The effect of airborne heavy metals on automobile passengers in Germany

Abstract

Inside passenger compartments of running cars, concentrations of lead, cadmium, copper, manganese, and iron are determined. Measurements inside different cars are performed on motorways and rural and urban roads. Analysis of the heavy metals is carried out by atomic absorption spectrometry. During urban driving, inside concentrations are in the same range as the concentrations measured on German motorways. Average concentrations of urban roads are slightly elevated. Average concentrations are lead 1.1 μgm −3, cadmium 0.002 μgm −3, copper 0.8 μgm −3, manganese 0.04 μgm −3, iron 2 μgm −3. Variations of concentration inside different cars are obvious. Elevated iron concentrations are produced by internal sources. A strong relationship of automotive lead concentrations to traffic and meteorological parameters is found. The comparison of inside concentrations to concentrations measured at a highly frequented motorway junction show that the penetration of airborne heavy metals to running cars is optimal.