Personal exposure to total suspended particulates of adolescents living in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa

Abstract

Personal monitoring of exposure to air pollution is becoming increasingly important in health studies as a method of characterizing total exposure. We monitored the exposure of 31 teenagers to total suspended particulates (TSP) over a 12-hour period ns part of the Vaal Triangle Air Pollution Health Study. Sampling for TSP was performed at 1.9 l min (-1) and concentrations were determined gravimetrically. A time/activity diary was completed by the participants. The results indicated that the subjects were exposed to unhealthy levels of particulates (more than 50% of measurements exceeded the US and World Health Organisation guidelines), boys had higher exposures than girls and exposures were higher on non-school days than on school days. Additional monitoring was done on 22 of the original 31 teenagers. Each participant carried two monitors simultaneously one sampling respirable particulates and one total suspended particulates. Sixty-three per cent of suspended particulates found in the 22 co-located samples taken in the Vanderbijlpark atmosphere was respirable. The subjects spent between 58 and 75 per cent of their time indoors. The results also demonstrated that the proposed methodology is feasible and can be used in a larger scale study.