INTRODUCTION:

Metropolitan underground railway transport systems are a very important part of the urban traffic
since they carry millions of passengers per day in a number of cities around the world. They
represent a segregated traffic microenvironment because of their closed character and restricted
ventilation, lack of sunlight, specific emission sources and meteorological conditions. Concentrations
of some air pollutants including aerosol particles are usually higher in underground railways than in
corresponding external outdoor areas, which can considerably increase commuters daily exposures.
At the same time, the chemical composition and properties of indoor aerosol particles differ
substantially from those for outdoor air the particles are larger and heavier, are mainly composed of
!e, and contain less soot, and, therefore, their impact on morbidity and mortality is expected to be
different. "evertheless, some transition metals, i.e., !e, Mn, "i, Cu and Cr can be of concern. #n the
present paper we overview the physical and chemical properties and behaviour of the aerosol
particles, as well as their ma$or emission sources, compare the information and knowledge available
for the underground railways, and discuss their health implications and conclusions in general. #t is
estimated that people living in urban areas in developed countries spend approximately %& of their
daily time commuting. Concentration of pollutants in traffic microenvironments are higher than in other
urban and urban background environments. 'f them, metropolitan underground transport
system( metros, subways or tubes) represent a segregated microenvironment because of their closed
character and restricted ventilation, lack of sunlight(photochemistry), specific emission sources and
meteriological condition.