re: Exhaust levels
Differences in cyclists and car drivers exposure to airpollution from traffic in the city of CopenhagenJette Ranka,U, Jens Folkeb, Per Homann JespersenaaUniersity of Roskilde, Department of Enironment, Technology and Social Studies, P.O. Box 260, DK-4000 Roskilde,DenmarkbMFG-Enironmental Research Group, Østergade 30, DK-3250 Gilleleje, DenmarkReceived 16 August 2000; accepted 5 February 2001
It has frequently been claimed that cycling in heavy traffic is unhealthy, more so than driving a car. To test thishypothesis, teams of two cyclists and two car drivers in two cars were equipped with personal air samplers whiledriving for 4 h on 2 different days in the morning traffic of Copenhagen. The air sample charcoal tubes were analysedŽ.Ž.for their benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene BTEX content and the air filters for particles total dust . The concentrations of particles and BTEX in the cabin of the cars were 2-4 times greater than in the cyclists’ breathingzone, the greatest difference being for BTEX. Therefore, even after taking the increased respiration rate of cyclistsinto consideration, car drivers seem to be more exposed to airborne pollution than cyclists. 2001 Elsevier ScienceB.V. All rights reserved