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An analysis of factors that influence personal exposure to nitrogen oxides in residents of Richmond, Virginia

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 12, pages 273–285 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are ubiquitous pollutants in outdoor and indoor air. However, epidemiologic studies that evaluate health effects associated with NOx commonly rely upon outdoor concentrations of NOx, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), or residence characteristics as surrogates for personal exposure. In this study, personal exposures (48 h) and corresponding indoor and outdoor concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), NO2, and NOx were measured (July–September) in 39 adults and 9 children from 23 households in Richmond, Virginia, using Ogawa passive NOx monitors. Demographic, time–activity patterns, and household data were collected by questionnaire and used to develop exposure prediction models. Adults had higher NO2, NO, and NOx exposures (means: 16, 63, and 79 ppb, respectively) than children (13, 49, and 62 ppb). Measurements taken in bedrooms (18, 57, and 75 ppb) and living rooms (19, 65, and 84 ppb) surpassed measurements taken outdoors (15, 21, and 36 ppb). In indoor locations, NOx concentrations were influenced largely by NO, and consequently, personal exposure prediction models for NOx were reflective of models for NO. Statistical models that best predicted personal exposures included indoor measurements; outdoor measurements contributed relatively little to personal exposure. Close to 70% of the variation in personal NO2 and NOx exposure was explained by two variable models (bedroom NO2 and time spent in other indoor locations; bedroom NOx and time spent in kitchen). Given appropriate resources, measurement error in epidemiologic studies can be reduced significantly with the use of personal exposure measurements or prediction models developed from indoor measurements and survey data.

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Abbreviations

DEQ:

Department of Environmental Quality

EPA:

Environmental Protection Agency

GPS:

Global Positioning System

MSE:

mean square error

NO:

nitric oxide

NOx:

nitrogen oxides

NO2:

nitrogen dioxide

NOAA:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

PPB:

parts per billion

VIF:

variance inflation factor

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank study participants, the Environmental Justice Advisory Panel, and the William Byrd Community House. The first author was supported with a Graduate Research Assistantship provided by the Center for Environmental Studies and the School of Graduate Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, a Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society scholarship, and an award from the Air and Waste Management Association in Richmond, Virginia. This research was supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice grant no. CEQ825735-01-0.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    JENNIFER L ZIPPRICH, SHELLEY A HARRIS, J CLIFFORD FOX & JOSEPH F BORZELLECA

  2. Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

    JENNIFER L ZIPPRICH

  3. Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    SHELLEY A HARRIS

  4. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    JOSEPH F BORZELLECA

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  1. JENNIFER L ZIPPRICH
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  2. SHELLEY A HARRIS
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  3. J CLIFFORD FOX
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Correspondence to SHELLEY A HARRIS.

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ZIPPRICH, J., HARRIS, S., FOX, J. et al. An analysis of factors that influence personal exposure to nitrogen oxides in residents of Richmond, Virginia. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 12, 273–285 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500226

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