Aerosol Measurements as Applied for Exposure Characterization

Sammanfattning: It is important to decrease the burden of disease. This is in part achieved by decreasing risks. The aim of this thesis is to provide a methodology for the characterization of aerosol exposure, which may lead to negative health effects. Gases and airborne particles may cause negative health effects and the respiratory system is exceptional sensitive. Isocyanate is one group of substances that are problematic, not only because of their toxicity but also because of their extensive usage and their thermal instability. Exposure to aerosol emission from traffic and railroad has minor health effects on individual level but the sum have effects on population level. Aerosol source and exposure mapping in household environments has been sparsely investigated and there is a need to assess and improve air quality in people’s home. In the research presented this thesis, many different measurement techniques have been used. Among the decisive factors for choice of methodology, accuracy and temporal resolution have had high priority. Special attention has to be paid to aerosol sampling of substances that occur in both gas and particles if accuracy in gas/particle partitioning is desired. The tires that are used during the winter in Nordic countries emit nanoparticles and winter tires with studs grind down the road pavement. The dust that is generated causes the PM10 air quality limits to be exceeded. The railway emissions cause high particle concentration levels at the enclosed subsurface station at Arlanda Airport. At the ground level station, the emissions are efficiently and rapidly diluted and air quality limits were not exceeded at these stations. With miniaturized instruments combined with logbooks, it is possible to distinguish different airborne particle sources and estimate the exposure.