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The role of particle resuspension within PM concentrations in underground subway systems

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Abstract

High particulate matter (PM) concentrations have been measured on subway networks worldwide, with serious implications for human health. Such concentrations are known to be mainly produced by wear and friction of the metal parts and can accumulate in subways over time, causing a sort of age effect. Surveys have also shown that particle resuspension, caused by train arrivals and departures, significantly increases particulate matter concentrations. The research aim was threefold: (1) to provide a literature review on particulate matter concentrations in urban subway systems; (2) to measure the influence/incidence of the resuspension of PM2.5 and PM10 caused by subway train transit; and (3) to investigate the presence of a subway age effect. A sampling campaign was carried out on the station platforms of the Naples (Italy) Subway Line. The results show that particle resuspension significantly influences PM concentrations, reaching daytime values up to + 1200% greater than those at nighttime. Furthermore, to investigate any age effect, the results were compared with those of a previous study performed in 2014, concluding that, in the absence of tunnel cleaning and/or washing and with a standard ventilation system on station platforms, no statistically significant difference was observed between PM concentrations over the two measurement periods. These results suggest that the particles generated by mechanical wear-and-tear and friction processes constitute a very slow phenomenon. A useful solution could be tunnel washing, thereby removing fine particles that would no longer be available for resuspension.

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(source: The most impressive underground railway station in Europe, The Telegraph, November 2012; www.telegraph.co.uk)

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Notes

  1. It should be noted that in addition to the research field on PM measurement campaigns through samples (the aim of this paper) that reveal PM concentrations at a specific point in the environment (where the instrument is located), there is extensive literature dealing with how the emissions produced by a near-source propagate in the environment. This second category, commonly based on dispersion models (e.g., 3-D plume models) that simulate the sources of PM dispersion (e.g., tunnels), is not addressed in this paper because it lies outside the scope of the research.

  2. Far fewer than 6 days of measurement were needed to establish the comparability of the two samplers. Already after a few hours/days of measurement, the measurement data were consolidated.

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Acknowledgements

The research was carried out as part of the activities of the Transportation System Laboratory of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” Italy. The research was also carried out within the activities of funding program VALERE: VAnviteLli pEr la RicErca and SEND research project, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” Italy.

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  1. Department of Engineering, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Aversa, Italy

    A. Cartenì, F. Cascetta & C. Molitierno

  2. Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    I. Henke

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  1. A. Cartenì
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  2. F. Cascetta
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Correspondence to A. Cartenì.

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Cartenì, A., Cascetta, F., Henke, I. et al. The role of particle resuspension within PM concentrations in underground subway systems. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 17, 4075–4094 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-020-02780-3

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