Vehicle interior air quality conditions when travelling by taxi.
Environ Res
; 172: 529-542, 2019 05.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30852456
ABSTRACT
Vehicle interior air quality (VIAQ) was investigated inside 14 diesel/non-diesel taxi pairs operating simultaneously and under normal working conditions over six weekday hours (10.00-16.00) in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Parameters measured included PM10 mass and inorganic chemistry, ultrafine particle number (N) and size, lung surface deposited area (LDSA), black carbon (BC), CO2, CO, and a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most taxi drivers elected to drive with windows open, thus keeping levels of CO2 and internally-generated VOCs low but exposing them to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants entering from outside and confirming that air exchange rates are the dominant influence on VIAQ. Median values of N and LDSA (both sensitive markers of VIAQ fluctuations and likely health effects) were reduced to around 104 #/cm3 and <â¯20⯵m2/cm3 respectively under closed conditions, but more than doubled with windows open and sometimes approached 105 #/cm3 and 240⯵m2/cm3. In exceptional traffic conditions, transient pollution peaks caused by outside infiltration exceeded Nâ¯=â¯106 #/cm3 and LDSA=â¯1000⯵m2/cm3. Indications of self-pollution were implicated by higher BC and CO levels, and larger UFP sizes, measured inside diesel taxis as compared to their non-diesel pair, and the highest concentrations of CO (>2â¯ppm) were commonly associated with older, high-km diesel taxis. Median PM10 concentrations (67⯵g/m3) were treble those of urban background, mainly due to increased levels of organic and elemental carbon, with source apportionment calculations identifying the main pollutants as vehicle exhaust and non-exhaust particles. Enhancements in PM10 concentrations of Cr, Cu, Sn, Sb, and a "High Field Strength Element" zircon-related group characterised by Zr, Hf, Nb, Y and U, are attributed mainly to the presence of brake-derived PM. Volatile organic compounds display a mixture which reflects the complexity of traffic-related organic carbon emissions infiltrating the taxi interior, with 2-methylbutane and n-pentane being the most abundant VOCs, followed by toluene, m-xylene, o-xylene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, benzene, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene. Internally sourced VOCs included high monoterpene concentrations from an air freshener, and interior off-gassing may explain why the youngest taxi registered the highest content of alkanes and aromatic compounds. Carbon dioxide concentrations quickly climbed to undesirable levels (>2500â¯ppm) under closed ventilation conditions and could stay high for much of the working day. Taxi drivers face daily occupational exposure to traffic-related air pollutants and would benefit from a greater awareness of VIAQ issues, notably the use of ventilation, to encourage them to minimise possible health effects caused by their working environment.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Automóveis
/
Monitoramento Ambiental
/
Exposição Ocupacional
/
Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados
/
Poluentes Atmosféricos
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2019
Tipo de documento:
Article