Ambient Particulate Matter and Urban Soccer Fields

Abstract

Particulate matter (PM) inhalation has been implicated in lung damage and airway hyperreactivity. PM less than 1 um diameter (PM1) is most toxic, and PM1 accounts for over ninety percent of the total particle count from automotive and truck emissions. Reduced resting lung function is associated with chronic PM1 exposure and acute pulmonary responses occur from short-term exposure. PM1 levels of 20,000 particles per cm3 have been reported to have toxic effects. However, few studies examining air pollution and respiratory health have reported specific pollutant concentrations. PURPOSE: To document daily air quality on a college soccer field in close proximity to a major highway. METHODS: PM1 counts were measured on a college soccer field at 12 different field locations to determine the rate of particle count decay across the playing field. Daily fluctuations in PM1 were determined over 62 days. Ozone, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide were measured. RESULTS: Mean daily PM1 count was 71,056±50,628 particles per cm3 (range 7,251–203,469). Eighteen days had particle counts greater than 100,000 particles per cm3 and only 11 days had counts below 20,000 particles per cm3. Particle counts across the soccer filed away from the major highway followed a logarithmic decay from 133,900±14,500 to 33,800±3,330 particles per cm3 (R2 = 0.95). Ozone concentration was 0.106±0.047 ppm (range 0.02–0.25), carbon monoxide was 0.33±1.87 ppm (range 0–27.5), nitrogen dioxide was at undetectable levels. CONCLUSION: Particle counts at athletic fields in close proximity to major traffic areas may present significant health risks to exercising athletes since particle deposition increases in proportion to minute ventilation and deposition fraction nearly doubles from rest to intense exercise.