Characterization of Urban Subway Microenvironment Exposure—A Case of Nanjing in China

Peng Mao, Jie Li, Lilin Xiong, Rubing Wang, Xiang Wang, Yongtao Tan and Hongyang Li
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Peng Mao: Department of Construction Management, College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Jie Li: Department of Construction Management and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
Lilin Xiong: Department of Environmental Health, Nanjing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 210037, China
Rubing Wang: Department of Construction Management, College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Xiang Wang: Department of Construction Management, College of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Yongtao Tan: Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
Hongyang Li: Department of Construction Management, School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Environmental quality in public rail transit has recently raised great concern, with more attention paid to underground subway microenvironment. This research aimed to provide guidance for healthy urban subway microenvironments (sub-MEs) according to comprehensive micro-environmental categories, including thermal environment, air quality, lighting environment, and acoustic environment from both practical and regulation perspectives. Field sampling experiments were conducted in Nanjing Metro Line X (NMLX). Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and one-way analysis of variance were used to investigate the status quo of urban sub-MEs. A paired samples t-test was then performed to compare among subway station halls, platforms, and in-cabin trains based on integrated sub-MEs. Results show that relative humidity, air velocity, respirable particulate matter (PM 10 ) concentration, and illuminance dissatisfy the requirements in relevant national standards. Significant difference was observed in lighting environment between station hall and platform. It was detected platforms are warmer and more polluted than train cabins. Additionally, subway trains generate main noise on platform which is much louder when leaving than arriving. Protective strategies for sub-ME improvement as well as principles for updating standards were proposed from a proactive point of view. The findings are beneficial for moving towards healthy urban sub-MEs and more sustainable operation of subway systems.

Keywords: urban subway; microenvironment exposure; field sampling; protective strategies; standard update (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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