A REVIEW OF PARTICULATE MATTER EXPOSURE TO OFFICE, CHILD CARE CENTRE, RESIDENTIAL AND IN-TRANSIT IN SINGAPORE AND PROPOSAL OF ABATEMENT POLICY AND MITIGATION TECHNOLOGY ON TRAFFIC RELATED EMISSION

Abstract

Estimates of the exposure risk attributed to the exposure of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) of working adults and children in different micro-environments such as child care centre, office, home, and in transit have been studied. An integrated personal exposure is still lacking in Singapore; therefore, three transit (taking MRT, bus, and private vehicle) scenarios are selected to identify the exposure risks involved. Residential units and child care centres were observed to pose a higher exposure risk to working adults and children. Taking MRT poses a higher exposure risk among the three in transit modes; however, this does not reflect the actual exposure risk as MRT should be the cleanest medium of transport. Because of the fine particulate matters are not generating from traffic related emissions. Without the presence of combustion source like in buses and private vehicles, the use of air-conditioning and screen door in the MRT platform could effectively alleviate the PM2.5 exposure. Reducing the on-road vehicle by switching the inhabitant's transport behaviour to public transport could alleviate the exposure risk attributable to exposure to PM2.5. Substituting a petrol-driven vehicle with the electric vehicle (EV) is also an efficient attempt to reduce the emission of PM2.5.