1. ^aInstituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Centro de Investigaciones en Salud poblacional, Cuernavaca Mor., México
2. ^bAmerican British Cowdray Medical Center I.A.P., Centro de Investigación y Educación BRIMEX III, D.F., México
3. ^cEmory University School of Medicine, Energy & Environmental Engineering Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
4. ^dDesert Research Institute, Energy & Environmental Engineering Center, Reno, Nevada, USA
5. ^eCentro Nacional de Investigación y Capacitación Ambiental, dirección de Investigación en Monitoreo Atmosférico y caracterización analítica de contaminantes, D.F., México

Correspondence: Dr. I. Romieu, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655, Col. Sta. Ma. Ahuacatitlán, C.P. 62508, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. Tel.: +52 7773 293000, ext 3306; Fax: +52 7773 111148; E-mail: iromieu@correo.insp.mx

Received 18 November 2005; Accepted 7 November 2006; Published online 4 April 2007.

Abstract

Personal exposure and indoor and outdoor exposure to PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 of 38 individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was characterized from February through November 2000. All participants lived in Mexico City and were selected based on their area of residence southeast (n=15), downtown (n=15), and southwest (n=8). Participants were monitored at home using personal PM_2.5 monitoring devices. Indoor and outdoor levels of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were measured using MiniVol samplers. Concurrent individual exposure measurements, indoor and outdoor levels of PM_2.5, which averaged 38.4 (SD 21.4), 30.6 (SD 15.8), and 30.5 g/m³ (SD 19.4), respectively. Indoor PM_2.5 concentrations explained 40% of the variability of personal exposure. In addition, the factors that most affected personal exposure were regular indoor contact with animals, mold, cooking activities, and aerosol use, indicating that internal sources may largely affect individual exposure.