A study of exposure to particulate matter (PM₂.₅) during commuting in KLIA transit train / Muhammad Haikal Izat Zulkapli

Development of public transport in Malaysia has improved drastically especially in Klang Valley area. Statistic shown by Ministry of Transport in Transportation report 2013 recorded the drastic increases of KLIA Transit train passenger with 2.6 million (2010), 3.2million (2011), 3.7million (2012) and 4.4million (2013). Steady increase of KLIA Transit train users yearly shows the shifting preference of people from use own vehicles to fully utilising public transport. Train passengers have risk to expose with ambient air pollutant during commuting or waiting at the station. Particulate matter from contaminate air can give a significant health effect to expose people. The general objective of this research is to identify the PM₂.₅ during commuting in KLIA Transit train. The research method consists of measurements on PM₂.₅, carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (C02) during commuting from KL Sentral station to KLIA station. All measurement samples collected were analysing using Pearson Correlation, Independent t-test and One-Way ANOVA in Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). Mean values of PM₂.₅ concentration reading in KLIA Transit train; (80.380µg/m³) for peak hour and (77.1 ug/m³) for non-peak hour; (79.579µg/m³) during weekday and (76.783µg/m³) during weekend; urban (83.0µg/m³), sub-urban (80.9µg/m³) and airport (81.4 ug/m³) respectively.
Information gained provides brief data on in-train level of PM₂.₅, CO and CO2 that expose to passengers during daily commuting. The findings shows that variation concentration of PM₂.₅, CO and CO2 during commuting resulted from increase in number of commuting passenger, interfere of-ambient air pollutants, effectiveness of ventilation and braking system. There are three significant of hypotheses testing to identify the exposure of particulate matter (PM₂.₅) during commuting. The research also will briefly explain on the recommendation for further research and extended research to other public transport. The focus given in this research should be useful to public users, authority and commuter service providers.