Road Traffic Noise and PM2.5 Impacts on Workers' Health in Different Microenvironments of an Urban Traffic Corridor

Abstract

Urban traffic corridors are severely polluted by traffic air, and noise pollution due to unprecedented growth of traffic. This study investigated the workplace annoyance and cardiovascular health of people working in two microenvironments such as street (vendors) and workplace (office workers) whose blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) might be affected due to regular exposure to PM2.5 and traffic noise. The PM2.5 and noise levels measurements, face-to-face questionnaire survey and health check-ups were carried out on working days from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Jan-Dec 2019. The data was analysed by various statistical approaches in which the link between the traffic-borne PM2.5 and noise level at 1/3rd octave frequencies has been established with the participants' BP and HR considering the demographic, socio-contextual, habitual and annoyance perception factors. The median measure of PM2.5 (106.67 μg/m3 at street level and 33.33 μg/m3 at office indoor) and noise level (71.35 dB (A) at the street and 65.78 dB (A) at office indoor) violated the WHO and NAAQS allowable limit. In winter, noise levels and PM2.5 were relatively higher than in other seasons. The street-side PM2.5 has been observed to be slightly correlated (ρ=0.299-0.344) with street-side peak noise and background noise, which might be due to the significant contribution from the same source on noise and the particulate pollution in that study area. This slight correlation suggests there might be the possible influence of other sources and some urban factors.The workplace annoyance was correlated with questionnaire variables (ρ: 0.364-1.000) and PM2.5 (ρ:-0.326-0.235). The low-mid frequencies noise, PM2.5, residential characteristics, family income, smoking, night traffic activities near residential area, and family income were the significant predictors of workplace annoyance. The results showed that above 40 dB (A) of 50Hz, 35 dB (A) of 100 Hz, 50 dB (A) of 315 Hz noise spectrum and > 50μg/m3 of PM2.5 significantly increase high annoyance perception of the respondents. While, noise level > 55 dB (A) 630 Hz leads to decrease annoyance of office workers’ and > 100μg/m3 of PM2.5 leads to decrease the annoyance of street vendors.