Large surface area‐to‐volume ratios indoors cause heterogeneous interactions to be especially important. Semi‐volatile organic compounds can deposit on impermeable indoor surfaces forming thin organic films. We developed a new model to simulate the initial film formation by treating gas‐phase diffusion and turbulence through a surface boundary layer and multi‐layer reversible adsorption on rough surfaces

In this paper, a three‐dimensional non‐isothermal computational model for predicting indoor SVOC distribution is proposed, considering the effects of turbulence diffusion and suspended particles. The realizable k‐ε model is introduced for turbulent flow simulation in a room. The Euler‐Euler method is adopted to deal with the gas‐particle two‐phase flow coupled problem. Inertia slip velocity and irreversible

Occupants’ satisfaction had been researched independently related to thermal and visual stimuli for many decades showing among others the influence of self‐perceived control. Few studies revealed interactions between thermal and visual stimuli affecting occupant satisfaction. In addition, studies including interactions between thermal and visual stimuli are lacking different control scenarios. This

Recirculating air purification technologies are employed as potential means of reducing exposure to aerosol particles and airborne viruses. Toward improved testing of recirculating air purification units, we developed and applied a medium‐scale single‐pass wind tunnel test to examine the size‐dependent collection of particles and the collection and inactivation of viable bovine coronavirus (BCoV, a

Little is known whether parent's indoor environment quality (IEQ)‐related symptoms or health perceptions influence the risk of self‐ or parent‐reported symptoms in their children. We assessed (i) the association of parents’ IEQ‐related symptoms with IEQ‐related symptoms in their children at school and (ii) whether parental IEQ‐related health worry increases the risk for children's symptoms. We used

Airborne microorganisms in hospitals have been associated with several hospital‐acquired infections (HAIs), and various measures of indoor air quality (IAQ) parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2), particle mass concentration, and particle size have been linked to pathogen survival or mitigation of pathogen spread. To investigate whether there are quantitative relationships

Emission testing of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from materials and products is commonly based on emission test chamber measurements. To ensure the comparability of results from different testing laboratories, their measurement performance must be verified. For this purpose, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und ‐prüfung (BAM) organizes an international proficiency test (round robin test, RRT)

The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from building materials may significantly contribute to indoor air pollution, and VOCs have been associated with odor annoyance and adverse health effects. Wood materials together with coatings are commonly used indoors for furniture and large surfaces such as walls, floors, and ceilings. This leads to high surface‐to‐volume ratios, and therefore,

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are exposed to highly infectious viruses, such as norovirus, through multiple exposure routes. Understanding exposure mechanisms will inform exposure mitigation interventions. The study objective was to evaluate the influences of hospital patient room layout on differences in HCPs' predicted hand contamination from deposited norovirus particles. Computational fluid dynamic

Despite significant investment, childhood malnutrition continues to be a significant public health problem especially in least developed countries. The aim of this study was to find association between household biomass fuel (BMF) use and childhood malnutrition in Bangladesh using data from Demographic and Health Survey 2011. We included a total 6891 children under 5 years of age in the analysis. The

The emission rate of carbon dioxide (CO2) depends on many factors but mainly on the activity level (metabolic rate) of occupants. In this study, we examined two other factors that may influence the CO2 emission rate, namely the background CO2 concentration and the indoor temperature. Six male volunteers sat one by one in a 1.7 m3 chamber for 2.5 h and performed light office‐type work under five different

Secondhand electronic cigarette (e‐cigarette) aerosol (SHA) might impair indoor air quality and expose bystanders. This study aims to investigate exposure to SHA in controlled conditions of enclosed settings simulating real‐world scenario. An experiment was performed in a car and in a room, in which SHA was generated during a 30‐minute ad libitum use of an e‐cigarette. The experiment was replicated

Ultrasonic essential oil diffusers (EODs) are a popular type of indoor scenting source. We performed a chamber study in which we measured the emissions from EODs used with lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, and grapeseed oils. Over the course of 15 min, the most abundant VOCs released from lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, and grapeseed oils were 2.6 ± 0.7 mg of d‐limonene, 3.5 ± 0.4 mg of eucalyptol, 1.0 ± 0

Previous studies have developed plenty of mathematical models for assessing indoor environment quality. Literature reviews that most of them presented a mean value of perception of a population and ignored the interaction effects of multiple environmental factors on occupants’ perceptions. In this regard, the aim of our paper is to develop a comprehensive indoor physical environment quality (IPEQ)

Particle release from human skin and clothing has been identified as an important contributor to particulate matter burden indoors. However, knowledge about modeling the coarse particle release from skin and clothing is limited. This study developed a new empirically validated CFD modeling methodology for particle release and transport from seated occupants in an office setting. We tested three modeling

Studies of air pollution and cognition often rely on measures from outdoor environments. Many individuals in low‐ and middle‐income countries are exposed to indoor air pollution from combustion of solid cooking fuels. Little is known about how solid cooking fuel use affects cognitive decline over time. This study uses data from the 2012, 2015, and 2018 Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 14 245, age

We reviewed 47 documents published 1967–2019 that reported measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on commercial aircraft. We compared the measurements with the air quality standards and guidelines for aircraft cabins and in some cases buildings. Average levels of VOCs for which limits exist were lower than the permissible levels except for benzene with average concentration at 5.9 ± 5.5 μg/m3

Household fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution greatly impacts residents' health. To explore the current national situation of household PM2.5 pollution in China, a study was conducted based on literature published from 1998 to 2018. After extracting data from the literature in conformity with the requirements, the nationwide household‐weighted mean concentration of household PM2.5 (HPL) was calculated

Young children spend a substantial part of their waking time in preschools. It is therefore important to reduce the load of hazardous semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in the preschools’ indoor environment. The presence and levels of five SVOC groups were evaluated (1) in a newly built preschool, (2) before and after renovation of a preschool, and (3) in a preschool where SVOC‐containing articles

Facing shortages of personal protective equipment, some clinicians have advocated the use of barrier enclosures (typically mounted over the head, with and without suction) to contain aerosol emissions from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients. There is, however, little evidence for its usefulness. To test the effectiveness of such a device, we built a manikin that can expire micron‐sized aerosols

Most of human exposure to atmospheric pollutants occurs indoors, and the components of outdoor aerosols may have been changed in the way before reaching indoor spaces. Here we conducted real‐time online measurements of mass concentrations and chemical composition of black carbon and the non‐refractory species in PM2.5 in an occupied office for approximately one month. The open‐close windows and controlled

A further reflection on ventilation. After high school, I started my university studies at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden. I really had no reason to choose it, but my grades made it possible… with better grades, I might have gone to Karolinska Institutet for medical studies. At that time, it was, however, a great achievement to go to such a good university. It all was

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an important consideration for health and well‐being as people spend most of their time indoors. Multi‐disciplinary interest in IAQ is growing, resulting in more empirical research, especially in affordable housing settings, given disproportionate impacts on vulnerable populations. Conceptually, there is little coherency among these case studies; they traverse diverse spatial

Burning incense (bakhour) is a common cultural practice in Saudi Arabia. However, its health risk assessment has rarely been studied. This study aims to investigate the association between exposure to incense smoke on lung function impairments and respiratory symptoms among young adults in Saudi Arabia. A community‐based cross‐sectional study was designed with a representative study sample (N = 125)

The medical surgical mask (MSM) has been the essential protective equipment in people's daily work. The experimental purpose is to explore the effects of wearing MSM on human thermal sensation, thermal comfort, and breathing comfort in office buildings in summer. A total of 30 healthy college students were recruited for the testing. The experiment was carried out in a climate chamber, which can simulate

Traditionally, direct‐reading instruments have been used to directly determine the concentrations of indoor air pollutants that may exceed the regulation limits. However, these instruments cannot directly assess the potential health hazards of these pollutants to humans. In this study, we developed and improved a bacterial reverse mutation assay (Ames test) by using a direct gas exposure module to

The advent of high‐throughput sequencing methods allowed researchers to fully characterize microbial community in environmental samples, which is crucial to better understand their health effects upon exposures. In our study, we investigated bacterial and fungal community in indoor and outdoor air of nine classrooms in three elementary schools in Seoul, Korea. The extracted bacterial 16S rRNA gene

Due to the high health risks associated with indoor air pollutants and long‐term exposure, indoor air quality has received increasing attention. In this study, we put emphasis on the molecular composition, source emissions, and chemical aging of air pollutants in a residence with designed activities mimicking ordinary Hong Kong homes. More than 150 air pollutants were detected at molecular level, 87

Screening the volatiles isolated from a standard polypropylene material consisting of a polypropylene homopolymer, the filler talcum, and a mixture of antioxidants, for odor‐active compounds by application of an aroma extract dilution analysis revealed 30 odorants with flavor dilution factors ranging from 1 to 64. Eighteen odor‐active compounds were subsequently quantitated by gas chromatography‐mass

Household air pollution (HAP) from biomass stoves is a leading risk factor for cardiopulmonary outcomes; however, its toxicity pathways and relationship with inflammation markers are poorly understood. Among 180 adult women in rural Peru, we examined the cross‐sectional exposure‐response relationship between biomass HAP and markers of inflammation in blood using baseline measurements from a randomized

This study examined the housing effect on quality of life among Japanese people. In the current cross‐sectional study, we analyzed the 1‐year of data (November 2015‐March 2016) with 2533 participants. We used the Short Form‐8 questionnaire, an 8‐item instrument that measures general aspects of health‐related QOL. Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency housing checklist which

A previous study showed that classical building‐related symptoms (BRS) were related to indoor dust and microbial toxicity via boar sperm motility assay, a sensitive method for measuring mitochondrial toxicity. In this cross‐sectional study, we analyzed whether teachers’ most common work‐related non‐literature‐known BRS (nBRS) were also associated with dust or microbial toxicity. Teachers from 15 schools

Phthalates are widely used in consumer products. Exposure to phthalates can lead to adverse health effects in humans, with early‐life exposure being of particular concern. Phthalate exposure occurs mainly through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal absorption. However, our understanding of the relative importance of different exposure routes is incomplete. This study estimated the intake of five phthalates

Risk factors at home for ocular, nasal, throat and dermal symptoms, headache, and fatigue were studied in a nationwide questionnaire survey in Sweden, the BETSI study in 2006. Totally, 5775 adults from a stratified random sample of multi‐family buildings participated. Associations between home environment factors and weekly symptoms were analyzed by multi‐level logistic regression. In total, 8.3% had

The year 2020 has seen the world gripped by the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic. It is not the first time, nor will it be last, that our increasingly globalized world has been significantly affected by the emergence of a new disease. In much of the Northern Hemisphere, the academic year begins in September, and for many countries, September 2020 marked the return to full schooling after some period

After the WHO designated COVID‐19 a global pandemic, face masks have become a precious commodity worldwide. However, uncertainty remains around several details regarding face masks, including the potential for transmission of bioaerosols depending on the type of mask and secondary spread by face masks. Thus, understanding the interplay between face mask structure and harmful bioaerosols is essential

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), as one of the predominant air pollutants, has achieved effective control in recent years in China. Whether the use of indoor air purifiers is still necessary needs further exploration. A randomized crossover trial was conducted in 54 healthy students in Beijing, China. Participants were randomized assigned to the use of real or sham high‐efficiency particulate

Hairdressers are exposed to particulate matter (PM), a known air pollutant linked to adverse health effects. Still, studies on occupational PM exposures in hair salons are sparse. We characterized indoor air PM concentrations in three salons primarily serving an African/African American (AA) clientele, and three Dominican salons primarily serving a Latino clientele. We also assessed the performance

Exposure to bioaerosols poses important health effects on occupants. To elucidate seasonal and room variations of household airborne bacteria, this study investigated 30 residential homes during summer and winter throughout Nanjing, Southeast China, with a humid subtropical climate. Culturing and 16S rDNA sequencing methods were combined in this study. Results showed that the community structure and

This study assessed the performance of modeling approaches to estimate personal exposure in Kenyan homes where cooking fuel combustion contributes substantially to household air pollution (HAP). We measured emissions (PM2.5, black carbon, CO); household air pollution (PM2.5, CO); personal exposure (PM2.5, CO); stove use; and behavioral, socioeconomic, and household environmental characteristics (eg

Material extrusion (ME) desktop 3D printing is known to strongly emit nanoparticles (NP), and the need for risk management has been recognized widely. Four different engineering control measures were studied in real‐life office conditions by means of online NP measurements and indoor aerosol modeling. The studied engineering control measures were general ventilation, local exhaust ventilation (LEV)

Air quality in indoor environments can have significant impacts on people's health, comfort, and productivity. Particulate matter (PM; also referred to as aerosols) is an important type of air pollutant, and exposure to outdoor PM has been associated with a variety of diseases. In addition, there is increasing recognition and concern of airborne transmission of viruses, including severe acute respiratory

Upholstered furniture is often manufactured with polyurethane foam (PUF) containing flame retardants (FRs) to prevent the risk of a fire and/or to meet flammability regulations, however, exposure to certain FRs and other chemicals have been linked to adverse health effects. This study developed a new methodology for evaluating volatile organic compound (VOC) and FR exposures to users of upholstered

The indoor environment influences occupants’ health. From March 1, 2018, to February 28, 2019, we continuously monitored indoor temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and CO2 concentration in bedrooms via an online system in 165 residences that covered all five climate zones of China. Meanwhile, we asked one specific occupant in each home to complete questionnaires about perceived air quality and

Household heating using wood stoves is common practice in many rural areas of the United States (US) and can lead to elevated concentrations of indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5). We collected 6‐day measures of indoor PM2.5 during the winter and evaluated household and stove‐use characteristics in homes at three rural and diverse study sites. The median indoor PM2.5 concentration across all homes

This field study aimed to investigate naturally ventilated bedroom environment and its effects on subjective perception and sleep quality. Totally, 104 healthy subjects living in urban areas of Beijing participated in the study for one night during transition seasons. Bedroom environment parameters, including temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration, were recorded before and during sleep

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic continues to spread. As I write this editorial in a quarantine hotel in Beijing on 26 October 2020, more than 38 million people worldwide have been infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), the virus that causes COVID‐19, and more than 1 million have died from COVID‐19, according to the WHO COVID‐19 dashboard. Before vaccines

Air‐change rate is an important parameter influencing residential air quality. This article critically assesses the state of knowledge regarding residential air‐change rates, emphasizing periods of normal occupancy. Cumulatively, about 40 prior studies have measured air‐change rates in approximately 10,000 homes using tracer gases, including metabolic CO2. The central tendency of the air‐change rates

An increasing fraction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions come from the domestic use of solvents, contained within myriad commonplace consumer products. Emission rates are often poorly characterized and depend significantly on individual behavior and specific product formulation and usage. Time‐concentration profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) arising from the use of a representative

The indoor air quality (IAQ) was investigated in sixty‐four primary school buildings in five Central European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Slovenia). The concentration of volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, PM2.5 mass, carbon dioxide, radon, as well as physical parameters were investigated during the heating period of 2017/2018. Significant differences were identified for

Heating, ventilating, and air‐conditioning (HVAC) systems usually supply air, which is a mixture of fresh air from the outdoor environment, and return air from rooms via the ventilation ductwork. This air reduces the heat load and cost impact of air conditioning using outdoor air. This recirculation of room air in air‐conditioning systems is reasonable in terms of energy saving; however, the deterioration

Currently, the thermal environment in airplane cockpits is unsatisfactory and pilots often complain about a strong draft sensation in the cockpit. It is caused by the unreasonable air supply diffusers design. One of the best approaches to design a better cockpit environment is the adjoint method. The method can simultaneously and efficiently identify the number, size, location, and shape of air supply

Children are particularly vulnerable to many classes of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected in indoor environments. The negative health impacts associated with chronic and acute exposures of the VOCs might lead to health issues such as genetic damage, cancer, and disorder of nervous systems. In this study, 40 VOCs including aldehydes and ketones, aliphatic hydrocarbons, esters, aromatic

Household air pollution (HAP) from residential combustion considerably affects human health in rural China. Large‐scale population migration and rural lifestyle changes during the Spring Festival are supposed to change the household air pollution and health risks; however, limited field study has determined its impacts on HAP and short‐term health outcomes.

Aerosols are readily transported on airstreams through building sanitary plumbing and sewer systems, and those containing microbial pathogens (known as bioaerosols) are recognized as contributors to infection spread within buildings. When a defect occurs in the sanitary plumbing system that affects the system integrity, a cross‐transmission route is created that can enable the emission of bioaerosols

Emissions from candles are of concern for indoor air quality. In this work, five different types of pillar candles were burned under steady burn conditions in a new laboratory scale system for repeatable and controlled comparison of candle emissions (temperature ~25°C, relative humidity ~13%, O2 >18%, air exchange rate 1.9 h−1). Burn rate, particle number concentrations, mass concentrations, and mode

Children in preschools were studied as an exceptionally vulnerable group to lung diseases due to their immature immune system. Few data are available in the literature addressing the exposure of children in preschools to ultrafine (>10 nm) particles. Exposure of children to fine, ultrafine (10 nm–1 µm) particles and black carbon particles present inside and near two preschools in Nur‐Sultan, Kazakhstan

This project investigated fungal growth conditions in artificially contaminated interfaces between solid masonry and adhesive mortar for internal insulation. The project comprised several laboratory experiments: test of three fungal decontamination methods; investigation of development of fungal growth in solid masonry walls fitted with five internal insulation systems; and investigation of volatile