The effects of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) on the respiratory health status of LPG taxi drivers in Metro Manila

• Main Authors: Castro, Crystal J., Punongbayan, Abigail P.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2014
• Subjects: Liquefied petroleum gas—Physiological effect; Biological and Chemical Physics
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/18639; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=19131&context=etd_bachelors
• Institution: De La Salle University

A study was conducted to see the effects of LPG on the respiratory health of the taxi drivers in Toyota Alabang Incorporated Taxi Company in Metro Manila. 35 drivers were surveyed from August 2013 until January 2014. 10 random drivers were physically examined by a physician. 22 taxi units were tested for their tailpipe emission using MRU delta 1600-V. The survey results were analyzed using chi-square p-value approach and Spearman’s rank correlation. The significance of the survey results versus the emission results, and the emission results versus the model of the taxi were tested using one-way and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The analysis of the survey results showed majority of the drivers did not experience any negative change in their health status, headaches, blurred vision, eye itchiness, nausea, depression and/or hopelessness while driving. Most drivers had no change in their health condition and had no problems in their health in the span of this study. Some drivers exemplified symptoms of pulmonary disease; however the drivers felt those symptoms before they started using LPG; thus showing that LPG has no effects on the respiratory health of the taxi drivers. The emission has no effect on the different health conditions of the drivers (n=16) whose car’s emissions were measured except on the nitrogen dioxide. There was no significant difference between the emissions and the model of the taxi except in the measurement of the carbon dioxide.