Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Mar 4, 2021
There is increasing interest in understanding the role of air pollution as one of the greatest th... more There is increasing interest in understanding the role of air pollution as one of the greatest threats to human health worldwide. Nine of 10 individuals breathe air with polluted compounds that have a great impact on lung tissue. The nature of the relationship is complex, and new or updated data are constantly being reported in the literature. The goal of our review was to summarize the most important air pollutants and their impact on the main respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung cancer, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory infections, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis) to reduce both short-and the longterm exposure consequences. We considered the most important air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, ozone, particulate matter and biomass smoke, and observed their impact on pulmonary pathologies. We focused on respiratory pathologies, because air pollution potentiates the increase in respiratory diseases, and the evidence that air pollutants have a detrimental effect is growing. It is imperative to constantly improve policy initiatives on air quality in both high-and low-income countries.
Air quality, especially particulate matter pollution levels in urban areas, is an essential acade... more Air quality, especially particulate matter pollution levels in urban areas, is an essential academic and social topic due to its association with health issues and climate change. In Romania, increasing awareness of urban communities and the availability of low-cost sensors has led to the development of an independent monitoring network currently distributed in over 194 cities and towns. The uRADMonitor® network consists of 630 sensors measuring PM10 and PM2.5 concentration levels. The spatial distribution of the sensors complements the national air quality network with sensors in residential areas, intense traffic zones, and industrial areas. The data are available through a user-friendly web-based platform from uRADMonitor®. Based on data collected in 2021, we present an analysis of PM10 pollution levels in Romania’s five most populated urban areas by employing five annual statistical indicators recommended by the European Environmental Agency. For the case of Timișoara, we also c...
Patients with respiratory pathologies are the risk group most affected by air pollution, being di... more Patients with respiratory pathologies are the risk group most affected by air pollution, being directly exposed, especially those diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this observational study, which included 79 patients, we evaluated whether COPD patients with the frequent exacerbating phenotype or the infrequent exacerbating phenotype live in residences with higher values of air pollution. An air quality monitoring station was installed in each patient’s house for at least 24 h and PM 1.0, PM 2.5, and PM 10 were measured. Average PM 1.0, PM 2.5, and PM 10 values were lower in the group of infrequently exacerbating patients compared to the frequently exacerbating ones. For every 1 µg/m3 increase in the average values of PM 1.0, PM 2.5, and PM 10, there is an increase of 1.7%, 1.8% and 1%, respectively, in the risk of developing exacerbations. More importantly, an average value of PM 1.0, PM 2.5, and PM 10 above 32.21 µg/m3, 82.32 µg/m3 and 42.89 µg/m3 incr...
Monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) places a crucial role in environmental pollutants co... more Monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) places a crucial role in environmental pollutants control and indoor air quality. In this study, a metal-oxide (MOx) sensor detector (uRAD A3 mobile air quality monitor) was employed to delineate the composition of air containing three common VOCs (ethanol, acetone and hexane) under various concentrations. Experiments with a single component and double components were conducted to investigate how the solvents interact with the metal oxide sensor. The experimental results revealed that the affinity between VOC and sensor was in the following order: acetone > ethanol > n-hexane. A mathematical model was developed, based on the experimental findings and data analysis, to convert the output resistance value of the sensor into concentration values, which in turn can be used to calculate a VOC-based air quality index. Empirical equations were established based on inferences of vapor composition versus resistance trends, and on an approach of using original and diluted air samples to generate two sets of resistance data per sample. The calibration of numerous model parameters allowed matching simulated curves to measured data. As such, the predictive mathematical model enabled quantifying not only the total concentration of sensed VOCs, but also estimating the VOC composition. This first attempt to obtain semi-quantitative data from a single MOx sensor is aimed at expanding the capability of mobile air pollutants monitoring devices.
The paper presents the test results regarding the evaluation of the accuracy of the PM2.5 and PM1... more The paper presents the test results regarding the evaluation of the accuracy of the PM2.5 and PM10 particulate matter concentration measurement performed with the uRADMonitor A3 fixed air quality monitoring station produced by SC MAGNASCI SRL. The procedure involves the calculation of the accuracy elements: trueness and precision, based on the experimental data obtained by measuring the concentration of particulate matter using the tested analysers in parallel with the reference method, SR EN 12341: 2014, and analysis of data series by Pearson correlation and linear regression.
Uploads
Papers by Radu Motisan