Table 1 Indoor air exposure measurements performed in the longitudinal pilot study in a Parisian subway
Outcome measured | Aerosol fraction | Type of measurement | Sampling method (pump and filter/head) | Sampling duration | Analytical method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fine particle mass concentration | Inhalable (PM10, PM2.5) | Personal | 3 pumps at 4 L/min | Teflon filter | 8 h | Gravimetry (weighs before and after) |
Metals (Fe, Cr, Cd, Al, Ba, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Sb, Mn, As) mass concentration | Inhalable (PM10 and PM2.5)) | Personal | 2 pumps 2 L/min | Quartz filter | 8 h | The metals present in particles are collected on a filter with a diameter varying from 47 to 150 mm, then dissolved in an acidic medium using a microwave mineralizer (closed system). The liquid sample is then diluted and analyzed by ICP-MS |
Organic carbon/elemental carbon mass concentration | Respiratory (PM4) | Personal | 1 pumps 2 L/min | Quartz filter - cassettes and cyclones + GALVIN (sealing filter for the cassette) | 8 h | The analytical technique includes thermo-optical processes for the separate determination of EC/OC contents, based on the successive and controlled combustion of the different particles deposited on the filters, according to a given temperature program, with optical correction of scale deposits. |
Monocyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons | Gaseos | Personal | 1–2 pocket pumps 0,2 L/min | Activated charcoal | 8 h | (Benzene, Xylene (m, o, p), Toluene, 1,2,4 TMB) |
Oxidative potential | Inhalable particles and gaseous | Personal | 1 pump 2 L/min | Teflon filter (and storage cassette) + XAD2 adsorbent | 8 h | 1) immersion of the filter in Fox 2) chemical desorption in dichloromethane - solvent evaporation - recovery in DMSO - injection in FOX |
Ultrafine particle count, size and LDSA | Respirable (PM0.1 (10 nm–300 nm)) | Personal & stationary | 5 DISCmini | impaction head | 6-8 h | DISCmini, a portable personal direct-reading exposure monitor with a time resolution of 1 s. |
Particle morphology and elemental composition | Respirable (PM1 and PM0.1) | Personal | 1 pump 0.2 L/min | 1 mini-Sampler (holding head) + grid filter (SEM) | 10 min | Scanning electronic microscopy coupled with EDX (diffraction and impaction of x-rays on particles) |
Fine and ultrafine particle mass concentration | PM10, PM2.5, PM1 (300 nm-32 μm) | Personal | 1 GRIMM | Impaction head | 8 h | Direct-reading optical particles counter Grimm 1.109, 31 channels, with a time resolution of 10s. |
Volatile organic compounds | Stationary | 8 h | Direct-reading device Gasmet | |||
Hygrometry and temperature | Personal & stationary | 2 Ecolog (ELPRO®) | 8 h | Direct-reading device Ecolog (ELPRO®) | ||