Determinants of Personal Exposure to PM 2.5 in Office Workers

Abstract

To determine the distribution of personal exposure to PM_2.5 concentrations in office workers and to identify the most important determinants of personal exposure to PM_2.5 concentrations, a couple of 24-h personal exposures and indoor home and office PM_2.5 concentrations were measured among 40 non-smoker adult subjects over a year. All subjects completed a Time-Microenvironment-Activity–Dairy (TMAD) and a core questionnaire that covered air quality-related characteristics of each subject microenvironments and some personal characteristics that related to personal exposure to particulate matter. Participant’s exposures to PM_2.5 concentrations were significantly higher than corresponding PM₁₀ concentrations measured by fixed site station at Bradford city centre, and there was a significant correlation between personal exposure and PM₁₀ concentrations measured by fixed site station. A stepwise multiple-regression analysis showed that the model of best fit for time-weighted average personal exposure to PM_2.5 concentrations included PM₁₀ concentrations measure by FSM, ambient temperature, time spent in a bus and time spent in a pub. This study showed a significant negative effect of ambient temperature on indoor PM_2.5 levels and personal exposures. In conclusion, outdoor PM₁₀, ambient temperature and time spent in polluted microenvironments such as pubs and buses are the most important determinants of personal exposure to PM_2.5.