Simulation of population-based commuter exposure to NO₂ using different air pollution models.
We simulated commuter routes and long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution during commute in a representative population sample in Basel (Switzerland), and evaluated three air pollution models with different spatial resolution for estimating commute exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as a marker of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Our approach includes spatially and temporally resolved data on actual commuter routes, travel modes and three air pollution models. Annual mean NO2 commuter exposures were similar between models. However, we found more within-city and within-subject variability in annual mean (±SD) NO2 commuter exposure with a high resolution dispersion model (40 ± 7 µg m(-3), range: 21-61) than with a dispersion model with a lower resolution (39 ± 5 µg m(-3); range: 24-51), and a land use regression model (41 ± 5 µg m(-3); range: 24-54). Highest median cumulative exposures were calculated along motorized transport and bicycle routes, and the lowest for walking. For estimating commuter exposure within a city and being interested also in small-scale variability between roads, a model with a high resolution is recommended. For larger scale epidemiological health assessment studies, models with a coarser spatial resolution are likely sufficient, especially when study areas include suburban and rural areas.
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland. Martina.Ragettli@unibas.ch.
Martina S
MS
Ragettli
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland. m.tsai@unibas.ch.
Ming-Yi
MY
Tsai
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland.
Charlotte
C
Braun-Fahrländer
Centre for Environmental Policy, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK. anazelle@imperial.ac.uk.
Audrey
A
de Nazelle
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland. christian.schindler@unibas.ch.
Christian
C
Schindler
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland. alex.ineichen@unibas.ch.
Alex
A
Ineichen
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland.
Regina E
RE
Ducret-Stich
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland. l.perez@unibas.ch.
Laura
L
Perez
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland.
Nicole
N
Probst-Hensch
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, Basel 4002, Switzerland. nino.kuenzli@unibas.ch.
Nino
N
Künzli
Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India. phuleria@iitb.ac.in.
Harish C
HC
Phuleria
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D013557:Switzerland; D014186:Transportation; D055815:Young Adult
D000393:Air Pollutants; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide