The formulation and revision of the detection methods of indoor air quality standards is an important, rigorous and delicate endeavor. The standards for indoor air quality (GB/T 18883-2022) were issued by the State Administration of Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration on July 11, 2022, and implemented on February 1, 2023 by replacing indoor air quality standards (GB/T 18883-2002). The revised standard specifies hygienic requirements for physical, chemical, biological and radioactive indicators in indoor air and the corresponding test methods. This article interpreted the revision background, drafting principles, main indicators and methods, as well as the revision basis of the standards. Recommendations for the implementation of the standards are also proposed.
Humans ; Air Pollution, Indoor/prevention & control* ; Environmental Monitoring ; Reference Standards ; China ; Air Pollutants/analysis*

Benzene, as a major indoor pollutant, has received widespread attention. In order to better control indoor benzene pollution and protect people's health, the limit value of benzene in the"Standards for indoor air quality (GB/T 18883-2022)'' was reduced from 0.11 mg/m³ to 0.03 mg/m³. This study reviewed and discussed the relevant technical contents of the determination of benzene limit value, including the exposure status of benzene, health effects, and derivation of the limit value. It also proposed prospects for the future direction of formulating indoor air benzene standards.
Humans ; Air Pollution, Indoor/prevention & control* ; Benzene/analysis* ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Environmental Pollutants ; China ; Environmental Monitoring

The formulation and revision of the detection methods of indoor air quality standards is an important, rigorous and delicate endeavor. The standards for indoor air quality (GB/T 18883-2022) were issued by the State Administration of Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration on July 11, 2022, and implemented on February 1, 2023 by replacing indoor air quality standards (GB/T 18883-2002). The revised standard specifies hygienic requirements for physical, chemical, biological and radioactive indicators in indoor air and the corresponding test methods. This article interpreted the revision background, drafting principles, main indicators and methods, as well as the revision basis of the standards. Recommendations for the implementation of the standards are also proposed.
Humans ; Air Pollution, Indoor/prevention & control* ; Environmental Monitoring ; Reference Standards ; China ; Air Pollutants/analysis*

Benzene, as a major indoor pollutant, has received widespread attention. In order to better control indoor benzene pollution and protect people's health, the limit value of benzene in the"Standards for indoor air quality (GB/T 18883-2022)'' was reduced from 0.11 mg/m³ to 0.03 mg/m³. This study reviewed and discussed the relevant technical contents of the determination of benzene limit value, including the exposure status of benzene, health effects, and derivation of the limit value. It also proposed prospects for the future direction of formulating indoor air benzene standards.
Humans ; Air Pollution, Indoor/prevention & control* ; Benzene/analysis* ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Environmental Pollutants ; China ; Environmental Monitoring

Objective: To forecast the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China by 2030 and evaluate the effectiveness of controlling risk factors based on the predictive model. Methods: Based on the relationship between the death of COPD and exposure to risk factors and the theory of comparative risk assessment, we used the estimates of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (GBD2015) for China, targets for controlling risk factors, and proportion change model to project the number of deaths, standardized mortality rate, and probability of premature mortality from chronic respiratory diseases by 2030 in different scenarios and to evaluate the impact of controlling the included risk factors to the disease burden of COPD in 2030. Results: If the trends in exposure to risk factors from 1990 to 2015 continued, the number of deaths and the mortality for COPD would be 1.06 million and 73.85 per 100 000 population in China by 2030, respectively, with an increase of 15.81% and 10.69% compared to those in 2015. Compared to 2015, the age-standardized mortality rate would decrease by 38.88%, and the premature mortality would reduce by 52.73% by 2030. If the smoking rate and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentration separately achieve their control targets by 2030, there would be 0.34 and 0.27 million deaths that could be avoided compared to the predicted numbers based on the natural trends in exposure to risk factors and the probability of premature death would reduce to 0.59% and 0.52%, respectively. If the control targets of all included risk factors were achieved by 2030, a total of 0.53 million deaths would be averted, and the probability of premature death would decrease to 0.44%. Conclusions: If the exposures to risk factors continued as showed from 1990 to 2015, the number of deaths and mortality for COPD would increase by 2030 compared to 2015, and the standardized mortality and the probability of premature death would decrease significantly, which would achieve the targets of preventing and controlling COPD. If the exposure to the included risk factors all achieved the targets by 2030, the burden of COPD would be reduced, suggesting that the control of tobacco use and air pollution should be enhanced to prevent and control COPD.
Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Air Pollution/prevention & control* ; China/epidemiology* ; Cost of Illness ; Environmental Exposure ; Humans ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/prevention & control* ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter (PM), a major component of ambient air pollution, accounts for a substantial burden of diseases and fatality worldwide. Maternal exposure to PM during pregnancy is particularly harmful to children's health since this is a phase of rapid human growth and development. METHOD: In this review, we synthesize the scientific evidence on adverse health outcomes in children following prenatal exposure to the smallest toxic components, fine (PM RESULTS: Maternal exposure to fine and ultrafine PM directly and indirectly yields numerous adverse birth outcomes and impacts on children's respiratory systems, immune status, brain development, and cardiometabolic health. The biological mechanisms underlying adverse effects include direct placental translocation of ultrafine particles, placental and systemic maternal oxidative stress and inflammation elicited by both fine and ultrafine PM, epigenetic changes, and potential endocrine effects that influence long-term health. CONCLUSION Policies to reduce maternal exposure and health consequences in children should be a high priority. PM
Adult ; Air Pollutants/adverse effects* ; Air Pollution/prevention & control* ; Animals ; Cardiovascular Diseases/chemically induced* ; Child Health ; Child, Preschool ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endocrine System Diseases/chemically induced* ; Epigenomics ; Female ; Humans ; Immune System Diseases/chemically induced* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Maternal Exposure/adverse effects* ; Nervous System Diseases/chemically induced* ; Oxidative Stress ; Particle Size ; Particulate Matter/adverse effects* ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome/epidemiology* ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/epidemiology* ; Respiratory Tract Diseases/chemically induced* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Household air pollution from biomass fuels burning in traditional cookstoves currently appeared as one of the most serious threats to public health with a recent burden estimate of 2.6 million premature deaths every year worldwide, ranking highest among environmental risk factors and one of the major risk factors of any type globally. Improved cookstove interventions have been widely practiced as potential solutions. However, studies on the effect of improved cookstove interventions are limited and heterogeneous which suggested the need for further research. METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial study was conducted to assess the effect of biomass-fuelled improved cookstove intervention on the concentration of household air pollution compared with the continuation of an open burning traditional cookstove. A total of 36 clusters were randomly allocated to both arms at a 1:1 ratio, and improved cookstove intervention was delivered to all households allocated into the treatment arm. All households in the included clusters were biomass fuel users and relatively homogenous in terms of basic socio-demographic and cooking-related characteristics. Household air pollution was determined by measuring the concentration of indoor fine particulate, and the effect of the intervention was estimated using the Generalized Estimating Equation. RESULTS: A total of 2031 household was enrolled in the study across 36 randomly selected clusters in both arms, among which data were obtained from a total of 1977 households for at least one follow-up visit which establishes the intention-to-treat population dataset for analysis. The improved cookstove intervention significantly reduces the concentration of household air pollution by about 343 μg/m CONCLUSIONS: The biomass-fuelled improved cookstove intervention significantly reduces the concentration of household air pollution compared to the traditional method. This suggests that the implementation of these cookstove technologies may be necessary to achieve household air pollution exposure reductions. TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial project was retrospectively registered on August 2, 2018, at the clinical trials.gov registry database ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ ) with the NCT03612362 registration identifier number.
Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Air Pollution, Indoor/prevention & control* ; Biomass ; Cluster Analysis ; Cooking/methods* ; Ethiopia

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new zoonotic agent that emerged in December 2019, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This infection can be spread by asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and symptomatic carriers. SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily via respiratory droplets during close person-to-person contact in a closed space, especially a building. This article summarizes the environmental factors involved in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including a strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a building environment. SARS-CoV-2 can persist on surfaces of fomites for at least 3 days depending on the conditions. If SARS-CoV-2 is aerosolized intentionally, it is stable for at least several hours. SARS-CoV-2 is inactivated rapidly on surfaces with sunlight. Close-contact aerosol transmission through smaller aerosolized particles is likely to be combined with respiratory droplets and contact transmission in a confined, crowded, and poorly ventilated indoor environment, as suggested by some cluster cases. Although evidence of the effect of aerosol transmission is limited and uncertainty remains, adequate preventive measures to control indoor environmental quality are required, based on a precautionary approach, because COVID-19 has caused serious global damages to public health, community, and the social economy. The expert panel for COVID-19 in Japan has focused on the "3 Cs," namely, "closed spaces with poor ventilation," "crowded spaces with many people," and "close contact." In addition, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan has been recommending adequate ventilation in all closed spaces in accordance with the existing standards of the Law for Maintenance of Sanitation in Buildings as one of the initial political actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, specific standards for indoor environmental quality control have not been recommended and many scientific uncertainties remain regarding the infection dynamics and mode of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in closed indoor spaces. Further research and evaluation are required regarding the effect and role of indoor environmental quality control, especially ventilation.
Aerosols ; Air Pollution, Indoor/prevention & control* ; Betacoronavirus/physiology* ; COVID-19 ; Coronavirus Infections/transmission* ; Crowding ; Environment, Controlled ; Humans ; Pandemics/prevention & control* ; Pneumonia, Viral/transmission* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Ventilation

The prevalence of asthma in children is increasing worldwide, yet risk factors for the development of asthma is unclear. Evidence to date indicates that environmental factors are the main reason of the recent increase in the prevalence of asthma. For example, exposure to air pollution and diet as well as microbial alterations are reported as environmental factors. In addition, we should focus on the critical period of the exposure, especially pregnancy period as an important period for human development. Therefore, environmental exposure during pregnancy to tobacco smoke or air pollutants, maternal stress, obesity, and vitamin D may contribute to the development of childhood asthma. Herein, modifiable prenatal exposure, its mechanisms associated with childhood asthma and multiple intervention controlling risk factors needed during pregnancy in order to achieve primary prevention of asthma has been described.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution ; Asthma ; Child ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Diet ; Environmental Exposure ; Human Development ; Humans ; Obesity ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Primary Prevention ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Tobacco ; Vitamin D

The first national surveillance of COPD in mainland China was carried out in 2014, with the nationally representative data obtained. The national surveillance was significantly important for the monitoring of prevalence, risk factors, and changing trend of COPD among Chinese adults aged ≥ 40. The surveillance was also important in the development of national COPD prevention and control policy, the evaluation of prevention and control progress, the establishment of COPD comprehensive surveillance system, and the building of a professional COPD monitoring and prevention team. In this editorial, we briefly introduced the method and content of COPD surveillance, and reported the rate of spirometry examination and COPD awareness among adults aged ≥40 in China. We also analyzed the rate of main risk factors for COPD, such as tobacco smoking, occupational exposure to dust or chemical and indoor exposure to biomass or coal, and the distribution of high-risk population. This study provided fundamental data for the prevention and control of COPD in China.
Adult ; Aged ; Air Pollution, Indoor/statistics & numerical data* ; China/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease/epidemiology* ; Dust ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Exposure/statistics & numerical data* ; Population Surveillance/methods* ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/prevention & control* ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Spirometry ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution/statistics & numerical data*