Study on the suspended particulate matter(SPM) around a crossroad, outdoor and indoor air environment. Report on measurements using portable SPM samplers.

Abstract

The concentration change of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in indoor and outdoor air environments was studied. Since the respiratory absorption of particles is markedly different according to their size, a new personal sampler (SPMP-sampler) was made. The sampler could collect particles above 10μm, 2 to 10μm, and below 2μm in aerodynamic diameter separately. SPM concentration using the SPMP-sampler was almost linear to the results of using a Marple Personal Cascade Impactor. The linear equation wasy=0.976x+3.88(μg/m3)(r=0.95)where x and y are the SPM concentration measured using the SPMP-sampler and the Marple Personal Cascade Impactor, respectively.The SPM concentration in a main crossroad air environment changed rapidly. The SPM concentration in the outdoor air environment of the residential areas near the crossroad was greatly reduced compared with the crossroad, but still much higher than in rural areas. The relationship between the particle concentration in indoor and outdoor air environments varied with the diameter of the particles. The SPM concentration in the indoor air environment linearly increased according to the increase of that in the outdoor environment.The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentration in particles also changed sharply depending on their diameter. Fine particles below 2μm in diameter had a high PAH concentration.