Personal exposure to respirable particles: a case study in Waterbury, Vermont

Abstract A study to assess personal exposure to respirable particles was conducted during January to March 1982 in Waterbury, Vermont. Forty-eight nonsmoking volunteers carried Harvard/EPRI personal samplers every other day for two weeks. Simultaneous measurements with similar monitors were made inside and outside each participant's home. Findings indicate that outdoor (ambient) particle levels were not an important determinant of personal exposure, while in-home concentrations accounted for 25–30% of the variation in personal values. A linear regression technique was used to estimate respirable particle concentrations in three micro-environments where measurements were not available. These values were combined with data on time activities and observed outdoor and in-home concentrations to construct a simple time-weighted exposure model. Predicted exposure using this approach agreed well with measured values, however, the validity and suitability of estimated coefficients for applications to other communities and different times of year has not been established.