Assessment of PM 2.5 Exposure during Cycle Trips in The Netherlands Using Low-Cost Sensors

Joost Wesseling, Wouter Hendricx, Henri de Ruiter, Sjoerd van Ratingen, Derko Drukker, Maaike Huitema, Claar Schouwenaar, Geert Janssen, Stephen van Aken, Jan Willem Smeenk, Arjen Hof and Erik Tielemans
Additional contact information
Joost Wesseling: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Wouter Hendricx: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Henri de Ruiter: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Sjoerd van Ratingen: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Derko Drukker: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Maaike Huitema: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Claar Schouwenaar: Province of Utrecht, P.O. Box 80300, 3508 TH Utrecht, The Netherlands
Geert Janssen: Province of Utrecht, P.O. Box 80300, 3508 TH Utrecht, The Netherlands
Stephen van Aken: Province of Utrecht, P.O. Box 80300, 3508 TH Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jan Willem Smeenk: SODAQ, Bussumerstraat 34, 1211 BL Hilversum, The Netherlands
Arjen Hof: Civity B.V., Handelsweg 6, 3707 NH Zeist, The Netherlands
Erik Tielemans: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-23

Abstract: Air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), is a major environmental risk factor for human health in Europe. Monitoring of air quality takes place using expensive reference stations. Low-cost sensors are a promising addition to this official monitoring network as they add spatial and temporal resolution at low cost. Moreover, low-cost sensors might allow for better characterization of personal exposure to PM 2.5 . In this study, we use 500 dust (PM 2.5 ) sensors mounted on bicycles to estimate typical PM 2.5 levels to which cyclists are exposed in the province of Utrecht, the Netherlands, in the year 2020. We use co-located sensors at reference stations to calibrate and validate the mobile sensor data. We estimate that the average exposure to traffic related PM 2 . 5, on top of background concentrations, is approximately 2 ?g/m 3 . Our results suggest that cyclists close to major roads have a small, but consistently higher exposure to PM 2.5 compared to routes with less traffic. The results allow for a detailed spatial representation of PM 2.5 concentrations and show that choosing a different cycle route might lead to a lower exposure to PM 2.5 . Finally, we conclude that the use of mobile, low-cost sensors is a promising method to estimate exposure to air pollution.

Keywords: low-cost sensors; air quality; mobile sensors; PM 2.5 exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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