Atmospheric Emissions Characteristics and Its Impact on Human Health

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Pollution and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 1692

Special Issue Editors

School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
Interests: heavy metal; light-absorbing carbonaceous particles; health risks; toxics source apportionment; atmospheric pollution
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Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Interests: personal exposure to air pollutants and their health effects; emission characteristics; source apportionment

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Guest Editor
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, China
Interests: volatile organic compounds and their health risk; ultrafine particles; air pollution control

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Guest Editor
School of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 251100, China
Interests: air quality; atmospheric pollution; air pollution studies; exposure modeling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has an adverse effect on human health. High PM burdens are a major trigger for the frequent occurrence of severe pollution weather regionally and even globally. Many PM constituents, such as heavy metal elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and their derivatives, have been identified as toxics and hazardous substances, which have severe carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. An increasing number of epidemiological and cohort studies have reported that these hazardous substances in fine or ultrafine PM exposure are closely associated with lung, cardiovascular, and even neurological injuries.

Therefore, this Special Issue welcomes studies from different countries focusing on the health effects of atmospheric PM emissions, such as health risk and exposure modeling. Interregional, international, and historical studies are highly encouraged in this Special Issue. We welcome submissions on a wide range of topics including, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  1. Analysis of the hazardous substances in PM and evaluate their health risk.
  2. Assessment of the carcinogenic potential of specific air pollutants and their related increased risk of various types of cancer.
  3. Evaluate the health effects of various atmospheric PM chemical compositions from anthropogenic sources.
  4. Toxic and health effects or epidemiological investigations of personal exposure to atmospheric pollutants.
  5. Occupational exposure; the potential health effects of specific pollution sources on surrounding residents or employees.
  6. Control of PM hazardous compounds using advanced technologies.

Dr. Qian Zhang
Prof. Dr. Hongmei Xu
Dr. Tian Chang
Dr. Peng Wei
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • air pollution
  • health risk assessment
  • atmospheric emissions
  • personal exposure
  • particulate matter
  • toxic pollutants
  • optical characteristics
  • secondary organic aerosol
  • source apportionment

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3697 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Indoor Air Quality in Schools: Is the Indoor Environment a Haven during High Pollution Episodes?
by Li Sun, Peng Wei, Dane Westerdahl, Jing Xue and Zhi Ning
Toxics 2024, 12(8), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12080564 - 2 Aug 2024
Viewed by 624
Abstract
Pollution data were collected at five schools in Hong Kong using low-cost, sensor-based monitors both indoors and outdoors during two consecutive high pollution episodes. The pollutants monitored included NO2, O3, PM2.5, and PM10, which were [...] Read more.
Pollution data were collected at five schools in Hong Kong using low-cost, sensor-based monitors both indoors and outdoors during two consecutive high pollution episodes. The pollutants monitored included NO2, O3, PM2.5, and PM10, which were also used as input to a health risk communication protocol known as Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). CO2 was also measured simultaneously. The study aimed to assess the relationship between indoor pollutant concentrations and AQHI levels with those outdoors and to evaluate the efficacy of building operating practices in protecting students from pollution exposure. The results indicate that the regular air quality monitoring stations and outdoor pollutant levels at schools exhibit similar patterns. School AQHI levels indoors were generally lower than those outdoors, with PM10 levels showing a larger proportional contribution to the calculated values indoors. NO2 levels in one school were in excess of outdoor values. CO2 monitored in classrooms commonly exceeded indoor guidelines, suggesting poor ventilation. One school that employed air filtration had lower indoor PM concentrations compared to other schools; however, they were still similar to those outdoors. O3 levels indoors were consistently lower than those outdoors. This study underscores the utility of on-site, sensor-based monitoring for assessing the health impacts of indoor and community exposure to urban air pollutants. The findings suggest a need for improved ventilation and more strategic air intake placement to enhance indoor air quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Emissions Characteristics and Its Impact on Human Health)
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18 pages, 4458 KiB  
Article
Microscopic Characterization of Individual Aerosol Particles in a Typical Industrial City and Its Surrounding Rural Areas in China
by Yunfei Su, Yuhan Long, Xunzhe Yao, Chunying Chen, Wei Sun, Rui Zhao and Junke Zhang
Toxics 2024, 12(7), 525; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12070525 - 22 Jul 2024
Viewed by 706
Abstract
Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze individual aerosol particles collected in Lanzhou (urban site) and its surrounding areas (rural site) in early 2023. The results revealed that from the pre-Spring Festival period to the Spring Festival period, the main pollutants at the [...] Read more.
Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze individual aerosol particles collected in Lanzhou (urban site) and its surrounding areas (rural site) in early 2023. The results revealed that from the pre-Spring Festival period to the Spring Festival period, the main pollutants at the urban site decreased significantly, while the PM2.5 and SO2 concentrations increased at the rural site. During the entire sampling period, the main particles at the urban site were organic matter (OM), secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA), and OM-SIA particles, while those at the rural site were OM, SIA, and soot particles. The degree of external mixing of single particles in both sites increased from the pre-Spring Festival period to the Spring Festival period. The proportion of the OM particles increased by 11% at the urban site, and the proportion of SIA particles increased by 24% at the rural site. During the Spring Festival, the aging of the soot particles was enhanced at the urban site and weakened at the rural site. At the urban site, the SIA particle size was more strongly correlated with the thickness of the OM coating during the pre-Spring Festival period, while the correlation was stronger at the rural site during the Spring Festival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Emissions Characteristics and Its Impact on Human Health)
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