Spatial and Temporal Exposure Assessment to PM2.5 in a Community Using Sensor-Based Air Monitoring Instruments and Dynamic Population Distributions

• Published in: Atmosphere 2020, Vol.11 (12), p.1284
• Main Authors: Park, Jinhyeon, Jo, Wondeuk, Cho, Mansu, Lee, Jeongil, Lee, Hunjoo, Seo, SungChul, Lee, Chulmin, Yang, Wonho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Air monitoring; Attenuation; Cellular telephones; Distribution; dynamic population distribution; Exposure; exposure surveillance system; fine particulate matter; Health surveillance; Humidity; Indoor air pollution; Indoor air quality; Indoor environments; Instruments; Monitoring instruments; Outdoor air quality; Particulate matter; Pollutants; Population; Population distribution; population exposure; Public health; Sensors; Suspended particulate matter; Temporal variations; time–activity pattern; Wireless networks
• ISSN: 2073-4433; 2073-4433
• DOI: 10.3390/atmos11121284

This research was to conduct a pilot study for two consecutive days in order to assess fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure of an entire population in a community. We aimed to construct a surveillance system by analyzing the observed spatio-temporal variation of exposure. Guro-gu in Seoul, South Korea, was divided into 2,204 scale grids of 100 m each. Hourly exposure concentrations of PM2.5 were modeled by the inverse distance weighted method, using 24 sensor-based air monitoring instruments and the indoor-to-outdoor concentration ratio. Population distribution was assessed using mobile phone network data and indoor residential rates, according to sex and age over time. Exposure concentration, population distribution, and population exposure were visualized to present spatio-temporal variation. The PM2.5 exposure of the entire population of Guro-gu was calculated by population-weighted average exposure concentration. The average concentration of outdoor PM2.5 was 42.1 µg/m3, which was lower than the value of the beta attenuation monitor measured by fixed monitoring station. Indoor concentration was estimated using an indoor-to-outdoor PM2.5 concentration ratio of 0.747. The population-weighted average exposure concentration of PM2.5 was 32.4 µg/m3. Thirty-one percent of the population exceeded the Korean Atmospheric Environmental Standard for PM2.5 over a 24 h average period. The results of this study can be used in a long-term aggregate and cumulative PM2.5 exposure assessment, and as a basis for policy decisions on public health management among policymakers and stakeholders.