Health risk assessment of air pollution exposure among different indoor and outdoor working environments in Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Author | Penphatsa Chaunprachum |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-25-12 |
| Subject(s) | Air--Pollution--Health aspects--Bangkok--Thailand Air quality--Bangkok--Thailand Health risk assessment--Bangkok--Thailand |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Air pollution remains a critical public health issue in Bangkok, with numerous studies highlighting associations between elevated pollution levels and increased incidence of respiratory illnesses. While concerns about the health effects of particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are growing, comprehensive assessments of exposure levels across various indoor and outdoor occupational environments, along with detailed health risk evaluations, remain scarce. This study aimed to analyze and compare PM and VOC exposure across a range of occupational settings using low-cost air quality sensors. It further assessed the potential non cancer health risks associated with such exposures. Implemented the mitigation scenarios developed to achieve a reduction in the Hazard Index (HI) across high-risk occupational groups for instances of high PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations. The concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 showed synchronous temporal patterns; however, exposure levels varied significantly across different work environments. Notably, outdoor workers, specifically a farmer and a motorcycle taxi driver, experienced markedly higher PM2.5 and PM10 exposures, particularly during January and February, when pollution episodes were more severe. Health risk assessments indicated variability in non-cancer risk across occupational groups. The motorcycle taxi driver had the highest hazard quotients (HQs) for PM2.5 (0.82) and PM10 (0.28), indicating a relatively elevated risk, although still below acute hazard thresholds. The hazard index (HI), which reflects cumulative non-cancer risk from PM2.5, PM10, and VOCs combined, exceeded the threshold value of 1.0 for the motorcycle taxi driver (HI = 1.22), suggesting a potential concern for adverse health effects. The market vendor had the second highest HI (0.75), while other occupations, namely the nurse, lab assistant, office worker, and farmer, had HI values below 0.5, indicating lower health risks. Simulated scenarios involving the use of medical and N95 masks demonstrated a notable reduction in HI values across all occupational groups. These findings suggest that appropriate mask usage can serve as an effective intervention to mitigate exposure and reduce potential health risks in both indoor and outdoor working environments. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering (DWREE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Ekbordin Winijkul; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Sasaki, Nophea;Ghimire, Anish; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |