title: Development and application of a methodology to identify and rank the important factors affecting in-vehicle particulate matter.
abstract: The present study adopted a two-step approach in the development of a methodology to identify and rank the important factors affecting in-vehicle particulate matter (PM). Firstly, the important factors affecting the monitored vehicular PM were identified using regression trees, considering several factors (meteorology, time-related, indoor sources, on-road, and ventilation) that could impact the vehicular indoor air quality. Secondly, the analysis of variance was used as a complementary sensitivity analysis to the regression tree results to rank the significant factors affecting vehicular PM. In-vehicle PM concentrations and sub-micron particle numbers were mainly influenced by the monthly/seasonal changes. Visibility and ambient PM(2.5) additionally influenced the sub-micron particles. Furthermore, this study emphasized the variation of the monitored vehicular PM levels under different combinations of the ranked influential factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Akhil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kadiyala
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*; D014691:Ventilation; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions