Monitoring Excess Exposure to Air Pollution for Professional Drivers in London Using Low-Cost Sensors

oleh: Louise Bøge Frederickson, Shanon Lim, Hugo Savill Russell, Szymon Kwiatkowski, James Bonomaully, Johan Albrecht Schmidt, Ole Hertel, Ian Mudway, Benjamin Barratt, Matthew Stanley Johnson

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2020-07-01

Deskripsi

In this pilot study, low-cost air pollution sensor nodes were fitted in waste removal trucks, hospital vans and taxis to record drivers’ exposure to air pollution in Central London. Particulate matter (PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mrow> <mn>2.5</mn> </mrow> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>10</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>), CO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, NO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, temperature and humidity were recorded in real-time with nodes containing low-cost sensors, an electrochemical gas sensor for NO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, an optical particle counter for PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mrow> <mn>2.5</mn> </mrow> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>10</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor for CO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, temperature and relative humidity. An intervention using a pollution filter to trap PM and NO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> was also evaluated. The measurements were compared with urban background and roadside monitoring stations at Honor Oak Park and Marylebone Road, respectively. The vehicle records show PM and NO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> concentrations similar to Marylebone Road and a higher NO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>-to-PM ratio than at Honor Oak Park. Drivers are exposed to elevated pollution levels relative to Honor Oak Park: 1.72 <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="sans-serif">μ</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>g m<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mrow> <mo>−</mo> <mn>3</mn> </mrow> </msup> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, 1.92 <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="sans-serif">μ</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>g m<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msup> <mrow></mrow> <mrow> <mo>−</mo> <mn>3</mn> </mrow> </msup> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and 58.38 ppb for PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mrow> <mn>2.5</mn> </mrow> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>10</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, and NO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>, respectively. The CO<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> levels ranged from 410 to over 4000 ppm. There is a significant difference in average concentrations of PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mrow> <mn>2.5</mn> </mrow> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> and PM<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <msub> <mrow></mrow> <mn>10</mn> </msub> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> between the vehicle types and a non-significant difference in the average concentrations measured with and without the pollution filter within the sectors. In conclusion, drivers face elevated air pollution exposure as part of their jobs.