Joana Madureira

Levels and Indoor–Outdoor Relationships of Size-Specific Particulate Matter in Naturally Ventilated Portuguese Schools

Indoor exposure to particulate matter (PM) has received great interest due to the epidemiological evidence of its health impact, particularly in susceptible populations such as children. The present study investigated indoor concentrations of three PM size fractions in 11 naturally ventilated schools with static heating systems, and the relationship between indoor and outdoor PM concentrations. The study was performed in Porto, Portugal, during winter and included school buildings and individual classrooms with walk-through surveys, as well as indoor and outdoor air monitoring. Mean 12-h indoor daytime concentrations PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were 140, 95, and 91 μg/m3, respectively. During the day, PM2.5 and PM1 concentrations were lower indoors than outdoors (indoor/outdoor ratios of 0.83 and 0.8, respectively), whereas PM10 showed the opposite trend. Concentrations decreased significantly during the night, 49% for PM10 and 27% for PM2.5 and PM1. These findings reflect the significant contribution from the activities of occupants inside classrooms to higher indoor levels of PM10 levels, whereas the fine fraction of PM2.5 and PM1 is primarily influenced by outdoor concentrations. This study provides a link between size-specific PM in Portuguese schools with contribution of outdoor versus indoor air. Our results suggest that exposure to PM is high and highlights the need for strategies that provide healthier school environments.

Identification and Levels of Airborne Fungi in Portuguese Primary Schools

Several studies found associations between exposure to airborne fungi and allergy, infection, or irritation. This study aimed to characterize airborne fungi populations present in public primary schools in Porto, Portugal, during winter through quantification and identification procedures. Fungal concentration levels and identification were obtained in a total of 73 classrooms. The AirIdeal portable air sampler was used in combination with chloramphenicol malt extract agar. Results showed a wide range of indoor fungi levels, with indoor concentrations higher than outdoors. The most prevalent fungi found indoors were Penicillium sp. (>70%) and Cladosporium sp. As evidence indicates that indoor fungal exposures plays a role in asthma clinical status, these results may contribute to (1) promoting and implementing public health prevention programs and (2) formulating recommendations aimed at providing healthier school environments.

How Sensors Might Help Define the External Exposome

The advent of the exposome concept, the advancement of mobile technology, sensors, and the “internet of things” bring exciting opportunities to exposure science. Smartphone apps, wireless devices, the downsizing of monitoring technologies, along with lower costs for such equipment makes it possible for various aspects of exposure to be measured more easily and frequently. We discuss possibilities and lay out several criteria for using smart technologies for external exposome studies. Smart technologies are evolving quickly, and while they provide great promise for advancing exposure science, many are still in developmental stages and their use in epidemiology and risk studies must be carefully considered. The most useable technologies for exposure studies at this time relate to gathering exposure-factor data, such as location and activities. Development of some environmental sensors (e.g., for some air pollutants, noise, UV) is moving towards making the use of these more reliable and accessible to research studies. The possibility of accessing such an unprecedented amount of personal data also comes with various limitations and challenges, which are discussed. The advantage of improving the collection of long term exposure factor data is that this can be combined with more “traditional” measurement data to model exposures to numerous environmental factors.

Technological Solutions for Older People with Alzheimer’s Disease: Review

In the nineties, numerous studies began to highlight the problem of the increasing number of people with Alzheimer’s disease in developed countries, especially in the context of demographic progress. At the same time, the 21st century is typical of the development of advanced technologies that penetrate all areas of human life. Digital devices, sensors, and intelligent applications are tools that can help seniors and allow better communication and control of their caregivers. The aim of the paper is to provide an up-to-date summary of the use of technological solutions for improving health and safety for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Firstly, the problems and needs of senior citizens with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and their caregivers are specified. Secondly, a scoping review is performed regarding the technological solutions suggested to assist this specific group of patients. Works obtained from the following libraries are used in this scoping review: Web of Science, PubMed, Springer, ACM and IEEE Xplore. Four independent reviewers screened the identified records and selected relevant articles which were published in the period from 2007 to 2018. A total of 6,705 publications were selected. In all, 128 full papers were screened. Results obtained from the relevant studies were furthermore divided into the following categories according to the type and use of technologies: devices, processing, and activity recognition. The leading technological solution in the category of devices are wearables and ambient non-invasive sensors. The introduction and utilization of these technologies, however, bring about challenges in acceptability, durability, ease of use, communication, and power requirements. Furthermore, it needs to be pointed out that these technological solutions should be based on open standards.

Air pollution: A public health approach for Portugal

At the global level, several epidemiological studies have conclusively pointed out the associations between short-term exposure to air pollution and acute health effects, and long-term exposure with adverse health effects such as premature mortality from severe respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This study intended to characterize exposures and their adverse health effects. Three independent sets of vectors were analyzed on a nationwide level and annual basis: air pollutant emissions, ambient air concentrations and health indicators of the period 2009 to 2015. The emissions analysis, for the studied pollutants, pointed out the main findings: (i) Lisbon Metropolitan Area presents the most problematic region with regard to the emissions of all the pollutants under study; (ii) the regions of the Alentejo and Algarve showed reduced emissions of the studied pollutants compared to other parts of the country; (iii) Northern regions PM10 concentrations decreased during the two years in analysis. Regarding the analysis of air quality, it was concluded that: (i) regarding ozone, concentration shown a decreasing trend throughout the country; (ii) nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, concentrations demonstrated an increasing trend in most of the northern part of the country; (iii) the regions of Alentejo and Lisbon Metropolitan Area showed increasing trends for sulfur dioxide and fine particles for the evaluated period. Decreasing trends in mortality associated with cardiovascular and respiratory causes are found mainly in the Alentejo and Algarve regions. In comparison, the North, Central regions, as well as, Lisbon Metropolitan Area exhibited higher mortality values related to this health indicators.

A pilot study on semivolatile organic compounds in senior care facilities: Implications for older adult exposures

The occurrence of five groups of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) (total of ∼120 distinct chemicals) was investigated in senior care facilities in the United States and in Portugal. Indoor settled dust samples were collected from fourteen facilities, and the concentrations of organophosphate esters (OPEs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in these samples. Overall, OPEs, PAHs, and BFRs were the most abundant, and OCPs and PCBs were the least abundant SVOC groups in dust collected from both U.S. and Portuguese facilities. ∑OPE, ∑PAH, and ∑BFR concentrations were significantly higher in U.S. facilities than those in Portuguese facilities (P < 0.001), while ∑OCP and ∑PCB concentrations were not different between the two countries (P < 0.05). The samples were collected from three different microenvironments, including bedrooms, living rooms, and corridors. ∑OPE, ∑PAH, and ∑BFR concentrations were up to five times higher in corridors compared to bedrooms and living rooms. ∑OCP and ∑PCB concentrations were overall higher in bedrooms and in living rooms and lower in corridors.

Potassium urinary excretion and dietary intake: a cross-sectional analysis in 8-10 year-old children (vol 15, 60, 2015)

After publication of the original article [1] we were contacted by the authors asking that the funding information be updated. The updated text should read as: This work was supported by ARIA Project PTDC/DTPSAP/1522/2012 from Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia FCT) cofinanced by European Regional Development Fundthrough Operational Competitiveness Programme (COMPETE) FCOMP −01-0124-FEDER-028797; and by the Portuguese CCDR-N for funding the research project “E2BE” (NORTE-07-0124FEDER-000036), through the European Union FEDER programme.