SWACCS Seminar Series - Indoor Exposure
When: 19th April 2023, 14:00 - 15:00
Where: Zoom: https://liu-se.zoom.us/j/65420760194?pwd=R0xCSEhvN09KSUdtS3dvd0twZytRQT09
Meeting ID: 654 2076 0194
Passcode: 513675
Speaker: Thang Wang, Associate Professor. Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, Linköping University.
Title: “Comprehensive characterization of indoor dust chemical exposome by high-resolution mass spectrometry”.
Abstract:
In Northern Europe, we spend more than 90% of our time in different indoor settings. We are therefore constantly exposed to a mix of chemicals that could be released from building materials, interior decoration, textiles, furniture, flooring, cooking, consumer products, and more. These could include different manufactured chemicals such as polymers, colorants, binding agents, softeners, plasticizers and flame retardants, and some of these have been found to cause adverse health effects. Targeted chemical analysis is mainly used to investigate the occurrence of indoor organic contaminants, but recent years have seen the rise of the use of suspect screening and nontarget screening (SSA/NTA) using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). In this presentation, I will present results from our studies on the use of SSA/NTA to characterize the chemicals in indoor environments using indoor dust as a representative medium. Focus will be on data analysis strategies for the detection and grouping of chemical features from HRMS as well as source apportionment of identified compounds.
Speaker: Anna-Sara Claeson, Docent. Department of Psychology, Umeå University.
Title: “Individual differences in olfactory and chemesthetic sensitivity”.
Abstract:
People are exposed daily to a variety of odorous and pungent substances. For a person with severe chemical intolerance (CI) or building-related intolerance (BRI) such exposure can result in substantial suffering and reduced quality of life. Symptoms are reported in relation to low-level chemical exposures and there is currently no established dose-response relationship between exposure to certain compounds and reports of symptoms. Most of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) identified in indoor air are non-reactive and chemicals that might be more important for symptom reports require specific sampling and analytical methods and are therefore probably not included in the measurements. There is a large individual variation in the response to exposures to certain reactive compounds. Exposure-related factors such as type of compound and duration of exposure are of importance. One example is the reactive compound acrolein that induced sensory irritation in a time-dependent manner at a concentration below previously reported detection levels and at half the Swedish occupational threshold limit. Factors related to the individual such as stress or inflammation are also of importance for reports of sensory irritation due to low level chemical exposures. Further, negative affect and information about exposure also mediate annoyance and symptoms. To understand sensory irritation from low-level exposure to VOCs we must take both individual- and environmental factors into account.