Health damage assessment of commuters and staff in the metro system based on field monitoring—A case study of Nanjing

IntroductionThe metro has emerged as a major mode of transportation. A significant number of commuters and staff in the metro system are exposed to air pollutants because of its shielded environment, and substantial health damage requires quantitative assessment. Previous studies have focused on comparing the health impacts among different transportation modes, overlooking the specific population characteristics and pollutant distribution in metro systems.MethodsTo make improvements, this study implements field monitoring of the metro's air environment utilizing specialized instruments and develops a health damage assessment model. The model quantifies health damage of two main groups (commuters and staff) in metro systems at three different areas (station halls, platforms, and metro cabins) due to particulate matter 10 and benzene series pollution.ConclusionA case study of Nanjing Metro Line 3 was conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the model. Health damage at different metro stations was analyzed, and the health damage of commuters and staff was assessed and compared. This study contributes to enhancing research on health damage in the metro systems by providing a reference for mitigation measures and guiding health subsidy policies.