Haze is formed when a cocktail of various gaseous pollutants is oxidized and forms particulate matter diffusing sunlight. This process is mainly mediated by hydroxyl radicals (OH), and researchers have now discovered a new route to their formation. This newly discovered radical-building mechanism could also offer new perspectives for air purification and the energy industry, as the study published in Angewandte Chemie shows.

Haze consists of fine particulate matter containing soot. It is formed when gaseous pollutants, which are from industrial emissions, vehicle exhausts, and other sources, are converted to condensable matter. “This condensation is remarkably accelerated under the action of OH radicals,” says Joseph S. Francisco from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA, who is co-author of the study.

The commonly known sources for OH radicals, such as nitrogen oxide and ozone, only partly account for the vast haze events which keep occurring in haze-afflicted regions such as the megacities of East and South Asia.

In a cooperation, the teams of Hong He at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiao Cheng Zeng at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, and Francisco have now taken a closer look at the chemical activity of soot particles. Soot originates from diesel engine exhaust fumes or is spread by slash-and-burn practices or forest fires. However, to date, soot particles consisting of uncombusted carbon have been considered more as a sink of hydroxyl radicals, rather than a source.

Despite this, Francisco and the team’s new experiments showed that soot particles can produce OH radicals if air and water vapor are blown over the particles while being irradiated with light.

It was expected, though, that hydroxyl species formed in this process would not leave the surface of the soot and would quickly react again. However, energy calculations showed that the hydroxyl exhibited “roaming-like features”, as the authors stated it: they migrated over the surface, ultimately leaving it.

The results of their study led the team to the conclusion that soot particles play an active role in smog formation. But the researchers aren’t stopping there: since it seems that light radiation is sufficient to decompose water molecules into radicals, this material could potentially be used to develop metal-free carbocatalysts. Such soot-based catalysts could either help purify the air from pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or they could be used to generate chemical energy from light energy. This could pave the way for an environmentally friendly form of artificial photosynthesis.

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About the Authors

Dr. Joseph S. Francisco is President Distinguished Professor at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Pennsylvania. The research in his laboratory focuses on kinetics and photochemistry of novel transient species in the gas phase, in aerosol, and at the ice-quasi liquid layer, to address the questions of how structures correlate to reactivity and photochemical mechanisms.

Dr. Hong He is Professor of the Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. His research team focuses on the heterogeneous transformation and elimination of pollutants in environmental catalysis and multi-phase reaction process in atmospheric chemistry. His team develops theories of haze chemistry and the technology for the control of mobile/stationary source of indoor air pollution.

Journal

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Generation and Release of OH Radicals from the Reaction of H2O with O2 over Soot

Article Publication Date

11-Mar-2022

COI Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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The annual Ireland Funds National Gala, offered Allergy Standards Ltd (ASL) a great opportunity to convene a “summit” of industry leaders to build on their shared mission of Healthier Indoor Environments.

DUBLIN (PRWEB) March 29, 2022

The ASL executive team, Dr. John McKeon (CEO), Dr. John Ryan (CSO) and Dave Morrissey (CIO) were joined by their partners, clients and friends from the American Cleaning Institute, ISSA/ The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), Vertilux, and Trane. Trane Technologies was represented by Rasha Hasaneen, who is executive director of the Center For Healthy and Efficient Spaces (CHES) where Dr John McKeon is a member of the board. Holly O’Driscoll – Founder & CEO at Ampersand Innovation and former Global Design Thinking Leader at P&G also attended.

ASL was delighted to convene this gathering of industry leaders to have an open dialogue about healthy indoor spaces and improving lives. The ASL Institute, a division of ASL, aims to identify and support key innovators to implement solutions that promote healthy indoor spaces by empowering people and delivering meaningful solutions and the gathering of like-minded industry leaders. This prestigious Washington DC gathering helped fulfil this goal.

“These high level events in Washington DC have laid the foundation stone for the ASL Institute” said Dr. McKeon. “This ‘Think Tank’ is an independent international institute dedicated to research into issues relating to health and wellness in the built environment. It will address a broad range of issues from allergy labelling on products to material science in buildings. The Institute will provide data, analysis and recommendations to policymakers, researchers, manufacturers, trade and retail associations, media and the interested public.”

“Our Vision is a world in which sources of ill health in the indoor environment are identified and not only understood, but adverse health outcomes are avoided and a healthy indoor environment is a reality for all,” said Dr Ryan, head of Strategy at ASL. “Our round table discussion at this prestigious event, demonstrates that, the Institutes strategy of; facilitating dialogue, promoting transparency and driving accountability, so we can deliver authoritative information to global audiences, is very timely.”

The Black Tie Gala Dinner, attended by the US President, was the capstone event of a very successful Trade Mission for ASL in the U.S. As part of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, they attended a reception by the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland with the Consulate General of Ireland to launch the US-Ireland Business Report 2022 as well as the Irish America Magazine’s annual Business lunch, which honors the best and the brightest Irish-American leaders, representing some of the most innovative and influential companies in the world.

Key business meetings of the trade mission included that with lab partners SGS where a tour of their world class facilities marked an expansion of their existing partnership. Continuing and future collaboration with clients 3M in their global headquarters in Minneapolis and innovation workshops with Trane in North Carolina were just some of the many other events on the agenda, including a visit to the CPI Innovation Centre in Michigan that was facilitated by GBAC.

ASL also attended trade meetings and medical conferences on their trip. The multi-stakeholder nature of ASL’s strategy means that building relationships with trade associations such as the National Association of Home Builders and with medical groups like the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology – AAAAI as well as key thought leaders such as the Global Biorisk Advisory Council and with EEBA are imperative to improving health and wellness for all in the built environment.

For press materials, interview quotes, and high-resolution photography for ASL and more information about the ASL Institute, please contact Allergy Standards.

ASL Wrap-up Videos can be found below

About Allergy Standards

Our mantra is design thinking and innovation for the air aware consumer. As an independent, international certification company, we create peer-reviewed, scientific standards for a wide range of products and services to determine their impact on indoor air quality. ASL’s intellectual property portfolio includes unique protocols for products to be CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly®. Our mission is to improve lives by empowering people to create the healthiest possible indoor environment through science (ASL Standards), education (ASL Academy) and innovation (ASL Institute).

Healthier Air. We believe it is your human right. We Help People Breathe Healthier Indoor Air, through our Standards and our indoor Air Innovation & Research (iAIR) organisations

For the original version on PRWeb visit: https://www.prweb.com/releases/2022/MM/prweb18576168.htm

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Related Practices & Jurisdictions

President Biden’s FY23 Budget

The White House released President Biden’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2023 in late March, including a total request for $48.2 billion for the Department of Energy — representing a $6.3 billion or 15.1 percent increase from the 2021 enacted level.

The budget request can be found by clicking HERE, and a statement from Energy Secretary Granholm can be found HERE.

The House and Senate appropriations committees will soon begin consideration of the president’s request. With Democrats controlling both the House and Senate, the spending bills produced by the committees will in many ways support the president’s budget, but lawmakers in both chambers will be seeking to ensure their priorities are also represented. Fiscal Year 2023 begins on October 1, so the budget process officially must be finalized by that date; however, for many years, that deadline has slipped with the government being funded via a Continuing Resolution as the final bill is negotiated.

Senate Climate Change Task Force Proposal for Energy Independence

The Senate Climate Change Task Force met on March 29 to discuss the importance of the United States becoming energy independent through a clean energy transition. At the meeting, the task force presented a three-step, 500-day plan to end U.S. reliance on Russian energy while putting the nation on a 10-year path to transition to clean energy. The Task Force proposal would:  

• Ban all oil imports from Russia (last month President Biden banned Russian energy imports)

• Protect consumers and transition to a clean energy future by enacting the SAVE Consumers Act, which would release an equivalent to 500 days of Russian oil imports from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and invoking the Defense Production Act to support the production of clean energy and energy-efficient electric technologies. Read more on the SAVE Consumers Act HERE.

• Pass clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate measures, such as a new Climate Conservation Corps; tax credits and rebates for renewable energy, electric vehicles, heating and cooling devices, and domestic clean energy manufacturing; national climate bank funding to provide communities with access to capital to fund projects to cut dangerous emissions; and environmental justice investments to bring clean air, clean water, and clean energy to the most disadvantaged communities.

New Legislation Would Reduce Emissions from Trucking and Maritime Transport

Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) joined with Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce the Hydrogen for Trucks Act, which would incentivize heavy-duty vehicle owner-operators to purchase hydrogen trucks and fueling infrastructure, and the Hydrogen for Ports Act, which would promote the use of hydrogen-fueled equipment at ports and in shipping applications. 

A press release from Rep. Porter can be found HERE.

EPA Proposes Emissions Rule for Heavy-Duty Vehicles

On March 7, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new, stronger standards to promote clean air and reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting in model year (MY) 2027. The proposed standards would reduce emissions of smog- and soot-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) from heavy-duty gasoline and diesel engines and set updated greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for certain commercial vehicle categories. The proposed rule is the first step in EPA’s “Clean Trucks Plan” – a series of clean air and climate regulations that the agency will develop over the next three years to reduce pollution from trucks and buses and to advance the transition to a zero-emissions transportation future. The proposed revisions to existing GHG standards for MY2027 and beyond would set updated GHG emissions standards for subsectors where electrification is advancing at a more rapid pace. These sectors include school buses, transit buses, commercial delivery trucks, and short-haul tractors. In a separate action, EPA will be setting new GHG emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles as soon as model year 2030. This action will more comprehensively address the long-term trend towards zero-emissions vehicles across the heavy-duty sector.

Click HERE for more details as well as information on the public comment process.

Clean Air in Buildings Challenge

As part of President Biden’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, the EPA has launched the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge – “a call to action and a concise set of guiding principles and actions to assist building owners and operators with reducing risks from airborne viruses and other contaminants indoors.” Key actions outlined in the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge include creating a clean indoor air action plan; optimizing fresh air ventilation; enhancing air filtration and cleaning; and conducting community engagement, communication, and education.

Details on the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge can be found HERE.

©1994-2022 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. All Rights Reserved.National Law Review, Volume XII, Number 90

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The pandemic has shone a light on a problem of immense proportions that needs an urgent fix: Our crumbling school infrastructure. 

A recent report on the state of our schools from the American Society of Civil Engineers paints the bleak picture in numbers: Fifty three percent of public schools need to update or replace building systems; 41 percent report problems with their HVAC; one third use portable buildings, nearly half of which are in “poor” or “fair” condition; and 13,000 schools haven’t even assessed their facilities in the past 10 years. And despite sending 76 million children off to school each year, the U.S. inexplicably does not formally collect data on the state of school buildings, where those kids spend half their lives.

Over the past year, Congress has passed multiple bills making up to $170 billion available for improvements in school infrastructure, including measures to improve indoor air quality. More funding will also be available through the infrastructure and budget reconciliation bills. We have a once-in-generation opportunity to correct the historic underinvestment in schools that would provide benefits across three dimensions: Pandemic resilience, student and staff resilience and climate resilience.

COVID and many other infectious diseases are caused by viruses that spread through the air, with nearly all transmission occurring indoors. Building ventilation and air filtration are key to removing infectious aerosols from the air. But there is a problem: Schools were designed to bare minimum ventilation standards set decades ago. To put some numbers on this, four to six air changes per hour of “clean air” should be the target, but the current standard says three is acceptable, and in reality, the typical school only gets about half of that bare minimum.

There’s also more to good ventilation and air filtration than COVID. Study after study shows that better air leads to better student health, student thinking and student test performance. 

And there are gross inequities when it comes to indoor ventilation. In schools that are majority Black or Latinx, ventilation rates are lower than in majority white schools. Schools with a higher proportion of kids on free and reduced cost meals have lower ventilation rates than schools with predominantly higher income kids.

We should not lose sight of the fact that decades of neglect have made air quality only one of many problems caused by our poor school building infrastructure. Our schools are plagued by mold and asbestos, overcrowding and windowless rooms, undrinkable water, PCBs and other toxic chemicals in building materials, pest infestation and poor acoustics, and low-quality lighting.

Investing in our school infrastructure will also make us more resilient to climate change. From Baltimore, Md., to Columbus, Ohio to Seattle, Wash., we’ve already seen school closures due to heat just in the past few months alone. It’s a problem that’s going to get worse. Many of our school buildings in the north were built for cool climates — designed to trap and retain heat. In New York City, this year was hotter than normal, with 17 days above 90°F, but models estimate that we could have 56 days above 90°F by 2050. What will be the impact on schools and kids? Consider one study that looked at 10 years of test data from students in New York State and found that the likelihood of failing the end of year exam increased by over 10 percent if a student took the test when it was 90°F versus 72°F.

Whenever we raise the need to upgrade indoor ventilation and air filtration systems, this inevitably leads to important follow-on questions: Do healthier buildings with higher ventilation rates consume more energy? While at first glance, higher ventilation rates may seem to be at odds with energy conservation, simply tuning up a building’s ventilation and air filtration system (what is called “commissioning”) can save energy and improve air quality. We can also use energy-efficient technologies, like heat recovery ventilation, that removes stale indoor air while transferring heat to the incoming air so it’s not wasted. We need to get smarter about how and where we ventilate, leveraging smart building technology like real-time air quality sensors so we deliver air when and where it’s needed, rather than just dumping air into unoccupied classrooms and auditoriums all day.

There are evidence-based steps every school can take, including these from The Lancet COVID-19 Commission task force that focuses on safe schools: Checking HVAC systems to ensure they’re operating as designed; using real-time carbon dioxide monitors to verify ventilation performance; bringing in more outdoor air; upgrading HVAC filters; using portable air cleaners with HEPA filters; considering UV germicidal irradiation; and being extra cautious about using other technologies for which there’s less peer-reviewed evidence.

The case to upgrade our school indoor ventilation and air filtration is compelling, and yet few school districts have taken action. They’re already under attack by parents who are opposed to other pandemic-related public health measures, like masking. And many school districts lack the staffing and expertise to take this on. Infrastructure improvements take time, and school districts need to spend American Rescue Plan funding by 2024. Many believe that their school buildings are too old and not designed to allow for recommended upgrades. Moreover, ventilation and air filtration, in particular, are largely invisible. Upgrading a school’s HVAC system isn’t as sexy as paying for technology upgrades, staffing and lunch for all students.

The money to upgrade our school infrastructure is there. However, none of the bills passed by Congress includes any specific guidance or standards for schools to follow, so it is very confusing for school districts. Just as the Biden administration is deploying federal strike teams to help health facilities scale up treatment with monoclonal antibodies for COVID, we need federal school infrastructure strike teams. These strike teams could help school districts assess their infrastructure; come up with plans to upgrade their buildings and HVAC systems; solicit input from staff, parents, students and community; contract with local vendors to get the work done; and create indoor air quality, water quality and energy efficiency dashboards to improve accountability and make the invisible visible.

Is it all too much, trying to overhaul neglected school infrastructure to create healthy and green school buildings across the country that will be buffered against the next pandemic or crisis? This pandemic has already cost the nation tens of trillions of dollars. What if we spent even a fraction of a decimal point preparing for the nation’s future — our children’s future?

Joseph Allen, DSc, MPH, is associate professor and director of the healthy buildings program at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and co-author of the book, “Healthy Buildings.” Twitter: @j_g_allen

Céline R. Gounder, MD, ScM, is an internist, infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at the N.Y.U. Grossman School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital. She is the host of the “Epidemic” podcast and served on the Biden transition COVID advisory board. Twitter: @celinegounder

The Hill has removed its comment section, as there are many other forums for readers to participate in the conversation. We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.

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Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, Babson College has prioritized the health and safety of its community and the continuity of academic excellence of its students.

As it has navigated the challenges of the pandemic to meet those objectives, Babson has been supported by Environmental Health & Engineering Inc. (EH&E) since the summer of 2020. The expert consultants have advised on an integrated approach to emergency preparedness, with guidance that combines insight into building systems, public health, and safety protocols. EH&E has identified and supported Babson in tracking indicators that have helped guide the College’s COVID-19 response and communications.

As Babson and the world begin to move out of the emergency management phase of the COVID pandemic, we asked two EH&E experts about what may come next. Will Wade, CIH, is a certified industrial hygienist and principal consultant at EH&E, helping clients solve and respond to their most urgent and important environmental challenges. And, Kathleen Brown, ScD, is a doctor of science and a senior scientist at EH&E, whose public health experience spans roles as a scientist, consultant and policy analyst, city environmental planner, and member of the Board of Health for Needham, Massachusetts.

Since the start of the pandemic two years ago, Babson College has prioritized safeguarding the health and safety of the community and continuing academic excellence. How has the College performed in meeting those objectives?

Kathleen Brown, ScD, is a doctor of science and a senior scientist at EH&E.

Brown: “First and foremost, Babson was able to minimize and manage cases on its campus while providing in-person educational programming, athletics, and social activities for the campus community. Babson remained within the metrics of peer colleges, which consistently showed lower case rates than the surrounding communities. At the same time, Babson really maximized in-person learning, even when some of its peers were committed to full-remote learning. Babson also maintained a strong balance for providing mental health and social support for its students, while remaining cautious with regard to COVID. I think Babson was ahead of the curve on that, although other schools have started to think about this more in recent months.”

What are the biggest factors in keeping the community healthy?

Wade: “Using multiple strategies, often called layers of control, is the best way to control COVID-19 on a campus. This is what Babson did effectively. You have to understand the virus and how it spreads. You have to understand building systems and how they operate in order to implement effective ventilation controls. You also need to understand other controls, such as symptom monitoring, testing, and isolation/quarantine procedures, to effectively use layers of control.

Brown: “And, from the public health perspective, you need to understand disease patterns and case rates. This is where a fully integrated approach to creating a COVID response, with input from a variety of disciplines, has served Babson well.”

“Babson also maintained a strong balance for providing mental health and social support for its students, while remaining cautious with regard to COVID. I think Babson was ahead of the curve on that.”
Kathleen Brown, ScD, doctor of science and senior scientist at EH&E

What process and metrics does Babson College and EH&E use to make decisions and changes to campus protocols?

Wade: “Babson has been tracking a breadth of metrics. The College has public-facing test information available, but it also is tracking a number of other metrics, such as the inventory of isolation and quarantine spaces on campus, critical staffing levels, the inventory of masks and cleaning supplies, and so on. We continue to help monitor the community spread through public health indicators. Some of that is shifting away from case rates and to different indicators such as hospitalizations and even relying more upon wastewater data as the pandemic evolves.”

Brown: “The other thing Babson has tracked well is where cases might have been related on campus. The College would see a rise in cases around certain groups that might be indicative of certain needs or on-campus gatherings. This allowed Babson to respond with targeted approaches, such as messaging to specific groups. We are also monitoring policies at other colleges and how Babson’s reaction fits in. Babson has met regularly with the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, a consortium of colleges, to discuss other colleges’ response approach. Internally at Babson, leaders still meet daily in various subgroups to identify changing needs. Babson follows the practice of using metrics to inform decisions, but ultimately people make those decisions using timely and thorough information.”

The recommendations and guidelines at the federal and state levels are continually evolving. How does EH&E track the changes and make recommendations for Babson?

Will Wade, CIH, is a certified industrial hygienist and principal consultant at EH&E.

Wade: “The guidance that is published by the state and the federal government gets an organization maybe 75% of the way to a safe, effective COVID response. We help bridge the remaining gap. It’s largely about having clear priorities in place and creating the appropriate layers of control to ensure those activities are done safely. For Babson, in-person learning has been a priority from the beginning, and so, we’ve helped make recommendations toward this end.”

Brown: “We have closely followed the scientific literature, which is happening in all kinds of places, not just scientific journals—the wait for peer-reviewed studies would be too long to support COVID response. In addition, we have been tracking trends in cases and policies in Europe and other parts of the U.S. to indicate trends throughout the pandemic. We’ve used a range of methods to anticipate recommendations by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and meet state guidance.”

What is the role of masks and other mitigation efforts on a campus in which everyone is required to be vaccinated and boosted?

Brown: “The use of masks in public settings, such as college campuses, has been rapidly evolving. Many colleges and universities are re-evaluating their use of masks for their populations. CDC is revising its guidance for higher education to be more comparable to its revised community-level indicators, which have impacted personal decisions to mask and have had policy implications for schools and government decision-makers. As we gauge the seasonality of COVID-19, there will be a need to continue to monitor and evaluate metrics and changes to CDC guidance for higher education in the coming months.”

Wade: “It has been appropriate to manage our lives around COVID because of the associated risks, particularly before vaccines were available. Now, for most people who are up to date with their COVID vaccination, the risk of serious illness and death from COVID is well below the risks of normal daily pre-pandemic activities, such as driving. I think it is appropriate now to manage COVID less as an emergency and more as a recurring and potentially seasonal infection comparable to other respiratory viruses.”

“For Babson, in-person learning has been a priority from the beginning, and so, we’ve helped make recommendations toward this end.”
Will Wade, CIH, certified industrial hygienist and principal consultant at EH&E

As we move out of the emergency management phase of the COVID pandemic, what are the key practices that organizations may need to keep in place as part of a longer-term health strategy?

Wade: “I think there must be more agreement that individuals should stay home if sick. We don’t want anyone to send a sick child to daycare or school or go to work if they don’t meet the criteria. Good ventilation and filtration indoors remain important for indoor air quality. This includes ensuring that HVAC systems are installed properly and tested.”

Brown: “Definitely, stay home when sick. Get vaccinated and keep up with boosters as recommended by the CDC. Good ventilation will be important, as will good design in the future. In terms of the future of COVID testing, many higher education institutions are moving away from required full campus asymptotic testing as we move out of the emergency phase of the pandemic. COVID is not going away, but more targeted testing approaches will focus on symptomatic cases. In addition, use of at-home rapid tests is an important measure to assist community members in preventing spread on campus. Maintaining a testing infrastructure on campus will also allow Babson to ramp up testing, if conditions in the community change.”

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