Transboundary and traffic influences on air pollution across two Caribbean islands

Exposure to ambient air pollution has been linked to adverse health outcomes ranging from asthma to premature mortality. However, little to no information exists on the exposure of residents and visitors in the Caribbean islands. While a few previous studies have quantified levels of PM₁₀ (particulate matter <10 μm) from Sahara dust in Trinidad, our study focussed on a local source of air pollution, traffic emissions. Mass concentrations of black carbon (BC) and PM_2.5 (PM <2.5 μm) were measured at ten locations across the islands of Trinidad and Tobago over a three-week period. PM_2.5 concentrations were observed to be heavily influenced by air masses showing origins from the Sahara Desert (31%), North America (26%) and Atlantic Ocean (42%), which resulted in similar average concentrations between the two islands. Average concentrations of BC were five times higher in Trinidad than Tobago (2.0 vs 0.43 μg/m³). In addition, BC in Trinidad was three times higher near than away from major roads (2.21 vs. 0.72 μg/m³), with concentrations reaching levels comparable to those near highways in large Metropolitan cities. The elevated BC concentrations observed in this study suggests that significant exposure to diesel exhaust is occurring in Trinidad, with significant contributions from traffic.