Vehicle occupant exposure to carbon monoxide

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Air and Waste; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.1992.10467104· OSTI ID:7184358

Koushki, P A; al-Dhowalia, K H; Niaizi, S A ^[1]

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1. Kuwait Univ., Sasat (Kuwait)

This paper focuses on the auto commuting micro-environment and presents typical carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations to which auto commuters in central Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were exposed. Two test vehicles traveling over four main arterial roadways were monitored for inside and outside CO levels during eighty peak and off-peak hours extending over an eight-month period. The relative importance of several variables which explained the variability in CO concentrations inside autos was also assessed. It was found that during peak hours auto commuters were exposed to mean CO levels that ranged from 30 to 40 ppm over trips that typically took between 25 to 40 minutes. The mean ratio of inside to outside CO levels was 0.84. Results of variance component analyses indicated that the most important variables affecting CO concentrations inside autos were, in addition to the smoking of vehicle occupants, traffic volume, vehicle speed, period of day and wind velocity. An increase in traffic volume from 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per hour (vph) increased mean CO level exposure by 71 percent. An increase in vehicle speed from 14 to 55 km/h reduced mean CO exposure by 36 percent. The number of traffic interruptions had a moderate effect on mean concentrations of CO inside vehicles.

• OSTI ID: 7184358
• Journal Information: Air and Waste; (United States), Vol. 42:12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
CARBON MONOXIDE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATORS
AUTOMOBILES
SAUDI ARABIA
ANIMALS
ASIA
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
MAMMALS
MAN
MIDDLE EAST
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
PRIMATES
VEHICLES
VERTEBRATES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
330702 - Emission Control- Carbon Monoxide