Resource type
Date created
2013
Authors/Contributors
Author: Sbihi, Hind
Author: Brook, Jeffrey
Author: Allen, Ryan
Author: Curran, Jason
Author: Dell, Sharon
Author: Mandhane, Piush
Author: Scott, James
Author: Sears, Malcolm
Author: Subbarao, Padmaja
Author: Takaro, Timothy
Author: Turvey, Stuart
Author: Wheeler, Amanda
Author: Brauer, Michael
Abstract
BackgroundExposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) can adversely impact health but epidemiologic studies are limited in their abilities to assess long-term exposures and incorporate variability in indoor pollutant infiltration.MethodsIn order to examine settled house dust levels of hopanes, engine lubricating oil byproducts found in vehicle exhaust, as a novel TRAP exposure measure, dust samples were collected from 171 homes in five Canadian cities and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. To evaluate source contributions, the relative abundance of the highest concentration hopane monomer in house dust was compared to that in outdoor air. Geographic variables related to TRAP emissions and outdoor NO2 concentrations from city-specific TRAP land use regression (LUR) models were calculated at each georeferenced residence location and assessed as predictors of variability in dust hopanes.ResultsHopanes relative abundance in house dust and ambient air were significantly correlated (Pearson’s r=0.48, p<0.05), suggesting that dust hopanes likely result from traffic emissions. The proportion of variance in dust hopanes concentrations explained by LUR NO2 was less than 10% in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Toronto while the correlations in Edmonton and Windsor explained 20 to 40% of the variance. Modeling with household factors such as air conditioning and shoe removal along with geographic predictors related to TRAP generally increased the proportion of explained variability (10-80%) in measured indoor hopanes dust levels.ConclusionsHopanes can consistently be detected in house dust and may be a useful tracer of TRAP exposure if determinants of their spatiotemporal variability are well-characterized, and when home-specific factors are considered.
Document
Published as
Environmental Health 2013, 12:48 doi:10.1186/1476-069X-12-48
Publication details
Publication title
Environmental Health
Document title
A New Exposure Metric For Traffic-Related Air Pollution? An Analysis Of Determinants Of Hopanes In Settled Indoor House Dust
Date
2013
Volume
12
Issue
48
Publisher DOI
10.1186/1476-069X-12-48
Rights (standard)
Copyright statement
Copyright is held by the author(s).
Scholarly level
Peer reviewed?
Yes
Language
English
Member of collection
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