| Elemental Carbon and PM2.5 Levels in an Urban Community Heavily Impacted by Truck Traffic T. Suvendrini Lena,1 Victor Ochieng,2 Majora Carter,3 José Holguín-Veras,2 and Patrick L. Kinney1 1Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; 2Civil Engineering Department, City College of New York; 3The Point Community Development Corporation, New York, New York, USA Abstract
Hunts Point, a 690-acre peninsula in the South Bronx, New York City, is a hub in the tristate (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) freight transportation system. This study was carried out in response to community concerns about potential health effects of exposure to diesel exhaust particulate (DEP) . We measured particulate matter < 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) and elemental carbon (EC) on sidewalks and tested whether spatial variations in concentrations were related to local truck traffic density. Ten-hour integrated air samples for EC and PM2.5 were collected for 9 days over a 3-week period in the summer of 1999 at seven geographically distinct intersections. Simultaneous traffic counts were carried out for each sampling event. Traffic was classified into three classes: passenger cars, small trucks, and large trucks (diesel vehicles) . Mean diesel vehicle volumes ranged from 9.3 to 276.5 vehicles/hr across sites. Mean EC concentrations by site ranged from 2.6 µg/m3 at the control site to 7.3 µg/m3 along a designated truck route. Linear regression of site-specific mean EC concentration on mean large truck counts predicted an increase of 1.69 µg/m3 EC per 100 large trucks/hr (SE = 0.37 ; p = 0.01 ; R2 = 0.84) . Average PM2.5 concentrations by site ranged 1.6-fold (19.0-29.9 µg/m3) and were more weakly associated with local traffic. Variations over time for PM2.5 were more pronounced, ranging almost 4-fold (8.9-34.4 µg/m3) . These results show that airborne EC concentrations, an important component of DEP, are elevated in Hunts Point and that the impact varies across the community as a function of large truck traffic. Key words: diesel exhaust, Hunts Point, inner cities, outdoor air pollution, PM2.5, urban. Environ Health Perspect 110:1009-1015 (2002) . [Online 26 August 2002] http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2002/110p1009-1015lena/ abstract.html Address correspondence to P. Kinney, Columbia School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 60 Haven Avenue, B-1, New York, NY 10032 USA. Telephone: 212-305-3663. Fax: 212-305-4012. E-mail: plk3@columbia.edu We thank the volunteers and student interns who assisted in the collection of traffic and air quality data for this study. We also recognize the contribution of staff at The Point Community Development Corporation and at We Stay/Nos Quedamos. This research was conducted with partial support from the New York City Department of Health, Columbia University, and the City College of New York and from grant ES09089 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Received 19 June 2001 ; accepted 12 March 2002.
The full version of this article is available for free in HTML or PDF formats. |
