Abstract
Particulate matter concentrations measured in railway metro systems are consistently higher than at street level (up to an indoor/outdoor ratio equal to 10), with dangerous effects for passenger health. These concentrations are mainly produced both by the mechanical friction and wear processes at the rail-wheel-brake interfaces and by the re-suspension caused by the turbulence generated by the train transit. The literature abounds in case studies dealing with the elevated concentrations and the analysis of the atomic composition of particulate matter as well as the epidemiological studies regarding the effects on human health. By contrast, the problem of reducing particulate matter concentrations was not much discussed. Starting from these considerations, the aim of this research was to investigate the PM concentrations of a “high-quality” metro system equipped with useful devices for reducing these concentrations: rubber-tyred, platform screen doors, an advanced ventilation system and a variable slope of the longitudinal profile. A measurement campaign was performed in the metro of Turin (Italy). Experimental results show that the indoor concentrations are statistically lower than those measured in outdoors; that particulate matter levels are closely correlated to the train frequency; the particulate matter concentrations measured inside trains are lower than the ones measured at station platform. From these results, it is possible to note that particulate matter concentrations measured in a “high-quality” metro system are significantly lower than the ones measured in “traditional” railways. This result is significant and poses the bases for the definition of useful interventions for retrofitting metro systems.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aarnio P, Yli-Tuomi T et al (2005) The concentrations and composition of and exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) in the Helsinki subway system. Atmos Environ 39:5059–5066
Adams HS, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ et al (2001) Fine particle (PM2.5) personal exposure levels in transport microenvironments, London, UK. Sci Total Environ 279(1e3):29–44
Bao L-M, Lei Q-T, Tan M-G, Li X-L, Zhang G-L, Liu W, Li Y (2014) Study on transition metals in airborne particulate matter in Shanghai city’s subway. Huanjing Kexue/Environ Sci 35(6):2052–2059
Campbell A (2004) Inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, and environmental exposures. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1035:117–132
Cartenì A, Cascetta F, Campana S (2015) Underground and ground-level particulate matter concentrations in an Italian metro system. Atmos Environ 101:328–337
Cascetta E, Cartenì A (2014) The hedonic value of railways terminals. A quantitative analysis of the impact of stations quality on travellers behaviour. Transp Res Part A 61:41–52
Chakrabarti B, Fine PM, Delfino R, Sioutas C (2004) Performance evaluation of the active-flow personal DataRAM PM2.5 mass monitor (Thermo Anderson pDR-1200) designed for continuous personal exposure measurements. Atmos Environ 38:3329–3340
Colombi C, Angius S, Gianelle V, Lazzarini M (2013) Particulate matter concentrations, physical characteristics and elemental composition in the Milan underground transport system. Atmos Environ 70:166–178
Delfino RJ, Sioutas C et al (2005) Potential role of ultrafine particles in associations between airborne particle mass and cardiovascular health. Environ Health Perspect 113(8):934–946
Eom H-J, Jung H-J, Sobanska S, Chung S-G, Son Y-S, Kim J-C, Sunwoo Y, Ro C-U (2013) Iron speciation of airborne subway particles by the combined use of energy dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis and Raman microspectrometry. Anal Chem 85(21):10424–10431
European Standard (2014) EN 12341/14: ambient air—standard gravimetric measurement method for the determination of the PM10 or PM2.5 mass concentration of suspended particulate matter
Foster A, Kumar N (2011) Health effects of air quality regulations in Delhi, India. Atmos Environ 45(9):1675–1683
GRIMM (2012) GRIMM EDM 180 Dust Monitor. Presented a; NAQC-EPA monitoring conference Denver, Colorado
GRIMM (2015) http://wiki.grimm-aerosol.de/index.php?title=ENVIRO-EDM180. Accessed on November 2015
GTT (2015) http://www.gtt.to.it. Accessed on November 2015
Met One Inc. (2008) EsamplerTM. Met One Inc., Grants Pass
Invernizzi A, Ruprecht R, Mazza C De, Marco G, Močnik C, Sioutas D Westerdahl (2011) Measurement of black carbon concentration as an indicator of air quality benefits of traffic restriction policies within the ecopass zone in Milan, Italy. Atmosp Environ 45(21):3522–3527
Johansson C, Johansson PA (2003) Particulate matter in the underground of Stockholm. Atmos Environ 37:3–9
Jung H-J, Kim B, Ryu J, Maskey S, Kim J-C, Sohn J, Ro C-U (2010) Source identification of particulate matter collected at underground subway stations in Seoul, Korea using quantitative single-particle analysis. Atmos Environ 44:2287–2293
Kam W, Cheung K, Daher N, Sioutas C (2011) Particulate matter (PM) concentrations in underground and ground-level rail systems of the Los Angeles Metro. Atmos Environ 45:1506–1516
Kim KH, Ho DX, Jeon JS, Kim JC (2012) A noticeable shift in particulate matter levels after platform screen door installation in a Korean subway station. Atmos Environ 49:219–223
Kwon S-B, Jeong W, Park D, Kim K-T, Cho KH (2015) A multivariate study for characterizing particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) in Seoul metropolitan subway stations, Korea. J Hazard Mater 297:295–303
Lee K, Hahn EJ, Pieper N, Okoli CTC, Repace J, Troutman A (2008) Differential impacts of smoke-free laws on indoor air quality. J Environ Health 70(8):24–30
Li N, Wang MY et al (2009) The adjuvant effect of ambient particulate matter is closely reflected by the particulate oxidant potential. Environ Health Perspect 117(7):1116–1123
Ma Y, Chen R, Pan G, Xu X, Song W, Chen B, Kan H (2011) Fine particulate air pollution and daily mortality in Shenyang, China. Sci Total Environ 409(13):2473–2477
Ma H, Shen H, Liang Z, Zhang L, Xia C (2014) Passengers’ exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and CO2 in typical underground subway platforms in Shanghai. Lect Notes Electr Eng 261:237–245
Martins V, Moreno T, Minguillón MC, Amato F, de Miguel E, Capdevila M, Querol X (2015) Exposure to airborne particulate matter in the subway system. Sci Total Environ 511(1):711–722
Martins V, Moreno T, Mendes L, Eleftheriadis K, Diapouli E, Alves CA, Duarte M, de Miguel E, Capdevila M, Querol X, Minguillón MC (2016) Factors controlling air quality in different European subway systems. Environ Res 146:35–46
McMurry PH, Zhang X, Lee QT (1996) Issues in aerosol measurement for optical assessments. J Geophys Res 101:188–197
Meng X, Ma Y, Chen R, Zhou Z, Chen B, Kan H (2013) Size-fractionated particle number concentrations and daily mortality in a Chinese city. Environ Health Perspect 121:1174–1178
Mugica-Álvarez V, Figueroa-Lara J, Romero-Romo M, Sepúlveda-Sánchez J, López-Moreno T (2012) Concentrations and properties of airborne particles in the Mexico City subway system. Atmos Environ 49:284–293
Nyhan M, McNabola A, Misstear B (2013) Comparison of particulate matter dose and acute heart rate variability response in cyclists, pedestrians, bus and train passengers. Sci Total Environ 468:821–831
Pope CA, Dockery DW (2006) Cardiovascular mortality and long-term exposure to particulate air pollution: lines that connect. J Air Waste Manag Assoc 56(6):709–742
Priest ND, Burns G, Gorbunov B (1998) Dust levels on the London underground: a health hazard to commuters. Urban pollution research centre, Middlesex University, Bounds Green Road, London, N11 2NQ
Querol X, Moreno T, Karanasiou A, Reche C, Alastuey A, Viana M, Font O, Gil J, De Miguel E, Capdevila M (2012) Variability of levels and composition of PM10 and PM2.5 in the Barcelona metro system. Atmos Chem Phys 12:5055–5076
Salma I, Weidinger T, Maenhaut W (2007) Time-resolved mass concentration, composition and sources of aerosol particles in a metropolitan underground railway station. Atmos Environ 41:8391–8405
Seaton A, Cherrie J, Dennekamp M, Donaldson K, Hurley JF, Tran CL (2005) The London underground: dust and hazards to health. Occup Environ Med 62:355–362
Spielvogel J, Hartstock S, Grimm H (2009) New methods and standards for fine dust. In: Journal of physics: conference series, vol 170
Valavanidis A, Fiotakis K, Vlachogianni T (2008) Airborne particulate matter and human health: toxicological assessment and importance of size and composition of particles for oxidative damage and carcinogenic mechanisms. J Environ Sci Health Part C Environ Carcinog Ecotoxicol Rev 26(4):339–362
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Infratrasporti.To Srl and Gruppo Torinese Trasporti S.p.A for allowing the measurement campaign in the metro line M1 in Turin (Italy) and the dissemination of results. The authors are also grateful to the anonymous referees for their precious comments and suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Editorial responsibility: M. Abbaspour.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cartenì, A., Cascetta, F. Particulate matter concentrations in a high-quality rubber-tyred metro system: the case study of Turin in Italy. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 15, 1921–1930 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1566-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1566-x