Short-Term Exposure to PM[sub.10] and Black Carbon in Residential Microenvironments in Bragança, Portugal: A Case Study in Bedrooms, Living Rooms, and Kitchens

Several studies have evaluated PM concentrations in single specific microenvironments as a measure of exposure in the entire house. In this study, PM[sub.10] was monitored at the same time in three microenvironments (bedroom, living room, and kitchen) from three dwellings located in a small inland town of the Iberian Peninsula to assess whether exposure varies significantly between them. Real-time optical instruments and low-volume gravimetric samplers were employed. A multi-wavelength absorption instrument was used to determine black carbon (BC) concentrations on the filters. The Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry Model (MPPD) was applied to evaluate the deposition of PM[sub.10] and BC in the airways of adults. For all dwellings, the highest PM[sub.10] concentrations were recorded in bedrooms (B1 = 22.7 µg m[sup.−3] ; B2 = 19.5 µg m[sup.−3] ; and B3 = 68.1 µg m[sup.−3] ). Houses 1 and 3 did not show significant differences between microenvironments. This did not happen in house 2, suggesting that ventilation is a determining factor for concentrations. BC originated mainly from fossil fuel emissions (90%), while biomass burning represented a minor contribution (10%). MPPD showed that PM[sub.10] is predominantly deposited in the head region (≥85% of the total dose), while BC is mainly deposited in the pulmonary region (14%). Higher doses were estimated for males than for females.