An approach to assess the Particulate Matter exposure for the population living around a cement plant: modelling indoor air and particle deposition in the respiratory tract

Abstract

In this paper we studied the exposure to three size fractions of outdoor particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) collected in an area influenced by a cement plant. For that purpose, three groups of population were evaluated (children, adults and retired) in two seasons (summer and winter). Outdoor measured PM concentrations, as well as physiological parameters and activity patterns of the three groups of population were used as input data in two different models. The first one was an indoor air quality model, used to elucidate indoor PM concentrations in different microenvironments. The second one was a dosimetry model, used to evaluate the internal exposure and the distribution of the different PM fractions in the respiratory tract. Results from the indoor air quality model showed that special attention must be paid to the finest particles, since they penetrate indoors in a greater degree. Highest pulmonary doses for the three PM sizes were reported for retired people, being this a result of the high amount of time in outdoor environments exercising lightly. For children, the exposure was mainly influenced by the time they also spend outdoors, but in this case due to heavy intensity activities. It was noticed that deposition of fine particles was more significant in the pulmonary regions of children and retired people in comparison with adults, which has implications in the expected adverse health effects for those vulnerable groups of population.

Walker occupancy has an impact on changing airborne bacterial communities in an underground pedestrian space, as small-dust particles increased with raising both temperature and humidity

“…In contrast to the number of walkers, minimal changes in particle numbers were observed throughout the day. Although it is common for indoor air particles to be critically influenced by outdoor air [ 28 – 31 ], underground spaces with many passageways, but no doors leading outside, appear to be an exception. Also, because the total number of bacterial viable counts was approximately 10 3−4 CFU, it is likely that most of the remaining particles were associated with inorganic dust that entered or resuspended the underground space with a minimal change.…”

Personal exposure to fine particulate matter concentrations in central business district of a tropical coastal city

“…A single particle with a particle density of 1 g/ cm 3 , geometric standard deviation (GSD) of 1.7 (for poly-disperse particles) with inhalability adjustment, and mass median diameter (MMD) were the selected particle properties. In the absence of site-specific PM data, the particle density is assumed to be 1 g/cm 3 (Hussein et al 2015;Sánchez-Soberón et al 2015). The MMD used for the model simulation was calculated separately for each particle fraction from the measured PM data ( Figure S1).…”

Bioaccumulation of Toxic Metals in Children Exposed to Urban Pollution and to Cement Plant Emissions

“…In the explored area, ground concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter of ≤ 10 µm (PM 10 ) emitted by the cement plant had been previously modeled by a 3-D Lagrangian Particle Model (SPRAY) (Rotatori and Pirrone 2012). This model is particularly fit to assess the environmental impact of industrial facilities located in complex geographical areas, where land/sea breeze and topography generate complex circulation patterns.…”

“…An increased health risk can also be present when children living in the surrounding of a cement plant are exposed to air concentration of particulate matter not exceeding the exposure limit (Marcon et al, 2014). Particulate matter vehiculates toxic metals, and children exposed to metal pollution early and chronically can accumulate negative health effects (Carrizales, 2006;Claus Henn, 2017,2016Haynes, 2015;Torres-Agustin, 2013) mainly due to oxidative damage (Pizzino, 2017;Zheng et al, 2013), and to a more significant lung deposition of fine particles, as compared with adults (Sanchez-Soberon et al, 2015).…”