title: On the assessment of exposure to airborne ultrafine particles in urban environments.
abstract: The aim of this study was to contribute to the assessment of exposure levels of ultrafine particles in the urban environment of Lisbon, Portugal, due to automobile traffic, by monitoring lung deposited alveolar surface area (resulting from exposure to ultrafine particles) in a major avenue leading to the town center during late spring, as well as in indoor buildings facing it. Data revealed differentiated patterns for week days and weekends, consistent with PM(2.5) and PM₁₀ patterns currently monitored by air quality stations in Lisbon. The observed ultrafine particulate levels may be directly correlated with fluxes in automobile traffic. During a typical week, amounts of ultrafine particles per alveolar deposited surface area varied between 35 and 89.2 μm²/cm³, which are comparable with levels reported for other towns in Germany and the United States. The measured values allowed for determination of the number of ultrafine particles per cubic centimeter, which are comparable to levels reported for Madrid and Brisbane. In what concerns outdoor/indoor levels, we observed higher levels (32 to 63%) outdoors, which is somewhat lower than levels observed in houses in Ontario.
authors.affiliation: IBB-Instituto de Biotecnologia e Bioengenharia/Instituto Superior Técnico-Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. jgomes@deq.isel.ipl.pt
authors.forename: João Fernando Pereira
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: João Carlos Moura
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bordado
authors.forename: Paula Cristina Silva
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008954:Models, Biological; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D011174:Portugal; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000187:drug effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014504:Urban Health; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions