$1,000 can raise a class’s test scores by as much as cutting class size by a third.

A flu strain that emerged over the summer is causing "unprecedented" outbreaks in Japan, as well as in Canada and the U.K. The CDC hasn't provided insights on flu in the U.S. in nearly two months.

Outdoor airflow rate is a critical factor influencing both indoor air quality (IAQ) and building energy consumption. The Indoor Air Quality Procedure …

Researchers speak out against proposal that would bar funding for U.S. scientists working with Chinese partners or training Chinese students

This work investigates the transport of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in a multi-story test house using cooking emissions as a point source. The tes…

Much of human exposure to fine and ultrafine particulate matter of outdoor origin occurs inside buildings, particularly in residences. The penetration…

Airborne transmission is a significant pathway for pathogen spread, making air disinfection crucial for preventing infectious diseases. Ultraviolet Ge…

Dermal exposure through direct contact with consumer products is an important yet often overlooked pathway for human exposure to semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). In this study, a single-layer transient model was developed to improve our understanding of dermal exposure to SVOCs under direct contact scenarios. Using human skin equivalents combined with a Franz-type diffusion cell, an innovative experimental system was implemented to determine key model parameters, specifically skin diffusion and partitioning parameters (Depi and Kepi/source), for 16 SVOCs across seven types of consumer products. The results demonstrate that using traditional permeability coefficients without considering the contact source can lead to inaccuracies in dermal exposure assessments. The model and measured parameters were validated against data from human subject studies, showing good agreement. Additionally, correlations between the key model parameters and the physicochemical properties of SVOCs were identified. Dermal exposure doses and associated health risks under various direct contact scenarios were assessed, with many cases showing hazard quotients near or above 1 and cancer risks exceeding 10–4, highlighting its importance as a significant exposure pathway for SVOCs. This study provides valuable experimental and modeling tools for prioritizing SVOCs and guiding regulatory decisions on limiting their use in consumer products, thereby reducing potential health risks from dermal exposure.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical determinant of public health, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions where residents spend most of their time indo...

Air cleaning devices, or “air cleaners”, have the potential to improve indoor air by decreasing levels of air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in indoor environments. Many comm...

Lidia Morawska, an internationally renowned expert in air quality and its impact on human health, has won Australia's most coveted prize for scientific research.

At the wildland-urban interface (WUI) structural fires can generate nonmethane organic gases (NMOGs) from burning urban fuels like structural lumber, plastics, and carpet. These NMOGs can contaminate ...

Millions along the East Coast are about to feel the wrath of the storm this weekend and into early next week.

The total partitioning capacity of indoor surface reservoirs determines the mechanism by which humans receive nondietary exposure to organic contam...