Particle　composition　and　risk　assessment　of　their　exposure　in　a　subway　station　are　very　important　for　a　station＇s　environment　and　the　health　of　people.　However,　only　a　handful　of　papers　have　compared　and　analyzed　the　composition　of　particulate　matter　and　the　risk　of　their　exposure　to　people.　To　address　these　issues,　environmental　parameters　and　particulate　matter　were　measured　for　one　month　at　six　different　locations　in　twelve　subway　stations　in　a　capital　city　located　on　the　central　coast　of　China.　The　particulate　matter　(PM),　its　composition　and　characteristics　were　analyzed　and　compared.　The　daily　average　exposure　risk　assessment　model　for　the　studied　city　was　proposed　to　analyze　the　exposure　risks　associated　with　various　particulate　matters　and　metals　for　both　commuters　and　workers.　The　results　showed　that,　in　all　public　areas　(station　hall,　platform　and　carriage),　the　concentrations　of　PM　were　higher　than　those　outside　the　subway　station.　The　highest　values　of　PM2.5,　PM10,　and　TSP　(total　suspended　particulates)　were　determined　to　be　158.3　μg/m3,　168.0　μg/m3,　and　170.7　μg/m3,　respectively.　The　physical　characteristics　showed　that　the　surface　of　particles　inside　the　station　was　rougher,　larger　and　darker　in　color.　Compared　to　outdoors,　the　particles　within　the　subway　stations　contained　much　more　metals,　particularly　Fe　that　had　the　mass　fraction　of　9.59　%.　On　the　other　hand,　the　outdoor　environment　did　not　contain　any　Fe.　These　findings　indicated　that　there　were　original　sources　of　contamination　at　subway　stations,　and　the　hazardous　nature　of　the　particles　was　particularly　pronounced　within　subway　stations.　The　exposure　risk　of　TSP　and　metals　for　workers　was　nearly　twice　that　of　passengers.　This　study　aims　to　provide　data　that　could　help　in　controlling　the　environment　at　subway　stations.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd