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Frey HC, Grieshop AP, Khlystov A, Bang JJ, Rouphail N, Guinness J, Rodriguez D, Fuentes M, Saha P, Brantley H, Snyder M, Tanvir S, Ko K, Noussi T, Delavarrafiee M, Singh S. Characterizing Determinants of Near-Road Ambient Air Quality for an Urban Intersection and a Freeway Site. Res Rep Health Eff Inst 2022; 2022:1-73. [PMID: 36314577 PMCID: PMC9620485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Near-road ambient air pollution concentrations that are affected by vehicle emissions are typically characterized by substantial spatial variability with respect to distance from the roadway and temporal variability based on the time of day, day of week, and season. The goal of this work is to identify variables that explain either temporal or spatial variability based on case studies for a freeway site and an urban intersection site. The key hypothesis is that dispersion modeling of near-road pollutant concentrations could be improved by adding estimates or indices for site-specific explanatory variables, particularly related to traffic. Based on case studies for a freeway site and an urban intersection site, the specific aims of this project are to (1) develop and test regression models that explain variability in traffic-related air pollutant (TRAP) ambient concentration at two near-roadway locations; (2) develop and test refined proxies for land use, traffic, emissions and dispersion; and (3) prioritize inputs according to their ability to explain variability in ambient concentrations to help focus efforts for future data collection and model development. The key pollutants that are the key focus of this work include nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), black carbon (BC), fine particulate matter (PM2.5; PM ≤ 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter), ultrafine particles (UFPs; PM ≤ 0.1 μm in aerodynamic diameter), and ozone (O3). NOx, CO, and BC are tracers of vehicle emissions and dispersion. PM2.5 is influenced by vehicle table emissions and regional sources. UFPs are sensitive to primary vehicle emissions. Secondary particles can form near roadways and on regional scales, influencing both PM2.5 and UFP concentrations. O3 concentrations are influenced by interaction with NOx near the roadway. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), CO, PM2.5, and O3 are regulated under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) because of demonstrated health effects. BC and UFPs are of concern for their potential health effects. Therefore, these pollutants are the focus of this work. METHODS The methodological approach includes case studies for which variables are identified and assesses their ability to explain either temporal or spatial variability in pollutant ambient concentrations. The case studies include one freeway location and one urban intersection. The case studies address (1) temporal variability at a fixed monitor 10 meters from a freeway; (2) downwind concentrations perpendicular to the same location; (3) variability in 24-hour average pollutant concentrations at five sites near an urban intersection; and (4) spatiotemporal variability along a walking path near that same intersection. The study boundary encompasses key factors in the continuum from vehicle emissions to near-road exposure concentrations. These factors include land use, transportation infrastructure and traffic control, vehicle mix, vehicle (traffic) flow, on-road emissions, meteorology, transport and evolution (transformation) of primary emissions, and production of secondary pollutants, and their resulting impact on measured concentrations in the near-road environment. We conducted field measurements of land use, traffic, vehicle emissions, and near-road ambient concentrations in the vicinity of two newly installed fixed-site monitors. One is a monitoring station jointly operated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) on I-40 between Airport Boulevard and I-540 in Wake County, North Carolina. The other is a fixed-site monitor for measuring PM2.5 at the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) campus on E. Lawson Street in Durham, North Carolina. We refer to these two locations as the freeway site and the urban site, respectively. We developed statistical models for the freeway and urban sites. RESULTS We quantified land use metrics at each site, such as distances to the nearest bus stop. For the freeway site, we quantified lane-by-lane total vehicle count, heavy vehicle (HV) count, and several vehicle-activity indices that account for distance from each lane to the roadside monitor. For the urban site, we quantified vehicle counts for all 12 turning movements through the intersection. At each site, we measured microscale vehicle tailpipe emissions using a portable emission measurement system. At the freeway site, we measured the spatial gradient of NOx, BC, UFPs, and PM, quantified particle size distributions at selected distances from the roadway and assessed partitioning of particles as a function of evolving volatility. We also quantified fleet-average emission factors for several pollutants. At the urban site, we measured daily average concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), NOx, O3, and PM2.5 at five sites surrounding the intersection of interest; we also measured high resolution (1-second to 10-second averages) concentrations of O3, PM2.5, and UFPs along a pedestrian transect. At both sites, the Research LINE-source (R-LINE) dispersion model was applied to predict concentration gradients based on the physical dispersion of pollution. Statistical models were developed for each site for selected pollutants. With variables for local wind direction, heavy-vehicle index, temperature, and day type, the multiple coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.61 for hourly NOx concentrations at the freeway site. An interaction effect of the dispersion model and a real-time traffic index contributed only 24% of the response variance for NOx at the freeway site. Local wind direction, measured near the road, was typically more important than wind direction measured some distance away, and vehicle-activity metrics directly related to actual real-time traffic were important. At the urban site, variability in pollutant concentrations measured for a pedestrian walk-along route was explained primarily by real-time traffic metrics, meteorology, time of day, season, and real-world vehicle tailpipe emissions, depending on the pollutant. The regression models explained most of the variance in measured concentrations for BC, PM, UFPs, NO, and NOx at the freeway site and for UFPs and O3 at the urban site pedestrian transect. CONCLUSIONS Among the set of candidate explanatory variables, typically only a few were needed to explain most of the variability in observed ambient concentrations. At the freeway site, the concentration gradients perpendicular to the road were influenced by dilution, season, time of day, and whether the pollutant underwent chemical or physical transformations. The explanatory variables that were useful in explaining temporal variability in measured ambient concentrations, as well as spatial variability at the urban site, were typically localized real-time traffic-volume indices and local wind direction. However, the specific set of useful explanatory variables was site, context (e.g., next to road, quadrants around an intersection, pedestrian transects), and pollutant specific. Among the most novel of the indicators, variability in real-time measured tailpipe exhaust emissions was found to help explain variability in pedestrian transect UFP concentrations. UFP particle counts were very sensitive to real-time traffic indicators at both the freeway and urban sites. Localized site-specific data on traffic and meteorology contributed to explaining variability in ambient concentrations. HV traffic influenced near-road air quality at the freeway site more so than at the urban site. The statistical models typically explained most of the observed variability but were relatively simple. The results here are site-specific and not generalizable, but they are illustrative that near-road air quality can be highly sensitive to localized real-time indicators of traffic and meteorology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - J J Bang
- North Carolina Central University
| | | | | | | | | | - P Saha
- North Carolina State University
| | | | - M Snyder
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | | | - K Ko
- North Carolina State University
| | - T Noussi
- North Carolina Central University
| | | | - S Singh
- North Carolina State University
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Gantt B, Owen RC, Watkins N. Characterizing Nitrogen Oxides and Fine Particulate Matter near Major Highways in the United States Using the National Near-Road Monitoring Network. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:2831-2838. [PMID: 33566613 PMCID: PMC7938425 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As part of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) review, a national network of near-road sites was established to characterize pollutant behavior, interaction, and dispersion in the ambient near-road environment. Using spatial interpolation to estimate the near-road concentration increments of NO2 and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm and less (PM2.5) relative to nearby non-near-road monitors, we found that the 2013-2018 national average increment is 6.9 ppb and 1.0 μg m-3 for NO2 and PM2.5, respectively. Analyses of the hourly near-road NO2, nitric oxide (NO), and PM2.5 increments showed distinct diurnal cycles; the NO2 increment peaks at ∼9 ppb during the early afternoon (2-4 pm local time) while the NO and PM2.5 increments peak during the morning rush hour (5-8 am local time) at 25 ppb and 1.8 μg m-3 for NO and PM2.5, respectively. Although long-term trends are not yet available for this network of sites, a similar analysis of the NO2 and PM2.5 increment at a quasi-near-road site outside of the official network in Elizabeth, NJ showed gradual decreases in the increment over time since the mid-2000s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Gantt
- Corresponding Author., phone: 919-541-5274; Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=idyQBBMAAAAJ
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Cao R, Li B, Wang Z, Peng ZR, Tao S, Lou S. Using a distributed air sensor network to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of PM 2.5 concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 264:114549. [PMID: 32408078 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Spatiotemporal variations in PM2.5 are a key factor affecting personal pollution exposure levels in urban areas. However, fixed-site monitoring stations are so sparsely distributed that they hardly capture the dynamic and fine-scale variations in PM2.5 in urban areas with complex geographical features and urban forms. Recently, a distributed air sensor network (DASN) was deployed in Dezhou city, China, to monitor fine-scale air pollution information and obtain deep insight into variations in PM2.5. Based on the data collected by the DASN, this paper investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of PM2.5 using the time-series clustering method. The results demonstrated that there were four stages of PM2.5 daily variations, i.e., accumulation, continuous pollution, dispersion, and cleaning. Generally, the stage of dispersion occurred more rapidly than the stage of accumulation, and PM2.5 accumulated easily in warm and humid weather with low wind speeds. However, the stage of dispersion was affected mainly by high wind speeds and precipitation. Additionally, the results suggested that four variation stages did not strictly correspond to seasonal divisions. The spatial distributions of PM2.5 revealed that the main pollution source was located in a southeastern industrial park, which exhibited a significant impact throughout the four stages. Considering both the temporal and spatial characteristics of PM2.5, this study successfully identified pollution hotspots and confirmed the effect of industrial parks. The study demonstrates that the DASN has high prospective applicability for assessing the fine-scale spatial distribution of PM2.5, and the time-series clustering method can also assist environmental researchers in further exploring the spatiotemporal characteristics of urban air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Cao
- Center for Intelligent Transportation Systems and Unmanned Aerial Systems Applications, State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Bai Li
- Center for Intelligent Transportation Systems and Unmanned Aerial Systems Applications, State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Zhanyong Wang
- College of Transportation and Civil Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
| | - Zhong-Ren Peng
- International Center for Adaptation Planning and Design (iAdapt), School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, College of Design, Construction, and Planning, University of Florida, P.O. Box 115706, Gainesville, FL, 32611-5706, USA
| | - Shikang Tao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of the Formation and Prevention of Urban Air Pollution Complex, Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Shengrong Lou
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of the Formation and Prevention of Urban Air Pollution Complex, Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai, 200233, China
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Vertical and Horizontal Profiles of Particulate Matter and Black Carbon Near Elevated Highways Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Monitoring. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12031204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Highways passing through cities cause additional pollution inside the city. However, most of the current studies are using ground-based monitoring technologies, which make it difficult to capture the dispersion patterns of pollutants near elevated highways or transportation interchanges. The purpose of this study is to discover short-term three-dimensional variations in traffic-related pollutants based on unmanned aerial vehicles. The monitoring locations are at suburban elevated highway and transportation interchanges. The monitoring parameters include the particle number concentration (PN), particle mass concentration (PM), and black carbon (BC). The vertical profiles showed that most air pollutants increased significantly with the height of the elevated highways. Compared with the ground level, PNs increased by 54%–248% and BC increased by 201%. The decline rate of particle concentrations decreased with the increase of height and remained stable after 120 m. Furthermore, the R2 heatmap for regressions between each altitude showed that the linear relationship between 0–120 m was higher than that of other altitudes. In horizontal profiles, PNs spread to 100 m and then began to decline, BC began to decay rapidly after 50 m, but PMs varied less. After crossing another highway, PNs increased by 69–289%, PMs by 7–28%, and BC by 101%. Furthermore, the formation of new particles was observed at both locations as PN3 increased with distance within 100 m from the highway. This paper fills in the void of three-dimensional in situ monitoring near elevated highways, and can help develop and refine a three-dimensional traffic-related air pollution dispersion model and assess the impacts of transportation facilities on the urban environment.
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A meta-analysis of selected near-road air pollutants based on concentration decay rates. Heliyon 2019; 5:e02236. [PMID: 31485506 PMCID: PMC6716115 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Traffic-related air pollution has been associated with various health risks for human populations living near roadways. Understanding the relationship between traffic density and dispersion of vehicle-released air pollutants is important for assessing human exposure to near-road air pollutants. We performed a literature survey targeting publications containing measurement data of traffic-related air pollutants near roads with distance information on their concentration distribution. Concentration decay rates over down-wind distance away from major roads were calculated for black carbon (BC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO2 or NOx) and meta-data analysis on these rates was performed. These analyses showed metadata-based exponential decay rates of 0.0026, 0.0019, 0.0004, and 0.0027 m−1 for BC, CO, NO2 and NOx, respectively. Using these measurement data-based decay rates, concentrations for BC, CO, NO2 and NOx over various near-road distances were predicted. These results are useful for enhancing exposure modeling and thus more reliably assessing the health risk of exposure to near road air pollution.
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Wang M, Hou ZH, Xu H, Liu Y, Budoff MJ, Szpiro AA, Kaufman JD, Vedal S, Lu B. Association of Estimated Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution and Traffic Proximity With a Marker for Coronary Atherosclerosis in a Nationwide Study in China. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e196553. [PMID: 31251382 PMCID: PMC6604100 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.6553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Epidemiologic evidence of the mechanisms of the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and coronary heart disease (CHD) is limited and relies heavily on studies performed in Europe and the United States, where air pollution levels are relatively low. In particular, the association between air pollution and CHD in patients with underlying risks for CHD is understudied. OBJECTIVE To determine whether air pollution and proximity to traffic are associated with the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score, a key atherosclerotic marker. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this prospective, population-based cross-sectional study in a large-scale setting in China, 8867 consecutive patients aged 25 to 92 years with suspected CHD were recruited between November 17, 2015, and September 13, 2017. Participants were excluded if they had previous myocardial infarction, stenting, or coronary artery bypass grafting or incomplete risk factors and exposure data. Each participant underwent assessment of CAC and CHD risk factors at baseline. Data were analyzed from December 2017 to November 2018. EXPOSURES Annual means of fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) were estimated at the participants' residences using a validated geostatistical prediction model. Exposure to a nearby roadway was also estimated. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Computed tomography measurement of CAC score. RESULTS The mean (SD) age of the 8867 participants was 56.9 (10.4) years; 4378 (53.6%) were men. Annual mean (SD) PM2.5, NO2, and O3 measurements were 70.1 (20.0), 41.4 (14.7), and 93.9 (10.5) μg/m3, respectively. The mean (SD) CAC score was 91.4 (322.2) Agatston units. Exposure to PM2.5 and NO2, adjusting for CHD risk factors and multiple pollutants, were independently associated with increases in CAC scores of 27.2% (95% CI, 10.8% to 46.1%) per 30 μg/m3 PM2.5 and 24.5% (95% CI, 3.6% to 49.7%) per 20 μg/m3 NO2. For PM2.5, odds of both detectable CAC (Agatston score >0; odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.45) and severe CAC (Agatston score >400; odds ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.20 to 2.12) were increased. Associations of CAC with PM2.5 and NO2 were greater among male participants (PM2.5: 42.2%; 95% CI, 24.3% to 62.7%; NO2: 45.7%; 95% CI, 25.3% to 69.5%) and elderly participants (PM2.5: 50.1%; 95% CI, 28.8% to 75.0%; NO2: 55.5%; 95% CI, 31.8% to 83.6%) and those with diabetes (PM2.5: 62.2%; 95% CI, 30.9% to 101.0%; NO2: 31.2%; 95% CI, 13.9% to 51.0%). Independent association with CAC score was 9.0% (95% CI, -1.4% to 20.4%) for O3 per 15 μg/m3 and 2.4% (95% CI, -0.6% to 5.4%) for distance near roadway per 50% decrease. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this large Chinese study, long-term exposures to PM2.5 and NO2 were independently associated with severity of CAC. This finding may provide support for the pathophysiological role of coronary atherosclerosis through which air pollution exposure may be associated with CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
- RENEW Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Zhi-Hui Hou
- Department of Radiology, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Matthew J. Budoff
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harbor UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California
| | - Adam A. Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Joel D. Kaufman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Sverre Vedal
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Bin Lu
- Department of Radiology, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Brugge D. On the Need for Better Exposure Assessment for Air Pollution with High Spatial and Temporal Variation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E1594. [PMID: 31067677 PMCID: PMC6540602 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16091594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The mainstay of air pollution health research has been fine particulate matter pollution (PM2 [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug Brugge
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
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Moreno T, Pacitto A, Fernández A, Amato F, Marco E, Grimalt JO, Buonanno G, Querol X. Vehicle interior air quality conditions when travelling by taxi. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 172:529-542. [PMID: 30852456 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.02.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Vehicle interior air quality (VIAQ) was investigated inside 14 diesel/non-diesel taxi pairs operating simultaneously and under normal working conditions over six weekday hours (10.00-16.00) in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Parameters measured included PM10 mass and inorganic chemistry, ultrafine particle number (N) and size, lung surface deposited area (LDSA), black carbon (BC), CO2, CO, and a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most taxi drivers elected to drive with windows open, thus keeping levels of CO2 and internally-generated VOCs low but exposing them to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants entering from outside and confirming that air exchange rates are the dominant influence on VIAQ. Median values of N and LDSA (both sensitive markers of VIAQ fluctuations and likely health effects) were reduced to around 104 #/cm3 and < 20 µm2/cm3 respectively under closed conditions, but more than doubled with windows open and sometimes approached 105 #/cm3 and 240 µm2/cm3. In exceptional traffic conditions, transient pollution peaks caused by outside infiltration exceeded N = 106 #/cm3 and LDSA= 1000 µm2/cm3. Indications of self-pollution were implicated by higher BC and CO levels, and larger UFP sizes, measured inside diesel taxis as compared to their non-diesel pair, and the highest concentrations of CO (>2 ppm) were commonly associated with older, high-km diesel taxis. Median PM10 concentrations (67 µg/m3) were treble those of urban background, mainly due to increased levels of organic and elemental carbon, with source apportionment calculations identifying the main pollutants as vehicle exhaust and non-exhaust particles. Enhancements in PM10 concentrations of Cr, Cu, Sn, Sb, and a "High Field Strength Element" zircon-related group characterised by Zr, Hf, Nb, Y and U, are attributed mainly to the presence of brake-derived PM. Volatile organic compounds display a mixture which reflects the complexity of traffic-related organic carbon emissions infiltrating the taxi interior, with 2-methylbutane and n-pentane being the most abundant VOCs, followed by toluene, m-xylene, o-xylene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, benzene, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene. Internally sourced VOCs included high monoterpene concentrations from an air freshener, and interior off-gassing may explain why the youngest taxi registered the highest content of alkanes and aromatic compounds. Carbon dioxide concentrations quickly climbed to undesirable levels (>2500 ppm) under closed ventilation conditions and could stay high for much of the working day. Taxi drivers face daily occupational exposure to traffic-related air pollutants and would benefit from a greater awareness of VIAQ issues, notably the use of ventilation, to encourage them to minimise possible health effects caused by their working environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Moreno
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA), CSIC, 18-26 Jordi Girona, Barcelona 08034, Spain.
| | - Antonio Pacitto
- Dept. of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Italy
| | - Amaia Fernández
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA), CSIC, 18-26 Jordi Girona, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Fulvio Amato
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA), CSIC, 18-26 Jordi Girona, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Esther Marco
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA), CSIC, 18-26 Jordi Girona, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Joan O Grimalt
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA), CSIC, 18-26 Jordi Girona, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Giorgio Buonanno
- Dept. of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Italy; International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Xavier Querol
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA), CSIC, 18-26 Jordi Girona, Barcelona 08034, Spain
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Sensitivity of Nitrate Aerosol Production to Vehicular Emissions in an Urban Street. ATMOSPHERE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos10040212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the sensitivity of nitrate aerosols to vehicular emissions in urban streets using a coupled computational fluid dynamics (CFD)–chemistry model. Nitrate concentrations were highest at the street surface level following NH3 emissions from vehicles, indicating that ammonium nitrate formation occurs under NH3-limited conditions in street canyons. Sensitivity simulations revealed that the nitrate concentration has no clear relationship with the NOx emission rate, showing nitrate changes of only 2% across among 16 time differences in NOx emissions. NOx emissions show a conflicting effect on nitrate production via decreasing O3 and increasing NO2 concentrations under a volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited regime for O3 production. The sensitivity simulations also show that nitrate aerosol is proportional to vehicular VOC and NH3 emissions in the street canyon. Changes of VOC emissions affect the nitrate aerosol and HNO3 concentrations through changes in the O3 concentration under a VOC-limited regime for O3 production. Nitrate aerosol concentration is influenced by vehicular NH3 emissions, which produce ammonium nitrate effectively under an NH3-limited regime for nitrate production. This research suggests that, when vehicular emissions are dominant in winter, the control of vehicular VOC and NH3 emissions might be a more effective way to degrade PM2.5 problems than the control of NOx.
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Ranasinghe D, Lee ES, Zhu Y, Frausto-Vicencio I, Choi W, Sun W, Mara S, Seibt U, Paulson SE. Effectiveness of vegetation and sound wall-vegetation combination barriers on pollution dispersion from freeways under early morning conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 658:1549-1558. [PMID: 30678013 PMCID: PMC7092696 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Pollutants in tailpipe emissions can be highly elevated around roadways, and in early mornings the pollution plume can extend hundreds of meters into surrounding neighborhoods. Solid sound walls and vegetation barriers are commonly used to mitigate noise, but they also help mitigate near-road air pollution. Here we assess the effectiveness of barriers consisting of vegetation only and of a combination of vegetation and a solid sound wall (combination barrier) in reducing pollution concentrations downwind of roads, under stable atmospheric stability and calm to light wind conditions. Because there was no practical (no barrier) control site in the area, we primarily compare the two barrier types to each other and explore the importance of atmospheric conditions. Using measurements collected with a mobile platform, we develop concentration decay profiles of ultrafine and fine particles, oxides of nitrogen (NO and NO2) and carbon monoxide downwind of a freeway in California with different barrier configurations and meteorological conditions. Diurnally averaged data collected with passive samplers indicate that pollution from morning rush hour has about equal impact as the entire remainder of the day, because of differences in atmospheric dispersion as the day progresses. Under calm and stable atmospheric conditions (wind speed <0.6 m/s); a vegetation-only barrier was more effective than a combination barrier with a total height that was somewhat lower than the vegetation-only barrier, by 10-24% in the first 160 m downwind. Under light winds (above ~ 0.6 but below 3 m/s) and stable conditions, the combination barrier was more effective than the vegetation barrier alone, by 6-33%, in the first 160 m from the barrier. The average particle size downwind of the vegetation-only barrier was larger than downwind of the combination barrier, indicating that particle deposition plays an important role in the reductions observed downwind of vegetation. Our results are consistent with the notion that at low wind speeds, vegetation acts as an effective barrier. Overall, adding vegetation alone or to an existing solid barrier results in lower downwind pollution concentrations, especially under low wind speeds when concentrations can be high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilhara Ranasinghe
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Eon S Lee
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 650 Charles Young Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yifang Zhu
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 650 Charles Young Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Isis Frausto-Vicencio
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Wonsik Choi
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Wu Sun
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Steve Mara
- California Air Resources Board, Research Division, Sacramento, CA 95812, USA
| | - Ulrike Seibt
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Suzanne E Paulson
- University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 405 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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11
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Simon MC, Patton AP, Naumova EN, Levy JI, Kumar P, Brugge D, Durant JL. Combining Measurements from Mobile Monitoring and a Reference Site To Develop Models of Ambient Ultrafine Particle Number Concentration at Residences. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:6985-6995. [PMID: 29762018 PMCID: PMC8371457 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Significant spatial and temporal variation in ultrafine particle (UFP; <100 nm in diameter) concentrations creates challenges in developing predictive models for epidemiological investigations. We compared the performance of land-use regression models built by combining mobile and stationary measurements (hybrid model) with a regression model built using mobile measurements only (mobile model) in Chelsea and Boston, MA (USA). In each study area, particle number concentration (PNC; a proxy for UFP) was measured at a stationary reference site and with a mobile laboratory driven along a fixed route during an ∼1-year monitoring period. In comparing PNC measured at 20 residences and PNC estimates from hybrid and mobile models, the hybrid model showed higher Pearson correlations of natural log-transformed PNC ( r = 0.73 vs 0.51 in Chelsea; r = 0.74 vs 0.47 in Boston) and lower root-mean-square error in Chelsea (0.61 vs 0.72) but no benefit in Boston (0.72 vs 0.71). All models overpredicted log-transformed PNC by 3-6% at residences, yet the hybrid model reduced the standard deviation of the residuals by 15% in Chelsea and 31% in Boston with better tracking of overnight decreases in PNC. Overall, the hybrid model considerably outperformed the mobile model and could offer reduced exposure error for UFP epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Simon
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Corresponding Author:
| | - Allison P. Patton
- Health Effects Institute, 75 Federal Street, Suite 1400, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, United States
| | - Elena N. Naumova
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
| | - Jonathan I. Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Doug Brugge
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
- Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civil Life, Tufts University, 10 Upper Campus Road, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - John L. Durant
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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12
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Jiménez MD, de Torre R, Mola I, Casado MA, Balaguer L. Local plant responses to global problems: Dactylis glomerata responses to different traffic pollutants on roadsides. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 212:440-449. [PMID: 29455152 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.12.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The growing number of road vehicles is a major source of regional and global atmospheric pollution increasing concentrations of CO2 in the air, and levels of metals in air and soil. Nevertheless, the effects of these pollutants on plants growing at roadsides are poorly documented. We carried out an observational study of unmanipulated plants growing by the road, to identify the morpho-physiological responses in a perennial grass Dactylis glomerata. Firstly, we wanted to know the general effect of traffic intensity and ambient CO2 and its interactions on different plant traits. Accordingly, we analyzed the photosynthetic response by field A/Ci Response Curves, SLA, pigment pools, foliar nitrogen, carbohydrates and morphological traits in plants at three distances to the road. Secondly, we wanted to know if Dactylis glomerata plants can accumulate metals present on the roadside (Pb, Zn, Cu, and Sr) in their tissues and rhizosphere, and the effect of these metals on morphological traits. The MANCOVA whole model results shown: 1) a significant effect of road ambient CO2 concentration on morphological traits (not affected by traffic intensity, P interaction CO2 x traffic intensity>0.05), that was mainly driven by a significant negative relationship between the inflorescence number and ambient CO2; 2) a positive and significant relationship between ambient CO2 and the starch content in leaves (unaffected by traffic intensity); 3) a reduction in Jmax (electron transport rate) at high traffic intensity. These lines of evidences suggest a decreased photosynthetic capacity due to high traffic intensity and high levels of ambient CO2. In addition, Pb, Cu, Zn and Sr were detected in Dactylis glomerata tissues, and Cu accumulated in roots. Finally, we observed that Dactylis glomerata individuals growing at the roadside under high levels of CO2 and in the presence of metal pollutants, reduced their production of inflorescences.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Jiménez
- Department of Ecology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
| | - R de Torre
- Department of Ecology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - I Mola
- Department of Plant Biology I, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Department of Research, Development and Innovation, OHL, Madrid, Spain
| | - M A Casado
- Department of Ecology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - L Balaguer
- Department of Plant Biology I, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Corlin L, Woodin M, Hart JE, Simon MC, Gute DM, Stowell J, Tucker KL, Durant JL, Brugge D. Longitudinal associations of long-term exposure to ultrafine particles with blood pressure and systemic inflammation in Puerto Rican adults. Environ Health 2018; 17:33. [PMID: 29622024 PMCID: PMC5887259 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-018-0379-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few longitudinal studies have examined the association between ultrafine particulate matter (UFP, particles < 0.1 μm aerodynamic diameter) exposure and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. We used data from 791 adults participating in the longitudinal Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (Massachusetts, USA) between 2004 and 2015 to assess whether UFP exposure was associated with blood pressure and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP, a biomarker of systemic inflammation). METHODS Residential annual average UFP exposure (measured as particle number concentration, PNC) was assigned using a model accounting for spatial and temporal trends. We also adjusted PNC values for participants' inhalation rate to obtain the particle inhalation rate (PIR) as a secondary exposure measure. Multilevel linear models with a random intercept for each participant were used to examine the association of UFP with blood pressure and hsCRP. RESULTS Overall, in adjusted models, an inter-quartile range increase in PNC was associated with increased hsCRP (β = 6.8; 95% CI = - 0.3, 14.0%) but not with increased systolic blood pressure (β = 0.96; 95% CI = - 0.33, 2.25 mmHg), pulse pressure (β = 0.70; 95% CI = - 0.27, 1.67 mmHg), or diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.55; 95% CI = - 0.20, 1.30 mmHg). There were generally stronger positive associations among women and never smokers. Among men, there were inverse associations of PNC with systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure. In contrast to the primary findings, an inter-quartile range increase in the PIR was positively associated with systolic blood pressure (β = 1.03; 95% CI = 0.00, 2.06 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (β = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.36, 1.66 mmHg), but not with pulse pressure or hsCRP. CONCLUSIONS We observed that exposure to PNC was associated with increases in measures of CVD risk markers, especially among certain sub-populations. The exploratory PIR exposure metric should be further developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Corlin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - Mark Woodin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University, 145 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 USA
| | - Jaime E. Hart
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Drive, Landmark 3rd Floor West, Boston, MA 02215 USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, Landmark 3rd Floor West, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Matthew C. Simon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - David M. Gute
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University, 145 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 USA
| | - Joanna Stowell
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - Katherine L. Tucker
- Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, 3 Solomont Way Suite 4, Lowell, MA 01854 USA
| | - John L. Durant
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA
| | - Doug Brugge
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University, 145 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 USA
- Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University, 10 Upper Campus Rd, Medford, MA 02155 USA
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14
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Brazienė A, Venclovienė J, Tamošiūnas A, Dėdelė A, Lukšienė D, Radišauskas R. The influence of proximity to city parks and major roads on the development of arterial hypertension. Scand J Public Health 2018; 46:667-674. [PMID: 29313461 DOI: 10.1177/1403494817751756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to examine the relation between residential distance from major roads and city parks and the development of arterial hypertension. METHODS In this study, we used data of the population included in the MONICA survey (Lithuania). In total, 739 participants without arterial hypertension were selected for the present study. Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to evaluate the associations between distances from a major road and a city park expressed as categorical variables and the incidence of arterial hypertension, adjusting for individual risk factors. RESULTS For persons living at a distance of 151-300 m and > 300 m from city parks, relative risks were 1.49 (95% CI 1.03-2.15) and 1.51 (95% CI 1.10-2.07) respectively, as compared to a ≤ 150 m distance from city parks. For persons living further than 200 m away from a major road, the relative risk for the residential distance from city parks > 150 m was 2.36 ( p = 0.029) times higher, as compared to a ≤ 150 m distance from city parks. We found that an increased risk of arterial hypertension was associated with the distance from a city park > 350 m and the distance to a major road < 200 m (RR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.03-2.12) as compared to living ≤ 350 m to a city park and ≥ 200 m away from a major road. CONCLUSIONS An increase in the incidence of arterial hypertension was associated with a shorter distance to a major road and a greater distance to a city park. The effect modification of a shorter distance to a major road on the association between a greater distance to city parks and the incidence of arterial hypertension was identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnė Brazienė
- 1 Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuania
| | - Jonė Venclovienė
- 1 Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuania.,2 Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
| | - Abdonas Tamošiūnas
- 1 Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuania
| | - Audrius Dėdelė
- 2 Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
| | - Dalia Lukšienė
- 1 Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Lithuania
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15
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Inter-Comparison of Carbon Content in PM2.5 and PM10 Collected at Five Measurement Sites in Southern Italy. ATMOSPHERE 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos8120243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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16
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Richmond-Bryant J, Snyder M, Owen R, Kimbrough S. Factors associated with NO 2 and NO X concentration gradients near a highway. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2017; 174:214-226. [PMID: 29456452 PMCID: PMC5812691 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this research is to learn how the near-road gradient, in which NO2 and NOX (NO + NO2) concentrations are elevated, varies with changes in meteorological and traffic variables. Measurements of NO2 and NOX were obtained east of I-15 in Las Vegas and fit to functions whose slopes (dCNO2 /dx and dCNOX /dx, respectively) characterize the size of the near-road zone where NO2 and NOX concentrations from mobile sources on the highway are elevated. These metrics were used to learn about the near-road gradient by modeling dCNO2 /dx and dCNOX /dx as functions of meteorological variables (e.g., wind direction, wind speed), traffic (vehicle count), NOX concentration upwind of the road, and O3 concentration at two fixed-site ambient monitors. Generalized additive models (GAM) were used to model dCNO2 /dx and dCNOX /dx versus the independent variables because they allowed for nonlinearity of the variables being compared. When data from all wind directions were included in the analysis, variability in O3 concentration comprised the largest proportion of variability in dCNO2 /dx, followed by variability in wind direction. In a second analysis constrained to winds from the west, variability in O3 concentration remained the largest contributor to variability in dCNO2 /dx, but the relative contribution of variability in wind speed to variability in dCNO2 /dx increased relative to its contribution for the all-wind analysis. When data from all wind directions were analyzed, variability in wind direction was by far the largest contributor to variability in dCNOX /dx, with smaller contributions from hour of day and upwind NOX concentration. When only winds from the west were analyzed, variability in upwind NOX concentration, wind speed, hour of day, and traffic count all were associated with variability in dCNOX /dx. Increases in O3 concentration were associated with increased magnitude near-road dCNO2 /dx, possibly shrinking the zone of elevated concentrations occurring near roads. Wind direction parallel to the highway was also related to an increased magnitude of both dCNO2 /dx and dCNOX /dx, again likely shrinking the zone of elevated concentrations occurring near roads. Wind direction perpendicular to the road decreased the magnitude of dCNO2 /dx and dCNOX /dx and likely contributed to growth of the zone of elevated concentrations occurring near roads. Thus, variability in near-road concentrations is influenced by local meteorology and ambient O3 concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Richmond-Bryant
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, B243-01, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - M.G. Snyder
- Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina, 100 Europa Drive, Suite 490, Campus Box 1105, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-1105, USA
| | - R.C. Owen
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Office of Air and Radiation, United States Environmental Protection Agency, C439-01, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - S. Kimbrough
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, E343-02, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
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17
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Richmond-Bryant J, Owen RC, Graham S, Snyder M, McDow S, Oakes M, Kimbrough S. Estimation of on-road NO 2 concentrations, NO 2/NO X ratios, and related roadway gradients from near-road monitoring data. AIR QUALITY, ATMOSPHERE, & HEALTH 2017; 10:611-625. [PMID: 30245748 PMCID: PMC6145484 DOI: 10.1007/s11869-016-0455-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes a new regression modeling approach to estimate on-road nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) concentrations and near-road spatial gradients using data from a near-road monitoring network. Field data were collected in Las Vegas, NV at three monitors sited 20, 100, and 300 m from Interstate-15 between December, 2008 and January, 2010. Measurements of NO2 and NOX were integrated over 1-hour intervals and matched with meteorological data. Several mathematical transformations were tested for regressing pollutant concentrations against distance from the roadway. A logit-ln model was found to have the best fit (R2 = 94.7%) and also provided a physically realistic profile. The mathematical model used data from the near-road monitors to estimate on-road concentrations and the near-road gradient over which mobile source pollutants have concentrations elevated above background levels. Average and maximum on-road NO2 concentration estimates were 33 ppb and 105 ppb, respectively. Concentration gradients were steeper in the morning and late afternoon compared with overnight when stable conditions preclude mixing. Estimated on-road concentrations were also highest in the late afternoon. Median estimated on-road and gradient NO2 concentrations were lower during summer compared with winter, with a steeper gradient during the summer, when convective mixing occurs during a longer portion of the day On-road concentration estimates were higher for winds perpendicular to the road compared with parallel winds and for atmospheric stability with neutral-to-unstable atmospheric conditions. The concentration gradient with increasing distance from the road was estimated to be sharper for neutral-to-unstable conditions when compared with stable conditions and for parallel wind conditions compared with perpendicular winds. A regression of the NO2/NOX ratios yielded on-road ratios ranging from 0.25 to 0.35, substantially higher than the anticipated tail-pipe emissions ratios. The results from the ratios also showed that the diurnal cycle of the background NO2/NOX ratios were a driving factor in the on-road and downwind NO2/NOX ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Richmond-Bryant
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - R. Chris Owen
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Stephen Graham
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Michelle Snyder
- Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
| | - Stephen McDow
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Michelle Oakes
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Sue Kimbrough
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
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18
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Association of Long-Term Near-Highway Exposure to Ultrafine Particles with Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes and Hypertension. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14050461. [PMID: 28445425 PMCID: PMC5451912 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14050461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Ultrafine particle (UFP) concentrations are elevated near busy roadways, however, their effects on prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hypertension are not well understood. To investigate these associations, data on demographics, diseases, medication use, and time of activities were collected by in-home surveys for 704 participants in three pairs of near-highway and urban background neighborhoods in and near Boston (MA, USA). Body mass index (BMI) was measured for a subset of 435 participants. Particle number concentration (PNC, a measure of UFP) was collected by mobile monitoring in each area. Intra-neighborhood spatial-temporal regression models (approximately 20 m resolution) were used to estimate hourly ambient PNC at the residences of participants. We used participant time activity information to adjust annual average residential PNC values and assign individualized time activity adjusted annual average PNC exposures (TAA-PNC). Using multivariate logistic regression models, we found an odds ratio (OR) of 1.35 (95% CI: 0.83, 2.22) of TAA-PNC with stroke and ischemic heart diseases (S/IHD), an OR of 1.14 (95% CI: 0.81, 1.62) with hypertension, and an OR of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.46, 1.10) for diabetes. A subset analysis controlling for BMI produced slightly stronger associations for S/IHD (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 0.88, 2.92) and hypertension (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.81, 2.02), and no association with diabetes (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.61, 1.96). Further research is needed with larger sample sizes and longitudinal follow-up.
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19
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Larson T, Gould T, Riley EA, Austin E, Fintzi J, Sheppard L, Yost M, Simpson C. Ambient Air Quality Measurements from a Continuously Moving Mobile Platform: Estimation of Area-Wide, Fuel-Based, Mobile Source Emission Factors Using Absolute Principal Component Scores. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2017; 152:201-211. [PMID: 32148434 PMCID: PMC7059631 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
We have applied the absolute principal component scores (APCS) receptor model to on-road, background-adjusted measurements of NOx, CO, CO2, black carbon (BC), and particle number (PN) obtained from a continuously moving platform deployed over nine afternoon sampling periods in Seattle, WA. Two Varimax-rotated principal component features described 75% of the overall variance of the observations. A heavy-duty vehicle feature was correlated with black carbon and particle number, whereas a light-duty feature was correlated with CO and CO2. NOx had moderate correlation with both features. The bootstrapped APCS model predictions were used to estimate area-wide, average fuel-based emission factors and their respective 95% confidence limits. The average emission factors for NOx, CO, BC and PN (14.8, 18.9, 0.40 g/kg, and 4.3×1015 particles/kg for heavy duty vehicles, and 3.2, 22.4, 0.016 g/kg, and 0.19×1015 particles/kg for light-duty vehicles, respectively) are consistent with previous estimates based on remote sensing, vehicle chase studies, and recent dynamometer tests. Information on the spatial distribution of the concentrations contributed by these two vehicle categories relative to background during the sampling period was also obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Larson
- University of Washington, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Box 352700 Seattle, WA 98195-2700, USA
- University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel: +1 206 543 6815.
| | - Timothy Gould
- University of Washington, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Box 352700 Seattle, WA 98195-2700, USA
| | - Erin A. Riley
- University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, USA
| | - Elena Austin
- University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, USA
| | - Jonathan Fintzi
- University of Washington, Department of Biostatistics, Box 357232, Seattle, WA 981957232, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, USA
- University of Washington, Department of Biostatistics, Box 357232, Seattle, WA 981957232, USA
| | - Michael Yost
- University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, USA
| | - Christopher Simpson
- University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA 98195-7234, USA
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20
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Patton AP, Milando C, Durant JL, Kumar P. Assessing the Suitability of Multiple Dispersion and Land Use Regression Models for Urban Traffic-Related Ultrafine Particles. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:384-392. [PMID: 27966909 PMCID: PMC5209293 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b04633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Comparative evaluations are needed to assess the suitability of near-road air pollution models for traffic-related ultrafine particle number concentration (PNC). Our goal was to evaluate the ability of dispersion (CALINE4, AERMOD, R-LINE, and QUIC) and regression models to predict PNC in a residential neighborhood (Somerville) and an urban center (Chinatown) near highways in and near Boston, Massachusetts. PNC was measured in each area, and models were compared to each other and measurements for hot (>18 °C) and cold (<10 °C) hours with wind directions parallel to and perpendicular downwind from highways. In Somerville, correlation and error statistics were typically acceptable, and all models predicted concentration gradients extending ∼100 m from the highway. In contrast, in Chinatown, PNC trends differed among models, and predictions were poorly correlated with measurements likely due to effects of street canyons and nonhighway particle sources. Our results demonstrate the importance of selecting PNC models that align with study area characteristics (e.g., dominant sources and building geometry). We applied widely available models to typical urban study areas; therefore, our results should be generalizable to models of hourly averaged PNC in similar urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison P Patton
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Chad Milando
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - John L Durant
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (FEPS), University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, United Kingdom
- Environmental Flow (EnFlo) Research Centre, FEPS, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
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21
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Singh NP, Gokhale S. A method to estimate spatiotemporal air quality in an urban traffic corridor. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 538:458-467. [PMID: 26318683 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Air quality exposure assessment using personal exposure sampling or direct measurement of spatiotemporal air pollutant concentrations has difficulty and limitations. Most statistical methods used for estimating spatiotemporal air quality do not account for the source characteristics (e.g. emissions). In this study, a prediction method, based on the lognormal probability distribution of hourly-average-spatial concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) obtained by a CALINE4 model, has been developed and validated in an urban traffic corridor. The data on CO concentrations were collected at three locations and traffic and meteorology within the urban traffic corridor.(1) The method has been developed with the data of one location and validated at other two locations. The method estimated the CO concentrations reasonably well (correlation coefficient, r≥0.96). Later, the method has been applied to estimate the probability of occurrence [P(C≥Cstd] of the spatial CO concentrations in the corridor. The results have been promising and, therefore, may be useful to quantifying spatiotemporal air quality within an urban area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sharad Gokhale
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781 039, India.
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Lane KJ, Levy JI, Scammell MK, Patton AP, Durant JL, Mwamburi M, Zamore W, Brugge D. Effect of time-activity adjustment on exposure assessment for traffic-related ultrafine particles. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2015; 25:506-16. [PMID: 25827314 PMCID: PMC4542140 DOI: 10.1038/jes.2015.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Exposures to ultrafine particles (<100 nm, estimated as particle number concentration, PNC) differ from ambient concentrations because of the spatial and temporal variability of both PNC and people. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of time-activity adjustment on exposure assignment and associations with blood biomarkers for a near-highway population. A regression model based on mobile monitoring and spatial and temporal variables was used to generate hourly ambient residential PNC for a full year for a subset of participants (n=140) in the Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health study. We modified the ambient estimates for each hour using personal estimates of hourly time spent in five micro-environments (inside home, outside home, at work, commuting, other) as well as particle infiltration. Time-activity adjusted (TAA)-PNC values differed from residential ambient annual average (RAA)-PNC, with lower exposures predicted for participants who spent more time away from home. Employment status and distance to highway had a differential effect on TAA-PNC. We found associations of RAA-PNC with high sensitivity C-reactive protein and Interleukin-6, although exposure-response functions were non-monotonic. TAA-PNC associations had larger effect estimates and linear exposure-response functions. Our findings suggest that time-activity adjustment improves exposure assessment for air pollutants that vary greatly in space and time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Lane
- Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street., New Haven, CT 06511, USA. Tel.: +1 781 696 4537. Fax: +1 617 638 4857. E-mail:
| | - Jonathan I Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Madeleine Kangsen Scammell
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Allison P Patton
- Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John L Durant
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mkaya Mwamburi
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Doug Brugge
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Khan MF, Latif MT, Amil N, Juneng L, Mohamad N, Nadzir MSM, Hoque HMS. Characterization and source apportionment of particle number concentration at a semi-urban tropical environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:13111-13126. [PMID: 25925145 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4541-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation have been used to study the variability of particle mass and particle number concentrations (PNC) in a tropical semi-urban environment. PNC and mass concentration (diameter in the range of 0.25->32.0 μm) have been measured from 1 February to 26 February 2013 using an in situ Grimm aerosol sampler. We found that the 24-h average total suspended particulates (TSP), particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM10), particulate matter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) and particulate matter ≤1 μm (PM1) were 14.37 ± 4.43, 14.11 ± 4.39, 12.53 ± 4.13 and 10.53 ± 3.98 μg m(-3), respectively. PNC in the accumulation mode (<500 nm) was the most abundant (at about 99 %). Five principal components (PCs) resulted from the PCA analysis where PC1 (43.8 % variance) predominates with PNC in the fine and sub-microme tre range. PC2, PC3, PC4 and PC5 explain 16.5, 12.4, 6.0 and 5.6 % of the variance to address the coarse, coarser, accumulation and giant fraction of PNC, respectively. Our particle distribution results show good agreement with the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Firoz Khan
- Centre for Tropical Climate Change System (IKLIM), Institute for Climate Change, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia,
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A Randomized Cross-over Air Filtration Intervention Trial for Reducing Cardiovascular Health Risks in Residents of Public Housing near a Highway. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:7814-38. [PMID: 26184257 PMCID: PMC4515693 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120707814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to traffic-generated ultrafine particles (UFP; particles <100 nm) is likely a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We conducted a trial of high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filtration in public housing near a highway. Twenty residents in 19 apartments living <200 m from the highway participated in a randomized, double-blind crossover trial. A HEPA filter unit and a particle counter (measuring particle number concentration (PNC), a proxy for UFP) were installed in living rooms. Participants were exposed to filtered air for 21 days and unfiltered air for 21 days. Blood samples were collected and blood pressure measured at days 0, 21 and 42 after a 12-hour fasting period. Plasma was analyzed for high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha-receptor II (TNF-RII) and fibrinogen. PNC reductions ranging from 21% to 68% were recorded in 15 of the apartments. We observed no significant differences in blood pressure or three of the four biomarkers (hsCRP, fibrinogen, and TNF-RII) measured in participants after 21-day exposure to HEPA-filtered air compared to measurements after 21-day exposure to sham-filtered air. In contrast, IL-6 concentrations were significantly higher following HEPA filtration (0.668 pg/mL; CI = 0.465-0.959) compared to sham filtration. Likewise, PNC adjusted for time activity were associated with increasing IL-6 in 14- and 21-day moving averages, and PNC was associated with decreasing blood pressure in Lags 0, 1 and 2, and in a 3-day moving average. These negative associations were unexpected and could be due to a combination of factors including exposure misclassification, unsuccessful randomization (i.e., IL-6 and use of anti-inflammatory medicines), or uncontrolled confounding. Studies with greater reduction in UFP levels and larger sample sizes are needed. There also needs to be more complete assessment of resident time activity and of outdoor vs. indoor source contributions to UFP exposure. HEPA filtration remains a promising, but not fully realized intervention.
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Fuller CH, Williams PL, Mittleman MA, Patton AP, Spengler JD, Brugge D. Response of biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation to short-term changes in central site, local, and predicted particle number concentrations. Ann Epidemiol 2015; 25:505-11. [PMID: 25791025 PMCID: PMC4457635 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Previous studies have reported acute (hours-28 days) associations between ambient ultrafine particles (UFP; diameter <0.1) and biomarkers of cardiovascular health using central site data. We evaluated particle number concentration (a proxy measure for UFP) measured at a central site, a local near-highway site and predicted residential concentrations with response of biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation in a near-highway population. METHODS Participants provided two blood samples for analysis of interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α receptor II, and fibrinogen. Mixed effect models were used to evaluate the association between PNC levels on the same day, prior 2 days, and moving averages of 3 to 28 days. RESULTS Estimated effects on biomarkers of a 5000 unit increase in central site PNC generally increased with longer averaging times for IL-6, hs-CRP, and fibrinogen. Effect estimates were highest for a 28-day moving average, with 91% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9, 230) higher IL-6 levels, 74% (95% CI: -7, 220) higher hs-CRP levels, and 59% (95% CI: -13, 130) higher fibrinogen levels. We observed no clear trend between near-highway or predicted residential PNC and any of the biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS Only central site PNC increased blood markers of inflammation while near-highway and predicted residential values did not. We cannot fully explain this result, although differing PNC composition is a possibility. Future studies would assist in understanding these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina H Fuller
- Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta.
| | - Paige L Williams
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Murray A Mittleman
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Allison P Patton
- Exposure Science Division, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
| | - John D Spengler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Doug Brugge
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
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Brugge D, Patton AP, Bob A, Reisner E, Lowe L, Bright OJM, Durant JL, Newman J, Zamore W. Developing Community-Level Policy and Practice to Reduce Traffic-Related Air Pollution Exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE (PRINT) 2015; 8:95-104. [PMID: 27413416 PMCID: PMC4939908 DOI: 10.1089/env.2015.0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The literature consistently shows associations of adverse cardiovascular and pulmonary outcomes with residential proximity to highways and major roadways. Air monitoring shows that traffic-related pollutants (TRAP) are elevated within 200-400 m of these roads. Community-level tactics for reducing exposure include the following: 1) HEPA filtration; 2) Appropriate air-intake locations; 3) Sound proofing, insulation and other features; 4) Land-use buffers; 5) Vegetation or wall barriers; 6) Street-side trees, hedges and vegetation; 7) Decking over highways; 8) Urban design including placement of buildings; 9) Garden and park locations; and 10) Active travel locations, including bicycling and walking paths. A multidisciplinary design charrette was held to test the feasibility of incorporating these tactics into near-highway housing and school developments that were in the planning stages. The resulting designs successfully utilized many of the protective tactics and also led to engagement with the designers and developers of the sites. There is a need to increase awareness of TRAP in terms of building design and urban planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug Brugge
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine
| | | | - Alex Bob
- City of Somerville, Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development
| | | | | | - Oliver-John M. Bright
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine
| | - John L. Durant
- Tufts University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
| | | | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership
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Riley EA, Banks L, Fintzi J, Gould TR, Hartin K, Schaal L, Davey M, Sheppard L, Larson T, Yost MG, Simpson CD. Multi-pollutant mobile platform measurements of air pollutants adjacent to a major roadway. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2014; 98:492-499. [PMID: 25364294 PMCID: PMC4212219 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
A mobile monitoring platform developed at the University of Washington Center for Clean Air Research (CCAR) measured 10 pollutant metrics (10 s measurements at an average speed of 22 km/hr) in two neighborhoods bordering a major interstate in Albuquerque, NM, USA from April 18-24 2012. 5 days of data sharing a common downwind orientation with respect to the roadway were analyzed. The aggregate results show a three-fold increase in black carbon (BC) concentrations within 10 meters of the edge of roadway, in addition to elevated nanoparticle concentration and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < 1 μm (PN1) concentrations. A 30% reduction in ozone concentration near the roadway was observed, anti-correlated with an increase in the oxides of nitrogen (NOx). In this study, the pollutants measured have been expanded to include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), particle size distribution (0.25-32 μm), and ultra-violet absorbing particulate matter (UVPM). The raster sampling scheme combined with spatial and temporal measurement alignment provide a measure of variability in the near roadway concentrations, and allow us to use a principal component analysis to identify multi-pollutant features and analyze their roadway influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A. Riley
- University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98198. +1 (206) 543-3222
| | - Lyndsey Banks
- University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98198. +1 (206) 543-3222
| | - Jonathan Fintzi
- University of Washington Department of Biostatistics, Box 357232 Seattle, WA, 98198
| | - Timothy R. Gould
- University of Washington Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Box 352700 Seattle, WA, 98198
| | - Kris Hartin
- University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98198. +1 (206) 543-3222
| | - LaNae Schaal
- University of Washington Department of Biostatistics, Box 357232 Seattle, WA, 98198
| | - Mark Davey
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Epidemiology and Public Health Environmental Exposure and Health Unit, Socinstrasse 57, Basel 4002, Switzerland
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98198. +1 (206) 543-3222
- University of Washington Department of Biostatistics, Box 357232 Seattle, WA, 98198
| | - Timothy Larson
- University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98198. +1 (206) 543-3222
- University of Washington Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Box 352700 Seattle, WA, 98198
| | - Michael G. Yost
- University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98198. +1 (206) 543-3222
| | - Christopher D. Simpson
- University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Box 357234, Seattle, WA, 98198. +1 (206) 543-3222
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Patton AP, Perkins J, Zamore W, Levy JI, Brugge D, Durant JL. Spatial and temporal differences in traffic-related air pollution in three urban neighborhoods near an interstate highway. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2014; 99:309-321. [PMID: 25364295 PMCID: PMC4212216 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.09.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Relatively few studies have characterized differences in intra- and inter-neighborhood traffic-related air pollutant (TRAP) concentrations and distance-decay gradients in along an urban highway for the purposes of exposure assessment. The goal of this work was to determine the extent to which intra- and inter-neighborhood differences in TRAP concentrations can be explained by traffic and meteorology in three pairs of neighborhoods along Interstate 93 (I-93) in the metropolitan Boston area (USA). We measured distance-decay gradients of seven TRAPs (PNC, pPAH, NO, NOX, BC, CO, PM2.5) in near-highway (<400 m) and background areas (>1 km) in Somerville, Dorchester/South Boston, Chinatown and Malden to determine whether (1) spatial patterns in concentrations and inter-pollutant correlations differ between neighborhoods, and (2) variation within and between neighborhoods can be explained by traffic and meteorology. The neighborhoods ranged in area from 0.5 to 2.3 km2. Mobile monitoring was performed over the course of one year in each pair of neighborhoods (one pair of neighborhoods per year in three successive years; 35-47 days of monitoring in each neighborhood). Pollutant levels generally increased with highway proximity, consistent with I-93 being a major source of TRAP; however, the slope and extent of the distance-decay gradients varied by neighborhood as well as by pollutant, season and time of day. Correlations among pollutants differed between neighborhoods (e.g., ρ = 0.35-0.80 between PNC and NOX and ρ = 0.11-0.60 between PNC and BC) and were generally lower in Dorchester/South Boston than in the other neighborhoods. We found that the generalizability of near-road gradients and near-highway/urban background contrasts was limited for near-highway neighborhoods in a metropolitan area with substantial local street traffic. Our findings illustrate the importance of measuring gradients of multiple pollutants under different ambient conditions in individual near-highway neighborhoods for health studies involving inter-neighborhood comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison P. Patton
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Corresponding Author 170 Frelinghuysen Road Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA Phone: +1 617 627-3211 Fax: +1 617 627-3994
| | - Jessica Perkins
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan I. Levy
- Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Doug Brugge
- Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - John L. Durant
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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Ljungman PL, Wilker EH, Rice MB, Schwartz J, Gold DR, Koutrakis P, Vita JA, Mitchell GF, Vasan RS, Benjamin EJ, Mittleman MA, Hamburg NM. Short-term exposure to air pollution and digital vascular function. Am J Epidemiol 2014; 180:482-9. [PMID: 25100647 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwu161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated associations between ambient air pollution and microvessel function measured by peripheral arterial tonometry between 2003 and 2008 in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Third Generation Cohorts. We measured particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), black carbon, sulfates, particle number, nitrogen oxides, and ozone by using fixed monitors, and we determined moving averages for 1-7 days preceding vascular testing. We examined associations between these exposures and hyperemic response to ischemia and baseline pulse amplitude, a measure of arterial tone (n = 2,369). Higher short-term exposure to air pollutants, including PM2.5, black carbon, and particle number was associated with higher baseline pulse amplitude. For example, higher 3-day average PM2.5 exposure was associated with 6.3% higher baseline pulse amplitude (95% confidence interval: 2.0, 10.9). However, there were no consistent associations between the air pollution exposures assessed and hyperemic response. Our findings in a community-based sample exposed to relatively low pollution levels suggest that short-term exposure to ambient particulate pollution is not associated with vasodilator response, but that particulate air pollution is associated with baseline pulse amplitude, suggesting potentially adverse alterations in baseline vascular tone or compliance.
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Yiannakoulias N, Bland W, Scott DM. A geography of moral hazard: sources and sinks of motor-vehicle commuting externalities. Health Place 2014; 29:161-70. [PMID: 25103786 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Motor-vehicles are responsible for harms to health that are not directly experienced by individual drivers - such as air pollution and risk of injury to pedestrians. In addition to their direct effects on health, these harms also represent a moral hazard since drivers are not required to consider their effects as part of their decision to drive. We describe an approach for estimating sources of motor-vehicle commuter externalities as a means of understanding the geography of moral hazard, and in particular, the spatial displacement of negative health externalities associated with motor-vehicle commuting. This approach models motor-vehicle commuter traffic flow by trip origin for small geographic areas within the City of Toronto, Ontario. We find that most health-related externalities associated with motor-vehicle commuters are not locally generated, with a large share coming from outside Toronto. Low income is associated with externalities originating outside the municipal boundary, but not with locally sourced externalities. We discuss the impact of geographical moral hazard on the agency of citizens as well as policy options aimed at addressing motor-vehicle externalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niko Yiannakoulias
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1390 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S4K1.
| | - Widmer Bland
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1390 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S4K1.
| | - Darren M Scott
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1390 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S4K1.
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Patton AP, Collins C, Naumova EN, Zamore W, Brugge D, Durant JL. An hourly regression model for ultrafine particles in a near-highway urban area. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:3272-80. [PMID: 24559198 PMCID: PMC4347899 DOI: 10.1021/es404838k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Estimating ultrafine particle number concentrations (PNC) near highways for exposure assessment in chronic health studies requires models capable of capturing PNC spatial and temporal variations over the course of a full year. The objectives of this work were to describe the relationship between near-highway PNC and potential predictors, and to build and validate hourly log-linear regression models. PNC was measured near Interstate 93 (I-93) in Somerville, MA using a mobile monitoring platform driven for 234 h on 43 days between August 2009 and September 2010. Compared to urban background, PNC levels were consistently elevated within 100-200 m of I-93, with gradients impacted by meteorological and traffic conditions. Temporal and spatial variables including wind speed and direction, temperature, highway traffic, and distance to I-93 and major roads contributed significantly to the full regression model. Cross-validated model R(2) values ranged from 0.38 to 0.47, with higher values achieved (0.43 to 0.53) when short-duration PNC spikes were removed. The model predicts highest PNC near major roads and on cold days with low wind speeds. The model allows estimation of hourly ambient PNC at 20-m resolution in a near-highway neighborhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison P. Patton
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Caitlin Collins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Elena N. Naumova
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
| | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville, Massachusetts 02145, United States
| | - Doug Brugge
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, United States
| | - John L. Durant
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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Brugge D, Lane K, Padró-Martínez LT, Stewart A, Hoesterey K, Weiss D, Wang DD, Levy JI, Patton AP, Zamore W, Mwamburi M. Highway proximity associated with cardiovascular disease risk: the influence of individual-level confounders and exposure misclassification. Environ Health 2013; 12:84. [PMID: 24090339 PMCID: PMC3907023 DOI: 10.1186/1476-069x-12-84] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated cardiovascular disease risk has been reported with proximity to highways or busy roadways, but proximity measures can be challenging to interpret given potential confounders and exposure error. METHODS We conducted a cross sectional analysis of plasma levels of C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha receptor II (TNF-RII) and fibrinogen with distance of residence to a highway in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Distance was assigned using ortho-photo corrected parcel matching, as well as less precise approaches such as simple parcel matching and geocoding addresses to street networks. We used a combined random and convenience sample of 260 adults >40 years old. We screened a large number of individual-level variables including some infrequently collected for assessment of highway proximity, and included a subset in our final regression models. We monitored ultrafine particle (UFP) levels in the study areas to help interpret proximity measures. RESULTS Using the orthophoto corrected geocoding, in a fully adjusted model, hsCRP and IL-6 differed by distance category relative to urban background: 43% (-16%,141%) and 49% (6%,110%) increase for 0-50 m; 7% (-39%,45%) and 41% (6%,86%) for 50-150 m; 54% (-2%,142%) and 18% (-11%,57%) for 150-250 m, and 49% (-4%, 131%) and 42% (6%, 89%) for 250-450 m. There was little evidence for association for TNF-RII or fibrinogen. Ortho-photo corrected geocoding resulted in stronger associations than traditional methods which introduced differential misclassification. Restricted analysis found the effect of proximity on biomarkers was mostly downwind from the highway or upwind where there was considerable local street traffic, consistent with patterns of monitored UFP levels. CONCLUSION We found associations between highway proximity and both hsCRP and IL-6, with non-monotonic patterns explained partly by individual-level factors and differences between proximity and UFP concentrations. Our analyses emphasize the importance of controlling for the risk of differential exposure misclassification from geocoding error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug Brugge
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Lane
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Andrea Stewart
- Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences, Medford, MA, USA
| | | | - David Weiss
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville, MA, USA
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Brugge D, Reisner E, Padró-Martínez LT, Zamore W, Owusu E, Durant JL. In-home air filtration for improving cardiovascular health: lessons from a CBPR study in public housing. Prog Community Health Partnersh 2013; 7:49-56. [PMID: 23543021 DOI: 10.1353/cpr.2013.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Particulate air pollution, including from motor vehicles, is associated with cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVES To describe lessons learned from installing air filtration units in public housing apartments next to a major highway. METHODS We reviewed experience with recruitment, retention, and acceptance of the air filtration units. RESULTS Recruitment and retention have been challenging, but similar to other studies in public housing. Equipment noise and overheated apartments during hot weather have been notable complaints from participants. In addition, we found that families with members with Alzheimer's or mental disability were less able to tolerate the equipment. CONCLUSIONS For this research, the primary lesson is that working closely with each participant is important. A future public health program would need to address issues of noise and heat to make the intervention more acceptable to residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug Brugge
- Department of Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, USA
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Fuller CH, Patton AP, Lane K, Laws MB, Marden A, Carrasco E, Spengler J, Mwamburi M, Zamore W, Durant JL, Brugge D. A community participatory study of cardiovascular health and exposure to near-highway air pollution: study design and methods. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2013; 28:21-35. [PMID: 23612527 PMCID: PMC3708485 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2012-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2012] [Accepted: 01/22/2013] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Current literature is insufficient to make causal inferences or establish dose-response relationships for traffic-related ultrafine particles (UFPs) and cardiovascular (CV) health. The Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health (CAFEH) is a cross-sectional study of the relationship between UFP and biomarkers of CV risk. CAFEH uses a community-based participatory research framework that partners university researchers with community groups and residents. Our central hypothesis is that chronic exposure to UFP is associated with changes in biomarkers. The study enrolled more than 700 residents from three near-highway neighborhoods in the Boston metropolitan area in Massachusetts, USA. All participants completed an in-home questionnaire and a subset (440+) completed an additional supplemental questionnaire and provided biomarkers. Air pollution monitoring was conducted by a mobile laboratory equipped with fast-response instruments, at fixed sites, and inside the homes of selected study participants. We seek to develop improved estimates of UFP exposure by combining spatiotemporal models of ambient UFP with data on participant time-activity and housing characteristics. Exposure estimates will then be compared with biomarker levels to ascertain associations. This article describes our study design and methods and presents preliminary findings from east Somerville, one of the three study communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina H. Fuller
- Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302- 3995, USA, Phone: + 1-404-413-1388, Fax: + 1-404-413-1140, and Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Allison P. Patton
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University School of Engineering, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Lane
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M. Barton Laws
- Health Services Policy and Practice, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Aaron Marden
- Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edna Carrasco
- Committee for Boston Public Housing, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John Spengler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mkaya Mwamburi
- Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville, MA, USA
| | - John L. Durant
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University School of Engineering, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Doug Brugge
- Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA, Phone: + 1-617-636-0326, Fax: + 1-617-636-4017
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Padró-Martínez LT, Patton AP, Trull JB, Zamore W, Brugge D, Durant JL. Mobile monitoring of particle number concentration and other traffic-related air pollutants in a near-highway neighborhood over the course of a year. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2012; 61:253-264. [PMID: 23144586 PMCID: PMC3491988 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.06.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Accurate quantification of exposures to traffic-related air pollution in near-highway neighborhoods is challenging due to the high degree of spatial and temporal variation of pollutant levels. The objective of this study was to measure air pollutant levels in a near-highway urban area over a wide range of traffic and meteorological conditions using a mobile monitoring platform. The study was performed in a 2.3-km(2) area in Somerville, Massachusetts (USA), near Interstate I-93, a highway that carries 150,000 vehicles per day. The mobile platform was equipped with rapid-response instruments and was driven repeatedly along a 15.4-km route on 55 days between September 2009 and August 2010. Monitoring was performed in 4-6-hour shifts in the morning, afternoon and evening on both weekdays and weekends in winter, spring, summer and fall. Measurements were made of particle number concentration (PNC; 4-3,000 nm), particle size distribution, fine particle mass (PM(2.5)), particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pPAH), black carbon (BC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NO and NO(x)). The highest pollutant concentrations were measured within 0-50 m of I-93 with distance-decay gradients varying depending on traffic and meteorology. The most pronounced variations were observed for PNC. Annual median PNC 0-50 m from I-93 was two-fold higher compared to the background area (>1 km from I-93). In general, PNC levels were highest in winter and lowest in summer and fall, higher on weekdays and Saturdays compared to Sundays, and higher during morning rush hour compared to later in the day. Similar spatial and temporal trends were observed for NO, CO and BC, but not for PM(2.5). Spatial variations in PNC distance-decay gradients were non-uniform largely due to contributions from local street traffic. Hour-to-hour, day-to-day and season-to-season variations in PNC were of the same magnitude as spatial variations. Datasets containing fine-scale temporal and spatial variation of air pollution levels near highways may help to inform exposure assessment efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison P. Patton
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey B. Trull
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Wig Zamore
- Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville, MA, USA
| | - Doug Brugge
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John L. Durant
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
- corresponding author: 016 Anderson Hall, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA; 001-617-627-5489;
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Fuller CH, Brugge D, Williams P, Mittleman M, Durant JL, Spengler JD. Estimation of ultrafine particle concentrations at near-highway residences using data from local and central monitors. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2012; 57:257-265. [PMID: 23645993 PMCID: PMC3640373 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafine particles (UFP; aerodynamic diameter < 0.1 micrometers) are a ubiquitous exposure in the urban environment and are elevated near highways. Most epidemiological studies of UFP health effects use central site monitoring data, which may misclassify exposure. Our aims were to: (1) examine the relationship between distant and proximate monitoring sites and their ability to predict hourly UFP concentration measured at residences in an urban community with a major interstate highway and; (2) determine if meteorology and proximity to traffic improve explanatory power. Short-term (1 - 3 weeks) residential monitoring of UFP concentration was conducted at 18 homes. Long-term monitoring was conducted at two near-highway monitoring sites and a central site. We created models of outdoor residential UFP concentration based on concentrations at the near-highway site, at the central site, at both sites together and without fixed sites. UFP concentration at residential sites was more highly correlated with those at a near-highway site than a central site. In regression models of each site alone, a 10% increase in UFP concentration at a near-highway site was associated with a 6% (95% CI: 6%, 7%) increase at residences while a 10% increase in UFP concentration at the central site was associated with a 3% (95% CI: 2%, 3%) increase at residences. A model including both sites showed minimal change in the magnitude of the association between the near-highway site and the residences, but the estimated association with UFP concentration at the central site was substantially attenuated. These associations remained after adjustment for other significant predictors of residential UFP concentration, including distance from highway, wind speed, wind direction, highway traffic volume and precipitation. The use of a central site as an estimate of personal exposure for populations near local emissions of traffic-related air pollutants may result in exposure misclassification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina H. Fuller
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, 401 Park Drive, 4th Floor West, Landmark Center, Boston, MA 02215, and
- Georgia State University, Institute of Public Health, PO Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302-3995,
- Corresponding Author: Christina H. Fuller, Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302-3995, Phone: 404-413-1388, Fax: 404-413-1140,
| | - Doug Brugge
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, 136 Harrison St., Boston, MA,
| | - Paige Williams
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115,
| | - Murray Mittleman
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115,
- Harvard Medical School, Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215,
| | - John L. Durant
- Tufts University School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 200 College Avenue, Anderson Hall, Medford, MA 02155,
| | - John D. Spengler
- Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, 401 Park Drive, 4th Floor West, Landmark Center, Boston, MA 02215, and
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Zhang Q, Jimenez JL, Canagaratna MR, Ulbrich IM, Ng NL, Worsnop DR, Sun Y. Understanding atmospheric organic aerosols via factor analysis of aerosol mass spectrometry: a review. Anal Bioanal Chem 2011; 401:3045-67. [PMID: 21972005 PMCID: PMC3217143 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-011-5355-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2011] [Revised: 08/21/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Organic species are an important but poorly characterized constituent of airborne particulate matter. A quantitative understanding of the organic fraction of particles (organic aerosol, OA) is necessary to reduce some of the largest uncertainties that confound the assessment of the radiative forcing of climate and air quality management policies. In recent years, aerosol mass spectrometry has been increasingly relied upon for highly time-resolved characterization of OA chemistry and for elucidation of aerosol sources and lifecycle processes. Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometers (AMS) are particularly widely used, because of their ability to quantitatively characterize the size-resolved composition of submicron particles (PM1). AMS report the bulk composition and temporal variations of OA in the form of ensemble mass spectra (MS) acquired over short time intervals. Because each MS represents the linear superposition of the spectra of individual components weighed by their concentrations, multivariate factor analysis of the MS matrix has proved effective at retrieving OA factors that offer a quantitative and simplified description of the thousands of individual organic species. The sum of the factors accounts for nearly 100% of the OA mass and each individual factor typically corresponds to a large group of OA constituents with similar chemical composition and temporal behavior that are characteristic of different sources and/or atmospheric processes. The application of this technique in aerosol mass spectrometry has grown rapidly in the last six years. Here we review multivariate factor analysis techniques applied to AMS and other aerosol mass spectrometers, and summarize key findings from field observations. Results that provide valuable information about aerosol sources and, in particular, secondary OA evolution on regional and global scales are highlighted. Advanced methods, for example a-priori constraints on factor mass spectra and the application of factor analysis to combined aerosol and gas phase data are discussed. Integrated analysis of worldwide OA factors is used to present a holistic regional and global description of OA. Finally, different ways in which OA factors can constrain global and regional models are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Rioux CL, Tucker KL, Brugge D, Gute DM, Mwamburi M. Traffic exposure in a population with high prevalence type 2 diabetes--do medications influence concentrations of C-reactive protein? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2011; 159:2051-60. [PMID: 21292365 PMCID: PMC3412137 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2010] [Revised: 12/20/2010] [Accepted: 12/23/2010] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and particulate air pollution are associated with inflammatory dysregulation. We assessed the modifying effects of diabetes medications on the association of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, and traffic exposure in adults with T2D (n = 379). CRP concentrations were significantly positively associated with residence ≤100 m of a roadway, >100 m and ≤200 m of a roadway and increased traffic density for individuals using insulin. For individuals using oral hypoglycemic medications (OHAs), CRP was significantly negatively associated with residence >100 m - ≤200 m of a roadway and multiple roadway exposure in an interaction model. Among people with diabetes, individuals on insulin appear to be most vulnerable to the effects of traffic exposure. Disease severity among insulin users may promote the pro-inflammatory response to traffic exposure, though diabetes medications may also modify the response. Possible anti-inflammatory effects of OHAs with traffic exposure merit further evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine L Rioux
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
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