Organic Fluorine as an Indicator of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Dust from Buildings with Healthier versus Conventional Materials.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of persistent, organic fluorinated chemicals added to materials and products mainly to repel stains and water. PFAS have been associated with many adverse human health effects. We aimed to determine whether buildings with "healthier" materials─defined here as reportedly free of all PFAS─exhibit lower PFAS in dust. In addition to analyzing targeted PFAS with available commercial standards, we measured extractable organic fluorine (EOF) as a novel proxy that includes both known and unknown types of PFAS. We measured at least 15 targeted PFAS (n = 24), EOF (n = 24), and total fluorine (TF; n = 14) in dust collected from university common spaces and classrooms, half of which had "healthier" furniture and carpet. We observed lower PFAS contamination in buildings with "healthier" materials: "healthier" rooms had a 66% lower median summed PFAS and a 49% lower Kaplan-Meier estimated mean EOF level in dust in comparison to conventional rooms. The summed targeted PFAS were significantly correlated with EOF but accounted for up to only 9% of EOF, indicating the likely presence of unidentified PFAS. EOF levels explained less than 1% of TF in dust. We emphasize the need to use chemical class-based methods (e.g., EOF) for evaluating class-based solutions and to expand non-PFAS solutions for other building materials.

Precision public health to inhibit the contagion of disease and move toward a future in which microbes spread health.

Antimicrobial resistance continues to outpace the development of new chemotherapeutics. Novel pathogens continue to evolve and emerge. Public health innovation has the potential to open a new front in the war of "our wits against their genes" (Joshua Lederberg). Dense sampling coupled to next generation sequencing can increase the spatial and temporal resolution of microbial characterization while sensor technologies precisely map physical parameters relevant to microbial survival and spread. Microbial, physical, and epidemiological big data could be combined to improve prospective risk identification. However, applied in the wrong way, these approaches may not realize their maximum potential benefits and could even do harm. Minimizing microbial-human interactions would be a mistake. There is evidence that microbes previously thought of at best "benign" may actually enhance human health. Benign and health-promoting microbiomes may, or may not, spread via mechanisms similar to pathogens. Infectious vaccines are approaching readiness to make enhanced contributions to herd immunity. The rigorously defined nature of infectious vaccines contrasts with indigenous "benign or health-promoting microbiomes" but they may converge. A "microbial Neolithic revolution" is a possible future in which human microbial-associations are understood and managed analogously to the macro-agriculture of plants and animals. Tradeoffs need to be framed in order to understand health-promoting potentials of benign, and/or health-promoting microbiomes and infectious vaccines while also discouraging pathogens. Super-spreaders are currently defined as individuals who play an outsized role in the contagion of infectious disease. A key unanswered question is whether the super-spreader concept may apply similarly to health-promoting microbes. The complex interactions of individual rights, community health, pathogen contagion, the spread of benign, and of health-promoting microbiomes including infectious vaccines require study. Advancing the detailed understanding of heterogeneity in microbial spread is very likely to yield important insights relevant to public health.

Ozone in urban China: Impact on mortalities and approaches for establishing indoor guideline concentrations.

Reducing indoor ozone levels may be an effective strategy to reduce total exposure and associated mortality. Here we estimate (a) premature mortalities attributable to ozone for China's urban population ≥25 years of age; (b) the fraction of total exposure occurring indoors; and (c) mortalities that can be potentially avoided through meeting current and more stringent indoor ozone standards/guidelines based on 1-hour daily maxima. To estimate ozone-attributable premature mortalities, we used hourly outdoor ozone concentrations measured at 1497 monitoring stations located in 339 Chinese cities and a published concentration-response model. We proceeded to estimate province-specific infiltration factors and co-occurring hourly indoor ozone concentrations. For the year 2015, we estimated that indoor exposures accounted for 59% (95% confidence interval (CI): 26%-79%) of the total ozone exposure that resulted in 70800 (95% CI: 35 900-137 700) premature all-cause mortalities in urban China. If the current Chinese indoor ozone standards (80 ppbv (160 µg/m3 ); 56 ppbv (112 µg/m3 )) were met, the mean estimates of reduction in mortalities would be indistinguishable from zero. With stricter 1-hour indoor ozone guidelines, the expected mortality reductions increase exponentially per unit decrease in indoor ozone. The analysis in this paper should help facilitate formulating present and future indoor ozone guidelines.

Outcome-based ventilation: A framework for assessing performance, health, and energy impacts to inform office building ventilation decisions.

This article presents an outcome-based ventilation (OBV) framework, which combines competing ventilation impacts into a monetized loss function ($/occ/h) used to inform ventilation rate decisions. The OBV framework, developed for U.S. offices, considers six outcomes of increasing ventilation: profitable outcomes realized from improvements in occupant work performance and sick leave absenteeism; health outcomes from occupant exposure to outdoor fine particles and ozone; and energy outcomes from electricity and natural gas usage. We used the literature to set low, medium, and high reference values for OBV loss function parameters, and evaluated the framework and outcome-based ventilation rates using a simulated U.S. office stock dataset and a case study in New York City. With parameters for all outcomes set at medium values derived from literature-based central estimates, higher ventilation rates' profitable benefits dominated negative health and energy impacts, and the OBV framework suggested ventilation should be ≥45 L/s/occ, much higher than the baseline ~8.5 L/s/occ rate prescribed by ASHRAE 62.1. Only when combining very low parameter estimates for profitable impacts with very high ones for health and energy impacts were all outcomes on the same order. Even then, however, outcome-based ventilation rates were often twice the baseline rate or more.

A feasibility study on using fNIRS brain signals to recognize personal thermal sensation and thermal comfort conditions.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown some relationships between thermal perception (including thermal sensation and thermal comfort) and human physiological parameters, such as brain signals. However, further research is still needed on how these parameters can help recognize the state of a human's personal thermal perception. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the potential of using fNIRS brain signals to evaluate and predict personal thermal perception and cognitive performance in a steady-state temperature. METHODS: The present study investigated changes in the fNIRS signal during ambient temperature manipulation. Thirty healthy young individuals were selected as the subjects, and they were exposed to two steady temperatures of 28.8 and 19 °C. After acclimatizing to either temperature, the oxy/deoxy-hemoglobin changes of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) were measured in both rest and cognitive task states using 16-channel fNIRS. RESULTS: Results showed that exposure to different temperatures was significantly associated with the brain signals recorded during the task state. Many significant correlations were discovered between fNIRS signals and thermal perception indices. Furthermore, subjects' performance changes led to changes in the fNIRS signals. Logistic regression showed that fNIRS can determine whether a person is thermally comfortable or uncomfortable.

A novel VOC breath tracer method to evaluate indoor respiratory exposures in the near- and far-fields; implications for the spread of respiratory viruses.

BACKGROUND: Several studies suggest that far-field transmission (>6 ft) explains a significant number of COVID-19 superspreading outbreaks. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, quantifying the ratio of near- and far-field exposure to emissions from a source is key to better understanding human-to-human airborne infectious disease transmission and associated risks. METHODS: In this study, we used an environmentally-controlled chamber to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from a healthy participant who consumed breath mints, which contained unique tracer compounds. Tracer measurements were made at 0.76 m (2.5 ft), 1.52 m (5 ft), 2.28 m (7.5 ft) from the participant, as well as in the exhaust plenum of the chamber. RESULTS: We observed that 0.76 m (2.5 ft) trials had ~36-44% higher concentrations than other distances during the first 20 minutes of experiments, highlighting the importance of the near-field exposure relative to the far-field before virus-laden respiratory aerosol plumes are continuously mixed into the far-field. However, for the conditions studied, the concentrations of human-sourced tracers after 20 minutes and approaching the end of the 60-minute trials at 0.76 m, 1.52 m, and 2.28 m were only ~18%, ~11%, and ~7.5% higher than volume-averaged concentrations, respectively. SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests that for rooms with similar airflow parameters disease transmission risk is dominated by near-field exposures for shorter event durations (e.g., initial 20-25-minutes of event) whereas far-field exposures are critical throughout the entire event and are increasingly more important for longer event durations. IMPACT STATEMENT: We offer a novel methodology for studying the fate and transport of airborne bioaerosols in indoor spaces using VOCs as unique proxies for bioaerosols. We provide evidence that real-time measurement of VOCs can be applied in settings with human subjects to estimate the concentration of bioaerosol at different distances from the emitter. We also improve upon the conventional assumption that a well-mixed room exhibits instantaneous and perfect mixing by addressing spatial distances and mixing over time. We quantitatively assessed the exposure levels to breath tracers at alternate distances and provided more insights into the changes on "near-field to far-field" ratios over time. This method can be used in future to estimate the benefits of alternate environmental conditions and occupant behaviors.

Relationship of Healthy Building Determinants With Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Extremities: A Systematic Review.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a substantial societal burden and various factors affect their causation, recovery, and prognosis. Management of MSDs is complex and requires multifaceted interventions. Given the challenges of MSDs and their continued burden, it is possible that additional elements could impact these disorders that have not been fully researched, for example, indoor environmental quality. Our previous review provided preliminary evidence that healthy building determinants (HBDs) are associated with the risk of back and neck pain. However, the relationship of HBDs with extremity MSDs and general MSDs (i.e., MSDs involving multiple body regions or in which body regions were unspecified in the original reports) has not been formally studied. The purpose of this review was to conduct a systematic literature review to assess the relationship of HBDs with extremity and general MSDs (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022314832). PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and PEDRo databases were searched through April 2022. Inclusion criteria for study eligibility were as follows: humans of ages ≥18 years, reported on one or more of eight HBDs (1. air quality and ventilation, 2. dust and pests, 3. lighting and views, 4. moisture, 5. noise, 6. safety and security, 7. thermal health, 8. water quality), and compared these HBDs with extremity MSDs or general MSDs, original research, English. Exclusion criteria were as follows: articles not published in peer-reviewed journals, full-text articles unavailable. Review procedures were conducted and reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. Empirical evidence statements were developed for 33 pairwise comparisons of HBDs with MSDs. The search uncovered 53 eligible studies with 178,532 participants. A total of 74.6% (39/53) of the studies were cross-sectional and 81.1% (43/53) were fair quality. Overall, the majority of uncovered evidence indicates that HBDs are related to risk of extremity and general MSDs. Nineteen comparisons support that as HBDs worsen, the risk of MSDs increases. Six comparisons had conflicting evidence. Three comparisons support that poor HBDs are not related to increased risk of extremity and general MSDs. Five comparisons had no evidence. This systematic review builds upon previous work to provide useful starting points to enhance awareness about the HBD-MSD relationship. These findings can help inform research and public health efforts aimed at addressing suboptimal HBDs through appropriate interventions to improve the lives of those suffering from MSDs.

Relationship of Healthy Building Determinants With Back and Neck Pain: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Back pain and neck pain are very common, costly, and disabling. Healthy building determinants within the built environment have not been adequately assessed as contributors to these conditions. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on the relationship of healthy building determinants with back and neck pain. DATA SOURCE: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PEDRo. Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Studies were included if they met the following criteria: Adults, comparison of healthy building determinants (air quality, ventilation, dust and pests, lighting and views, moisture, noise, safety/security, thermal health, water quality) with back and neck pain, original research, English. Studies were excluded if full text articles were unavailable and if the focus was patient and materials handling or ergonomics. DATA EXTRACTION: Data extraction and other review procedures were elaborated according to PRISMA guidelines. Data Synthesis: Data were synthesized with an approach adapted from Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and American Physical Therapy Association. RESULTS: 37 articles enrolling 46,223 participants were eligible. Most articles were cross-sectional (31/37) and fair quality (28/37). None were interventional. Evidence was found to generally support a relationship indicating that as healthy building determinants worsen, the risk of back and neck pain increases. CONCLUSION: Although the available evidence precludes interpretations about causality, the study's findings are starting points to guide future research, knowledge creation, and health promotion initiatives about the relationships of the built environment with back and neck pain.

Cooking methods and kitchen ventilation availability, usage, perceived performance and potential in Canadian homes.

BACKGROUND: Cooking is a substantial contributor to air pollutant exposures in many residences. Effective use of kitchen ventilation can mitigate exposure; however, information on its availability, usage, and potential to increase its use across the population has been limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to obtain nationally representative information on cooking methods, kitchen ventilation availability and usage, and the potential for education to increase effective usage. METHODS: An online survey was sent to a representative sample of Canadian homes to collect data on cooking methods, the presence and use of mechanical kitchen ventilation devices, perceived device performance, and willingness to implement mitigation strategies. Responses were weighted to match key demographic factors and analyzed using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: Among the 4500 respondents, 90% had mechanical ventilation devices over the cooktop (66% of which were vented to the outside), and 30% reported regularly using their devices. Devices were used most often for deep-frying, followed by stir-frying, sautéing or pan-frying, indoor grilling, boiling or steaming. Almost half reported rarely or never using their ventilation devices during baking or oven self-cleaning. Only 10% were fully satisfied with their devices. More frequent use was associated with the device being vented to the outdoors, having more than two speed settings, quiet operation if only one speed, covering over half of the cooktop, and higher perceived effectiveness. After being informed of the benefits of kitchen ventilation, 64% indicated they would consider using their devices more often, preferentially using back burners with ventilation, and/or using higher ventilation device settings when needed. IMPACT: This study provides population-representative data on the most used cooking methods, kitchen ventilation availability and usage, and influencing factors in Canadian homes. Such data are needed for exposure assessments and evaluating the potential to mitigate cooking-related pollutant exposures via more effective use of kitchen ventilation. The data can be reasonably extrapolated to the United States, given the similarities in residential construction practices and cultural norms between the two countries.

Impact of Indoor Air Quality and Breathing on Back and Neck Pain: A Systematic Review.

Back pain and neck pain are important public health concerns and are among the most common and disabling conditions globally. However, the relationships among indoor air quality (IAQ), breathing parameters (pulmonary function, respiratory disorders), and back pain and neck pain have not been adequately assessed. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature about the impact of IAQ and breathing parameters on back pain and neck pain (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022380515). CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDRo, and PubMed databases were searched through January 19, 2023. Inclusion criteria for study eligibility were observational studies (except case reports) or randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published in peer-reviewed journals in the English language, human research, original research, examined the relationships between IAQ, or breathing parameters with back pain or neck pain. Review procedures were conducted and reported according to PRISMA recommendations. Empirical evidence statements were developed for observational studies, and grades of evidence statements were developed for RCTs. Sixty-seven eligible studies were found (54 observational studies and 13 RCTs) that enrolled 345,832 participants. None of the studies assessed the combined impact of IAQ and breathing parameters on back pain or neck pain. No level 1 studies were found, which precludes making strong statements about causality and strong recommendations about the efficacy of IAQ and breathing exercise interventions for reducing pain and disability related to back pain and neck pain. Evidence indicates that poor IAQ and respiratory disorders are related to an increased risk of back pain and neck pain. Conflicting evidence exists about the association between pulmonary function with back pain and neck pain. Evidence for breathing exercise interventions was mixed with numerous limitations. This review provides preliminary evidence on the relationships of IAQ and breathing parameters with back pain and neck pain, which can be used to guide future research and clinical implementation efforts. Assuming positive findings in subsequent research, a wide range of stakeholders involved with this complex human-building-environment interface can be equipped to address IAQ and breathing parameters, along with other established risk factors to help those suffering from back pain and neck pain.

Does the Presence of Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buildings Post-construction and Before Demolition Have an Impact on the Exposure to Occupants in Non-occupational Settings?

This narrative review aims to determine if asbestos-containing materials in buildings pose a hazard to building occupants in non-occupational settings. This paper is limited to the post-construction and pre-demolition stages of a building. The researchers selected 19 studies from the 126 studies screened, concerning exposure to asbestos fibers in non-occupational building settings, with a focus on post-construction and pre-demolition phases. The literature review found that certain conditions, such as the measurement techniques, standards, and previous data availability, prevent a conclusive answer to the research question. Some studies have pointed towards an effect of asbestos-containing materials on health of occupants in non-occupational settings. But, there are some that do not suggest a positive relationship between non-occupational exposure and the presence of asbestos-containing materials, and therefore these provide scope for further research, as these studies also do not rule out the relationship completely. The present study highlights the gaps in current knowledge and indicates areas for further research. Until conclusive evidence based on revised threshold standards and accurate measurement techniques is available, asbestos-containing materials may be considered unsafe for use in non-occupational settings, especially ones that young people and children occupy.

Well-being as a tool to improve productivity in existing office space: Case study in Alexandria, Egypt.

Background: The green building industry has significantly impacted the construction market, providing various sustainable solutions for the community. However, conventional green building standards have yet to adequately address occupant health and well-being, leading to challenges with performance. This has caused many businesses to take note of the latest report from the Bureau of Labour Statistics, which indicated that productivity in the US has dropped by the sharpest level since the 1940s. 1 Addressing these issues, organisations like International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) developed WELL Building Rating System (WELL), prioritising occupant health and well-being as critical components for improving performance and avoiding potential vulnerabilities brought about by sickness or pandemics. For this reason, this study will explore how to improve employee productivity within office buildings by bettering their overall health and well-being. Methods: A comprehensive data collection approach was employed in this paper, involving the analysis of office form evolution, and the evaluation of productivity attributes in office spaces. Resulting in identifying the top design-oriented features impacting employee productivity. Data was gathered from traditional office designs, trending successful office buildings, and the WELL Building Rating System to understand the concept of healthy building design. Results: Showing thermal comfort, ventilation, and natural daylight significantly influence employees' productivity. Implementing conducted design features from WELL achieved an average of 20.2%-35.6% decrease in thermal gain throughout the year, a 20% increase in airflow, an average 2.4%-6.5% decrease in Air temperature, enhanced temperature distribution by 7%, and direct sunlight minimum reduction by 9% in Winter and maximum 21.9% in Spring. Conclusion: New design features in trending successful office buildings positively impact employee productivity. Particularly the outlined features by WELL Building Rating System led to identifying the most influential factors affecting occupant productivity. The results of this study informed recommendations for enhancing productivity in existing office buildings in Alexandria, Egypt.

Achieving a healthy indoor environment by using an emissions barrier to stop the spread of chemicals from a building into the indoor air.

An emissions barrier was used in a premises due to complaints about the indoor air quality (IAQ) as a result of emissions from the building in question. The emissions comprised chlorophenols/chloroanisoles and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from treated wood and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mainly 2-ethylhexanol, from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring and the glue used to paste the flooring onto a concrete slab. Attaching the barrier at the surfaces from where the emissions were spread (floor, walls, ceilings) resulted in a fresh and odour-free indoor air. We conclude that using an emissions barrier in buildings made unhealthy by moisture is an efficient way of restoring pleasant and healthy indoor air.

Measuring circadian light and its impact on adolescents.

A field study was conducted with eighth-grade students to determine the impact of morning light on circadian timing, sleep duration and performance. Before and during school hours for a week in February 2009, half the students studied wore orange glasses that minimized short-wavelength light exposure needed for circadian system stimulation. A control group did not wear the orange glasses. The Daysimeter, a circadian light meter, measured light/dark exposures in both groups for seven days. Circadian timing was significantly delayed for those students who wore orange glasses compared to the control group. Sleep durations were slightly, but not significantly, curtailed in the orange-glasses group. Performance scores on a brief, standardized psychomotor vigilance test and self-reports of well-being were not significantly different between the two groups.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and total fluorine in fire station dust.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 4700 fluorinated compounds used in industry and consumer products. Studies have highlighted the use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) as an exposure source for firefighters, but little is known about PFAS occurrence inside fire stations, where firefighters spend most of their shifts. In this study, we aimed to characterize PFAS concentrations and sources inside fire stations. We measured 24 PFAS (using LC-MS/MS) and total fluorine (using particle-induced gamma ray emission) in dust from multiple rooms of 15 Massachusetts stations, many of which (60%) no longer use PFAS-containing AFFF at all and the rest of which only use it very rarely. Compared to station living rooms, turnout gear locker rooms had higher dust levels of total fluorine (p < 0.0001) and three PFAS: perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), and perfluorodecanoate (PFDoDA) (p < 0.05). These PFAS were also found on six wipes of station turnout gear. By contrast, the dominant PFAS in living rooms was N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (N-MeFOSAA), a precursor to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) that still persists despite phase-outs almost two decades ago. The Σ24 PFAS accounted for less than 2% of fluorine in dust (n = 39), suggesting the potential presence of unknown PFAS. Turnout gear may be an important PFAS source in stations due to intentional additives and/or contamination from firefighting activities.

A Review on Catalytic Nanomaterials for Volatile Organic Compounds VOC Removal and Their Applications for Healthy Buildings.

In order to improve the indoor air quality, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be removed via an efficient approach by using catalysts. This review proposed a comprehensive summary of various nanomaterials for thermal/photo-catalytic removal of VOCs. These representative materials are mainly categorized as carbon-based and metallic oxides materials, and their morphologies, synthesis techniques, and performances have been explained in detail. To improve the indoor and outdoor air quality, the catalytic nanomaterials can be utilized for emerging building applications such as VOC-reduction coatings, paints, air filters, and construction materials. Due to the characteristics of low cost, non-toxic and high chemical stability, metallic oxides such as TiO2 and ZnO have been widely investigated for decades and dominate the application market of VOC-removal catalyst in buildings. Since other catalysts also showed brilliant performance and have been theoretically researched, they can be potential candidates for applications in future healthy buildings. This review will contribute to further knowledge and greater potential applications of promising VOC-reducing catalytic nanomaterials on healthier buildings for a better indoor and outdoor environment well-being.

A System Based on the Internet of Things for Real-Time Particle Monitoring in Buildings.

Occupational health can be strongly influenced by the indoor environment as people spend 90% of their time indoors. Although indoor air quality (IAQ) is not typically monitored, IAQ parameters could be in many instances very different from those defined as healthy values. Particulate matter (PM), a complex mixture of solid and liquid particles of organic and inorganic substances suspended in the air, is considered the pollutant that affects more people. The most health-damaging particles are the ≤PM10 (diameter of 10 microns or less), which can penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs, contributing to the risk of developing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as of lung cancer. This paper presents an Internet of Things (IoT) system for real-time PM monitoring named iDust. This system is based on a WEMOS D1 mini microcontroller and a PMS5003 PM sensor that incorporates scattering principle to measure the value of particles suspended in the air (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0). Through a Web dashboard for data visualization and remote notifications, the building manager can plan interventions for enhanced IAQ and ambient assisted living (AAL). Compared to other solutions the iDust is based on open-source technologies, providing a total Wi-Fi system, with several advantages such as its modularity, scalability, low cost, and easy installation. The results obtained are very promising, representing a meaningful tool on the contribution to IAQ and occupational health.