Determinants of Personal Exposure to PM sub(2.5) in Office Workers

To determine the distribution of personal exposure to PM sub(2.5) concentrations in office workers and to identify the most important determinants of personal exposure to PM sub(2.5) concentrations, a couple of 24-h personal exposures and indoor home and office PM sub(2.5) concentrations were measured among 40 non-smoker adult subjects over a year. All subjects completed a Time-Microenvironment-Activity-Dairy (TMAD) and a core questionnaire that covered air quality-related characteristics of each subject microenvironments and some personal characteristics that related to personal exposure to particulate matter. Participant's exposures to PM sub(2.5) concentrations were significantly higher than corresponding PM sub(10) concentrations measured by fixed site station at Bradford city centre, and there was a significant correlation between personal exposure and PM sub(10) concentrations measured by fixed site station. A stepwise multiple-regression analysis showed that the model of best fit for time-weighted average personal exposure to PM sub(2.5) concentrations included PM sub(10) concentrations measure by FSM, ambient temperature, time spent in a bus and time spent in a pub. This study showed a significant negative effect of ambient temperature on indoor PM sub(2.5) levels and personal exposures. In conclusion, outdoor PM sub(10), ambient temperature and time spent in polluted microenvironments such as pubs and buses are the most important determinants of personal exposure to PM sub(2.5).