Abstract
Our study aimed to explore the contribution of transportation activities to environmental noise levels near an international airport. A-weighted equivalent and maximum noise levels (LAeq, 6hr; LAmax, 6hr; LAeq, 1hr) were monitored at six different locations characterized by their varying proximity to transportation sources. The values for LAeq, 6hr were in the range of 55.3 to 75.6 dBA, and LAmax, 6hr were 4.1 to 9.1 dBA higher than their respective LAeq, 6hr values. Standard deviations were low across all sites and indicators (0.20-1.83 dBA). We found that at each site measured, the WHO’s noise exposure guidelines of 55 dBA were exceeded, including sites located in residential areas or near a school. In one residential area near the airport (but away from other transportation sources), noise levels were 63.1 dBA. In another residential area closer to the airport, the contribution of airport noise to environmental noise was estimated to be 72.3 dBA, which is roughly as high as the contribution of two other transportation sources (highway and railway) in this area. In proximity to the Montreal International Airport, noise levels may have been elevated by airport operations and by noise from flights, the latter of which likely has a weaker effect on, and the former of which is unlikely to contribute to, noise levels at locations farther from the airport. At farther distances however, aircraft passages raised noise levels to a greater extent above those levels when no flight was passing, reflecting a sporadic quality of aircraft noise.
Highlights
An exposure quantification of urban pollutants is an important step in understanding the risks associated with their sources
Our main findings were that noise levels were above optimal levels at each of the sites measured and that airport noise may contribute to a large portion of environmental noise in residential areas, roughly as much as two other transportation sources combined
Residential housing already exists within the noise exposure forecast (NEF) 30 zone of the Montreal International Airport; 2,150 persons were residing within this zone in 2009 (Boeing, 2011)
Summary
An exposure quantification of urban pollutants is an important step in understanding the risks associated with their sources. One such pollutant, environmental noise, has been linked with several non-auditory malaises in both children and adults, including cognitive impairment (Stansfeld, Hygge, Clark, & Alfred, 2010), cardiovascular effects (Stansfeld & Crombie, 2011; Haralabidis et al, 2008), sleep disturbance (Perron, Tétreault, King, Plant, & Smargiassi, 2012) and annoyance (Passchier-Vermeer & Passchier, 2000). The noise sources contributing to the most widespread health effects in people tend to be related to transportation activities, namely road, rail and air traffic. A greater understanding of each source’s contribution to exposure levels is needed to better assess the health response in people
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