Sidewalk pollution flows caused by vehicular traffic place children at a higher acute exposure risk

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2019 Jun;29(4):491-499. doi: 10.1038/s41370-018-0083-4. Epub 2018 Oct 15.

Abstract

The objective of this work is to study the immediate transport flows of PM2.5 diesel exhaust emissions on a city sidewalk. Under calm conditions largest direct exhaust PM2.5 diesel concentrations tend to accumulate at two preferred heights: higher ones at 200-225 cm due to truck and buses aerodynamics, and lower ones at 130-160 cm due to light vehicles. Obtained flows indicate that exhaust emissions are transported to these heights via vortices generated by vehicular traffic. The lower height vortices transporting PM2.5 direct diesel emissions place children aged between 7 and 15 at a higher acute exposure risk due to their stature. Also, the hourly averaged PM2.5 concentrations tend to accumulate nearer to the roadside. This information was obtained using a specially designed electromechanical near-surface atmospheric profiler equipped with a PM2.5 measurement instrument, a thermistor and a sonic anemometer installed on a sidewalk. Using signal analysis techniques, coherent flows of direct PM2.5 emissions and thermal information were obtained. The proposed methodology can be used to evaluate before and after urban interventions, obtain full-scale sidewalk data for exposure studies and provides criteria on where to place sidewalk measurement instruments.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Cities
  • Environmental Exposure*
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Humans
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • Particulate Matter / toxicity*
  • Vehicle Emissions / analysis

Substances

  • Particulate Matter
  • Vehicle Emissions