Student Assessment of PM2.5 Concentration at Ecu Transit Bus Stops Using a Low-Cost Aerosol Monitor
WILL MURRAY, Jo Anne Balanay, Sinan Sousan,
East Carolina University Abstract Number: 146
Working Group: Aerosol Exposure
AbstractPM
2.5 in high concentrations is known to cause respiratory issues, including irritation of the airways, sneezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Long-term exposure to PM
2.5 can have a much more severe effect on individuals with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and heart disease, potentially causing a worsening of the condition, hospitalization, and even death. A primary source of PM
2.5 is the exhaust and emissions from cars, trucks, and buses. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has in place a daily PM
2.5 standard of 35 µg/m
3. College students are not typically regarded as a population that experiences significant PM
2.5 exposure, but emissions from East Carolina University’s transit bus system likely create zones of high PM
2.5 concentration at ECU bus stops. Seven students who regularly use the ECU Transit system were selected to use a light-weight low-cost PM
2.5 personal aerosol monitor each time they arrived at a campus bus stop. Student participants repeated this procedure each time they were at an ECU Transit-served bus stop over the course of four weeks. PM
2.5 concentration data was retrieved remotely from the monitors daily and compared with average EPA measurements for Pitt County, as well as with measurements from a reference instrument, the ADR-1500, located in the same city, Greenville, North Carolina. This methodology allowed for the identification of higher-than-average concentration zones at ECU Transit bus stops compared to average measurements for Pitt County. By increasing access to microenvironmental data, low-cost monitors will contribute to public health efforts of protection and prevention by allowing individuals to measure and understand their exposure to PM
2.5 at the bus stop. In addition, these monitors will aid commuters, especially those with pre-existing conditions who use public transportation, in making more informed health decisions and better protecting themselves against new or worsening respiratory conditions.