deposition of asbestos aerosols.

Influence on the oxidative potential of a heavy-duty engine particle emission due to selective catalytic reduction system and biodiesel blend.

Although the particulate matter (PM) emissions from biodiesel fuelled engines are acknowledged to be lower than those of fossil diesel, there is a concern on the impact of PM produced by biodiesel to human health. As the oxidative potential of PM has been suggested as trigger for adverse health effects, it was measured using the Electron Spin Resonance (OP(ESR)) technique. Additionally, Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (EDXRF) was employed to determine elemental concentration, and Raman Spectroscopy was used to describe the amorphous carbon character of the soot collected on exhaust PM from biodiesel blends fuelled test-bed engine, with and without Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR).

Effectiveness of selective catalytic reduction systems on reducing gaseous emissions from an engine using diesel and biodiesel blends.

The aim of this investigation was to quantify organic and inorganic gas emissions from a four-cylinder diesel engine equipped with a urea selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. Using a bench dynamometer, the emissions from the following mixtures were evaluated using a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer: low-sulfur diesel (LSD), ultralow-sulfur diesel (ULSD), and a blend of 20% soybean biodiesel and 80% ULSD (B20). For all studied fuels, the use of the SCR system yielded statistically significant (p < 0.

Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of diclofenac and ibuprofen: a public health perspective.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been widely used in human and veterinary medicine, representing potential aquatic environmental contamination. This study aimed to perform an Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of NSAIDs diclofenac (Dic) and ibuprofen (Ibu) in cities of the state of Paraná, Brazil, over the course of three years, by using available data from the Brazilian Public Health System. The environmental risk (ER) was assessed by employing the European Medicines Agency (EMeA) approach, and predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) were calculated.

Gaseous emissions from a heavy-duty engine equipped with SCR aftertreatment system and fuelled with diesel and biodiesel: assessment of pollutant dispersion and health risk.

The changes in the composition of fuels in combination with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) emission control systems bring new insights into the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants. The major goal of our study was to quantify NOx, NO, NO2, NH3 and N2O emissions from a four-cylinder diesel engine operated with diesel and a blend of 20% soybean biodiesel. Exhaust fume samples were collected from bench dynamometer tests using a heavy-duty diesel engine equipped with SCR.

Methods, fluxes and sources of gas phase alkyl nitrates in the coastal air.

The daily and seasonal atmospheric concentrations, deposition fluxes and emission sources of a few C3-C9 gaseous alkyl nitrates (ANs) at the Belgian coast (De Haan) on the Southern North Sea were determined. An adapted sampler design for low- and high-volume air-sampling, optimized sample extraction and clean-up, as well as identification and quantification of ANs in air samples by means of gas chromatography mass spectrometry, are reported. The total concentrations of ANs ranged from 0.

Healthy environment--indoor air quality of Brazilian elementary schools nearby petrochemical industry.

The mitigation of pollution released to the environment originating from the industrial sector has been the aim of all policy-makers and its importance is evident if the adverse health effects on the world population are considered. Although this concern is controversial, petroleum refinery has been linked to some adverse health effects for people living nearby. Apart from home, school is the most important indoor environment for children and there is increasing concern about the school environment and its impact on health, also in developing countries where the prevalence of pollution is higher.

Indoor air quality of a museum in a subtropical climate: the Oscar Niemeyer museum in Curitiba, Brazil.

The assessment of damage to indoor cultural heritage, in particular by pollutants, is nowadays a major and growing concern for curators and conservators. Nevertheless, although many museums have been widely investigated in Europe, the effects of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in museums under tropical and subtropical climates and with different economic realities are still unclear. An important portion of the world's cultural heritage is currently in tropical countries where both human and financial resources for preserving museum collections are limited.

Organotins: a review of their reproductive toxicity, biochemistry, and environmental fate.

The review purposes are to (1) evaluate the experimental evidence for adverse effects on reproduction and metabolism and (2) identify the current knowledge of analytical procedures, biochemistry and environmental aspects relating to organotins. Organotins are pollutants that are used as biocides in antifouling paints. They produce endocrine-disrupting effects in mollusks, such as imposex.

Analysis of indoor gaseous formic and acetic acid, using radial diffusive samplers.

A diffusive sampling method for the determination of gaseous acetic and formic acids, using a radial symmetry diffusive sampler, has been optimised for a 7-day exposure time in this study. Sampling rate determinations were performed on data obtained from a dynamic exposure chamber, simulating the indoor conditions of an empty, closed, room, at room temperature and minimal wind speed. Analysis has been performed by means of ion chromatography.

Particulate matter analysis at elementary schools in Curitiba, Brazil.

The particulate matter indoors and outdoors of the classrooms at two schools in Curitiba, Brazil, was characterised in order to assess the indoor air quality. Information concerning the bulk composition was provided by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). From the calculated indoor/outdoor ratios and the enrichment factors it was observed that S-, Cl- and Zn-rich particles are of concern in the indoor environment.

Low-pressure gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry for the fast determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in air samples.

A low-pressure gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry (LPGC-ITMS) method was investigated to shorten the analysis time for 18 US Environmental Protection Agency priority listed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Their elution was optimised with a short, wide-bore column coupled to a deactivated capillary at the inlet end and with a long, conventional column to compare their analytical performance. The analytical figures of merit under optimal LPGC-ITMS conditions were determined with respect to chromatographic separation, S/N ratio, limit of detection and precision.

Use of solid-phase microextraction for the detection of acetic acid by ion-trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and application to indoor levels in museums.

A simple and efficient method using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry (GC-ITMS) was developed for the analysis of acetic acid in air. The choice of the SPME fibre revealed to be critical as well as the sampling and desorption time. A dilution vessel was used for calibration.