Personal exposure to equivalent black carbon in children in Milan, Italy : Time-activity patterns and predictors by season
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2021
Citazione:
Personal exposure to equivalent black carbon in children in Milan, Italy: Time-activity patterns and predictors by season / L. Boniardi, E. Dons, F. Longhi, C. Scuffi, L. Campo, M. Van Poppel, L. Int Panis, S. Fustinoni. - In: ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION. - ISSN 0269-7491. - 274(2021), pp. 116530.1-116530.11.
Abstract:
Air pollution is a global threat to public health, especially when considering susceptible populations, such as children. A better understanding of determinants of exposure could help epidemiologists in refining exposure assessment methods, and policy makers in identifying effective mitigation interventions. Through a participatory approach, 73 and 89 schoolchildren were involved in a two-season personal exposure monitoring campaign of equivalent black carbon (EBC) in Milan, Italy. GPS devices, time-activity diaries and a questionnaire were used to collect personal information. Exposure to EBC was 1.3 ± 1.5 μg/m3 and 3.9 ± 3.3 μg/m3 (mean ± sd) during the warm and the cold season, respectively. The highest peaks of exposure were detected during the home-to-school commute. Children received most of their daily dose at school and home (82%), but the highest dose/time intensity was related to transportation and outdoor environments. Linear mixed-effect models showed that meteorological variables were the most influencing predictors of personal exposure and inhaled dose, especially in the cold season. The total time spent in a car, duration of the home-to-school commute, and smoking habits of parents were important predictors as well. Our findings suggest that seasonality, time-activity and mobility patterns play an important role in explaining exposure patterns. Furthermore, by highlighting the contribution of traffic rush hours, transport-related microenvironments and traffic-related predictors, our study suggests that acting on a local scale could be an effective way of lowering personal exposure to EBC and inhaled dose of children in the city of Milan.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Black carbon; Children; Exposure modelling; Participatory research; Personal monitoring; Time-activity pattern; Carbon; Child; Cities; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Italy; Particulate Matter; Seasons; Air Pollutants
Elenco autori:
L. Boniardi, E. Dons, F. Longhi, C. Scuffi, L. Campo, M. Van Poppel, L. Int Panis, S. Fustinoni
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