According to a study, cyclists and pedestrians absorb more microscopic particles than motorists – liberation

According to a new Incerm publication, pollution is even more harmful to people who travel on foot or on a bicycle. According to its coordinator Basil Chykes, this is an end in itself to accelerating the transformations of the urban environment.

Ride the bike In traffic jams, do the lungs have a bad idea? That’s basically what it says Study From the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) published on Tuesday. This highlights the increasing exposure of cyclists and walkers in cities to soot carbon, which is the result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and is a very good indicator. Road traffic pollution.

With 283 participants aged 34 to 60 years from the territory of Greater Paris, the study collected more than 7,000 “segments” of travel over six days, which means that the “pieces” were classified by the same type of transportation on the trip. Understand: If two modes of transport (say metro and walk) are used between home and office, these are the two sections that count.

“Reorganize our urban environment”

Each individual is fitted with a sensor worn at the waist and fitted with a tube placed at the level of the collar to record the size of the microscopic cells in the breathing zone. Individuals also wear a GPS sensor to reconstruct their movements. Finally, an accelerometer, or physical activity sensor, made it possible to measure the amount of air inhaled during the attempt.

Previous studies on this issue have only been of interest to the concentration levels recorded in the respiratory zone, without analyzing the effect of physical activity on the absorption of these mentioned cells. However, when a person does physical activity such as cycling or walking, his “minute ventilation” increases, which increases the amount of pollutants that mechanically inhale. In short, the faster we breathe, the more delicate particles we breathe. The higher the concentration in the passenger compartment of a car or tram, the greater the amount of pollutants actually inhaled while cycling or walking.

So, should you lower your bike and restart your car for your lungs? No, the study’s coordinator Basil Chykes answers. This is because the physical activity induced by cycling balances the risks of exposure to the cells beneficially.

“The interest of this study shows above all the need to reorganize our urban environment, Basile Chaix explains. To limit cyclists’ exposure to cells, rather than asking them to stop cycling, it is appropriate to set up A network of lanes dedicated to them, Far away from road traffic. In addition, cycling and walking are strongly recommended only to avoid stress associated with noise pollution and other modes of transport.

Decorbonize the peri-urban population without imposing a fine

Basile Chaix suggests reviewing the location of a car that emits greenhouse gases in the city, in order to reduce the risks associated with pollution and continue to enjoy the benefits of cycling. ⁇We need to decarbonize By developing public transport. In this case, what is good for health is also good for the environment. Captures expertise in mobility and health issues. However, be careful not to penalize the peri-urban population by banning highly polluted cars in the city center, the author’s nuance of requesting for a redeveloped city at the metropolis level.

“If the problem of cyclists being exposed to micro-particles is found everywhere, I will be very careful about the results we can get in other big cities in France,” he said. Basile Chaix continues. In addition, background pollution must be taken into account in the analysis so as not to be exposed to the mode of transport. “Natural” To cells.