title: Characterization of indoor diesel exhaust emissions from the parking garage of a school.
abstract: Diesel exhaust (DE) emissions from a parking garage located in the basement of a school were characterized during spring and winter using direct reading devices and integrated sampling methods. Concentrations of CO and NO2were evaluated using electrochemical sensors and passive colorimetric tubes, respectively. Elemental and total carbon concentrations were measured using the NIOSH 5040 method. Particle number concentrations (PNCs), respirable particulate matter (PMresp) mass concentrations, and size distributions were evaluated using direct reading devices. Indoor concentrations of elemental carbon, PNC, CO, and NO2showed significant seasonal variation; concentrations were much higher during winter (p < 0.01). Concentrations of the PMrespand total carbon did not show significant seasonal variation. Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.9 (p < 0.01) and 0.94 (p < 0.01) between the parking garage and ground floor average daily PNCs, and between the parking garage and first floor average daily PNCs, respectively. Since DE is the main identified source of fine and ultrafine particles in the school, these results suggest that DE emissions migrate from the parking garage into the school. Our results highlight the relevance of direct reading instruments in identifying migration of contaminants and suggest that monitoring PNC is a more specific way of assessing exposure to DE than monitoring the common PMrespfraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada. maximilien.debia@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Maximilien
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Debia
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Marie-Claude
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Trachy-Bourget
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beaudry
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal, 2375 chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montreal, QC, H3T 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neesham-Grenon
authors.affiliation: Montreal Director of Public Health, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perron
authors.affiliation: Montreal School Board, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lapointe
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D012574:Schools; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002244:Carbon
keywords: Diesel; Elemental carbon; Exposure; Number concentration; School bus; Ultrafine particles