Estimating PM levels on an underground metro platform by exploring a new model-based factor research

Abstract

Over recent decades, the adverse impacts of airborne particles on human health have received wide attention. Elevated PM concentrations on underground platforms might pose a significant public health issue within underground metro systems. This study explores the impact of introducing a new type of train on the concentration of airborne particles on an underground metro platform through statistical modelling, analyses interactions between various factors, and estimates air quality on underground platforms after introducing a new type of train. Based on the data from a long-term field measurement, a linear mixed model, the multi-factor interaction model, which is an expansion of a previous multi-factor model, explored the impacts of train operations, passenger flow, urban background PM levels, ventilation, nighttime maintenance work, and their interactions on hourly PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 values on the platform. The model results show a positive correlation between those factors and platform PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 values, with significant interactions among these factors. The new model has a higher estimate quality than the previous model. Based on the combination of the model and measurement results, the levels of underground PM decreased significantly after replacing the old type of trains with new ones.