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Exposure characteristics of ultrafine particles on urban streets and its impact on pedestrians

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Abstract

In order to investigate the pedestrian exposure characteristics of ultrafine particles (UFPs) on urban streets, both mobile and fixed-point monitoring experiments were conducted. A generalized additive model and a respiratory deposition dose model were used to quantify the influencing factors and potential harm of UFPs, respectively. The results showed that UFPs’ hotspots were more likely to manifest at places where vehicles tend to cluster, namely at road intersections and bus stops. The pedestrian bridge had the lowest number concentration of UFPs in comparison with the pedestrian crossing and underground passage at the same intersection. Aboveground, a “weekend effect” acting upon urban streets and evidence for periodicity at the intersections were found. The UFPs’ number concentration was comprehensively explained—about 62.7% of its variation—by traffic volume, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity. The UFPs were mainly deposited in the alveolar region of the respiratory system, but the deposition doses of males exceeded those of females under the same conditions. Based on these findings, the study also provides appropriate suggestions for better managing traffic pollution sources, traffic infrastructure, and traffic organization.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank both the technicians and participating experimenters for their valuable assistance and cooperation in conducting the practical experiments.

Funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Program No. 52072045) and the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (Program No. 2020JM-225).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Transportation Engineering, Chang’an University, Yucai Road, Xi’an, 710064, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Rong He

  2. School of Automobile, Chang’an University, Chang’an Road, Xi’an, 710064, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Zhaowen Qiu

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  1. Rong He
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Correspondence to Zhaowen Qiu.

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He, R., Qiu, Z. Exposure characteristics of ultrafine particles on urban streets and its impact on pedestrians. Environ Monit Assess 194, 735 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10453-6

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