Factors affecting individual exposure to NO in Genoa 2 žnorthern Italy/

The individual exposure to nitrogen dioxide ŽNO2. of 89 volunteers living in Genoa, a large port city of northern Italy, was investigated with personal passive diffusion tubes in February March 2000. The data were related to NO2 concentration in the kitchen and bedroom as measured by static samplers. Volunteers included students, workers and housewives living in three areas of Genoa differing by street traffic and industrial plant location. The kitchen samples showed higher Ž47.00 16.5 g m3. NO2 concentrations than those from the bedroom Ž24.78 9.8 g m3.; overall indoor NO2 concentrations were lower in the Eastern area of Genoa, where outdoor pollution is lower. Students were the volunteer group with the lowest exposure rate Ž24.9 7.8 g m3 vs. 44.3 10.1 g m3 for workers and 40.0 13.4 g m3 for housewives.. This difference is related to the fact that students spend more time indoors, where pollution levels are lower. The main household characteristics which were shown to affect personal NO2 exposure were Ža. the presence of a chimney equipped with an active aspiration device in the kitchen and Žb. the heating system.