Assessment of air quality in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania subway.

Air Pollution, Exposure assessment, Indoor dust/house dust/dust, Inhalation Exposure, Particulate Matter

Journal

Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology
ISSN: 1559-064X
Titre abrégé: J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101262796

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
14 Aug 2024
Historique:
received: 21 03 2024
accepted: 01 08 2024
revised: 30 07 2024
medline: 15 8 2024
pubmed: 15 8 2024
entrez: 14 8 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Subways are popular and efficient modes of transportation in cities. However, people are exposed to high levels of particulate matter (PM) in subways. Subway air quality in the United States has been investigated in a few cities, but data is lacking on simultaneous measurement of several pollutants, especially ultrafine particles (UFP) and black carbon (BC), in combination with different size fractions of PM. The goals of this study are to assess air quality in a belowground subway and compare it with outdoor ambient levels, to examine temporal variability of PM in the subway, and to analyze the correlation between PM and BC. Particulate matter of varying sizes (PM Belowground mean PM This study showed high levels of particulate matter exposure at a belowground subway station in Philadelphia. Particulate matter levels were about 5 to 8 times higher at belowground subway station than the corresponding aboveground street level. Higher levels were also observed for UFP lung deposited surface area (LDSA), while black carbon levels showed the highest concentration at the belowground level by a factor of ten compared to the aboveground level. The study shows the need for air quality management at belowground subways to reduce particulate matter exposure for the commuters.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Subways are popular and efficient modes of transportation in cities. However, people are exposed to high levels of particulate matter (PM) in subways. Subway air quality in the United States has been investigated in a few cities, but data is lacking on simultaneous measurement of several pollutants, especially ultrafine particles (UFP) and black carbon (BC), in combination with different size fractions of PM.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVE
The goals of this study are to assess air quality in a belowground subway and compare it with outdoor ambient levels, to examine temporal variability of PM in the subway, and to analyze the correlation between PM and BC.
METHODS METHODS
Particulate matter of varying sizes (PM
RESULTS RESULTS
Belowground mean PM
IMPACT CONCLUSIONS
This study showed high levels of particulate matter exposure at a belowground subway station in Philadelphia. Particulate matter levels were about 5 to 8 times higher at belowground subway station than the corresponding aboveground street level. Higher levels were also observed for UFP lung deposited surface area (LDSA), while black carbon levels showed the highest concentration at the belowground level by a factor of ten compared to the aboveground level. The study shows the need for air quality management at belowground subways to reduce particulate matter exposure for the commuters.

Identifiants

pubmed: 39143148
doi: 10.1038/s41370-024-00711-9
pii: 10.1038/s41370-024-00711-9
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

© 2024. The Author(s).

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Auteurs

Anjum Shahina Karim (AS)

Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA.

Maeve Malone (M)

Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA.

Alex Bruno (A)

Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA.

Aimee L Eggler (AL)

Department of Chemistry, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA.

Michael A Posner (MA)

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA.

Kabindra M Shakya (KM)

Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA. kabindra.shakya@villanova.edu.

Classifications MeSH