Reductions in commuter exposure to volatile organic compounds in Mexico City due to the environmental program ProAire2002-2010.
We investigated commuter exposure to volatile organic compounds in the metropolitan area of Mexico City in 2011 in private car, microbus, bus, metro, metrobus, and trolley bus. A similar survey was conducted in 2002 before initiation of the ProAire2002-2010 program aimed at reducing air pollution. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene, and o-xylene were sampled while traveling during the morning rush hour in May 2011. Compared with the 2002 survey, in-vehicle concentrations were substantially lower in 2011, except for formaldehyde in microbuses (35% higher than in 2002). The reductions were 17-42% (except microbuses), 25-44%, 41-61%, 43-61%, 71-79%, 80-91%, and 79-93% for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene, and o-xylene, respectively. These reductions are considered to be the outcome of some of the actions in the ProAire2002-2010 program. In some microbuses, use of liquid petroleum gas may have increased in-vehicle formaldehyde concentrations. The reduction in predicted excess cancer incidence of commuters because of ProAire2002-2010 was estimated to be 1.4 cases/yr. In addition, if every microbus commuter changed their transport mode to bus, metro, or metrobus in the future, the estimated excess cancer incidence of commuters could be further decreased from 6.4 to 0.88-2.2 cases/year.
Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability (RISS), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan.
Naohide
N
Shinohara
National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Av. San Rafael Atlixco No. 186, Col. Vicentina, Delegación Iztapalapa, DF México CP 09340, Mexico.
Felipe
F
Ángeles
National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC), The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Av. San Rafael Atlixco No. 186, Col. Vicentina, Delegación Iztapalapa, DF México CP 09340, Mexico.
Roberto
R
Basaldud
Bonampak 56 Benito Juarez Ciudad de México 03600, México.
Beatriz
B
Cardenas
Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, 10-13 Dogo-Himata, Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture 790-8577, Japan.
Shinji
S
Wakamatsu
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D002947:Cities; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds