A Potential Inhalation Risk to Daily Commuter: Mobile Monitoring of Black Carbon during Journey in Traffic Emissions

The widespread use of fossil fuels in daily commuting vehicles poses a significant health risk to urban populations. This study aims to quantify the escalation of black carbon (BC) emissions from traffic and assess their environmental impact. BC monitoring was conducted using a motorcycle to estimate mobile concentrations emitted by vehicles along two distinct routes during three phases (M-period, A-period, and E-period). The average mobile BC concentration (± SD) was found to be 32.57 ± 22.78 μg m-3, with the highest average value observed during the E-period at 34.1 μg m-3 for route-1. In route-2, BC concentration was 29.12 ± 21.08 μg m-3, with the mean highest at 33.4 during the E-period. The likelihood of increased BC emissions is evident when individuals venture out to markets in the evening. Weekend BC concentrations (25.76 μg m-3) were generally lower than weekdays (39.38 μg m-3) during the analysis of route-1. A similar trend was observed in route-2, attributed to reduced traffic volume and vehicular emissions resulting from the closure of schools and offices on weekends. Throughout the study, BC levels ranged from 10.91 to 149 μg m-3 in TR-1 and 9.76 to 114 μg m-3 in TR-2. Notably, at five intersection points on TR-1, BC concentrations at T102 were 34% higher during evening times than at T105. Similarly, among the four intersection points on TR-2, BC levels at T201 were 55% higher than T203 during the evening. Our analysis also showed that inhalation doses (IDOSE) were highest during peak traffic times, with motorcyclist IDOSE ranging from 15.29 to 25.01 µg. This study highlights the concerning levels of BC exposure during daily commuting, emphasizing the need for measures to mitigate the health impacts associated with urban traffic emissions and promote a safer environment for urban populations.