Characterization of tire and road wear microplastics and phthalates in inhalable PM road Dust: Implications for urban air pollution.

Road dust (RD) is a major contributor to urban environmental pollution. Among its constituents, tire and road wear microplastics (TRWMPs) and phthalates are of increasing concern due to their adverse impacts on human health and ecosystems. This study presents the first integrated analysis of TRWMPs and phthalates in inhalable PM RD, collected from industrial and residential areas in Seoul, Korea.

Enhanced Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties of Albino Cordyceps militaris: A Comparative Study With Wild-type Strain.

Cordyceps militaris is a medicinal fungus known for its immunomodulatory effects. This study compared the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of an albino strain (C. militaris SHBTQ) and its wild-type counterpart (SHQ) using ethanol extracts from their fruiting bodies.

Rethinking primary particulate matter: Integrating filterable and condensable particulate matter in measurement and analysis.

The current definition of primary particulate matter (PM) encompasses filterable PM (FPM) and condensable PM (CPM), which are evaluated using two distinct conventional measurement methods: cooling and dilution. While the cooling method exclusively considers the homogenous formation of CPM, the dilution method, closer to real-world conditions, neglects FPM characterization. To overcome this limitation, we propose a doubled-dilution system that enables the parallel characterization of both FPM and primary PM without diverting FPM from the CPM formation pathway.

Ethanolic extract from fruiting bodies of Cordyceps militaris HL8 exhibits cytotoxic activities against cancer cells, skin pathogenic yeasts, and postharvest pathogen Penicillium digitatum.

Cordyceps militaris is a well-known medicinal mushroom in Asian countries. This edible fungus has been widely exploited for traditional medicine and functional food production. C.

Analysis of VOCs Emitted from Small Laundry Facilities: Contributions to Ozone and Secondary Aerosol Formation and Human Risk Assessment.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted to the atmosphere form ozone and secondary organic aerosols (SOA) by photochemical reactions. As they contain numerous harmful compounds such as carcinogens, it is necessary to analyze them from a health perspective. Given the petroleum-based organic solvents used during the drying process, large amounts of VOCs are emitted from small laundry facilities.

α-FeO nanoparticles and hazardous air pollutants release during cooking using cast iron wok in a commercial Chinese restaurant.

Long-term exposure to fine particles (PM), ultrafine particles (UFPs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from cooking has been linked to adverse human health effects. Here, we measured the real-time number size distribution of particles emitted when cooking two served food in Chinese restaurants and estimated the emission rate of UFPs and PM. Experiments were conducted under a control hood, and both online measurement and offline analysis of PM were carried out.

Relationship between Cytotoxicity and Surface Oxidation of Artificial Black Carbon.

The lacking of laboratory black carbon (BC) samples have long challenged the corresponding toxicological research; furthermore, the toxicity tests of engineered carbon nanoparticles were unable to reflect atmospheric BC. As a simplified approach, we have synthesized artificial BC (aBC) for the purpose of representing atmospheric BC. Surface chemical properties of aBC were controlled by thermal treatment, without transforming its physical characteristics; thus, we were able to examine the toxicological effects on A549 human lung cells arising from aBC with varying oxidation surface properties.