Personal exposure measurements of school-children to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in winter of 2013, Shanghai, China

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to perform an exposure assessment of PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter) among children and to explore the potential sources of exposure from both indoor and outdoor environments.MethodsIn terms of real-time exposure measurements of PM2.5, we collected data from 57 children aged 8–12 years (9.64 ± 0.93 years) in two schools in Shanghai, China. Simultaneously, questionnaire surveys and time-activity diaries were used to estimate the environment at home and daily time-activity patterns in order to estimate the exposure dose of PM2.5 in these children. Principle component regression analysis was used to explore the influence of potential sources of PM2.5 exposure.ResultsAll the median personal exposure and microenvironment PM2.5 concentrations greatly exceeded the daily 24-h PM2.5 Ambient Air Quality Standards of China, the USA, and the World Health Organization (WHO). The median Etotal (the sum of the PM2.5 exposure levels in different microenvironment and fractional time) of all students was 3014.13 (μg.h)/m3. The concentration of time-weighted average (TWA) exposure of all students was 137.01 μg/m3. The median TWA exposure level during the on-campus period (135.81 μg/m3) was significantly higher than the off-campus period (115.50 μg/m3, P = 0.013 < 0.05). Besides ambient air pollution and meteorological conditions, storey height of the classroom and mode of transportation to school were significantly correlated with children’s daily PM2.5 exposure.ConclusionsChildren in the two selected schools were exposed to high concentrations of PM2.5 in winter of 2013 in Shanghai. Their personal PM2.5 exposure was mainly associated with ambient air conditions, storey height of the classroom, and children’s transportation mode to school.

Difference in ambient-personal exposure to PM2.5 and its inflammatory effect in local residents in urban and peri-urban Beijing, China: results of the AIRLESS project

“…China and India where mean ambient PM 2.5 concentration >70 μg m −3 ) usually observed an equal or lower personal exposure levels compared to ambient concentrations, and the P/A ratio of the exposure to PM 2.5 fell within a relatively narrow range of 0.8 to 1.4. 15,26,29,30,35 In line with previous findings of the literature, we show P/A ratios stabilize at 0.4 at increasing ambient concentration.…”

“…The quantification of the personal PM 2.5 exposure and ambient PM 2.5 concentration at the same time has been investigated in many studies. 13,15,16,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] In most of the European and American cities where mean ambient PM 2.5 concentration <35 μg m −3 , personal exposure to PM 2.5 was generally higher than ambient levels, with P/A ratios varying from 1.2 to 4.2. 13,16,25,27,31,33,34 By contrast, the studies carried out in highly polluted areas (e.g.…”

Do cognitive and non-cognitive abilities mediate the relationship between air pollution exposure and mental health?

“…Individual daily activities and social behaviors are influenced by air pollution. Some researchers found smog alerted individual outdoor activities mode [44,45]. Air pollution was associated with increased defensive expenditures in private protective tools in China [5–8].…”

Chemical Compositions and Source Analysis of PM2.5 during Autumn and Winter in a Heavily Polluted City in China

“…In this study, the mass concentrations of PM2.5 ranged from 20.7 μg/m 3 (11 January) to 237.2 μg/m 3 (17 January), with an average of 83.5 (Standard deviaton: 49.59) μg/m 3 , which is higher than the secondary limit of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of PM2.5 (75 μg/m 3 ). As shown in Table S1, the mass concentrations of PM2.5 were found to be lower than those in north China, such as Lanzhou [12], Xi'an [42], Beijing [43], as well as one previous study on Jinan [19], but higher than those in south cities, such as Nanjing [44].…”