Regular exercise improves physiological processes and yields positive health outcomes. However, it is relatively less known that particulate matter (PM) exposure during outdoor exercises may increase several respiratory health problems depending on PM levels. In this study, the respiratory deposition doses (RDDs) in head airway (HD), tracheobronchial (TB), and alveolar (AL) regions of various PM size fractions (<10, <2.5, and <1 μm; PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁) were estimated in healthy male and female exercisers in urban outdoors and within house premises. The highest RDDs were found for PM during morning hours in winter compared with remaining periods. RDDs in AL region for males and females, respectively, were 34.7 × 10⁻² and 28.8 × 10⁻² µg min⁻¹ for PM₁₀, 65.7 × 10⁻² and 56.9 × 10⁻² µg min⁻¹ for PM_2.5, and 76.5 × 10⁻² and 66.3 × 10⁻² µg min⁻¹ for PM₁. The RDD values in AL region were significantly higher in PM₁ (27%) compared with PM_2.5 (13%) and PM₁₀ (2%) during exercise in all periods. This result showed that the morning peak hours in winter are more harmful to urban outdoor exercisers compared with other periods. This study also showed that the AL region would have been the main affected zone through fine particle (PM₁) to all the exercisers. Implications: Size-segregated particle concentrations in urban outdoors and within house premises were measured. The highest respiratory deposition doses (RDDs) were found for PM during morning hours in winter compared with remaining periods. During light exercise, the RDD values in alveolar (AL) region for PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁ for male exercisers were significantly higher, 20.4%, 15.5%, and 15.4%, respectively, compared with female exercisers during morning peak hours in winter.

Street vendors spend relatively more time near roadways and are vulnerable to air pollution related health disorders. However, there is limited information on the quality of the air they breathe. The objectives of this present study were to calculate the mass concentration of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) in eight size fractions (PM0.4-0.7, PM0.7-1.1, PM1.1-2.1, PM2.1-3.3, PM3.3-4.7, PM4.7-5.8, PM5.8-9.0, and PM9.0--0μm) at commercial (CML) and residential site (RSL) in Dehradun city from November 2015 to May 2016. To estimate the corresponding respiratory deposition dose (RDDs) in alveolar (AL), tracheobronchial (TB), and head airway (HD) region on street vendors working at CML and RSL. To find the association of atmospheric PM with RDDs and the incidence of respiratory related disorders among street vendors. Andersen cascade impactor was employed for calculating the PM mass concentration. Questionnaire based health survey among street vendors were carried out through personal interview. A significant difference (p < 0.05; t-test) between the mean PM0.4-10μm mass concentration at CML and RSL was observed with (mean ± SD) 84.05 ± 14.5 and 77.23 ± 11.7 μg m-3, respectively. RDDs in AL, TB and HD region at CML was observed to be 9.9, 7.8, and 7.3% higher than at RSL, respectively. Health survey revealed 1.62, 0.96, 0.04, and 0.57 times higher incidence of cold, cough, breathlessness, and chest pain, respectively with street vendors at CML compared to RSL. The site characteristics plays a major role in the respiratory health status of street vendors at Dehradun.

Manufacturing industries are one of the important emission sectors of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this study, VOC emission factors, relative ozone formation potential (ROFP) and relative carcinogenic risk (RCR) were estimated for manufacturing industries (n = 13) located in central Taiwan. Emission samples were collected in stainless steel canisters and were analyzed with a system of gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Higher emission factors of total VOCs (∑VOCs) were observed for stencil printing (423 mg-VOC kg^− 1) compared to other emission industries. Alkanes constituted the most prominent group of VOCs for steel foundry (42%), aluminum foundry (25%) and synthetic resin industries (25%). Oxygenated VOCs were the most abundant group in the organic solvent (80%), polyester resin (80%) and polyurethane (75%) industries. Moreover, emissions from acrylic resin manufacturing had a major contribution from aromatic compounds (> 95%). Toluene was the topmost compound in terms of its contribution to ∑VOCs in plastic tape manufacturing (44%), aluminum foundry (40%), steel foundry (12%), plastic coating (64%) and stencil printing (35%). Analysis of ozone formation potentials showed that the metal product and machinery acrylic resin manufacturing and stencil printing had a higher normalized relative ozone formation potential (ROFP) index and belonged to Level-I emission sources. However, in terms of the relative carcinogenic risk (RCR), integrated iron and steel manufacturing had the highest normalized RCR index that belonged to level-I emission sources. Level-I represents the most important VOC emission sources. This study provides a reactivity- and carcinogenicity-based approach to identify high-priority VOC emission sources. The results of this study would help formulate emission reduction policies and strategies for manufacturing industries.