Indoor Environmental Quality: Sampling in One of the Sao Carlos’ Public Buses

Abstract

For twenty random days between August and December 2013 the environmental quality inside one of the buses of the public transportation system in Sao Carlos city (Sao Paulo—Brazil) was monitored. The levels of temperature, relative humidity, noise, monoxide carbon (CO), dioxide carbon (CO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) were measured. The values established by Brazilian Standards NR-15, NR-17, NHO 01, CONAMA 03/90 and ANVISA 09/03 and the World’s Health Organization were taken as references for environmental quality investigation. The Heat Index, parameter used by the United States National Weather Service, was calculated for the verification of the thermal sensation. The results show that the levels of temperature (17℃ - 38℃), relative humidity (19% - 87%) and Heat Index (69°F - 104°F) were not in accordance with the adopted reference values. The particulate matter was higher than the World’s Health Organization standards (PM2.5: 24 - 48 μg/m3, PM10: 47 - 109 μg/m3). The levels of noise measured (68 dB(A) - 92 dB(A)) may cause damage to the health of the bus workers like auditory fatigue or hearing loss. However, the concentrations of monoxide carbon and dioxide carbon inside the bus were not significant. The results show that the air quality inside the bus can be harmful especially to collectors and drivers, who work in this environment many hours during the day.