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. 2008 Oct;42(33):7590-7599.
doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.06.041.

Predicting Airborne Particle Levels Aboard Washington State School Buses

Sara D Adar  1 , Mark Davey, James R Sullivan, Michael Compher, Adam Szpiro, L-J Sally Liu
Affiliations

Predicting Airborne Particle Levels Aboard Washington State School Buses

Sara D Adar et al. Atmos Environ (1994). 2008 Oct.

Abstract

School buses contribute substantially to childhood air pollution exposures yet they are rarely quantified in epidemiology studies. This paper characterizes fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) aboard school buses as part of a larger study examining the respiratory health impacts of emission-reducing retrofits.To assess onboard concentrations, continuous PM(2.5) data were collected during 85 trips aboard 43 school buses during normal driving routines, and aboard hybrid lead vehicles traveling in front of the monitored buses during 46 trips. Ordinary and partial least square regression models for PM(2.5) onboard buses were created with and without control for roadway concentrations, which were also modeled. Predictors examined included ambient PM(2.5) levels, ambient weather, and bus and route characteristics.Concentrations aboard school buses (21 mug/m(3)) were four and two-times higher than ambient and roadway levels, respectively. Differences in PM(2.5) levels between the buses and lead vehicles indicated an average of 7 mug/m(3) originating from the bus's own emission sources. While roadway concentrations were dominated by ambient PM(2.5), bus concentrations were influenced by bus age, diesel oxidative catalysts, and roadway concentrations. Cross validation confirmed the roadway models but the bus models were less robust.These results confirm that children are exposed to air pollution from the bus and other roadway traffic while riding school buses. In-cabin air pollution is higher than roadway concentrations and is likely influenced by bus characteristics.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Seattle and Tahoma Study Areas
Figure 2
Figure 2
Normalized Parameter Estimates for Predictors of Roadway Concentrations Using PLS Modeling
Figure 3
Figure 3
Normalized Parameter Estimates for Predictors of Bus Cabin Concentrations Using PLS Modeling With and Without Roadway Concentrations
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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