Hybrid health risk assessment model using real-time particulate matter, biometrics, and benchmark device

Abstract

Particulate matter (PM) exposure can severely impact human health. The construction industry around the world has a higher PM footprint in the environment than other industries. PM-associated health risk assessment in the construction industry has ignored critical factors, such as the real-time inhalation rate (IR) and PM concentration. This study determined the health risks associated with PM and toxic substances (TSs) generated from construction activities after considering the real-time IR measurement, which increases the accuracy of health risk assessment. Semi-automated devices, such as optical particle counters and wearable bio-monitors, as well as a benchmark device, were used to measure the PM and TS concentrations and IR. The findings highlight that the same activity on different materials has different risk levels. The highest PM concentration during the drilling was observed while drilling the M25 concrete block (4.151 mg/m3), whereas drilling the solid block emitted the least PM (1.685 mg/m3). The results reveal that the TS-associated health risk was a more accurate health risk indicator (47 times higher risk than the USEPA-recommended exposure levels) than PM-associated health risk. The findings of this study can be used as a decision-making tool as it highlights the activity level PM and TS health risk to the management personnel at construction sites. Further research can focus on producing a TS-based health risk database for high PM emitting construction activities by collecting the samples from a construction site.