Measurement of individual human exposure to atmospheric pollutants

The assessment of human health risks of the general population or of a grou p of persons subject to air pollution requires a precise knowledge of indiv idual exposure to atmospheric pollutants. The process consisting in measuri ng the individual exposure of a group of persons is more innovative than th e one based on the environment characterization. However, it meets a lot of problems especially in terms of metrology. The constraints in the matter o f miniaturization and operation autonomy limit the methods available for me asuring pollutant concentrations in the air. After a brief presentation of the major pollution physicochemical indicators in gaseous and particulate p hase, as well as of their levels of concentration, different measurement me thods of individual exposure are discussed: on-fine measurements, "active" or "passive" sampling and laboratory analysis.