Factors Affecting Individual Exposure to NO sub(2) in Genoa (Northern Italy)

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2002-03, Vol.287 (1-2), p.31-36
• Main Authors: Gallelli, G, Orlando, P, Perdelli, F, Panatto, D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0048-9697

The individual exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO sub(2)) of 89 volunteers living in Genoa, a large port city of northern Italy, was investigated with personal passive diffusion tubes in February-March 2000. The data were related to NO sub(2) concentration in the kitchen and bedroom as measured by static samplers. Volunteers included students, workers and housewives living in three areas of Genoa differing by street traffic and industrial plant location. The kitchen samples showed higher (47.00 plus or minus 16.5 mu g/m super(3)) NO sub(2) concentrations than those from the bedroom (24.78 plus or minus 9.8 mu g/m super(3)); overall indoor NO sub(2) concentrations were lower in the Eastern area of Genoa, where outdoor pollution is lower. Students were the volunteer group with the lowest exposure rate (24.9 plus or minus 7.8 mu g/m super(3) vs. 44.3 plus or minus 10.1 mu g/m super(3) for workers and 40.0 plus or minus 13.4 mu g/m super(3) for housewives). This difference is related to the fact that students spend more time indoors, where pollution levels are lower. The main household characteristics which were shown to affect personal NO sub(2) exposure were (a) the presence of a chimney equipped with an active aspiration device in the kitchen and (b) the heating system.