Impacts Of Vehicular Emissions And Dust On The Respiratory Health Of Roadside Vendors

Abstract

The business of roadside vendors is most lucrative at the areas of heavy vehicular traffic, which expose them to toxic vehicular emissions and roadside dust. These pollutants are known to cause and/or exacerbate respiratory illness with very little or no effort going towards protecting the vendors against the air pollutants. A cross-sectional study was done to evaluate the impacts of the air pollutants on the respiratory health and perception of roadside vendors. The level of particulate matter measuring 2.5μm or less (P.M2.5), carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) were measured with a monitor equipped with sensors. A spirometer and a questionnaire were used to assess vendors’ respiratory health. Levels of Dust-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also determined with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer (GCMS). The 24-hour mean concentrations of PM2.5, CO and O3 were 69.21 μg/m3, 8.52 ppm and 93.95 ppb respectively. The mean concentration of PM2.5-bound PAHs ranged between 0.86 μg/kg for Anthracene to 567.68 μg/kg for Benzo[g,h,i]perylene. The concentration of PM2.5 and O3 exceeded WHO limits. The result of PAHs source identification ratios indicates that liquid fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning are the major sources of PAHs along the road. Vendors reported a high (82%) prevalence of respiratory symptoms. There was a significant difference between the pre-shift and postshift spirometry for vendors compared to controls. Vendors are exposed to higher levels of air pollutants at the roadside explaining the high prevalence (82%) of respiratory symptoms.