Abstract |
Several approaches can be taken to estimate or classify total personal exposures to air pollutants. While personal exposure monitoring (PEM) provides the most direct measurements, it is usually not practical for extended time periods or large populations. The paper describes the use of indirect approaches to estimate total personal exposure for NO2 and particulate matter (PM), summarizes the distributions of these estimates, and compares the effectiveness of these estimates with microenvironmental concentrations for evaluating effects on respiratory function and symptoms. Pollutant concentrations were measured at several indoor and outdoor locations for over 400 households participating in an epidemiological study in Tucson, Arizona. Central site monitoring data were significantly correlated with samples collected directly outside homes, but the former usually had higher pollutant concentrations. Integrated indices of daily total personal exposure were calculated using micro-environmental (ME) measurements or estimates and time-budget diary information. (Copyright (c) 1991 Princeton Scientific Publishing Co., Inc.) |