Abstract
Background: Epidemiologic studies of air pollution are often limited by surrogate, ambient, or modeled estimates of exposure. Personal monitoring is ideal, particularly for children who spend time in locations outside of their home including schools, playgrounds, and school buses. Aim: To conduct a field test of a novel personal sensor for measuring ultrafine particle (UFP) exposure on a panel of asthmatic children. Methods: A newly developed sensor capable of measuring exposure to UFP number concentration (p/cc) with high spatiotemporal resolution was worn by inner-city children with asthma. Personal sampling began prior to riding the school bus and continued approximately 4 hours. Real-time UFP concentration was determined for each participant’s home, school, and transit microenvironment. Participants also provided feedback regarding their experience with the sensor. Results: Recruitment is ongoing and, to-date, 7 asthmatic children have completed the field test wearing the sensor for an average of 4.25 hours during two consecutive days. GPS coordinates obtained during sensor operation allowed for the visualization of spatiotemporal exposure. Overall, average personal exposure to UFP was 19,300 p/cc. Average exposures inside schools (8,500 p/cc) were significantly less than during transit (21,000 p/cc) and at home (19,800 p/cc). Parents and children reported that, overall, the personal sensor was easy to use, rating it an average a score of 4.2 and 4.3 out of 5, respectively. Conclusions: The personal sensor is capable of measuring continuous real-time exposure to UFP with high spatiotemporal resolution. High usability scores demonstrate that the sensor is able to be worn by vulnerable children. Personal exposure to UFP was highest during transit on diesel-powered school buses and at homes where cooking, tobacco use, and other sources may contribute to indoor particle exposure. Field testing will continue with measurements of respiratory health of participants.
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