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Exposure to fine particulate matter in the New York City subway system during home-work commute

Author

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  • Shams Azad
  • Pau Ferrer-Cid
  • Masoud Ghandehari

Abstract

The New York City (NYC) subway system accommodates 5.5 million daily commuters, and the environment within the subway is known to have high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution. Naturally, subway air pollution varies among individuals according to their mobility patterns, introducing the possibility of inequality in PM2.5 exposure. This study aims to evaluate individual and community-level exposure to subway PM2.5. We simulated the intracity home-to-work trip patterns using the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) records of 3.1 million working commuters across 34,169 census blocks in four boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx) of NYC. We incorporated the on-platform and on-train measured PM2.5 concentration data for the entire subway system. The mean underground platform concentration in the city was 139 μg/m3 with a standard deviation of 25 μg/m3, while the on-train concentration when underground was 99 μg/m3 with a standard deviation of 21 μg/m3. Using a network model, we determined the exposure of individual commuters during their daily home-work trips. We quantified the mean per capita exposure at the census block level by considering the proportion of workers within the blocks who rely on the subway for their work commute. Results indicate statistically significant weak positive correlation between elevated subway PM2.5 exposure and economically disadvantaged and racial minority groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Shams Azad & Pau Ferrer-Cid & Masoud Ghandehari, 2024. "Exposure to fine particulate matter in the New York City subway system during home-work commute," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(8), pages 1-20, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0307096
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307096
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. World Bank, 2020. "The Global Health Cost of Ambient PM2.5 Air Pollution," World Bank Publications - Reports 35721, The World Bank Group.
    2. Yongil Lee & Young-Chul Lee & Taesung Kim & Jin Seok Choi & Duckshin Park, 2018. "Sources and Characteristics of Particulate Matter in Subway Tunnels in Seoul, Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, November.
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