Publications by authors named "Zhenxing Shen"

In this study, gaseous element mercury (GEM) and gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) in the atmosphere were continuously observed at a minute resolution from 1 April 2019 to 31 December 2020 in urban Xi'an, the largest central city in Northwestern China. The concentrations of GEM and GOM drastically fluctuated within the ranges of 0.022-297 ng/m and 0.

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Bioaerosols significantly influence air quality and human health. This study investigated the diversity, structure, and interaction of bacterial communities in particulate matter (PM) across four seasons in Xi'an. The results revealed that operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were the highest in autumn, reaching levels comparable to those in winter, but were 3.

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Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) is recognized to induce atherosclerosis, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study used ambient PM samples collected in one of the highly polluted regions of Guanzhong Plain in China (2017-2020) and an ApoE mouse model to investigate the association between exposure to PM and atherosclerosis. Despite a substantial decrease in the ambient concentration of PM from 266.

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  • * The research found higher levels of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the biomass fuel group, while the coal group showed greater amounts of water-soluble inorganic ions and nitrogen.
  • * A strong correlation between ROS and WSOC was observed in coal PMs, particularly in smaller particles, suggesting that coal combustion produces more transition metals affecting ROS levels, while specific relationships between components varied in both fuel groups.
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Introduction: Coal represents a significant natural resource in our world, and its quality and commercial value is primarily determined by its heating capacity. Numerous scientists worldwide have attempted to explore the impact of various environmental factors on coal rank, yet their conclusions are often inconsistent.

Methods: In this study, the Illumina MiSeq sequencing approach was used to analyze the bacterial community from a low-rank coal mine as well as a high-rank mine.

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Orange juice is a highly nutritious beverage. Traditional pasteurization methods cause nutrient loss and taste changes. Plasma treatment (PT) is an emerging method with a high sterilization rate.

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  • * This review summarizes recent findings on sources, distribution, behaviors, and toxic effects of atmospheric MPs, highlighting the current methodologies for studying these aspects.
  • * It advocates for the use of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance research on atmospheric MPs by improving data analysis and understanding their dynamics, calling for more scholarly focus in this area.
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  • Intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) play a vital role in forming secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) but are often overlooked in related studies.
  • This study focused on IVOC emissions in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, where solid fuels are used, revealing higher emission factors due to incomplete combustion in oxygen-deficient conditions.
  • The research highlights that IVOCs significantly contribute to air pollution, with combined emissions leading to SOA production almost five times greater than emissions from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) alone, underscoring the need for better emission inventories and pollution strategies.
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Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are important nitrogen organics in aerosol with strong light-absorbing and chemically reactive properties. In this study, NACs in six Chinese megacities, including Harbin (HB), Beijing (BJ), Xi'an (XA), Wuhan (WH), Chengdu (CD), and Guangzhou (GZ), were investigated for understanding their sources, gas-particle partitioning, and impact on BrC absorption properties. The concentrations of ΣNACs in PM in the six cities ranged from 9.

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As one of the most environmental concerns, inhaled particulate matter (PM) causes numerous health problems. However, the associations between anxiety behavior and toxicity caused by PM have rarely been reported so far. To investigate the changes of behavior after PM exposure and to identify the potential mechanisms of toxicity, PM samples (with doses of 15 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg) were intratracheally instilled into rats to simulate inhalation of polluted air by the lungs.

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Particulate brown carbon (BrC) plays a crucial role in the global radiative balance due to its ability to absorb light. However, the effect of molecular formation on the light absorption properties of BrC remains poorly understood. In this study, atmospheric BrC samples collected from six Chinese megacities in winter and summer were characterized through ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Orbitrap MS) and light absorption measurements.

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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban fugitive dust, known for their toxicity and ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), are a major public health concern. This study assessed the spatial distribution and health risks of 15 PAHs in construction dust (CD) and road dust (RD) samples collected from June to November 2021 over the cities of Tongchuan (TC), Baoji (BJ), Xianyang (XY), and Xi'an (XA) in the Guanzhong Plain, China. The average concentration of ΣPAHs in RD was 39.

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Water-soluble organic molecules (WSOMs) in inhaled PM can readily translocate from the lungs into the blood circulation, facilitating their distribution to and health effects on distant organs and tissues in the human body. Human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant protein carrier in the blood, readily binds exogenous substances to form non-covalent adducts and subsequently transports them throughout the circulatory system, thereby indicating their internal exposure. The direct internal exposure of WSOMs in PM needs to be understood.

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Article Synopsis
  • Anthropogenic emissions from industries, vehicles, and household fuel combustion are significant sources of particulate matter (PM) in the Guanzhong Plain, China, contributing to air pollution and health risks.
  • Industrial emissions are characterized by specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), while motor vehicle emissions and household combustion show distinct patterns in PAH compositions and their correlation with reactive oxygen species (ROS).
  • The estimated cancer risks associated with exposure to these emissions in the Guanzhong area exceed the safety threshold, indicating a serious public health concern.
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  • PM pollution in mountain-basin urban areas is complex due to topography and high emissions, necessitating effective source apportionment for local mitigation strategies.
  • A study in Xi'an identified major PM sources as biomass burning, coal combustion, traffic, mineral dust, industrial emissions, and secondary pollutants, with over 48% of PM originating locally.
  • The analysis revealed that long-range transported PM significantly affects source contributions, highlighting the need for regional collaboration to reduce uncertainty in pollution source identification and improve overall mitigation efforts.
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Machine learning (ML) is an artificial intelligence technology that has been used in atmospheric pollution research due to their powerful fitting ability. In this review, 105 articles related to ML and the atmospheric pollution research are critically reviewed. Applications of ML in the prediction of atmospheric pollution (mainly particulate matters) are systematically described, including the principle of prediction, influencing factors and improvement measures.

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Atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM) is associated with cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality due to its ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ambient PM samples were collected during heating and nonheating seasons in Xi'an, China, and the ROS-generation potential of PM was quantified using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. Additionally, positive matrix factorization combined with multilayer perceptron was employed to apportion sources contributing to the oxidation potential of PM.

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Personal exposure (PE) to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives in particulate matter with two aerodynamic sizes of 2.5 and 0.25 μm (PM and PM) from rural housewives was studied in the Fenwei Plain, China.

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  • - Methoxyphenols and nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are harmful to both the atmosphere and human health, primarily emitted from the incomplete combustion of solid fuels, with their formation also influenced by photochemical reactions.
  • - A study using a potential aerosol mass-oxidation flow reactor found that emission factors for these compounds varied widely among different solid fuels, affected by factors like volatile matter and combustion conditions.
  • - Guaiacol and 4-nitro-2-vinylphenol were identified as tracers for organic aerosols, revealing that while biomass burning emitted more fresh guaiacol than coal, its aged emissions were similar, suggesting guaiacol may not be the most reliable biomass marker.
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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives have received extensive attention due to their negative effects on the environment and on human health. However, few studies have performed comprehensive assessments of PAHs emitted from pesticide factories. This study assessed the concentration, composition, and health risk of 52 PM-bound PAHs during the daytime and nighttime in the vicinity of a typical pesticide factory.

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Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from solid fuels combustion (e.g., biomass and coal) are still the dominant precursors for the formation of tropospheric ozone (O) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs).

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  • - Tire and road wear microplastics (TRWMPs) are significant pollutants linked to motor vehicles, causing environmental and health concerns, with a study conducted in Xi'an, China, during summer 2019 revealing a total concentration of 6522 ± 1455 ng/m of various harmful chemicals.
  • - Phthalates were found to be the most abundant component in TRWMPs, making up nearly two-thirds of the total, and concentrations varied throughout the day, peaking during evening rush hour, suggesting factors beyond vehicle numbers, such as weather and road conditions, influence TRWMP levels.
  • - While the non-carcinogenic risks from TRWMPs were within safe limits, the carcinogenic
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  • * Results show significant reductions in indoor and personal PAH concentrations after switching to clean coal, with reductions of up to 93% for various PAH types, leading to improved pulmonary function.
  • * The findings suggest that using clean coal can substantially lower cancer risks associated with PAHs (by 60%-97%) and emphasizes the importance of transitioning to cleaner energy sources for better health outcomes.
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The Fenwei Plain (FWP) in central China is the fourth largest plain nationwide. This region has experienced severe air pollution during the past decades, largely due to residential solid fuel burning. A regional-scale emission inventory covering multi-pollutants was currently unavailable for this area due to the lack of localized emission factors (EFs) from various sources.

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Atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM) can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have adverse effects on health. Acidic, neutral, and highly polar water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) is an important component of ROS in organic aerosols. PM samples were collected in winter 2019 in Xi'an City to deeply explore the pollution characteristics and health risks of WSOM components with different polarity levels.

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