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A number of cities in Poland have been coping with the problem of air pollution levels exceeding the allowable limits, with PM10 airborne particulate considered one of the most hazardous factors for human health. Poland ranks high among European countries with some of the highest levels of airborne particulate pollution, and the Polish cities regularly place high in the EU ranking of those with the highest PM levels (and benzo(a)pyrene, a toxic airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs). Airborne PM10 concentration levels greatly depend on the prevailing atmospheric and topographic conditions. Temperature inversion represents one of the unfavorable weather conditions and this article attempts to study the effect of thermal conditions prevailing in the Żywiec Basin on airborne PM10 particulate concentrations in immissions. The 2016–2021 winter (heating) seasons were analyzed for pollution emissions, especially those related to heating by the municipal sector and classified as “low emissions”, i.e. emissions from sources not higher than 40 meters. An analysis of the 2016–2021 heating seasons showed the air temperature exerted a significant effect on combustion processes (low emissions) within the Żywiec Basin. The difference between airborne PM10 particulate levels in immissions at temperatures both above and below zero ranged from 86 µg/m3 in the 2016–2017 heating season to 25 µg/m3 in the same period in 2020–2021. Average airborne PM10 particulate concentrations throughout the entire period analyzed stood at 41.3 µg/m3 for the typical temperature distribution in the elevation profile, whereas inversion almost doubled it (72.2 µg/m3 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical site infections are the second major cause of hospital acquired infections, accounting for a large part of overall annual medical costs. Airborne particulate is known to be a potential carrier of pathogenic bacteria. We assessed a mobile air particle filter unit for improvement of air quality in an operating room (OR). A new mobile air decontamination and recirculation unit, equipped with a crystalline ultraviolet C (Illuvia® 500 UV) reactor and a HEPA filter, was tested in an OR. Airborne particulate was monitored in four consecutive phases: I) device OFF and OR at rest; II) device OFF and OR in operation; III) device ON and OR in operation; IV) device OFF and OR in operation. We used a particle counter to measure airborne particles of different sizes: ≥0.3, ≥0.5, ≥1, ≥3, ≥5, >10 µm. Activation of the device (phases III) produced a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in airborne particulate of all sizes. Switching the device OFF (phase IV) led to a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in the number of particles of most sizes: ≥0.3, ≥0.5, ≥1, ≥3 µm. The device significantly reduced airborne particulate in the OR, improving air quality and possibly lowering the probability of surgical site infections.

"Surgical smoke" is an airborne by-product of electrosurgery comprised of vapour and suspended particles. Although concerns exist that exposure may be harmful, there is a poor understanding of the smoke in terms of particle size, morphology, composition and biological viability. Notably, it is not known how the biological tissue source and cutting method influence the smoke. The objective of this study was to develop a collection method for airborne by-product from surgical cutting. This would enable comprehensive analyses of the particulate burden, composition and biological viability. The method was applied to compare the electrosurgical smoke generated (in the absence of any evacuation mechanism) with the aerosolized/airborne by-products generated by ultrasonic and high-speed cutting, from bone and liver tissue cutting. We report a wide range of particle sizes (0.93–806.31 μm for bone, 0.05–1040.43 μm for liver) with 50% of the particles being <2.72 μm (~PM2.5) and 90% being <10 μm (PM10). EDX and biochemical analysis reveal components of biological cells and cellular metabolic activity in particulate from liver tissue cut by electrosurgery and ultrasonic cutting. We show for the first time however that bone saws and ultrasonic cutting do not liberate viable cells from bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical site infections are the second major cause of hospital acquired infections, accounting for a large part of overall annual medical costs. Airborne particulate is known to be a potential carrier of pathogenic bacteria. We assessed a mobile air particle filter unit for improvement of air quality in an operating room (OR). A new mobile air decontamination and recirculation unit, equipped with a crystalline ultraviolet C (Illuvia® 500 UV) reactor and a HEPA filter, was tested in an OR. Airborne particulate was monitored in four consecutive phases: I) device OFF and OR at rest; II) device OFF and OR in operation; III) device ON and OR in operation; IV) device OFF and OR in operation. We used a particle counter to measure airborne particles of different sizes: ≥0.3, ≥0.5, ≥1, ≥3, ≥5, >10 µm. Activation of the device (phases III) produced a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in airborne particulate of all sizes. Switching the device OFF (phase IV) led to a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in the number of particles of most sizes: ≥0.3, ≥0.5, ≥1, ≥3 µm. The device significantly reduced airborne particulate in the OR, improving air quality and possibly lowering the probability of surgical site infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals, Cd2+ and Pb2+, and carbonaceous air pollution particulate matter are hazardous neurotoxicants. Here, a capability of water-suspended smoke particulate matter preparations obtained from poplar wood (WPs) and polypropylene fibers (medical facemasks) (MPs) to influence Cd2+/Pb2+-induced neurotoxicity, and vice versa, was monitored using biological system, i.e. isolated presynaptic rat cortex nerve terminals. Combined application of Pb2+ and WPs/MPs to nerve terminals in an acute manner revealed that smoke preparations did not change a Pb2+-induced increase in the extracellular levels of excitatory neurotransmitter L-[14C]glutamate and inhibitory one [3H]GABA, thereby demonstrating additive result and no interference of neurotoxic effects of Pb2+ and particulate matter. Whereas, both smoke preparations decreased a Cd2+-induced increase in the extracellular level of L-[14C]glutamate and [3H]GABA in nerve terminals. In fluorimetric measurements, the metals and smoke preparations demonstrated additive effects on the membrane potential of nerve terminals causing membrane depolarisation. WPs/MPs-induced reduction of spontaneous ROS generation was mitigated by Cd2+ and Pb2+. Therefore, a potential variety of multipollutant heavy metal-/airborne particulate-induced effects on key presynaptic processes was revealed. Multipollutant reciprocal neurological hazard through disturbance of the excitation-inhibition balance, membrane potential and ROS generation was evidenced. This multipollutant approach and data contribute to up-to-date environmental quality/health risk estimation. [Display omitted] • Multipollutant reciprocal neurological hazard was shown in bran nerve terminals. • The excitation-inhibition balance, membrane potential & ROS generation were impaired. • A variety of multipollutant effects of Cd2+/Pb2+ & diverse carbonaceous PM was found. • Ability of smoke PM to modulate acute Cd2+/Pb2+-induced neurotoxic effect was shown. • Smoke PM masks acute Cd2+-induced increase in ambient level of neurotransmitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is focused on the determination of the heavy metals content in airborne particulate matter (PM) with a diameter lower than 10 µm (PM10) deposited on quartz microfiber filters and collected in four representative selected sites of the Calabria region, southern Italy. In particular, data on the content of Cd, Ni, and Pb in PM10 (i.e., those metals whose limit values, in terms of concentration, are reported in the Italian Legislation) were obtained through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements after acid extraction with microwaves and filtration. Results showed that the average concentration of investigated metals decreases as Ni > Pb > Cd for all analyzed samples, and concentration values are lower than the limit values reported in the Italian legislation in all cases. Moreover, in order to assess the health risk related to their presence in the environment, the potential non-carcinogenic hazard for the investigated heavy metals was evaluated by calculating the hazard index (HI) for children and adults. Results indicated that the calculated HI values were lower than the safety limit in all cases, thus indicating a negligible non-carcinogenic health risk. In addition, the potential carcinogenic hazard for the investigated metals was estimated through the total cancer risk index (Risk total ). Obtained results were also lower than the limit value for children and adults in this case, and, therefore, the carcinogenic health risk caused by heavy metals in the analyzed PM10 samples could be considered to be unremarkable.

In this study, radioactivity of airborne particulate and rainwater samples were analysed during 2016 at three different sites in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The activities of gross alpha and gross beta measured in airborne particulate are in the range from (< MDA-7.50) and (0.73-45.41) mBq m−3 respectively. In rainwater, theirs are in the range from (1.9-4.1) and (14.9-28.6) mBq l−1 respectively. Mean values of annual deposition fluxes of gross alpha and gross beta were found in the range from (5.56-10.65) and (50.9-70.5) Bq m−2 y−1 respectively. The correlation between radioactivity levels and meteorological factors are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne particulates were collected in three different size fractions (>7 μm; 2.1-7 μm;

Hazardous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) are mainly originated from imperfect combustion of fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal. The consumptions of not only petroleum but also coal have been increasing in the East Asian countries. This review describes the result of international collaboration research concerning characteristics and major contributors of atmospheric PAHs and NPAHs in cities in Japan, Korea, China and Russia. We collected airborne particulates in ten cities in the above countries and six PAHs and eleven NPAHs were determined by HPLC methods using fluorescence and chemiluminescence detections. The total PAH concentrations were much higher in Chinese cities (Fushun, Tieling, Shenyang and Beijing) than those in other cities (Vladivostok, Busan, Kanazawa, Kitakyushu, Sapporo and Tokyo). The total NPAH concentrations were also higher in Chinese cities than those in the other cities. The [NPAH]/[corresponding PAH] ratios are much larger in diesel-engine exhaust particulates than those in coal-burning particulates. The [1-nitropyrene]/[pyrene] ratio of airborne particulates was much smaller in the four Chinese cities, suggesting that coal combustion systems such as coal heaters were the main contributors. On the other hand, the ratios were larger in Korean and Japanese cities, suggesting the large contribution of diesel-engine vehicles.

Airborne particulate samples were collected on quartz filters to determine the concentrations, sources and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air in Kumasi, Ghana. A total of 32 air samples were collected in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus (pristine site) and city centre (CC). Samples were extracted with 1:2 v/ v acetone/hexane mixture prior to GC-MS analyses. The sum of concentrations of 17 PAHs in air ranged from 0.51 to 16 (KNUST) and 19-38 ng/m (CC). The concentration of benzo[a]pyrene, BaP, ranged from below detection limit to 0.08 ng/m (KNUST) and 1.6 to 5.6 ng/m (CC). Chemical mass balance model showed that PAHs in air in Kumasi were mainly from fuel combustion. The total BaP equivalent concentration (BaPeq) in CC was 18 times higher compared to KNUST; based on the European Legislation and Swedish and UK Standards for BaP in air, CC could be classified as highly polluted. Estimated carcinogenicity of PAHs in terms of BaPeq indicated that BaP was the principal PAH contributor in CC (70 %). Health risk to adults and children associated with PAH inhalation was assessed by taking into account the lifetime average daily dose and corresponding incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR). The ILCR was within the acceptable range (10 to 10), indicating low health risk to residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne particulate matter, in particular fine fraction, is accompanied by many harmful trace elements. The method for determining heavy metals in suspended particulate matter (PM) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was established. Atmospheric particulate matter was sampled from urban area in Baoding of North China. Sampling was performed for a period of 72 h between August 2011 and July 2012 using a sequential PM air monitor. Microwave-assisted acid digestion method was applied to the sample pretreatment. The concentration of several trace elements namely Mn, Ni, Mo, Cd, Cu, V and Co collected on nitrocellulose filters was analyzed in per sample by the proposed method in 1-year period. An assessment of air quality was performed. It is important to study the air quality in this area since significant releases of metal to the environment due to energy production could represent a threat to local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of drugs in outdoor air has been established, but few investigations have been conducted indoors. This study focused on psychotropic substances (PSs) at three schools, four homes and one office in Rome, Italy. The indoor drug concentrations and the relationships with the outdoor atmosphere were investigated. The optimised monitoring procedure allowed for the determination of cocaine, cannabinoids and particulate fractions of nicotine and caffeine. In-field experiments were performed during the winter, spring and summer seasons. Psychotropic substances were observed in all indoor locations. The indoor concentrations often exceeded those recorded both outdoors at the same sites and at the atmospheric pollution control network stations, indicating that the drugs were released into the air at the inside sites or were more persistent. During winter, the relative concentrations of cannabinol, cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol depended on site and indoor/outdoor location at the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The impact of a roadside shelterbelt on the downwind concentration of road dust raised by a passing vehicle was investigated experimentally, and by numerical modelling. With or without the shelterbelt, the gravel dust plume, as measured some 60 m or more downwind from the road, was dominated by small particles (most frequent diameter ≈ 6 μm) whose gravitational settling velocity was negligible compared to the turbulent velocity scale (i.e. friction velocity). The time-averaged concentration of these small particles was not lower in the lee of the shelterbelt than in a nearby, unsheltered area downwind of the road. Standard formulae for spheres in an airstream negotiating obstacles suggest such fine particles may pass through the shelterbelt on the bleed flow with little likelihood of interception and entrapment, because their small inertial time constant mandates that they accelerate with the wind, deviating around foliage. Numerical simulations of the experiment are consistent in some respects with what was observed, and suggest that the shelterbelt may increase the fraction of fine particles remaining airborne one minute after their injection at the road. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Drug abuse assessment methods based on measuring illicit substances in waste waters are consolidated. The approach of ambient air monitoring looks questionable, nonetheless it can be explored if the variables determining the drug burdens are accounted for, or suitable co-contaminants are adopted to normalize concentrations to environmental and human contours. The general approach linking the airborne drug concentrations to consumption is presented and the case of cocaine is discussed according to measurements conducted in Italy. The cocaine/nicotine concentration ratio, identified as the most suitable tool, fitted well with anti-drug Police operations and people noticed for drug-related crimes, and with the abuse prevalence estimated in the cities investigated. According to that, the conversion factors of drug concentrations into prevalence estimates seem assessable, provided sufficient databases over space and time are collected. Further investigations are necessary to understand if airborne drugs cause adverse sanitary effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Psychotropic substances were monitored in eight big cities of Italy over one year, starting in May 2010, in the frame of the Ariadrugs Project. Yearly average concentrations ranged from 0.02 ± 0.01 to 0.26 ± 0.11 ng/m3 for cocaine, from 0.05 ± 0.05 to 0.96 ± 1.37 ng/m3 for cannabinoids, from 16 ± 6 to 61 ± 28 ng/m3 for nicotine, and from 1.0 ± 0.8 to 8 ± 7 ng/m3 for caffeine. Palermo and Turin were the cities suffering the lowest and the highest psychotropic substance concentrations, respectively. Nicotine and cocaine exhibited trends less seasonally modulated than common air toxicants. Caffeine and cannabinoids peaked in winter dropping close to zero from May to August. In Rome, where various anthropic contours were investigated in February 2011, differences were observed both in net concentrations and ratios of psychotropic substances vs. regulated toxicants. Ambient drugs look as a consequence of addiction and their burdens give insights about the corresponding consumes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Assessment of spatial variation of fugitive dust sources, particularly road dust track-out from industrial sites and its subsequent re-suspension is difficult with fixed air quality monitoring stations given their sparse distribution and the highly localized nature of road dust. Mobile monitoring was employed to measure levels of road dust in the industrial area of the City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Results of this monitoring were used in a Fugitive Dust Control workshop held for local stakeholders, where fugitive dust control solutions were presented. After the workshop, the City of Hamilton and cooperative industrial groups executed enhanced street cleaning and individual industries and facilities performed on-site control activities. Post-workshop mobile air monitoring was performed for comparison to the initial values to determine effectiveness of these approaches. A regression model testing the difference pre- and post-workshop yielded a statistically significant difference in PM10 measurements demonstrating improvement. The average value of PM10 prior to the workshop was 114μg/m3. Post-workshop the average value dropped to 73μg/m3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Although the worldwide presence of illicit psychotropic compounds in the environment is well known, the social impact of drug abuse on the community has yet to be determined. Besides, the possibility of deriving indicators of the prevalence of drug abuse from the content of illicit substances in the air remains unexplored. In this study, the atmospheric concentrations of psychotropic compounds recorded in Italy were plotted vs. a series of criminal statistics. Meaningful links were found between atmospheric cocaine and the amount of drugs seized, the number of drug related crimes and the demand for clinical treatment recorded in the Italian regions. Atmospheric cocaine and cannabinoids also seemed to be correlated with tumour insurgence and mental disease frequency, respectively. However, further investigations are necessary to elucidate/explain/clarify if the behaviours observed for cocaine vs. the parameters usually adopted to estimate drug abuse prevalence (correspond to an effective relationships)/are directly linked, and to understand why the same approach failed when applied to cannabinoids. Moreover, according to our study illicit drugs are suspected to promote long-term ill health effects even when present at low concentrations the air. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this research, a highly sensitive chemiluminescence method based on a sodium hydrosulfite (NaHSO3)–hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) reaction for the determination of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) was developed. The response of this system was linear in the range from 0.5 to 50pmol (R 2 =0.9983). The limit of detection for 1-OHP was 100fmol (S/N =3). 1-OHP in airborne particulates was well separated from interfering compounds using an ODS column with 75% methanol as the mobile phase in isocratic mode. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine the 1-OHP in airborne particulates collected in Kanazawa, Japan. The average concentration of 1-OHP in the atmosphere was 2.0pg/m3 (9.2fmol/m3). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two in-field campaigns were performed in 2009 to elucidate the contents of illicit psychotropic substances in airborne particulates of Italian cities. Twenty-eight localities of eight Italian regions were investigated in winter, and further eleven sites in June (14 regions in total), thanks to contribution of Regional Environmental Agencies. Cocaine was found almost everywhere, although some sites were rural or suburban. The maximum was recorded in Milan in winter (∼0.39 ng m−3), and “high” values (up to ∼0.16 ng m−3) in other Northern cities and in Rome. Besides cocaine, three cannabinoids will be monitored, namely Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol and cannabinol. The three compounds often affected the air at lower extents than cocaine, and sometimes resulted absent. Cannabinol accounted for up to 90% of the total. The concentrations of illicit compounds were up to six times lower in June than in winter. This decrease was probably induced by the lowering of boundary layer height typical of winter, and by the oxidizing capacity of atmosphere, which is stronger in the warm season. Compared to n-alkanes, polynuclear aromatic compounds, nicotine, caffeine and airborne particulate, cocaine seemed to follow a peculiar behaviour; in fact, meaningful (≥0.80) Pearson (linear) regression coefficients were calculated from the corresponding concentrations only at local scale (e.g. Rome), and within just one season. Improvements of the method are needed to monitor illicit drug metabolites (e.g. benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, 9-carboxy-11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol), heroin and semi-volatile amphetamines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The activity median aerodynamic diameters (AMADs) of long-lived radon decay product (210Pb, 210Po) in aerosols collected in the Barcelona area (Northeast Spain) during the period from April 2006 to February 2008 are presented. The 210Po mean AMAD was 420nm, while the 210Pb mean AMAD was 500nm. The temporal evolution of 210Pb and 210Po AMADs shows maxima in autumn and winter and minima in spring and summer. 210Pb AMAD are being used to estimate the mean-residence time of atmospheric aerosols. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Results for naturally occurring 7Be, 210Pb, 40K, 214Bi, 214Pb, 212Pb, 228Ac and 208Tl and anthropogenic 137Cs in airborne particulate matter in the Barcelona area during the period from January 2001 to December 2005 are presented and discussed. The 212Pb and 208Tl, 214Bi and 214Pb, 7Be and 210Pb radionuclide levels showed a significant correlation with each other, with correlation coefficients of 0.99, 0.78 and 0.69, respectively, suggesting similar origin/behaviour of these radionuclides in the air. Caessium-137 and Potassium-40 were transported to the air as resuspended particle from the soil. The 7Be and 210Pb concentrations showed similar seasonal variations, with a tendency for maximum concentrations during the summer months. An inverse relationship was observed between the 7Be, 210Pb, 40K and 137Cs concentrations and weekly rainfall, indicating washout of atmospheric aerosols carrying these radionuclides. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During winter and summer 2005, airborne particulates were collected in three administrative districts of Hsinchu, a semiconductor-manufacturing city in Taiwan. Pollution sources were diesel and gasoline engine automobiles, as well as factory emissions. Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and four nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) present in the extracts from the particulates were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. Atmospheric concentrations of PAHs and NPAHs in Science-based Industrial Park (SIP) were significantly higher than in North and Hsiangshan districts (p<0.05). As expected, seasonal variations were observed in the three administrative districts. Major contributors of atmospheric PAHs in SIP were identified, and the ratios were close to urban air particulates from factory emissions. Emissions of semiconductor factories significantly increased atmospheric pollution in Hsinchu area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne particulates were collected in nine size fractions by using Andersen low-volume air samplers in the cities of Shenyang, Fushun, and Tieling, Liaoning Province, in northeast China, during the period from July 2001 through December 2003. Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and seven nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) in the airborne particulates were determined. The mean concentrations of the sums of the nine PAHs and seven NPAHs were highest in Fushun, which is an industrial city, and lowest in Shenyang, which is a commercial city, although the consumption of petroleum and coal were largest in Shenyang. The nine fractions were grouped into three groups: > 7 μ m, 2.1-7 μ m and < 2.1 μ m. In each city, more than 50% of the total PAHs and total NPAHs were found in the fine particulate fraction (< 2.1 μ m). In each city, all PAHs and all NPAHs were clearly higher in winter than in summer. The concentration ratio of 1-nitropyrene to pyrene, which is a suitable indicator to identify diesel engine and coal combustion as proposed by our previous study, showed that the major contributors of PAHs and NPAHs in the airborne particulates were coal-combustion systems both in summer and winter in Fushun and Tieling. In Shenyang, atmospheric PAHs and NPAHs also seemed to be affected by coal combustion systems in winter, whereas gasoline engine vehicles seemed to be a major contributor in summer by the larger concentration ratio of 1-nitropyrene to pyrene. Cluster analysis and other diagnostic ratios such as benz[a]anthracene to chrysene, benzo[ghi]perylene to benzo[a]pyrene supported these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Airborne particulates were collected in seven cities in the Pan–Japan Sea countries, Shenyang (China), Vladivostok (Russia), Seoul (South Korea), Kitakyushu, Kanazawa, Tokyo and Sapporo (Japan), in winter and summer from 1997 to 2002. In addition, particulates from domestic coal-burning heaters and diesel engine automobiles were collected in Shenyang and Kanazawa, respectively. Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and four nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) in the extracts from the particulates were analysed by HPLC with fluorescence and chemiluminescence detections, respectively. The PAHs were fluoranthene, pyrene (Pyr), benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and NPAHs were 1,3-, 1,6-, 1,8-dinitropyrenes, and 1-nitropyrene (1-NP). Mean atmospheric concentrations of PAHs in Shenyang and Vladivostok were substantially higher than those in Seoul, Tokyo, Sapporo, Kitakyushu and Kanazawa. However, the mean atmospheric concentrations of NPAHs were at the same levels in all cities except Kitakyushu. The expected seasonal variations (greater PAH and NPAH concentrations in winter than in summer) were observed in all cities. In order to study the major contributors of atmospheric PAHs and NPAHs, both cluster analysis and factor analysis were used and three large clusters were identified. Furthermore, the concentration ratios of 1-NP to Pyr were significantly smaller in Shenyang, Vladivostok and Kitakyushu and the values were close to those observed in particulates from coal stove exhaust. By contrast, in Seoul, Kanazawa, Tokyo and Sapporo the [1-NP]/[Pyr] ratio reached values similar to those of particulates released from diesel-engine automobiles. The [1-NP]/[Pyr] concentration ratio seemed to be a suitable indicator of the contribution made by diesel-engine vehicles and coal combustion to urban air particulates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Airborne total suspended p articulates (TSP), dusts from smelter blast furnace and converter stacks, and filtrates of snow melt waters have been characterised in the Cu smelter and former mining town of Karabash, Russia. TSP was collected at sites up- and downwind of the smelter and large waste and tailings dumps (Oct. 2000 and July 2001). Methods for particle size, mineralogical and elemental determinations have been tested and described, and a new PSD-MicroSOURCE™ XRD technique developed for the mineralogical analysis of micro samples on filter substrates. TSP in downwind samples has a mean equivalent spherical diameter of 0.5 µm (s.d. 0.2) and was found to be 100% respirable. The main element of human health/environmental concern, above Russian maximum permitted levels (1 µg m-3, average over any time period), was Pb which was measured at 16-30 µg m-3 in downwind samples. Individual particulates mainly consisted of complex mixtures of anglesite (PbSO4), Zn2 SnO4 and poorly ordered Zn sulphates. From experimental and theoretical considerations, a high proportion of contained Pb, Zn, Cd and As in this material is considered to be in a readily bioavailable form. Chemical and mineralogical differences between the TSP, stack dusts and snow samples are discussed, as well as the implications for human and regional environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an example of surface analysis of environmental samples, SIMS was applied to airborne particulates, fish otoliths (a calcareous ear-stone) and biotites (a rock-forming aluminosilicate mineral). Airborne particulates deposited on leaf surface were analyzed directly by fast atom bombardment (FAB)-SIMS using an O2 primary neutral beam. Some metal elements, such as Pb, of aerosol origin could be detected. Local areas of a thin section of an otolith were analyzed by FAB-SIMS. Line scans and images of secondary ions revealed seasonal periodicity in Sr, Na and K concentrations in the otolith that corresponded to the annual band structure. Surface alteration of acid-treated and naturally weathered biotites was studied by SIMS depth profiling using an O− primary ion. The depth profile of the acid-treated biotite showed the formation of an altered surface layer rich in Si. In contrast a thick altered surface layer was not observed and Al was held on the surface under natural weathering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bulky DNA adducts are a combined sign of aromatic chemical exposure, as well as an individual's ability to metabolically activate carcinogens and repair DNA damage. The present study aims to investigate the association between PM exposure and DNA adducts in blood cells, in a population of 196 adults with an unhealthy BMI (≥25). For each subject, a DNA sample was obtained for quantification of DNA adducts by sensitive 32 P post-labelling methods. Individual PM 10 exposure was derived from daily mean concentrations measured by single monitors in the study area and then assigned to each subject by calculating the mean of the 30 days (short-term exposure), and of the 365 (long-term exposure) preceding enrolment. Multivariable linear regression models were used to study the association between PM 10 and DNA adducts. The majority of analysed samples had bulky DNA adducts, with an average value of 3.7 ± 1.6 (mean ± SD). Overall, the findings of the linear univariate and multiple linear regression showed an inverse association between long-term PM 10 exposure and adduct levels; this unexpected result might be since the population consists of subjects with an unhealthy BMI, which might show an atypical reaction to airborne urban pollutants; a hermetic response which happens when small amounts of pollutants are present. Pollutants can linger for a long time in the adipose tissue of obese persons, contributing to an increase in oxidative DNA damage, inflammation, and thrombosis when exposure is sustained.