{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T19:33:13Z","timestamp":1791574393463,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,17]],"date-time":"2022-05-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1652745600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In addition to outdoor atmospheric contamination, indoor exposure to pollutants is a prime contributor to the overall human exposure, and may condition the expressiveness and severity of respiratory, cardiovascular, and allergic diseases. This situation has worsened due to COVID-19, as people have spent more time indoors to comply with social isolation and mandatory telework. The primary purpose of this study was to assess and compare indoor air quality (IAQ) in a significant sample of dwellings of workers from a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Portugal who were teleworking and their usual workplace. The levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde, particles with equivalent diameters of less than 10 \u03bcm, 5 \u03bcm, 2.5 \u03bcm, 1 \u03bcm, 0.5 \u03bcm, and 0.3 \u03bcm, and ultrafine particles, as well as the level of thermal comfort, were measured at both of the sites assessed. It was found that most of the houses studied, as well as the HEI, had good IAQ, although there were places where the concentrations of some pollutants were above the legal standards. On the other hand, a link was identified between the IAQ and the symptoms and diseases observed in the workers who participated in the study. These results offer the opportunity to make corrective interventions, thereby controlling the sources of pollutants and promoting better ventilation in order to reduce the risk for workers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19106079","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,17]],"date-time":"2022-05-17T08:34:29Z","timestamp":1652776469000},"page":"6079","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":37,"title":["COVID-19 and Lockdown: The Potential Impact of Residential Indoor Air Quality on the Health of Teleworkers"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3595-1554","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana","family":"Ferreira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental Health, Coimbra Health School, Polytechnic of Coimbra, Rua 5 de Outubro\u2014S\u00e3o Martinho do Bispo, Apartado 7006, 3046-854 Coimbra, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2628-9880","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nelson","family":"Barros","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit (FP-ENAS), Universidade Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Pra\u00e7a Nove de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1080\/00038628.2018.1461060","article-title":"Sick building syndrome: Are we doing enough?","volume":"61","author":"Ghaffarianhoseini","year":"2018","journal-title":"Archit. Sci. Rev."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"175","article-title":"Indoor air quality in sports halls","volume":"1","author":"Filipe","year":"2013","journal-title":"Occup. Saf. Hyg.-Proc. Int. Symp. Occup. Saf. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1059","DOI":"10.1590\/S0034-89102013000901059","article-title":"Exploratory study of air quality in elementary schools, Coimbra, Portugal","volume":"47","author":"Ferreira","year":"2013","journal-title":"Rev. Saude Publica"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1016\/j.egypro.2017.09.039","article-title":"A review on interactions between energy performance of the buildings, outdoor air quality pollution and the indoor air quality","volume":"128","author":"Paraschiv","year":"2017","journal-title":"Energy Procedia"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mannan, M., and Al-Ghamdi, S.G. (2021). Indoor Air Quality in Buildings: A Comprehensive Review on the Factors Influencing Air Pollution in Residential and Commercial Structure. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18063276"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Rufo, J.C., and Ribeiro, A.I. (2020, January 20). COVID-19 e a necessidade de assegurar a qualidade do ar interior. Proceedings of the Pandemia COVID-19, Proceedings of the Conference-Da emerg\u00eancia de um novo v\u00edrus humano \u00e0 dissemina\u00e7\u00e3o global de uma nova doen\u00e7a-Doen\u00e7a por Coronav\u00edrus 2019 (COVID-19), Porto, Portugal."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kim, H., Kang, K., and Kim, T. (2020). Effect of Occupant Activity on Indoor Particle Concentrations in Korean Residential Buildings. Sustainability, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/su12219201"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"OECD (2020). Productivity Gains from Teleworking in the Post COVID-19 Era: How Can Public Policies Make It Happen? Talckling Coronavirus (COVID-19): Contributing to a Global Effort, OECD Publisher."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Ferreira, A., and Cardoso, S.M. (2014). Effects of indoor air quality on respiratory function of children in the 1st cycle of basic education of Coimbra, Portugal. Occupational Safety and Hygiene II\u2013Selected Extended and Revised Contributions from the International Symposium Occupational Safety and Hygiene, CRC Press."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2022, May 14). WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines: Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide, Available online: https:\/\/apps.who.int\/iris\/handle\/10665\/345329."},{"key":"ref_11","first-page":"488","article-title":"Indoor Aerosols: A Serious Threat for Human Health","volume":"3","author":"Sarafraz","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Environ. Health Sustain. Dev."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2018.05.057","article-title":"Smart homes and the control of indoor air quality","volume":"94","author":"Schieweck","year":"2018","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2016.06.036","article-title":"Particles in different indoor microenvironments-its implications on occupants","volume":"106","author":"Massey","year":"2016","journal-title":"Build. Environ."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dib.2015.12.040","article-title":"Personal and ambient PM2.5 exposure assessment in the city of Agra","volume":"6","author":"Habil","year":"2016","journal-title":"Data Brief."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"563","article-title":"Airborne bacteria levels in indoor urban environments: The influence of season and prevalence of sick building syndrome (SBS)","volume":"5","author":"Mentese","year":"2014","journal-title":"Indoor Built Environ."},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"726","article-title":"Assessment of residential exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide (CO2)","volume":"19","author":"Mentese","year":"2017","journal-title":"Global. NEST J."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1007\/s10453-016-9462-2","article-title":"Comparison of dichloran rose bengal chlor- amphenicol and sabouraud dextrose with cycloheximide and chloramphenicol for airborne mold sampling","volume":"33","author":"Mentese","year":"2017","journal-title":"Aerobiologia"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2051","DOI":"10.30638\/eemj.2018.204","article-title":"Indoor air quality of a cafeteria with a rotor turbine ventilator (RTV) and cross-correlations between indoor air pollutants, occupancy rate, and meteorological parameters. Environ","volume":"17","author":"Mentese","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eng. Manag. J."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1177\/01436244211017786","article-title":"Window operation behaviour and indoor air quality during lockdown: A monitoring-based simulation-assisted study in London","volume":"43","author":"Tahmasebi","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Build. Serv. Eng. Res. Technol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dominguez-Amarillo, S., Fern\u00e1ndez-Aguera, J., Cesteros-Garcia, S., and Gonz\u00e1lez-Lezcano, R.A. (2020). Bad air also kill: Residential indoor air quality and pollutant exposure risk during the COVID-19 crisis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17197183"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2020.04.047","article-title":"Indoor air quality and COVID-19","volume":"191","author":"Abouleish","year":"2021","journal-title":"Public Health"},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Secretaria de Estado da Sa\u00fade e Ambiente e A\u00e7\u00e3o Clim\u00e1tica (2021). Portaria n.\u00ba 138-G\/2021, Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica. 1\u00aa. S\u00e9rie\u2013N\u00ba. 126\u20131 de Julho de 2021."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Minist\u00e9rio do Trabalho e Seguran\u00e7a Social (1986). Decreto-Lei n\u00ba. 243\/86, de 20 de agosto, Di\u00e1rio da Rep\u00fablica. 1\u00aa. S\u00e9rie\u2013N\u00ba. 190\u201320 de Agosto de 1986."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"460","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21632","article-title":"Outdoor air pollution and cancer: An overview of the current evidence and public health recommendations","volume":"70","author":"Turner","year":"2020","journal-title":"CA Cancer J. Clin."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1156","DOI":"10.4209\/aaqr.2016.05.0198","article-title":"Chemical characterization of indoor and outdoor particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) in Doha, Qatar","volume":"17","author":"Saraga","year":"2017","journal-title":"Aerosol Air Qual. Res."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1097\/EDE.0000000000000912","article-title":"Equitable Access to Air Conditioning: A City Health Department\u2019s Perspective on Preventing Heat-related Deaths","volume":"29","author":"Ito","year":"2018","journal-title":"Epidemiology"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.18639\/RABM.2019.858317","article-title":"Evaluation of air condition use and its health effects","volume":"5","author":"Eleyowo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Recent Adv. Biol. Med."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijsbe.2016.03.006","article-title":"Impact of indoor environmental quality on occupant well-bieng and comfort: A review of the literature","volume":"5","author":"Mohammed","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Sustain. Built Environ."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2018.01.042","article-title":"Indoor temperature, relative humidity and CO2 levels assessment in academic buildings with different heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems","volume":"133","author":"Asif","year":"2018","journal-title":"Build. Environ."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"21","article-title":"Caracteriza\u00e7\u00e3o da qualidade do ar interior em Portugal\u2013Estudo HabitAR","volume":"18","author":"Almeida","year":"2010","journal-title":"Rev. Port. Imunoalergol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2015.08.011","article-title":"What does the literature tell us about ventilation-health relationship in public and residential buildings?","volume":"94","author":"Carrer","year":"2015","journal-title":"Build. Environ."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"298","DOI":"10.1111\/ina.12196","article-title":"Self-reported health and comfort in \u2018modern\u2019 office buildings: First results from the European OFFICAIR study","volume":"26","author":"Bluyssen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Indoor Air"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1222","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijheh.2017.09.009","article-title":"Reactive indoor air chemistry and health-A workshop summary","volume":"220","author":"Wells","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2419","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.est.7b06387","article-title":"Indoor chemistry","volume":"52","author":"Weschler","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"719","DOI":"10.5094\/APR.2015.080","article-title":"Exposure from particle and ionic contamination to children in schools of India","volume":"6","author":"Habil","year":"2015","journal-title":"Atmos. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43322","DOI":"10.18632\/oncotarget.17313","article-title":"Relationship between exposure to PM2.5 and lung cancer incidence and mortality: A meta-analysis","volume":"8","author":"Huang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Oncotarget"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"491","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envint.2018.09.043","article-title":"Indoor air pollution and exposure assessment of the gulf cooperation council countries: A critical review","volume":"121","author":"Amoatey","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. Int."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cao, Q., Rui, G., and Liang, Y. (2018). Study on PM2.5 pollution and the mortality due to lung cancer in China based on geographic weighted regression model. BMC Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-018-5844-4"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"426","DOI":"10.1111\/ina.12749","article-title":"Association of subjective health symptoms with indoor air quality in European office buildings: The OFFICAIR project","volume":"31","author":"Sakellaris","year":"2021","journal-title":"Indoor Air"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1649","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2017.10.147","article-title":"Physicochemical risk factors for building-related symptoms in air-conditioned office buildings: Ambient particles and combined exposure to indoor air pollutants","volume":"616\u2013617","author":"Azuma","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2018.03.002","article-title":"Experimental study of a compact electrostatically assisted air coarse filter polarizig","volume":"135","author":"Tian","year":"2018","journal-title":"Build Environ."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2018.12.041","article-title":"A novel method to determine the formaldehyde emission characteristic parameters of building materials at multiple temperatures","volume":"149","author":"Zhou","year":"2019","journal-title":"Build. Environ."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2019.05.007","article-title":"Outdoor formaldehyde matters and substantially impacts indoor formaldehyde concentrations","volume":"158","author":"Liu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Build. Environ."},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"Bartzis, J.G., Canna-Michaelidou, S.C., and Kotzias, D. (2009, January 13\u201317). BUMA (Prioritization of building materials as indoor pollution sources)\u2013Project: Major key activities and project results. Proceedings of the Healthy Buildings\u20139th International Conference & Exhibition, Syracuse, NY, USA."},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans (2006). Formaldehyde, 2-Butoxyethanol and 1-tert-Butoxypropan-2-ol. IARC Monogr. Eval. Carcinog Risks Hum., 88, 1\u2013478."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"219","DOI":"10.1016\/j.buildenv.2018.12.042","article-title":"Formaldehyde sources, formaldehyde concentrations and air excange rates in European housings","volume":"150","author":"Salthammer","year":"2019","journal-title":"Build. Environ."}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/19\/10\/6079\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T23:11:40Z","timestamp":1760137900000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/19\/10\/6079"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,17]]},"references-count":46,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph19106079"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph19106079","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,17]]}}}