Concentrations of NO2 and O3 were measured inside and outside a dense broad-leaved forest canopy adjacent to a busy traffic route in the City of Gothenburg, Sweden, with duplicate passive diffusion samplers during six one-week periods starting well before leaf senescence and ending when leaves were largely senescent. Concentrations of NO2 were lower inside the forest canopy during all periods (representing a significant effect, p = 0.016), on average by 7% or 2.7 μg m−3. O3 showed a more variable response with an average non-significant effect of 2% lower in the forest stand. There was no systematic trend of the difference in concentrations inside and outside the forest stand of the pollutants with the progression of autumn leaf senescence. Our study indicates that the effect of urban vegetation on air pollution concentrations is small, although it seems to exist for NO2 in a traffic polluted environment.

Understanding temporal and spatial variation in soil chemicals is critical in exposure assessments. We measured eight metals in subsamples, duplicates (∼0.3 m), and repeat soil samples taken 1–6 years after initial sampling (∼5 m). We estimated variance components (VCs) of metal concentrations using nested analyses accounting for sampling area, land use and soil type, and calculated coefficients of variation (CVs) for repeat sample pairs. Total variance for all metals was similar, but VCs were proportioned differently by metal and sample type. Spatial variation explained the majority of variance in duplicate samples. CVs of metal concentrations were not significantly different over the long time interval, but repeat samples had larger VCs for unexplained error. Sampling area and land use were important for Ba and Mn, and Pb and Hg, respectively. Results suggest metals are stable over long times and suitable for exposure assessments, but that individual metal behavior should be considered.

Surface carbon dioxide concentrations were measured using a non-dispersive infrared carbon dioxide sensor at Lampang Rajabhat University from April to May 2013 and at the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus starting September 2013. Factors influencing the variations in these measurements were determined using multiple linear regression and a Lagrangian transport model. Air temperature and sea level pressure were the dominant meteorological factors that affect the CO2 variations. However, these factors are not enough. Surface CO2 flux and transboundary transport needs to be considered as well.

Serum and urine samples from 120 children aged 5–13 years from Dae-gu, Korea, were analyzed for 16 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). The total PFC concentrations in the serum were 4.26–29.70 ng/mL, and perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS, which was dominant overall, at 6.58 ng/mL), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUndA) were detected in all serum samples. The total PFC concentrations in the urine ranged from below the detection limit to 14.9 ng/mL, and perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) was predominant. The PFOS (p < 0.005) concentration was higher in the serum of children than that of Korean adults aged 20–29. Some of the PFC concentrations in the serum correlated negatively with body mass index and tended to increase with the duration of breastfeeding. However, there were no gender-specific differences in the PFC concentrations and no correlations between PFC concentrations in serum and urine.

The present study investigated the impact of solar UV radiation on ZnO nanoparticle toxicity through photocatalytic ROS generation and photo-induced dissolution. Toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles to Daphnia magna was examined under laboratory light versus simulated solar UV radiation (SSR). Photocatalytic ROS generation and particle dissolution were measured on a time-course basis. Two toxicity mitigation assays using CaCl2 and N-acetylcysteine were performed to differentiate the relative importance of these two modes of action. Enhanced ZnO nanoparticle toxicity under SSR was in parallel with photocatalytic ROS generation and enhanced particle dissolution. Toxicity mitigation by CaCl2 to a less extent under SSR than under lab light demonstrates the role of ROS generation in ZnO toxicity. Toxicity mitigation by N-acetylcysteine under both irradiation conditions confirms the role of particle dissolution and ROS generation. These findings demonstrate the importance of considering environmental solar UV radiation when assessing ZnO nanoparticle toxicity and risk in aquatic systems.

Pesticide contamination is considered one of the reasons streams fail to achieve good ecological and chemical status, the main objectives of the Water Framework Directive. However, little is known on the interaction of different pesticide sources and landscape parameters and the resulting impairment of macroinvertebrate communities. We evaluated the potential effects of diffuse and point sources of pesticides using macroinvertebrate monitoring data from 663 sites in central Germany. Additionally, we investigated forested upstream reaches and structural quality as landscape parameters potentially mitigating or amplifying the effects of pesticides. Diffuse pesticide pollution and forested upstream reaches were the most important parameters affecting macroinvertebrate communities (pesticide-specific indicator SPEARpesticides). Our results indicate that forested upstream reaches and riparian buffer strips at least 5 m in width can mitigate the effects and exposure of pesticides. In addition, we developed a screening approach that allows an initial, cost-effective identification of sites of concern.

Hydroxylated (OH-) and methoxylated (MeO-) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have caused much concern because of their potential toxicity and worldwide distribution. These compounds are recently suggested to originate from the natural process in the ocean. However, their source remains highly controversial. In this study, we analyzed the contents of nine MeO-BDEs, ten OH-BDEs, and phytoplankton biomarkers (PBs) in two sediment cores collected from the East China Sea (ECS). The detection of 6-MeO-BDE-47, 2′-MeO-BDE-68, and 6-OH-BDE-47 have been reported since the 1920s, prior to the production of PBDEs. Significant relations were found between MeO/OH-BDEs and indicators of marine organic matters. The similar down-core variations and significant correlations between MeO/OH-BDEs and PBs suggest the possibility that phytoplankton produced these natural compounds. Laboratory incubation further demonstrates that phytoplankton can produce MeO-BDEs. Comparisons between the content ratios of 6-MeO-BDE-47/2′-MeO-BDE-68 and brassicasterol/dinosterol indicate that the signature of MeO-BDEs is controlled by the phytoplankton community structure.

The number and mass concentration, size distribution, and the concentration of 16 elements were studied in aerosol samples during the Spring Festival celebrations in 2013 in Beijing, China. Both the number and mass concentration increased sharply in a wide range from 10 nm to 10 μm during the firecrackers and fireworks activities. The prominent increase of the number concentration was in 50 nm–500 nm with a peak of 1.7 × 105/cm3 at 150 nm, which is 8 times higher than that after 1.5 h. The highest mass concentration was in 320–560 nm, which is 4 times higher than the control. K, Mg, Sr, Ba and Pb increased sharply during the firework activities in PM10. Although the aerosol emission from firework activities is a short-term air quality degradation event, there may be a substantial hazard arising from the chemical composition of the emitted particles.

Urban vehicle emission models have been utilized to calculate pollutant concentrations at both microscopic and macroscopic levels based on vehicle emission rates which few researches have been able to validate. The objective of our research is to estimate urban roadside emissions and calibrate it with in-field measurement data. We calculated the vehicle emissions based on localized emission rates, and used an atmospheric dispersion model to estimate roadside emissions. A non-linear regression model was applied to calibrate the localized emission rates using in-field measurement data. With the calibrated emission rates, emissions on urban roadside can be estimated with a high accuracy.

Interior and exterior dust, soil and paint were analysed at five brick urban Sydney homes over 15 months to evaluate temporal variations and discriminate sources of lead (Pb) exposure. Exterior dust gauge Pb loading rates (μg/m2/28 days), interior vacuum dust Pb concentrations (mg/kg) and interior petri-dish Pb loading rates (μg/m2/28 days), were correlated positively with soil Pb concentrations. Exterior dust gauge Pb loading rates and interior vacuum dust Pb concentrations peaked in the summer. Lead isotope and Pb speciation (XAS) were analysed in soil and vacuum dust samples from three of the five houses that had elevated Pb concentrations. Results show that the source of interior dust lead was primarily from soil in two of the three houses and from soil and Pb paint in the third home. IEUBK child blood Pb modelling predicts that children's blood Pb levels could exceed 5 μg/dL in two of the five houses.