Personal exposures to traffic-related air pollution in three Canadian bus transit systems: the Urban Transportation Exposure Study.

Background: Exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is associated with increased incidence of several cardiopulmonary diseases. The elevated TRAP exposures of commuting environments can result in significant contributions to daily exposures.

Objectives: To assess the personal TRAP exposures (UFPs, BC, PM, and PM) of the bus transit systems of Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, Canada.

A combined emission and receptor-based approach to modelling environmental noise in urban environments.

The state of practice for noise assessment utilizes established standards for emission and propagation modelling of linear and point sources. Recently, land use regression (LUR) modelling has emerged as an alternative method due to relatively low data and computing resource demands. However, a limitation of LUR modelling is that is does not account for noise attenuation and reflections by features of the built environment.

Metro Commuter Exposures to Particulate Air Pollution and PM-Associated Elements in Three Canadian Cities: The Urban Transportation Exposure Study.

System-representative commuter air pollution exposure data were collected for the metro systems of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, Canada. Pollutants measured included PM (PM = particulate matter), PM, ultrafine particles, black carbon, and the elemental composition of PM. Sampling over three weeks was conducted in summer and winter for each city and covered each system on a daily basis.

Field Measurements of Gasoline Direct Injection Emission Factors: Spatial and Seasonal Variability.

Four field campaigns were conducted between February 2014 and January 2015 to measure emissions from light-duty gasoline direct injection (GDI) vehicles (2013 Ford Focus) in an urban near-road environment in Toronto, Canada. Measurements of CO2, CO, NOx, black carbon (BC), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene-xylenes (BTEX), and size-resolved particle number (PN) were recorded 15 m from the roadway and converted to fuel-based emission factors (EFs). Other than for NOx and CO, the GDI engine had elevated emissions compared to the Toronto fleet, with BC EFs in the 73rd percentile, BTEX EFs in the 80-90th percentile, and PN EFs in the 75th percentile during wintertime measurements.

A scripted activity study of the impact of protective advice on personal exposure to ultra-fine and fine particulate matter and volatile organic compounds.

We evaluated the impact on personal exposure to air pollutants of following advice which typically accompanies air quality advisories and indices. Scripts prescribed the time, location, duration and nature of activities intended to simulate daily activity patterns for adults and children. Scripts were paired such that one individual would proceed with usual activities (base scenario), whereas the other (intervention scenario) would alter activities as if following advice.