FIELD MEASUREMENT OF PARTICULATE MATTER INSIDE A BUS PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v77.6870Keywords:
Indoor air contaminant, Bus passenger compartment, Particulate matter, Particle concentrationAbstract
Passengers commuting with buses are exposed to indoor air that contains contaminants such as particulate matters (PM). These contaminants could affect the passenger’s health in long and short term durations. Depending on the size of the particles, a respiratory allergy and airborne transmission could affect the passenger’s health. This article presents a field measurement to assess the airborne particles concentration of particulate matters inside a passenger bus compartment. The data collections were done at the front, middle and rear sections of the compartment, at a height of 1.1 m from the floor. The field measurements were carried outfrom 7.30 AM to 9.00 AM, 1.30 PM to 2.30 PM and from 4.15 PM to 5.00 PMwhich are the peak hours periods. A HPC300 handheld particles counter was used to measure the concentrations of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. The results show that the concentrations of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 were significantly high during the afternoon and evening hours. Also, the concentrations of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 were higher at the front section of the passenger compartment compared to the middle and rear sections. It was also found that the peak hour periods, ventilation setting, infiltration, boarding and unboarding of passengers are among the factor that would increase the concentrations of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 particles inside the passenger compartment.
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