Department of Civil Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Avenue, P.O. Box 11365-8639, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2019 Jan;26(1):501-513. doi: 10.1007/s11356-018-3611-9. Epub 2018 Nov 7.
The passengers inside vehicles could be exposed to high levels of air pollutants particularly while driving on highly polluted and congested traffic roadways. In order to study such exposure levels and its relation to the cabin ventilation condition, a monitoring campaign was conducted to measure the levels inside the three most common types of vehicles in Tehran, Iran (a highly air polluted megacity). In this regard, carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) were measured for various ventilation settings, window positions, and vehicle speeds while driving on the Resalat Highway and through the Resalat Tunnel. Results showed on average in-cabin exposure to particle number and PM for the open windows condition was seven times greater when compared to closed windows and air conditioning on. When the vehicle was passing through the tunnel, in-cabin CO and particle number increased 100 and 30%, respectively, compared to driving on highway. Air exchange rate (AER) is a significant factor when evaluating in-cabin air pollutants level. AER was measured and simulated by a model developed through a Monte Carlo analysis of uncertainty and considering two main affecting variables, vehicle speed and fan speed. The lowest AER was 7 h for the closed window and AC on conditions, whereas the highest AER was measured 70 h for an open window condition and speed of 90 km h. The results of our study can assist policy makers in controlling in-cabin pollutant exposure and in planning effective strategies for the protection of public health.
车内乘客可能会暴露在高水平的空气污染物中，尤其是在行驶于污染严重且拥堵的交通道路上时。为了研究这种暴露水平及其与车厢通风状况的关系，在伊朗德黑兰（一个空气污染严重的特大城市）开展了一项监测活动，以测量三种最常见类型车辆内部的污染物水平。为此，针对不同的通风设置、车窗位置和行驶速度，测量了一氧化碳（CO）和颗粒物（PM）的浓度，行驶路段包括雷斯高速公路和雷斯隧道。结果表明，与关闭车窗并开启空调相比，车窗开启时车内颗粒数量和 PM 的暴露平均水平要高出 7 倍。当车辆通过隧道时，与在高速公路上行驶相比，车内 CO 和颗粒物数量分别增加了 100%和 30%。空气交换率（AER）是评估车内空气污染物水平的重要因素。通过对不确定性进行蒙特卡罗分析，并考虑两个主要影响变量（车辆速度和风扇速度），开发了一个模型来测量和模拟 AER。在关闭车窗和开启空调的情况下，AER 的最低值为 7 小时，而在车窗开启且速度为 90 公里/小时的情况下，AER 的最高值为 70 小时。本研究结果可协助决策者控制车内污染物暴露，并规划有效策略以保护公众健康。
