To determine the effects of ozone (O3) on the canopy carbon budget, we investigated photosynthesis and respiration of leaves of Siebold's beech saplings under free air O3 exposure (60 nmol mol−1, during daytime) in relation to the within-canopy light gradient; we then calculated the canopy-level photosynthetic carbon gain (PCG) and respiratory carbon loss (RCL) using a canopy photosynthesis model. Susceptibilities of photosynthesis and respiration to O3 were greater in leaves of upper canopy than in the lower canopy. The canopy net carbon gain (NCG) was reduced by O3 by 12.4% during one growing season. The increased RCL was the main factor for the O3-induced reduction in NCG in late summer, while contributions of the reduced PCG and the increased RCL to the NCG were almost the same in autumn. These results indicate contributions of changes in PCG and RCL under O3 to NCG were different between seasons.

In order to provide more conclusive evidence of monsoon-driven transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and assess the potential influence of forests on the fate of these pollutants, passive air samplers were consecutively deployed during 2008–2011 on Sygera Mountain (3800 m–4400 m). Higher DDTs levels were observed in the monsoon season (20.5–57.4 pg m−3) than the non-monsoon season (9.2–27.4 pg m−3), which confirmed that the Indian monsoon plays a key role in driving the atmospheric transport of DDTs to the TP. The similar DDT isomer ratios to the South Asia further suggested that Sygera Mountain is likely a receptor region of Indian subcontinent. By comparing the difference in concentrations between forest and clearing sites, it was found that the forest canopy can reduce airborne DDTs by a factor of 2, indicating strong absorption of DDTs by the Tibetan forest.

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is the most widely used brominated flame retardant worldwide. A detailed examination of the degradation products emitted during thermal decomposition of TBBPA is presented in the study. Runs were performed in a laboratory furnace at different temperatures (650 and 800 °C) and in different atmospheres (nitrogen and air). More than one hundred semivolatile compounds have been identified by GC/MS, with special interest in brominated ones. Presence of HBr and brominated light hydrocarbons increased with temperature and in the presence of oxygen. Maximum formation of PAHs is observed at pyrolytic condition at the higher temperature. High levels of 2,4-, 2,6- and 2,4,6- bromophenols were found. The levels of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans have been detected in the ppm range. The most abundant isomers are 2,4,6,8-TeBDF in pyrolysis and 1,2,3,7,8-PeBDF in combustion. These results should be considered in the assessment of thermal treatment of materials containing brominated flame retardants.

Pollen of Betula pendula, Ostrya carpinifolia and Carpinus betulus was exposed in vitro to two levels of NO2 (about 0.034 and 0.067 ppm) – both below current atmospheric hour-limit value acceptable for human health protection in Europe (0.11 ppm for NO2). Experiments were performed under artificial solar light with temperature and relative humidity continuously monitored. The viability, germination and total soluble proteins of all the pollen samples exposed to NO2 decreased significantly when compared with the non-exposed. The polypeptide profiles of all the pollen samples showed bands between 15 and 70 kDa and the exposure to NO2 did not produce any detectable changes in these profiles. However, the immunodetection assays indicated higher IgE recognition by patient sera sensitized to the pollen extracts from all exposed samples in comparison to the non-exposed samples. The common reactive bands to the three pollen samples correspond to 58 and 17 kDa proteins.

This paper reports the results of an Open-Top Chambers experiment on the responses of two durum wheat cultivars (Neodur and Virgilio) exposed to two different levels of ozone (charcoal-filtered air and ozone-enriched air) and irrigation water salinity (tap water as control and a 75 mM NaCl solution once a week).The stomatal conductance of the flag leaves was measured on four dates during May. Flag leaf samples were collected to detect ozone visible leaf injuries. At the end of the growing season, the yield/biomass and grain quality parameters were assessed. Saline irrigation caused significant reductions in gs, yield and grain quality in Neodur, while Virgilio was more tolerant. The yield response to ozone was almost negligible, with Virgilio, despite the higher susceptibility to visible leaf injuries, being more productive than Neodur.The responses to the combined stress were not consistent, with the main tendencies undoubtedly driven by the saline irrigation factor.

This study evaluated whether short term exposures to NO2, O3, particulate matter <10 mm in diameter (PM10) were associated with higher risk of mortality. A total of 223,287 hypertensive patients attended public health-care services and newly prescribed at least 1 antihypertensive agent were followed-up for up to 5 years. A time-stratified, bi-directional case-crossover design was adopted. For all-cause mortality, significant positive associations were observed for NO2 and PM10 at lag 0–3 days per 10 μg/m3 increase in concentration (excess risks 1.187%–2.501%). Significant positive associations were found for O3 at lag 1 and 2 days and the excess risks were 1.654% and 1.207%, respectively. We found similarly positive associations between these pollutants and respiratory disease mortality. These results were significant among those aged ≥65 years and in cold seasons only. Older hypertensive patients are susceptible to all-cause and respiratory disease-specific deaths from these air pollutants in cold weather.

Rhizosphere effects on the distribution of PBDEs in e-waste contaminated soils were investigated. The geometric means of the PBDEs in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils were 32.6 ng/g and 12.2 ng/g, whereas the geometric means of the PBDEs in vegetable shoots and roots were 2.15 ng/g and 3.02 ng/g, respectively. PBDEs in soil at different distances from the root surface may first rise appreciably and then decrease to a non-rhizosphere level for long-term contaminated soils. Different PBDE compositions in roots and shoots indicated that PBDEs in shoots may be mainly taken up from the air. The ratios of BDE99/100 and BDE153/154 in plants and their corresponding soils were different. The bioaccumulations of BDEs 100 and 154 were much higher than those of BDEs 99 and 153, respectively. This indicated that the bioaccumulation was selective and influenced by the substitution pattern, with ortho-substituted isomers being more prevalent than meta-substituted isomers.

Near-freeway environments are important from public health and environmental justice perspectives. This study investigated the spatial profile of and correlations between noise levels and particulate matter concentrations near two major freeways in Los Angeles, CA. Five minutes averages of A-weighted equivalent continuous sound level (LeqA), ultrafine particle (UFP) number concentrations, and fine particle (PM2.5) mass concentrations were measured concurrently at increasing distances from the freeways on four streets with or without sound wall. Under upwind conditions, UFP showed relatively low concentrations and no obvious gradient, while LeqA showed decay with increasing distance as it did under downwind conditions. Moderate correlations between LeqA and UFP were observed under downwind conditions on all four streets. The presence of a sound wall changed the linear relationship between LeqA and UFP. These data may be used to study the independent and synergistic health impacts of noise and air pollutants near roadways.

Synoptic weather and ambient air quality synergistically influence human health. We report the relative risk of mortality from all non-accidental, respiratory-, and cardiovascular-related causes, associated with exposure to four air pollutants, by weather type and season, in 10 major Canadian cities for 1981 through 1999. We conducted this multi-city time-series study using Poisson generalized linear models stratified by season and each of six distinctive synoptic weather types. Statistically significant relationships of mortality due to short-term exposure to carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and ozone were found, with significant modifications of risk by weather type, season, and mortality cause. In total, 61% of the respiratory-related mortality relative risk estimates were significantly higher than for cardiovascular-related mortality. The combined effect of weather and air pollution is greatest when tropical-type weather is present in the spring or summer.

We monitored 108 children ≤5 years on a 6-month basis for up to 5 years in a major urban setting. Samples (n ∼ 7000) included blood, urine, handwipes (interior, and after exterior playing), 6-day duplicate diet, drinking water, interior house and day care dust-fall accumulation using petri dishes, exterior dust-fall accumulation, exterior dust sweepings, paint, soil and urban air. The geometric mean blood Pb (PbB) was 2.1 μg/dL and blood Mn (MnB) was 10.0 μg/L. Following a path modelling approach, mixed model analyses for a fully adjusted model showed the strongest associations for PbB were with interior house dust and soil; for MnB there were no significant associations with any predictors. Predictor variables only explained 9% of the variance for Pb and 0.7% for Mn. Relationships between environmental measures and PbB in children are not straightforward; soil and dust sweepings contribute only about 1/5th of the amounts to PbB found in other studies.