Investigation on Indoor Air Pollution and Childhood Allergies in Households in Six Chinese Cities by Subjective Survey and Field Measurements

Abstract

Greater attention is currently being paid to the relationship between indoor environment and childhood allergies, however, the lack of reliable data and the disparity among different areas hinders reliable assessment of the relationship. This study focuses on the effect of indoor pollution on Chinese schoolchildren and the relationship between specific household and health problems suffered. The epidemiological questionnaire survey and the field measurement of the indoor thermal environment and primary air pollutants including CO2, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), chemical pollutants and fungi were performed in six Chinese cities. A total of 912 questionnaires were eligible for statistical analyses and sixty houses with schoolchildren aged 9–12 were selected for field investigation. Compared with Chinese national standards, inappropriate indoor relative humidity (<30% or >70%), CO2 concentration exceeding 1000 ppm and high PM2.5 levels were found in some monitored houses. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were the most frequently detected semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in house dust. Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Penicillium were detected in both indoor air and house dust. This study indicates that a thermal environment with CO2 exceeding 1000 ppm, DEHP and DBP exceeding 1000 μg/g, and high level of PM2.5, Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Penicillium increases the risk of children’s allergies.

Indoor Exposure to Selected Air Pollutants in the Home Environment: A Systematic Review

“…Cooking and smoking were major indoor sources of PM 2.5 in homes in the UK [29,30] and USA [31]. In addition to indoor smoking [32,33], PM 2.5 levels were strongly influenced by the use of coal for cooking [34] and motor vehicle emissions [35] in China. The use of kerosene and biomass fuels for cooking increased indoor PM 2.5 concentrations to a level 7-fold greater than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in Dhaka, Bangladesh [36].…”

“…Forty-two studies reported indoor concentrations of one or more VOCs (excluding studies that only reported formaldehyde or other carbonyls). VOC levels in homes depended on many factors, such as the strength of emission sources, ventilation rates, and the indoor oxidative environment, which reflected differences in chemical use, building design and materials, occupant behaviour, and season (e.g., [32,73,74]). Reported VOC concentrations were generally higher indoors than outdoors, including for benzene, particularly in colder seasons due to reduced ventilation and the use of oil and gas heaters [75][76][77][78][79][80][81].…”

“…PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels were nearly twice as high in urban compared to rural homes in Malaysia [149], and significantly higher in suburban compared to downtown homes in Slovakia [150], Italy [123] and USA [151]. Roadside dwellings in Chinese cities had higher indoor PM 2.5 and elemental carbon (EC) levels compared to other urban dwellings, indicating the influence of outdoor traffic emissions [32,33]. PM 2.5 levels in six Chinese cities showed strong correlation between living room, bedroom, and outdoor PM 2.5 , suggesting that indoor concentrations were strongly influenced by outdoor sources [32].…”

Bifidobacterium lactisAmeliorates the Risk of Food Allergy in Chinese Children by Affecting Relative Percentage of Treg and Th17 Cells

“…As people's lifestyle changes [50] and environmental pollution aggravates [51], the therapy of allergic diseases is increasingly challenging and has become a serious disease threatening public health. Food allergies can occur in people of all ages, and high-risk groups are mainly infants and children.…”

Indoor environmental conditions in schoolchildren’s homes in central-south China

“…The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was applied for the analysis of carbonyls compounds, and the gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used for the analysis of VOCs. 46 Besides, due to the PM 2.5 and carbonyls could be affected by fumes generated during the cooking period, measurements therefore were not made during such periods. Additionally, we asked occupants not to clean their rooms prior to and during samplings, so as to keep the indoor environment in a typical daily state.…”