Chemical exposure and brain development: Researchers set to study effects

EPA awards more than $3 million to researchers

The goal of the studies is to improve
chemical safety: EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $3 million in grants to research institutions to better understand how chemicals interact with biological processes and how these interactions may lead to altered brain development.

The studies are focused on improving EPA’s ability to predict the potential health effects of chemical exposures.

“This research will transform our understanding of how exposure to chemicals during sensitive lifestages affects the development of the brain,” said Lek Kadeli, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

“By better predicting whether chemicals have the potential to impact health and human development, these grants will not only advance the science necessary to improve chemical safety but protect the well being and futures of children in this nation.”

These grants focus on developing better adverse outcome pathways (AOPs), which are models that predict the connection between exposures and the chain of events that lead to an unwanted health effect.

AOPs combine vast amounts of data from different sources to depict the complex interactions of chemicals with biological processes, and then extend this information to explain an adverse health effect.

EPA expects to use the knowledge gained from this research to develop efficient and cost-effective models to better predict if and how exposure to environmental chemicals may lead to developmental neurotoxicity.

Recipients of EPA’s funding for developmental neurotoxicity adverse outcome pathway research include:

1. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.
2. The University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
3. University of California, Davis, Calif.
4. Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, Calif.

These awards are advancing the science and technological capability to model and predict how chemicals behave when they come into contact with biological systems.

This improved understanding supports the Agency’s mission of protecting human health and the environment and amplifies the impact of its chemical safety research efforts.

EPA’s chemical safety research is accelerating the pace of chemical screening, helping to protect vulnerable populations and species, developing solutions for more sustainable chemicals and using computational science to understand the relationship between chemical exposures and health outcomes.

Source: EPA

Are you working with hazardous chemicals and worry how it may affect you and your family? Employers are required to protect workers from chemical hazards with adequate source control, protective equipment, education, ventilation and air cleaning measures. Electrcocorp offers reliable and efficient industrial air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA to remove hazardous chemicals, fumes, odors and particles from the ambient air. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

EPA stresses a healthy environment in schools

Poor indoor air quality impacts students as well as
teachers and school staff, experts warn.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has long been a promoter of good indoor air quality in schools as well as greener administration practices, and helps schools make changes for the better with their Tools for Schools guidance.

In a recent webinar on Green Ribbon Schools (GRS), a US Department of Education project, experts demonstrated why indoor air quality is so important for a healthy school environment as well as for academic success.

Environmental health is one of the main pillars of GRS, and focuses on integrated pest management (employing healthier alternatives to pesticides), ventilation and contamination controls of indoor air pollutants such as chemicals, tobacco smoke, mold, radon and more.

IAQ often overlooked

According to the webinar experts, indoor air quality can affect the students, teachers’ and administrators’ health, comfort and ability to perform.

IAQ is a major component of the school’s physical environment that is the most easily overlooked, they said.
In schools, IAQ should always be a priority because children are more vulnerable to environmental pollution.

Indoor air pollution can cause or aggravate asthma.

They breathe more air than adults in relation to their body size and their immune systems and organs are still developing.

Health effects of poor IAQ can be immediate or long-term. For example, many indoor air pollutants can cause or trigger asthma, or aggravate the symptoms.

With one out of every 10 school children suffering from asthma, the missed school days also affect their overall performances.

Academic performance linked to IAQ

The experts cited scientific evidence that showed how improved indoor air quality increases productivity, the ability to concentrate and recall information and can reduce respiratory illnesses.

It can also save schools money, as better academic performances may mean increased funding for the district. A healthy school environment in a well-maintained school also means fewer costly, major repairs have to be done. Schools also have to spend less on substitute teachers, if there are fewer health-related absences.

The experts gave the following tips for schools:

• Change the HVAC filters regularly
• Fix water infiltration problems immediately to avoid mold and mildew
• Implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices
• Keep rooms clean and free of clutter
• Store hazardous products safely
• Ban idling vehicles outside
• Use healthy cleaning agents and materials
• Conduct regular inspections

Source: EPA

Air cleaners for schools, daycares and universities

Children and staff need to be protected from indoor air pollutants. Aside from making the changes outlined above, learning institutions can use affordable and portable air cleaners to help provide cleaner and healthier air.

Electrocorp’s air cleaners for schools and universities feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter for chemicals, gases, odors and fumes, a HEPA filter for particles, dust and pollen, and optional UV germicidal filtration for biological contaminants such as mold, bacteria and viruses.

The air cleaners can be placed in individual classrooms, or they can be attached to existing HVAC systems.

For more information, contact Electrocorp at 1-866-667-0297.

Universities, colleges ponder smoking bans on campuses

Tobacco smoke is not the only indoor air pollutant
affecting students, faculty and staff.

Almost half of campuses in the United States are considering bans on tobacco in all its forms, or have already enacted such policies, according to a recent AP article in the Washington Post.

That means not only is smoking not allowed inside the buildings, but it may be banned from the entire campus as well.

Despite opposition from student smokers and some staff and faculty members, the bans are perhaps a natural result of the mounting evidence presented by researchers about the dangerous effects of tobacco smoke and secondhand smoke exposure.

The main reasons speaking for such bans are:

• Health risks
• Reduced costs of smoke-free dorms and facilities
• Minimizing enticements to form a dangerous lifelong habit

Universities in California, New York and Missouri are planning tobacco bans in the near future.

The surgeon general’s report for 2012 identified the ages of 18-26 as the most critical for young people to start smoking and become lifelong users.

About a quarter to a third of college students smoke, studies show.

However, campus tobacco bans have gained popularity across the nation, growing from pretty much zero a decade ago to more than 700 today.

Source: Washington Post

Improving indoor air quality in universities and schools

The ban on tobacco products is a good first step, but many universities, colleges and schools still suffer from poor indoor air quality, which can impede the students’ ability to retain information, lower their productivity and affect everyone’s health and well-being.

The air in the learning institutions often contains mold spores, dust, pollen, chemicals, VOCs, odors and other irritants, which can be removed by Electrocorp’s air cleaners for schools and universities.

The air cleaners feature the most complete air filtration system with activated carbon and HEPA as well as optional UV germicidal filtration to be able to tackle of all of the aforementioned pollutants.

Electrocorp has worked with hundreds of universities across North America, providing air cleaners to classrooms, laboratories, welding labs, office/administrative tracts, libraries and archives, painting and art studios as well as other environments.

For more information, contact Electrocorp.

Simple ways to improve IAQ in educational facilities

Educational facilities are in need of
improved indoor air quality.

With roughly one fifth of the U.S. population spending their days in educational facilities such as schools, day care and child care settings, universities and the like, experts are warning about the effects poor indoor air quality can have on students and teachers.

Studies have linked indoor air pollution with health risks and problems such as asthma, nausea, fatigue, headaches and other respiratory conditions.

By subjecting the student population as well as staff at educational facilities to poor indoor air quality, the polluted air can affect the health and well-being, concentration, attendance rates and student and staff performance.

Be aware of indoor air pollutants

Just because you can’t see or smell something, it doesn’t mean the air is clean.

In fact, any indoor environment will be polluted with biological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and mold, allergens and dust particles, chemical and gaseous pollutants coming from building materials, paints, cleaning agents, inks, arts and crafts materials and more.

Take simple steps to improve the indoor air quality

1. Reduce chemical pollutants: High-efficiency room air filters with activated carbon provide a quick and simple way to remove gaseous pollutants. Switch to low emission cleaning products and avoid introducing more chemicals into the rooms as much as possible.
   


2. Control humidity: High humidity levels can lead to active mold growth and helps mildew, bacteria and dust mites to thrive. Keeping the humidity under 51 percent with the help of dehumidifier systems and using a room air filter with a medical-grade HEPA or UV germicidal filtration can help keep these types of contaminants under control.


3. Counter carbon-dioxide: A lack of proper ventilation and fresh air supply to students and staff has profound negative effects on their ability to concentrate and retain information. Make sure the ventilation systems are adequate, and that an adequate amount of fresh air is introduced into the different rooms.


4. Reduce allergens and asthmagens: A growing number of children are suffering from asthma and asthma-related school absences are common. High-efficiency air purifiers with HEPA and UV germicidal filtration can capture common asthma triggers such as pet dander (brought in on kids- clothing), roaches, dust mites and mold.



Electrocorp's RAP Series:
Powerful air cleaners

Source: Buildings.com

Choose the best all-in-one solution

Electrocorp specializes in high-efficiency, portable or HVAC-compatible air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA filters as well as optional UV germicidal filtration and has developed a range of air cleaners for schools and universities.

With a wide variety of options, models and sizes, Electrocorp will have the right air cleaner to provide the cleanest most breathable air in any facility.

Contact Electrocorp for more information: 1-866-667-0297.