Commuter exposures to VOCs in Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA (United States)
This study examines the commuter's exposure to six gasoline-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs): benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m-/p-xylene, o-xylene, and formaldehyde. The VOC concentrations to which commuters were exposed in four different commuting modes (driving, subway, walking, and biking) in Boston, Massachusetts, are compared. The VOC concentrations in participants' homes and offices were also measured. Factors that could influence in-vehicle VOC concentrations, such as different traffic patterns, car model and vehicle ventilation conditions, were also evaluated. Driving a private car was associated with higher VOC concentrations and commuting on urban roadways resulted in the highest VOC concentrations. The use of car heaters resulted in higher in-vehicle VOC concentrations. The longer the subway commuters stayed underground, the higher their VOC exposures. The home-to-work car or subway commute represented about 10 to 20 percent of an individual's total VOC exposure for these compounds.
- OSTI ID:
- 5388019
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States) Vol. 41:12; ISSN JAWAE; ISSN 1047-3289
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ALDEHYDES
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BENZENE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXHAUST GASES
FLUIDS
FORMALDEHYDE
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
MAN
MASSACHUSETTS
MATTER
MONITORING
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
TOLUENE
URBAN AREAS
VEHICLES
VERTEBRATES
VOLATILE MATTER
WASTES
XYLENES