title: Indoor pollutant exposure among children with and without asthma in Porto, Portugal, during the cold season.
abstract: Considering the time spent in enclosed spaces, indoor air pollutants are of major interest because of its possible impact on health. However, to date, few studies have analysed the air concentrations of a large set of indoor pollutants of respiratory health relevance in dwellings, particularly in Portugal. This study aimed to measure the concentrations of air pollutants that are present in residential buildings and to investigate whether some clustering pattern of indoor air pollutants exists in the dwellings of children with (case group) and without asthma (control group). Measurements were taken in 30 and 38 dwellings of asthmatic and non-asthmatic schoolchildren, respectively, located in the city of Porto, Portugal, during the cold season (October 2012-April 2013), to assess the concentrations of 12 volatile organic compounds (VOC), aldehydes, PM2.5, PM10, bacteria and fungi. Toluene, d-limonene, formaldehyde, PM2.5, bacteria and fungi are widely present in dwellings, sometimes in relatively high concentrations in reference to WHO guideline values. Moreover, concentrations of CO2exceeding 1000 ppm were often encountered, indicating that 70 % of all dwellings had poor ventilation (<4 L/s person). While exposures to common dwelling indoor pollutants are similar for schoolchildren with and without asthma, except for d-limonene levels, the identification and control of VOC and PM sources is important and prudent, especially for vulnerable individuals.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Porto, Portugal. jmadureira@inegi.up.pt.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5279-877X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madureira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Porto, Portugal.|Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paciência
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Porto, Portugal.|Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cavaleiro-Rufo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Fernandes
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology / Q000592:standards; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D053138:Cyclohexenes / Q000032:analysis; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000032:analysis; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D000077222:Limonene; D008297:Male; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011174:Portugal; D012621:Seasons; D013729:Terpenes / Q000032:analysis; D014691:Ventilation; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013729:Terpenes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D005557:Formaldehyde; D000077222:Limonene
keywords: Asthma; Dwellings; Indoor exposure; PM10; PM2.5; Volatile organic compounds