Exposure to Air Pollution inside Electric and Diesel-Powered Passenger Trains
journal contribution
posted on 2019-03-27, 00:00 authored by Maria Helena G. Andersen, Sandra Johannesson, Ana Sofia Fonseca, Per Axel Clausen, Anne Thoustrup Saber, Martin Roursgaard, Katrin Loeschner, Ismo K. Koponen, Steffen Loft, Ulla Vogel, Peter MøllerDiesel-powered
trains are used worldwide for passenger transport.
The present study aimed to assess air pollution concentrations in
passenger cars from diesel and electric trains. Personal exposure
monitoring (6–7 h per day) was carried out for 49 days on diesel
and 22 days on electric trains. Diesel trains had higher concentrations
of all the assessed air pollution components. Average increases (and
fold differences) in passenger cars of diesel trains compared with
electric trains were for ultrafine particles 212 000 particles/cm3 (35-fold), black carbon 8.3 μg/m3 (6-fold),
NOx 316 μg/m3 (8-fold),
NO2 38 μg/m3 (3-fold), PM2.5 34 μg/m3 (2-fold), and benzo(a)pyrene 0.14 ng/m3 (6-fold). From time-series data, the
pull and push movement modes, the engine in use, and the distance
to the locomotive influenced the concentrations inside the diesel
trains. In conclusion, concentrations of all air pollutants were significantly
elevated in passenger cars in diesel trains compared to electric trains.
