Journal
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
Volume 51, Issue -, Pages 116-123Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.01.039
Keywords
Ultra fine particles; Fast evolution; Respiratory exposure; Peak exposures; Regional deposition
Funding
- INAIL ex ISPESL/DIPIA/P6 Identificazione, analisi e valutazione delle conseguenze delle attivita antropiche [L4, L6]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The impact of ultrafine particles (diameters <100 nm) on human health has been addressed in many toxicological studies. It is therefore important to assess relevant respiratory exposure of the population. In this paper, aerosol number-size distribution was measured with 1 s time resolution, in a street canyon, in proximity to traffic, with the purpose of studying the fast evolution of UFP doses deposited in the respiratory system. Close to the traffic, nucleation particle concentrations increase within few seconds and decrease in tens of seconds. As a consequence, the exposure pattern, near to traffic, may be represented as a sequence of short-term peak exposures. The number of UFPs deposited for each tidal volume of air inhaled (instant UFP doses) rapidly reaches level of 10(7) particles, with maximum values for the alveolar interstitial region. For the correct estimate of short-term exposures, in scenarios involving proximity to traffic, it is therefore crucial to rely on aerosol measurements with a time resolution able to trace the fast evolution of aerosol from vehicle exhausts. When traffic levels drop, spike values of instant UFP doses are comparatively less frequent and the maxima of their size distributions shift from 10 to 20 nm (nucleation particles) to greater diameter (up to about 60 nm). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available