Air Pollution in Sitting-out Areas and Playgrounds in the Urban Roadside Environment

Description

Air pollution exerts an important control on the health effects in urban populations. InHong Kong, the crowded urban environment makes it likely that people receive asignificant burden from fine particles and roadside pollutants generated by vehicles. Airpollution is thought to be responsible for the rapid increase in the number of peoplesuffering from non-communicable diseases and presents one of the biggest challenges tothe health care systems in Hong Kong with its aging population. The proposed researchwill examine air pollutant profiles and the potential exposure of people in the roadsideenvironment, most notably sitting out areas and roadside playgrounds. Sensitiveindividuals such as the elderly and children can spend considerable time at theselocations. The project will monitor the concentrations of carbon monoxide/dioxide andfine particles at sufficient detail to map the concentrations in the recreational areas. Theconcentrations will also be modelled by computer, such that it will be possible to predictways in which different plantings or walls might lower the air pollution. In parallel wewill determine the length of occupancy of people in the areas so we can assess theirlikely level of exposure to air pollutants.