What activity-based analysis and personal sampling can do for assessments of exposure to air pollutants?

Abstract

This paper gives an example of the benefits of personal sampling (PS) and activity-based analysis (AA) for exposure assessment. Air quality and exposure studies traditionally assume the same exposure for people living in the same area and neglect individual mobility within the urban space and the the time spent indoors. This results in underestimation of true personal exposure. Combining PS with AA overcomes this limitation, as it tracks individuals through their daily routines and regards exposure at the contact point with pollutant. Two small longitudinal studies confirm significant differences in exposure profiles, despite similar activity spaces of the subjects.