Estimation of students’ exposure to metal concentrations from river-dust episodes during 1994–2012

Two elementary schools (Shiuguang and Fongrong) from Yulin County in Taiwan, near a main area of potential exposure to Aeolian river-dust, were selected to collect outdoor and indoor PM10 aerosols and to measure five metals in PM10 (As, Ni, Cr, Cd, and Mn). Significant relationships (p < 0.01) were found between outdoor PM10 concentrations at Lunbei’s air quality monitoring station and the two elementary schools. The outdoor PM10 concentrations at the monitoring station and the schools’ indoor PM10 concentrations also showed significant correlations. This study also established a relationship between the outdoor and indoor concentrations of PM10 and metals in the schools. Estimations were made regarding students’ 8 h of exposure to metal concentrations from river-dust episodes during 1994–2012, based on correlation equations that were shown to be statistically significant.