Abstract
Aim: The aims of this study have been to investigate the occurrence of systematic differences in the personal exposure to motor exhaust between different groups of taxi, bus and lorry drivers, and to study if these are influenced by the choice of exposure indicator. Methods: We used one indicator of the gaseous phase, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and one of the particle phase (measured by DataRAM), of the exhausts. A total of 121 drivers were included in the study: 39 taxi drivers, 42 bus drivers and 40 lorry drivers. Personal measurements were performed during one working day. Nitrogen dioxide was measured with passive diffusive samplers and particles with Data-RAM, a logging instrument using nephelometric monitoring. The instrument measures particles between 0.1 and 10 μm in size. Results: The average exposure to NO2 for lorry drivers was 68 μg/m3; for bus drivers 60 μg/m3 and for taxi drivers 48 μg/m3. For particles the exposure was 57 μg/m3 for lorry drivers, 44 μg/m3 for bus drivers and 26 μg/m3 for taxi drivers. The result remained unchanged when exposures were adjusted for variation in urban background levels of NO2 and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10). Conclusion: Lorry drivers experienced the highest exposure and taxi drivers the lowest with bus drivers in an intermediate position, regardless of whether NO2 or particles were used as exposure indicator. The levels of both NO2 and particles were higher for bus drivers in the city than for them driving in the suburbs. Using diesel or petrol as a fuel for taxis had no influence on the exposure for the drivers, indicating that the taxi drivers’ exposure mainly depends on exhaust from surrounding traffic.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Torsten Nenzén for assistance with the measurements. We also thank the City of Stockholm Environment and Health Administration, Sweden, for access to data on urban background exposure. The study was financed by Stockholm County Council.
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Lewné, M., Nise, G., Lind, ML. et al. Exposure to particles and nitrogen dioxide among taxi, bus and lorry drivers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 79, 220–226 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-005-0047-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-005-0047-6