IAQ Research of the Month – January 2022

Summaries of the latest indoor air quality (IAQ) and COVID research

Research Summaries

Mother’s occupational exposure to indoor cleaning agents starting before or around conception and pregnancy was associated with more childhood asthma and wheeze in offspring. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Using a natural gas stove without exhaust or proper ventilation can result in unhealthy amounts of nitrogen dioxide within a few minutes, particularly in smaller kitchens. Environmental Science & Technology

Contemporary levels of lead exposure during the first 8 years of life were associated with ADHD-related behaviors, specifically aggression, hyperactivity, and conduct problems. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology 

Particles simulating SARS-CoV-2 transmitted between rooms connected by a central HVAC system, with reductions from improved filtration. The study did not look at virus viability or infectivity. Indoor Air

Gene editing was used to remove the major allergen associated with cats. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology  

Toxic trace metals were found in house dust across a large, 35-country study. Environmental Science & Technology

COVID transmission occurred across a quarantine hotel hallway with only four brief episodes of simultaneous door opening. CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal

Ventilation, filtration, and humidification substantially reduce the environmental aerosol viral load and should be prioritized to improve building health and safety. Clinical Infectious Diseases

A do-it-yourself air cleaner using MERV-13 filters and a box fan was able to achieve a high clean air delivery rate. Pre-print

At relative humidities below 50%, there was a near-instantaneous loss of infectivity in 50-60% of SARS-CoV-2. Pre-print

A passive sampler clipped to shirt collars detected the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in 8% of the community participants. Environmental Science & Technology Letters

Low indoor relative humidity favors the formation of amorphous solids on the outside of respiratory aerosols, which encapsulate and protect virions and bacteria within. This may help explain higher rates of disease transmission at low RHs for many viruses. PNAS

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Additional Resources

• Real-time IAQ readings in every single classroom in Boston Public Schools
• Nanoscale Particulate Matter and Measures of Brain Health
• Here’s where (and how) you are most likely to catch COVID – new study