In-vehicle particle air pollution and its mitigation

Abstract

This work presents results of particle mass, number and size measurements inside passenger cars (PCs), vans and urban buses. Effects of the in-cabin air purifier on particle concentrations and average size inside a vehicle are studied. Use of the air purifier leads to a dramatic reduction, by 95–99%, in the measured ultrafine particles number concentration inside a vehicle compared with outside readings. Extremely low particle concentrations may be reached without a danger of vehicle occupants' exposure to elevated CO2 levels. The lowest values of particle concentrations inside a PC without air purifier are registered under the recirculation ventilation mode, but the issue of CO2 accumulation limits the use of this mode to very short driving events. Lower PM concentrations are found inside newer cars, if this ventilation mode is used. Great differences by a factor of 2.5–3 in PM10 concentrations are found between the PCs and the buses. Smoking inside a car leads to a dramatic increase, by approximately 90 times, in PM2.5 concentrations.