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Inhaled particle counts along bicycle commute routes of low and high motorised traffic
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Inhaled particle counts along bicycle commute routes of low and high motorised traffic

T Cole-Hunter, L Morawska, I Stewart, R Jayaratne and Colin Solomon
Atmospheric Environment, Vol.61, pp.197-203
2012
pdf
PDF - Author's Accepted Version (Open Access)286.05 kBDownloadView
Accepted Version PDF - Author Accepted Version (Open Access) Open Access CC BY-NC-ND V4.0
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.06.041View
Published Version

Abstract

bicycle commuting motorised traffic ultrafine particles exposure concentration inhaled particle count
Frequent exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) is associated with detrimental effects on cardiopulmonary function and health. UFP dose and therefore the associated health risk are a factor of exposure frequency, duration, and magnitude of (therefore also proximity to) a UFP emission source. Bicycle commuters using on-road routes during peak traffic times are sharing a microenvironment with high levels of motorised traffic, a major UFP emission source. Inhaled particle counts were measured along popular pre-identified bicycle commute route alterations of low (LOW) and high (HIGH) motorised traffic to the same inner-city destination at peak commute traffic times. During commute, real-time particle number concentration (PNC; mostly in the UFP range) and particle diameter (PD), heart and respiratory rate, geographical location, and meteorological variables were measured. To determine inhaled particle counts, ventilation rate was calculated from heart-rate-ventilation associations, produced from periodic exercise testing. Total mean PNC of LOW (compared to HIGH) was reduced (1.56 × e4 ± 0.38 × e4 versus 3.06 × e4 ± 0.53 × e4 ppcc; p = 0.012). Total estimated ventilation rate did not vary significantly between LOW and HIGH (43 ± 5 versus 46 ± 9 L·min; p = 0.136); however, due to total mean PNC, accumulated inhaled particle counts were 48% lower in LOW, compared to HIGH (7.6 × e8 ± 1.5 × e8 versus 14.6 × e8 ± 1.8 × e8; p = 0.003). For bicycle commuting at peak morning commute times, inhaled particle counts and therefore cardiopulmonary health risk may be substantially reduced by decreasing exposure to motorised traffic, which should be considered by both bicycle commuters and urban planners.

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