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Background: Few studies have assessed air pollution exposure association with birthweight during both preconception and gestational periods. Methods: Leveraging a preconception cohort consisting of 14220 pregnant women and newborn children in Shanghai, China during 2016–2018, we aim to assess associations of NO2 and PM2.5 exposure, derived from high-resolution spatial-temporal models, during preconception and gestational periods with outcomes including term birthweight, birthweight Z-score, small-for-gestational age (SGA) and large-for-gestational age (LGA). Linear and logistic regressions were used to estimate 3-month preconception and trimester-averaged air pollution exposure associations; and distributed lag models (DLM) were used to identify critical exposure windows at the weekly resolution from preconception to delivery. Two-pollutant models and children's sex-specific associations were explored. Results: After controlling for covariates, one standard deviation (SD) (11.5 μg/m3, equivalent to 6.1 ppb) increase in NO2 exposure during the second and the third trimester was associated with 13% (95% confidence interval: 2 – 26%) and 14% (95% CI: 1 – 29%) increase in SGA, respectively; and one SD (9.6 μg/m3) increase in PM2.5 exposure during the third trimester was associated with 15% (95% CI: 1 – 31%) increase in SGA. No association have been found for outcomes of birthweight, birthweight Z-score and LGA. DLM found that gestational weeks 22–32 were a critical window, when NO2 exposure had strongest associations with SGA. The associations of air pollution exposure tended to be stronger in female newborns than in male newborns. However, no significant associations of air pollution exposure during preconception period on birthweight outcomes were found. Conclusion: Consistent with previous studies, we found that air pollution exposure during mid-to-late pregnancy was associated with adverse birthweight outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In March 2022, a severe outbreak of COVID-19 broke out in Shanghai, with the virus spreading rapidly. In the most severe two months, more than 50,000 people were diagnosed with COVID-19. For this reason, Shanghai adopted three-district hierarchical management, requiring corresponding people to stay at home to contain the spread of the virus. Due to the requirements of prevention and control management, the diet, exercise and mental health of the corresponding population are affected to a certain extent. Objectives: This article aimed to understand the population in the diet, exercise and psychological changes. Methods: This study carried out the research by distributing the electronic questionnaire and carried out the statistical analysis. Results: People reduced the intake of vegetables and fruits (P = 0.000<0.05), people did about an hour less exercise per week on average (P = 0.000<0.05), the number of steps they took per day decreased by nearly 2000 steps (P = 0.012<0.05), and there were significant changes in the way they exercised. Conclusion: In terms of psychological state, people have some depression, anxiety and easy to feel tired after lockdown. This study can also provide reference for policy adjustment and formulation of normalized epidemic management in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portable air cleaners are increasingly used in polluted areas in an attempt to reduce human exposure; however, there has been limited work characterizing their effectiveness at reducing exposure. With this in mind, we recruited forty‐three children with asthma from suburban Shanghai and deployed air cleaners (with HEPA and activated carbon filters) in their bedrooms. During both 2‐week filtration and non‐filtration periods, low‐cost PM2.5 and O3 air monitors were used to measure pollutants indoors, outdoors, and for personal exposure. Indoor PM2.5 concentrations were reduced substantially with the use of air cleaners, from 34 ± 17 to 10 ± 8 µg/m3, with roughly 80% of indoor PM2.5 estimated to come from outdoor sources. Personal exposure to PM2.5 was reduced from 40 ± 17 to 25 ± 14 µg/m3. The more modest reductions in personal exposure and high contribution of outdoor PM2.5 to indoor concentrations highlight the need to reduce outdoor PM2.5 and/or to clean indoor air in multiple locations. Indoor O3 concentrations were generally low (mean = 8±4 ppb), and no significant difference was seen by filtration status. The concentrations of pollutants and the air cleaner effectiveness were highly variable over time and across homes, highlighting the usefulness of real‐time air monitors for understanding individual exposure reduction strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased public awareness of the health impacts of atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) has led to increased demand and deployment of indoor air cleaners. Yet, questions still remain about the effectiveness of indoor air cleaners on indoor PM 2.5 concentrations and personal exposure to potentially hazardous components of PM 2.5. Metals in PM 2.5 have been associated with adverse health outcomes, so knowledge of their sources in urban indoor and outdoor areas and how exposures are influenced by indoor air cleaners would be beneficial for public health interventions. We collected 48-h indoor, outdoor, and personal PM 2.5 exposure samples for 43 homes with asthmatic children in suburban Shanghai, China during the spring months. Two sets of samples were collected for each household, one set with a functioning air filter placed in the bedroom ("true filtration") and the other with a non-functioning ("sham") air cleaner. PM 2.5 samples were analyzed for elements, elemental carbon, and organic carbon. The major sources of metals in PM 2.5 were determined by Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to be regional aerosol, resuspended dust, residual oil combustion, roadway emissions, alloy steel abrasion, and a lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) source. Under true filtration, the median indoor to outdoor percent removal across all elements increased from 31% to 78% and from 46% to 88% across all sources. Our findings suggest that indoor air cleaners are an effective strategy for reducing indoor concentrations of PM 2.5 metals from most sources, which could translate into improved health outcomes for some populations. Image 1 • Six sources of elements in indoor, outdoor, and personal exposure PM 2.5 were found. • Air cleaner can reduce indoor concentrations of elements from most PM 2.5 sources. • Personal exposure to some elements and sources was reduced by the air cleaner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame retardants are widely used in consumer products to reduce their flammability. Previously used flame retardants have been sequentially banned due to their environmental and human toxicity. Currently, tris(1,3-dichloropropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) are among the most commonly used flame retardants. TDCIPP and TPHP are reproductive toxins and have carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and endocrine-disrupting properties. Although high levels of TDCIPP and TPHP have been found in drinking water, seawater, and office air in China, data regarding human exposure are lacking. In this study, we assessed the level of urinary TPHP and TDCIPP metabolites (DPHP and BDCIPP, resp.) in a cohort of pregnant women (N = 23) from Shanghai, China, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. DPHP were detected in 100% urine samples, while only four urine samples had detectable level of BDCIPP in this cohort (17% detected). Geometric means of DPHP and BDCIPP concentrations were 1.1 ng/mL (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.6, 1.5 ng/mL) and 1.2 ng/mL (IQR: 0.6, 2.2 ng/mL), respectively. In this small cohort, urinary DPHP and BDCIPP levels were not significantly correlated with miscarriages, neonatal birthweight, gestational diabetes, or maternal age. These data suggest that exposure to TPHP is widespread, and they demonstrate the feasibility of using urinary biomarkers to measure exposures to modern flame-retardant chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Experimental and computational simulations are conducted to assess the atmospheric gaseous deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their uptake by four leafy vegetables (spinach, Chinese cabbage, Shanghai green cabbage, and romaine) during their growth in a greenhouse located in Shanghai. Sixteen individual PAHs on the US EPA priority list were measured in the aerials and roots of vegetables, air (both gas- and particle-phase), settled dust, and soil samples. Results showed that 2–3 ring PAHs were similarly dominant in the vegetable leaves, roots and airborne gas phase. However, 4–6 ring PAHs were dominant in the soils, dust, and airborne particle phase. Results also showed that the PAH concentrations in the vegetables were highest during the middle of the growth period. Both phenanthrene and anthracene in the vegetables had a significant positive correlation with chlorophyll- a and chlorophyll- b , indicating that the growth process influenced PAH concentrations in the vegetables. Furthermore, increasing dust-fall doses promoted PAH accumulation in Shanghai green cabbage and romaine, but inhibited PAH uptake in spinach and Chinese cabbage. Analyses using multivariate regressions and physical models found that gas-phase PAH absorption and soil absorption contributed to 90.6% and 9.4% of total PAH vegetable uptake, respectively. Although PAHs in the air were the dominant contributor to the total uptake, 13.2% of gas-phase PAHs resulted from soil volatilization. Atmospheric dust fall contributed to PAH uptake indirectly by increasing soil PAH concentrations. In addition, PAH uptake by vegetables via the air-shoot pathway displayed higher toxicity than the other pathways. This study provides a quantitative assessment of the pathways through which atmospheric PAHs lead to PAH contamination in a sample of commonly eaten leafy vegetables. Highlights • The growth process influenced PAH concentrations in the vegetables. • Increasing dust-fall doses have different effects on different vegetables. • Gas-phase PAH absorption contributed to 90.6% of total PAH vegetable uptake. • Soil PAH absorption contributed to 9.4% of total PAH vegetable uptake. • PAH from soil evaporation contributed to 13.2% of the total air PAH concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution in China is an ongoing concern, with subsets of the population (e.g., asthmatic children) especially susceptible to the associated health effects. In addition, people spend the majority of their time indoors, where pollutant composition may differ from the better characterized ambient environment. Although volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present health risks and have high concentrations indoors, their sources have not been thoroughly quantified in typical homes in suburban China. Similarly lacking is an understanding of how well a purifier with high efficiency particulate air and activated carbon filters can remove VOCs in a real-world setting in China. In this study, we a) quantified total VOCs (TVOC) and 900 + individual VOCs in 20 homes in China, b) identified potential sources of VOCs, and c) evaluated impacts of filtration. We used non-negative matrix factorization, a variable reduction technique, to identify sources. TVOC and individual compounds had higher concentrations indoors than outdoors (mean [range] indoors, filtration with pre-filter only: 302 [56–793] μg m−3; outdoors, entire study: 92 [26–629] μg m−3), indicating prevalent sources indoors. Many compounds detected have not, to our knowledge, been measured in homes in China. Some compounds (e.g., octanal, heptanal, ⍺-cedrene) were specific to the indoor environment, a few were ubiquitous (e.g., acetaldehyde, formaldehyde), and others were detected infrequently. These compounds may originate from consumer products, solvents, vehicle emissions, a hexane source, wooden products, and cooking. Filtration may improve air quality indoors by lowering concentrations of some VOCs, and, specifically, contributions related to solvents and consumer products. Image 1 • Volatile organic compounds, many of which pose health risks to humans, are prevalent indoors. • We quantified 900 + VOCS/aldehydes in 20 homes in suburban Shanghai. • Sources of VOCs were identified using non-negative matrix factorization. • Use of an air purifier may reduce concentrations of some VOCs in the home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Airway mechanics could indicate subtle changes in pulmonary physiology. • Exposure to PM 2.5 was associated with changes in airway resistance and inflammation. • It is important to reduce personal PM 2.5 exposure in personalized asthma management. The importance of airway mechanics has been increasingly recognized in pediatric asthma. However, no studies have examined responses of airway mechanics to air pollution exposure in asthmatic children. In this panel study involving indoor air filtration manipulation that created a large gradient of personal exposure to PM 2.5 , the airway mechanics and lung function of 43 asthmatic children 5–13 years old in a suburb of Shanghai were measured four times within 3 consecutive months. Concentrations of indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 and ozone were coupled with individual time-activity data to calculate personal exposures. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the relationships of personal exposure with indicators of airway mechanics and lung function, respectively. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in 24-hour average PM 2.5 personal exposure (30.3 µg/m3) in the prior day was associated with significant increases in small airway resistance (R 5 -R 20) of 15.8%, total airway resistance (R 5) of 6.3%, and airway inflammation (FeNO) of 9.6%. These associations were stronger in children with lower blood eosinophil counts (<450/µL). No significant associations were found between personal PM 2.5 exposure and lung function. Low-level ozone exposure (daily maximum 8-hour exposure range 1.1–56.4 ppb) was not significantly associated with any of the outcomes. Changes in personal PM 2.5 exposure, partly enhanced by air filtration, were associated with significant changes in airway resistance and inflammation in children with asthma. These findings suggest the importance of reducing PM 2.5 exposure, via personal air quality management, in improving airflow limitation in the airways, especially the small airways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health effects associated with human exposure to airborne fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) have been linked to the ability of PM 2.5 to facilitate the production of excess cellular reactive oxygen species (oxidative potential). Concern about the adverse human health impacts of PM 2.5 has led to the increased use of indoor air cleaners to improve indoor air quality, which can be an important environment for PM 2.5 exposure. However, the degree to which the oxidative potential of indoor and personal PM 2.5 can be influenced by an indoor air cleaner remains unclear. In this study we enrolled 43 children with physician diagnosed asthma in suburban Shanghai, China and collected two paired-sets of 48-h indoor, outdoor, and personal PM 2.5 exposure samples. One set of samples was collected under "real filtration" during which a functioning air cleaner was installed in the child's bedroom, and the other ("false filtration") with an air cleaner without internal filters. The PM 2.5 samples were characterized by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy for elements, and by an alveolar macrophage assay for oxidative potential. The sources of metals contributing to our samples were determined by the EPA Positive Matrix Factorization model. The oxidative potential was lower under real filtration compared to sham for indoor (median real/sham ratio: 0.260) and personal exposure (0.813) samples. Additionally, the sources of elements in PM 2.5 that were reduced indoors and personal exposure samples by the air cleaner (e.g. regional aerosol and roadway emissions) were found by univariate multiple regression models to be among those contributing to the oxidative potential of the samples. An IQR increase in the regional aerosol and roadway emissions sources was associated with a 107% (95% CI: 80.1–138%) and 38.1% (17.6–62.1%) increase in measured oxidative potential respectively. Our results indicate that indoor air cleaners can reduce the oxidative potential of indoor and personal exposure to PM 2.5 , which may lead to improved human health. • The oxidative potential of PM 2.5 was highest outdoors. • Sources contributing to PM 2.5 oxidative potential were regional aerosol, roadway emissions, and residual oil combustion. • An air cleaner can reduce the redox activity of indoor and personal exposure to PM 2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]