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Associations between personal exposures and fixed-site ambient measurements of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide in Toronto, Canada

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 16, pages 172–183 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

A longitudinal study investigating personal exposures to PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) for cardiac compromised individuals was conducted in Toronto, Canada. The aim of the study was (1) to examine the distribution of exposures to PM2.5, NO2, and CO; and (2) to investigate the relationship between personal exposures and fixed-site ambient measurements of PM2.5, NO2, and CO. In total, 28 subjects with coronary artery disease wore the Rupprecht & Patashnick ChemPass Personal Sampling System one day a week for a maximum of 10 weeks. The mean (SD) personal exposures were 22 μg m−3 (42), 14 p.p.b. (6), and 1.4 p.p.m (0.5) for PM2.5, NO2, and CO, respectively. PM2.5 and CO personal exposures were greater than central fixed-site ambient measurements, while the reverse pattern was observed for NO2. Ambient PM2.5 and NO2 were correlated with personal exposures to PM2.5 and NO2 with median Spearman's correlation coefficients of 0.69 and 0.57, respectively. The correlations between personal exposures and ambient measurements made closest to the subjects' homes or the average of all stations within the study were not stronger than the correlation between personal exposures and central fixed-site measurements. Personal exposures to PM2.5 were correlated with personal exposures to NO2 (median Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.43). This study suggests that central fixed-site measurements of PM2.5 and NO2 may be treated as surrogates for personal exposures to PM2.5 and NO2 in epidemiological studies, and that NO2 is a potential confounder of PM2.5.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for this study was provided by the Toxic Substances Research Initiative (Project 101). We acknowledge Mary Rutherford (University of Toronto), Ted Waring (University of Ottawa Heart Institute), Kathy Vandemheen (Ottawa Hospital), Sandy Woodhouse (Environment Canada), Gang Lu (Environment Canada), Rochelle Keogh (Environment Canada) for their assistance in conducting this study, and Bernie Beckerman for producing Figure 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, McGavran-Greenburg Building, CB #7431, Chapel Hill, 27599-7431, North Carolina, USA

    David Kim

  2. Gage Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, University of Toronto, 223 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R4, Canada

    Andrea Sass-Kortsak

  3. Gage Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, University of Toronto, 223 College St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1R4, Canada

    James T Purdham

  4. Ottawa Health Research Institute, University of Ottawa, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, K1H 8L6, Ontario, Canada

    Robert E Dales

  5. Air Quality Research Branch, Meteorological Service of Canada, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, M4H 5T4, Ontario, Canada

    Jeffrey R Brook

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  1. David Kim
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Correspondence to Jeffrey R Brook.

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Kim, D., Sass-Kortsak, A., Purdham, J. et al. Associations between personal exposures and fixed-site ambient measurements of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide in Toronto, Canada. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 16, 172–183 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500446

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