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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Indoor air quality investigation at air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned markets in Hong Kong.

To characterize indoor air quality at the markets in Hong Kong, three non-air-conditioned and two air-conditioned markets were selected for this study. The indoor air pollutants measured included PM(10) (particulate matters with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microm), total bacteria count (TBC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) and sulfur dioxide (SO(2)). The indoor and outdoor concentrations of these target air pollutants at these markets were measured and compared. The effects of air conditioning, temperature/relative humidity variation and different stalls on the indoor air quality were also investigated. The results indicated that all of the average indoor concentrations of PM(10), TBC, CO and NO(2) at the markets were below the Hong Kong Indoor Air Quality Objectives (HKIAQO) standards with a few exceptions for PM(10) and TBC. The elevated PM(10) concentrations at Hung Hom, Ngau Tau Kok and Wan Chai markets were probably due to the air filtration of outdoor airborne particulates emitted from vehicular exhaust, whereas high concentrations of airborne bacteria at Sai Ying Pun and Tin Shing markets were linked to the use of air conditioning. Correlation analysis demonstrated that indoor bacteria concentrations were correlated with temperature and relative humidity. The operation of air conditioning did not significantly reduce the levels of air pollutants at the markets. However, the higher indoor/outdoor ratios demonstrated that the operation of air conditioning had influence on the levels of bacteria at the markets. It was found that average PM(10) concentration at poultry stalls was higher than the HKIAQO standard of 180 microg/m(3), and was over two times that measured at vegetable, fish and meat stalls. Furthermore, the concentration of airborne bacteria at the poultry stalls was as high as 1031 CFU/m(3), which was above the HKIAQO standard of 1000 CFU/m(3). The bacteria levels at other three stalls were all below the HKIAQO standard. Statistical analysis indicated that there were no significant differences among the four stalls for CO, NO(x) and SO(2).

Air Conditioning↗

[Comparison of lung function parameters in healthy non-smokers following exertion in urban environmental air and in air-conditioned inside air].

This study examines the question whether young healthy nonsmokers show differences in parameters of lung function after having been exposed to exercise in city air and to the same exercise in air-conditioned room air. For this purpose 16 young nonsmokers of age 20-39 years (10 men: 26.6 +/- 5.2, 6 women: 22.2 +/- 1.4) exercised maximally once on a bicycle ergometer in city air for 8 minutes and 48 hours later in air-conditioned room air on the same ergometer also for 8 minutes. The forced vital capacity, the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rates were determined before exercise, immediately after, and after the rest of 10, 30, 60, and 120 minutes. The following results were obtained: 1. In city air the continuously recorded concentrations of NO2 showed a mean value (+/- 1 SD) of 71.6 micrograms/m3 (+/- 23.2) and thus about 10 times higher than in air-conditioned room air, where the mean value of NO2 was 7.5 micrograms/m3 (+/- 3.5). 2. 10, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after exercise in city air the mean FEV1 values were about 2.5-3% lower than in room air. Even though these differences were small, they were significant (10 minutes after exercise p = 0.006, 30 minutes p = 0.011, 60 minutes p = 0.025, and 120 minutes p = 0.016). 3. The FEV1 differences were more pronounced in males. The males were, due to conditions beyond our control, exposed to higher NO2 and NO concentrations in city air than females.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Studies on the performance of the dental air turbine handpieces. (Part 1). Air pressure and bur length to be influenced over the rotational performance of the air bearing type handpieces (author's transl)].

Air turbine handpieces are used as the dental cutting instruments for the clinical use and many appliances. But, there are no studies on the performance of air turbine handpieces. So, this paper shows the rotational performance of air turbine handpieces which are influenced over the supplying air pressure and cutting bur length. Experimentally used air turbine handpieces is air bearing type and it's set up air pressure to be supplied is 3.5 kg/cm2. So, in this experiments, the range of air pressure is 1.8 approximately 3.5 kg/cm2, which is established five stages. And the bur length of the rotational parts is 5 approximately 9 mm with five steps. As the results, the rotational performance of air handpieces are influenced over these factors of the air pressure and the bur length. And air pressure to be supplied are influenced to be not only over the rotational speed but the load for the putting a stop to the revolutions.

Air Pressure↗

Changes in air saturation and air-water interfacial area during surfactant-enhanced air sparging in saturated sand.

Reduction in the surface tension of groundwater, prior to air sparging for removal of volatile organic contaminant from aquifer, can greatly enhance the air content and the extent of influence when air sparging is implemented. However, detailed information on the functional relationship between water saturation, air-water contact area induced by air sparging and the surface tension of water has not been available. In this study, the influence of adding water-soluble anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate) into groundwater before air sparging on the air-water interfacial area and water saturation was investigated using a laboratory-scale sand packed column. It was found that water saturation decreases with decreasing surface tension of water until it reaches a point where this trend is reversed so that water saturation increases with further decrease in the surface tension. The lowest water saturation of 0.58 was achieved at a surface tension of 45.4 dyn/cm, which is considered as the optimum surface tension for maximum de-saturation for the initially water-saturated sand used in this study. The air-water contact area generated in the sand column due to air sparging was measured using a gaseous interfacial tracer, n-decane, and was found to monotonically increase with decreasing water saturation. The results of this study provide useful design information for surfactant-enhanced air sparging removal of volatile contaminants from aquifers.

Air↗

Modification of a new catheter for air retrieval and resuscitation from lethal venous air embolism: effect of nitrous oxide on air retrieval.

A modification of a new Arrow prototype catheter was evaluated for its ability to retrieve venous air emboli and for its effect on the success rate of resuscitation from venous air emboli in dogs anesthetized with isoflurane and nitrous oxide (66%) in oxygen. In an additional group of dogs, nitrogen was substituted for nitrous oxide in the inspired gases to determine whether the presence of nitrous oxide (as traditionally used in this model of lethal venous air emboli) increased the apparent amount of gas retrieval or altered the success rate of resuscitation. Dogs were placed in the seated position with the head 90 degrees to the horizontal. The modified Arrow prototype catheter was placed with the proximal orifice just above the superior vena cava-right atrial junction and the distal orifice near the mid-right atrium. Dogs were then given a predetermined lethal dose of air (5 mL/kg) over 30 s through the jugular vein. Attempts to aspirate venous air emboli were begun with the first decrease in expired CO2. The amounts of gas retrieved, expressed as a percent of the injected air, and the incidence of successful resuscitation were compared between groups. In both treatment groups (nitrous oxide and nitrogen), the percent of injected venous air retrieved (73% +/- 13% and 65% +/- 21%, mean value +/- SD, respectively) and success rate of resuscitation (four of six dogs in each group) were significantly increased compared with the control group in which no attempt was made to retrieve injected venous air, and none of the six dogs survived.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anesthesia, Inhalation↗

[The bacteria stop system of Meierhans-Weber as room air technical alternative to laminar-air-flow and its air hygienic effectiveness].

Statistics of wound infections demonstrate the linear dependence between postoperative wound infection and the quantity of bacteria in the air of operating theatres. In the most extensive examination series we have made as yet with a special work group of DGOT the quantity of bacteria in the air of non air-conditioned operating theatres and such fitted out with different aircleaning systems was determined. Non air-conditioned operating theatres proved so extremely infected that the risk of wound infection cannot be borne any more in the future. Also air-conditioned systems according to DIN 1946/4 with an average of 190 bacteria/m3 are not sufficiently secure for bone and joint surgery. In Switzerland for such operations a value of 10/m3 at the most is admissible. Such equivalents have been attained only with LAF until today. After extensive air tests the so-called "Keimstop"-system by Meierhans and Weber is to be considered the sole system suitable to supplement air conditioning DIN 1946/4. This combination yields the same effect as the expensive LAF systems.

Air Conditioning↗

[Fungi and bacteria on air filters from heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems: a method for determination of fungi and bacteria on air filters].

A method was developed for the determination of microorganism concentrations on air filters of HVAC systems, and the influence of different test parameters on the microbiological results was examined by considering various used air filters from several such systems. Microorganisms are detected by shaking air filter samples in fluid, where their concentration is then determined as surface cultures. Since varying the shaking time (30, 60, 90 min) had no influence on the quantitative microorganism determination, a shaking time of 60 minutes was chosen for detection of bacteria, yeasts and moulds. Incubation of blood agar plates either for 4 days at 20 degrees C +/- 2 degrees C or for 2 days at 36 degrees C +/- 1 degree C yielded identical concentrations of bacteria and yeasts. Since results obtained with malt extract agar and Czapek-Dox agar are comparable, one of the two culture media is sufficient for the quantitative determination of moulds on air filters. For statistical evaluation, the inoculation of three parallel agar plates per growth medium was found to be adequate, and the arithmetic mean and the median proved to be equivalent. Investigation on the detection rate showed that, on the average, the method developed demonstrated 80% of the microorganisms detectable on an air filter sample. Thus a simple method is available for quantitative determination of microorganisms on air filters.

Agar↗

Blood oxygen levels and acid-base status following air exposure in an air-breathing fish, Channa argus: the role of air ventilation.

1. Acute air exposure of an air-breathing fish Channa argus immediately induced hypercapnic acidemia while total CO2 content of blood remained unchanged. Upon reimmersion, paco2 and pHa quickly restored to pre-exposure levels followed by gradual rise of [HCO-3]. 2. Artificial air ventilation of air-exposed fish restored acid-base status and greatly depressed voluntary air ventilatory movements. We conclude that the major cause of acid-base disturbances occurring during air exposure is the reduced air convection.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Influence of air humidity and the distance from the source on negative air ion concentration in indoor air.

Although negative air ionizer is commonly used for indoor air cleaning, few studies examine the concentration gradient of negative air ion (NAI) in indoor environments. This study investigated the concentration gradient of NAI at various relative humidities and distances form the source in indoor air. The NAI was generated by single-electrode negative electric discharge; the discharge was kept at dark discharge and 30.0 kV. The NAI concentrations were measured at various distances (10-900 cm) from the discharge electrode in order to identify the distribution of NAI in an indoor environment. The profile of NAI concentration was monitored at different relative humidities (38.1-73.6% RH) and room temperatures (25.2+/-1.4 degrees C). Experimental results indicate that the influence of relative humidity on the concentration gradient of NAI was complicated. There were four trends for the relationship between NAI concentration and relative humidity at different distances from the discharge electrode. The changes of NAI concentration with an increase in relative humidity at different distances were quite steady (10-30 cm), strongly declining (70-360 cm), approaching stability (420-450 cm) and moderately increasing (560-900 cm). Additionally, the regression analysis of NAI concentrations and distances from the discharge electrode indicated a logarithmic linear (log-linear) relationship; the distance of log-linear tendency (lambda) decreased with an increase in relative humidity such that the log-linear distance of 38.1% RH was 2.9 times that of 73.6% RH. Moreover, an empirical curve fit based on this study for the concentration gradient of NAI generated by negative electric discharge in indoor air was developed for estimating the NAI concentration at different relative humidities and distances from the source of electric discharge.

Air↗

QSPR treatment of rat blood:air, saline:air and olive oil:air partition coefficients using theoretical molecular descriptors.

A QSPR treatment has been applied to a data set that consists of 100 diverse organic compounds to relate the logarithmic function of rat blood:air, saline:air and olive oil:air partition coefficients (denoted by log K(b:a), log K(s:a), and log K(o:a), respectively), with theoretical molecular and fragment descriptors. Three QSPR models with squared correlation coefficients of 0.881, 0.926, and 0.922, respectively, were obtained. The verification of the predictive power of these models on a test set of 33 organic chemicals that were not included in the training set gave satisfactory squared correlation coefficients: 0.791 for rat blood:air, 0.794 for saline:air and 0.846 for olive oil:air.

Animals↗

Relationship between olive oil:air, saline:air, and rat brain:air partition coefficients of organic solvents in vitro.

Partition coefficients of 28 volatile organic solvents (13 alkylbenzenes, 10 chlorinated hydrocarbons, and 5 ketones) in olive oil, saline, and rat brain tissue homogenates were measured by equilibration in a closed vial and subsequent gas-chromatographic analysis of headspace air. The values of oil and saline partition coefficients correlate well with previously reported data. Brain partition coefficients were fit to a bilinear equation of the form P(brain:air) = alpha(o)P(oil:air) + alpha(s)P(saline:air) + c. The regression coefficients accurately predicted previously reported rat brain partition coefficients of 19 solvents with distinct physicochemical properties within a factor of 2.5. The combined data set of presently determined and previously reported brain partition coefficients (n = 46) yields tissue-specific regression coefficients for solvent partitioning in rat brain of 0.028 for alpha(O'), 0.845 for alpha(S'), and 0.90 for the intercept, with coefficients of variation amounting to 11%, 4%, and 463%, respectively. The generalized empirical relationship predicts the brain partition coefficients within a factor of 2.5 accurately for 95% of the compounds. The ratios of rat brain concentrations calculated from predicted and measured P(brain:air) and P(blood:air) values were within a factor of 4 for 95% of the compounds. It was concluded that the enlargement of the empirical data set leads to more reliable predictions of rat brain partition coefficients, particularly for the lipophilic volatile organic compounds.

Air↗

[The impact of air pollution on health. The "Programme de Surveillance Air et Santé 9 villes" (Air and Health surveillance program in 9 cities)].

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the short term effects of air pollution on mortality and hospitalisation for cardiovascular or respiratory disorders in the nine French cities (Bordeaux, Le Havre, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg and Toulouse) of the Surveillance Air et Santé program. METHODS: Data were available on mortality and hospitalisation were available, respectively, from 1990 to 1997 and 1995 to 1999. Exposure data were the concentrations of sulphur dioxide, particles with a diameter of less than or equal to 10 mm, black smoke, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide. The analysis assessed the relationships, in each of the cities, between the daily numbers of deaths and hospitalisations and the daily levels of polluting agents, taking into account confounding factors. A combined relative risk was calculated for all the cities. The number of deaths and hospitalisations attributable to air pollution was then estimated for each of the cities, based on the relative risk. RESULTS: Significant relationships were found for mortality, from whatever cause, and for hospitalisations for respiratory disorders in children aged under 15. If the levels of air pollution were reduced to 10 microg/m3 in the nine cities, 2800 premature deaths and 750 hospitalisations for respiratory disorders in children would be avoided, every year. CONCLUSION: Today, it is possible to assess the benefits of reducing air pollution in terms of health in the short term. These analyses would provide a sanitary dimension to the strategies for the reduction of urban pollution on local and European level.

Adolescent↗

Passive air sampler as a tool for long-term air pollution monitoring: Part 2. Air genotoxic potency screening assessment.

The capability of passive air sampling to be employed in the evaluation of direct genotoxicity of ambient air samples was assessed. Genotoxic effects of the total extracts from the polyurethane foam filters exposed for 28 days during a regional passive air sampling campaign were investigated. Twenty sampling sites were selected in Brno city on the area of approximately 20x20 km in October and November 2004. Brno is the second largest city of the Czech Republic, highly industrialized with approximately 370,000 of permanent inhabitants. The levels of PAHs, PCBs, and chlorinated pesticides were determined in all samples. Fraction of each extract was also assayed in the bacterial genotoxicity test using Escherichia coli sulA::lacZ. Complete dose-response relationships of the air extracts were determined. The statistical analysis showed significant correlation between observed biological effects and PAHs concentrations in samples.

Air Pollutants↗

Breathing air in air: in what ways might extant amphibious fish biology relate to prevailing concepts about early tetrapods, the evolution of vertebrate air breathing, and the vertebrate land transition?

The air-breathing fishes have heuristic importance as possible models for the Paleozoic evolution of vertebrate air breathing and the transition to land. A recent hypothesis about this transition suggests that the diverse assemblage of marine amphibious fishes occurring primarily in tropical, high intertidal zone habitats are analogs of early tetrapods and that the intertidal zone, not tropical freshwater lowlands, was the springboard habitat for the Devonian land transition by vertebrates. Here we argue that selection pressures imposed by life in the intertidal zone are insufficient to have resulted in the requisite aerial respiratory capacity or the degree of separation from water required for the vertebrate land transition. The extant marine amphibious fishes, which occur mainly on rocky shores or mudflats, have reached the limit of their niche expansion onto land and remain tied to water by respiratory structures that are less efficient in air and more vulnerable to desiccation than lungs. We further argue that evolutionary contingencies actuated by the Devonian origin of the tetrapods marked a critical point of divergence for a way of life in which selection pressures would operate on the physiology, morphology, and natural history of the different vertebrate groups. While chronically hypoxic and shallow water conditions in the habitats of some primitive bony fishes and some amphibians appear similar to the conditions that prevailed in the Devonian, markedly different selection pressures have operated on other amphibians and bony fishes over the 300 million years since the vertebrate land transition. For example, both egg development and larval metamorphosis in extant amphibians are geared mainly toward compensating for the uncertainty of habitat water quality or even the absence of water by minimizing the time required to develop there. In contrast, reproduction by most intertidal (and amphibious) fishes, all of which are teleosts, remains dependent on a planktonic larval phase and is characterized by specializations (brooding) that minimize overdispersal and maximize recruitment back to the littoral habitat.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Studies on photochemical reactions of air pollutants. XIV.Photooxidation of sulfur dioxide in air by various air pollutants.

Upon exposure to sunlight, or to artificial light at wavelengths longer than 290 nm, sulfur dioxide in air underwent oxidation to give sulfur trioxide in the presence of air pollutants such as biacetyl (2,3-butanedione), benzaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide, but not in their absence. Only nitrogen dioxide completely oxidized sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide.

Air Pollutants↗