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Chang L, Chong WT, Yau YH, Cui T, Wang XR, Pei F, Liu YQ, Pan S. An investigation of the PM 2.5 concentrations and cumulative inhaled dose during subway commutes in Changchun, China. Int J Environ Sci Technol (Tehran) 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37360559 PMCID: PMC10208554 DOI: 10.1007/s13762-023-04994-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Air quality in subway systems is crucial as it affects the health of passengers and staff. Although most tests of PM2.5 concentrations in subway stations have taken place in public areas, PM2.5 is less understood in workplaces. Few studies have estimated the cumulative inhaled dose of passengers based on real-time changes in PM2.5 concentrations as they commute. To clarify the above issues, this study first measured PM2.5 concentrations in four subway stations in Changchun, China, where measuring points included five workrooms. Then, passengers' exposure to PM2.5 during the whole subway commute (20-30 min) was measured and segmented inhalation was calculated. The results showed that PM2.5 concentration in public places ranged from 50 to 180 μg/m3, and was strongly correlated with outdoors. While the PM2.5 average concentration in workplaces was 60 µg/m3, and it was less affected by outdoor PM2.5 concentration. Passenger's cumulative inhalations in single commuting were about 42 μg and 100 μg when the outdoor PM2.5 concentrations were 20-30 μg/m3 and 120-180 μg/m3, respectively. The PM2.5 inhalation in carriages accounted for the largest proportion of the entire commuting, about 25-40%, because of the longer exposure time and higher PM2.5 concentrations. It is recommended to improve the tightness of the carriage and filter the fresh air to improve the air quality inside. The average daily PM2.5 inhaled by staff was 513.53 μg, which was 5-12 times higher than that of passengers. Installing air purification devices in workplaces and reminding staff to take personal protection can positively protect their health.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Chang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - W. T. Chong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Centre for Energy Sciences, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Y. H. Yau
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- UM-JAF Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - T. Cui
- Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710061 China
| | - X. R. Wang
- Mechanical Engineering College, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134 China
| | - F. Pei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Y. Q. Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - S. Pan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Built Environment and Energy Efficient Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124 China
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