Near-Roadway Exposure to Air-Pollutants: Pilot Study

Objective: Pedestrians with close proximity to roadways may experience increased exposure to traffic-related air pollution from vehicle emissions. The goal of this study is to estimate personal exposure to traffic-related air pollutants for use in epidemiological studies of the health benefits and risks of active-transportation participants (i.e., walkers, joggers, cyclists) and near-road occupations (i.e., construction, mail carrier, police officers). Methods: Personal air pollution exposure data were collected while riding five specific cycling routes that started and ended at the School of Public Health at University of Illinois at Chicago during morning commutes in fall 2012. In addition, these rides were recorded with a global positioning system-enabled video camera. Measured pollutants included fine particle matter (PM2.5) measured with a MIE Personal Data RAM for real-time measurements and personal environmental monitor samplers with high-volume SKC Leland pumps for integrated PM2.5; and carbon monoxide (CO) measured with an Easy Log USB-CO electrochemical sensor. Results: Camera malfunction prevented measuring vehicle counts on all but two rides. These two rides showed that the bicycle passed or was passed by nine to 17 cars per minute and 0.5–1.5 trucks per minute passed the cyclist. Concentrations of PM2.5 averaged 91 μg/m3 (range: 10.64–149.74 μg/m3), but CO concentrations were negligible possibly due to equipment limitations from wind turbulence. Conclusions: In general, our findings suggest air pollutants from near-road exposure to vehicle traffic are substantially higher than background measurements. In addition, our findings suggest heterogeneity of exposure measurements with varying Chicago landscapes (i.e., proximity to lakefront, highway, urban-structures). Further study is required to evaluate the exposure to near-roadway air pollutants throughout varying city landscapes.