Table 1 Indoor air exposure measurements performed in the longitudinal pilot study in a Parisian subway

Fine particle mass concentration

Inhalable (PM₁₀, PM_2.5)

Personal

3 pumps at 4 L/min

Teflon filter

8 h

Gravimetry (weighs before and after)

Metals (Fe, Cr, Cd, Al, Ba, Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Sb, Mn, As) mass concentration

Inhalable (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5))

Personal

2 pumps 2 L/min

Quartz filter

8 h

The metals present in particles are collected on a filter with a diameter varying from 47 to 150 mm, then dissolved in an acidic medium using a microwave mineralizer (closed system). The liquid sample is then diluted and analyzed by ICP-MS

Organic carbon/elemental carbon mass concentration

Respiratory (PM₄)

Personal

1 pumps 2 L/min

Quartz filter - cassettes and cyclones + GALVIN (sealing filter for the cassette)

8 h

The analytical technique includes thermo-optical processes for the separate determination of EC/OC contents, based on the successive and controlled combustion of the different particles deposited on the filters, according to a given temperature program, with optical correction of scale deposits.

Monocyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Gaseos

Personal

1–2 pocket pumps 0,2 L/min

Activated charcoal

8 h

(Benzene, Xylene (m, o, p), Toluene, 1,2,4 TMB)

Oxidative potential

Inhalable particles and gaseous

Personal

1 pump 2 L/min

Teflon filter (and storage cassette) + XAD2 adsorbent

8 h

1) immersion of the filter in Fox 2) chemical desorption in dichloromethane - solvent evaporation - recovery in DMSO - injection in FOX

Ultrafine particle count, size and LDSA

Respirable (PM_0.1 (10 nm–300 nm))

Personal & stationary

5 DISCmini

impaction head

6-8 h

DISCmini, a portable personal direct-reading exposure monitor with a time resolution of 1 s.

Particle morphology and elemental composition

Respirable (PM₁ and PM_0.1)

Personal

1 pump 0.2 L/min

1 mini-Sampler (holding head) + grid filter (SEM)

10 min

Scanning electronic microscopy coupled with EDX (diffraction and impaction of x-rays on particles)

Fine and ultrafine particle mass concentration

PM₁₀, PM_2.5, PM₁ (300 nm-32 μm)

Personal

1 GRIMM

Impaction head

8 h

Direct-reading optical particles counter Grimm 1.109, 31 channels, with a time resolution of 10s.

Volatile organic compounds

Stationary

8 h

Direct-reading device Gasmet

Hygrometry and temperature

Personal & stationary

2 Ecolog (ELPRO®)

8 h

Direct-reading device Ecolog (ELPRO®)