Combustion By-Products and Their Health Effects—Combustion Engineering and Global Health in the 21st Century

Abstract

The 13th International Congress on Combustion By-Products and their Health Effects was held in New Orleans, Louisiana from May 15–18, 2013. The congress, sponsored by the Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and National Science Foundation, brought together international academic and government researchers, engineers, scientists and policymakers. With industrial growth, increased power needs and generation and coal consumption and their concomitant emissions, pernicious health effects associated with exposures to these emissions are on the rise. This congress provides a unique platform for interdisciplinary exchange and discussion of these topics. The formation, conversion, control and health effects of combustion by-products, including particulate matter and associated heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and environmentally persistent free radicals, were discussed during the congress. This review will summarize and discuss the implications of the data presented.

Use of biomass fuels predicts indoor particulate matter and carbon monoxide concentrations; evidence from an informal urban settlement in Fort Portal city, Uganda

“…Although cooking outdoors in this informal urban settlement was associated with higher PM 2.5 , using less or moderately polluting cooking fuel resulted in lower PM 2.5 concentrations (less polluting cooking fuel ˂ moderately polluting cooking fuel). When using traditional cookstoves, incomplete combustion of solid biomass fuels occurs due to difficulty in mixing of the solid fuel and air during burning, unlike for LPG (gas) and kerosene (liquid), leading to the release of a significant proportion of products of incomplete combustion PM 2.5 [ 10 , 60 ]. The lower concentration of PM 2.5 concentration with the type of cooking fuel is similar to a study conducted in rural Malawi that assessed the effect of cooking location and type of cooking fuel on the level of PM 2.5 [ 61 ].…”

Transformation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Formation of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals on Modified Montmorillonite: The Role of Surface Metal Ions and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Molecular Properties

“…Atmospheric particles, soil, and sediments that are co-contaminated with toxic metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have raised concerns due to their potential to cause combined adverse effects on human and ecological health. − The co-presence of toxic metals, especially some transition metals, may also change the particle properties, which, in turn, affects the transport, fate, and toxicity of PAHs and other organic pollutants. , For example, particulate matter containing chlorophenol and transition metal ions emitted from combustion sources in the atmosphere produces environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) that may increase the human health risk of developing respiratory and cardiopulmonary diseases. − These types of EPFRs could also be observed during the oxidative decomposition of aromatic compounds (e.g., catechol and dibenzofuran). , The formation of EPFRs and their ecotoxicological effects in the natural environment have attracted increasing attention from scientists and public-health decision makers. , Fly ash and particulate matter contain organic contaminants and transition metals. As such, several studies have been conducted to understand combustion-related EPFRs on metal and mineral surfaces. − The role of transition-metal oxides on organic-contaminated surfaces in the formation and stabilization of combustion-generated EPFRs has been explored. − Progress has been made in these systems to characterize the electron transfer from organic molecules, especially chloro- and hydroxyl-substituted benzenes, to the metal and silica surfaces, resulting in the formation of EPFRs. − Comparatively, only limited studies have been performed examining the formation of EPFRs and their stabilization on contaminated soils at room temperature and also under environmental conditions. − …”

“…11,12 The formation of EPFRs and their ecotoxicological effects in the natural environment have attracted increasing attention from scientists and publichealth decision makers. 13,14 Fly ash and particulate matter contain organic contaminants and transition metals. As such, several studies have been conducted to understand combustionrelated EPFRs on metal and mineral surfaces.…”

14th congress of combustion by-products and their health effects—origin, fate, and health effects of combustion-related air pollutants in the coming era of bio-based energy sources

“…The first Congress was held in 1989 at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Following the success of that meeting, the Congress was established, initially annually and later as a biennial event at locations that alternated between the USA and other countries (Dellinger et al 2008, Lomnicki et al 2014). The 14th Congress was recently held in Umeå, Sweden from June 14th to 17th, 2015, with the primary theme of 'Origin, fate, and health effects of combustion-related air pollutants in the coming era of bio-based energy sources'.…”