Investigation of a River-Tunnel Effect on PM2.5 Concentrations in New York City Subway Stations

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gordon T ; Huynh T ; Luglio DG ; Saporito A
• Description:
  It is well-documented that subway stations exhibit high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations. Little is known about the potential of river-tunnels to increase PM2.5 concentrations in subways. We hypothesized a "river-tunnel" effect exists: Stations adjacent to poorly ventilated tunnels that travel beneath rivers exhibit higher PM2.5 concentrations than more distant stations. Accordingly, the PM2.5 concentrations were monitored at stations adjacent to and two- and three-stations distant from the river-tunnel. Multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to disentangle how proximity to a river-tunnel and other factors (e.g., depth) influence concentrations. Stations adjacent to a river-tunnel had 80-130% higher PM2.5 concentrations than more distant stations. Moreover, distance from a river-tunnel was the strongest PM2.5-influencing factor. This distance effect was not observed at underground stations adjacent to a river-bridge. The "river-tunnel" effect explains some of the inter-station variability in subway PM2.5 concentrations. These results support the need for improving ventilation systems in subways. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollution Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Air Pollution Author Keywords: New York City Fine Particulate Matter Monitoring Systems Occupational Health Particulates PM2.5 Regression Analysis Subway Urban Air Pollution
• ISSN:
  1361-9209
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  115
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20066885
• Citation:
  Transp Res D Transp Environ 2023 Feb; 115:103579
• Contact Point Address:
  Terry Gordon, New York University Langone Health, School of Medicine, New York, NY 10010, USA
• Email:
  Terry.Gordon@nyulangone.org
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Performing Organization:
  Mount Sinai School of Medicine
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7a8e0f5f23131cfe9a051603d11aa44801e8e6448b326812dad296ebeca16ebfc60af71979a3593570174c36a519a095f785617e1cb085689d9e84db553f67eb
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231188/cdc_231188_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.64 MB ]