The Impact of Activity-Based Mobility Pattern on Assessing Fine-Grained Traffic-Induced Air Pollution Exposure.

Yizheng Wu,Guohua Song

doi:10.3390/ijerph16183291

Abstract

Quantifying the air pollution and health impacts of transportation plans provides decision makers with valuable information that can help to target interventions. However, a large number of environmental epidemiological research assumes exposures of static populations at residential locations and does not consider the human activity patterns, which may lead to significant estimation errors. This study uses an integrated modeling framework to predict fine-grained air pollution exposures occurring throughout residents’ activity spaces. We evaluate concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) under a regional transportation plan for Sacramento, California, using activity-based travel demand model outputs, vehicle emission, and air dispersion models. We use predicted air pollution exposures at the traffic analysis zone (TAZ) level to estimate residents’ exposure accounting for their movements throughout the day to assess the impact of activity-based mobility pattern on air pollution exposure. Results of PM2.5 exposures estimated statically (at residential locations) versus dynamically (over residents’ activity-based mobility) demonstrates that the two methods yield statistically significant different results (p < 0.05). In addition, the comparison conducted in different age groups shows that the difference between these two approaches is greater among youth and working age residents, whereas seniors show a similar pattern using both approaches due to their lower rates of travel activity.

Highlights

It is of particular importance to assess the air pollution exposure in California
In light of the considerable epidemiological evidence to suggest a relationship between exposure to PM2.5 and negative health effect [3,4,5], it is necessary to incorporate the human exposure assessment into air quality evaluation
The human exposure to air pollution was evaluated at a fine-grained spatial scale (i.e., traffic analysis zone (TAZ) level), accounting for residents’ locations throughout the day to assess the impact of mobility pattern on exposure evaluation

Summary

Introduction

It is of particular importance to assess the air pollution exposure in California. The Assembly Bill (AB) 617, signed into law in July 2017, continues California’s environmental leadership in establishing innovative new policies to improve air quality [1]. The bill requires new community-focused and community-driven action to reduce air pollution and improve public health in communities that experience disproportionate burdens from air pollution. The proposed modeling chain includes an air dispersion modeling to obtain ambient pollution concentration levels but does not include an evaluation of people’s exposure to the pollutants. In light of the considerable epidemiological evidence to suggest a relationship between exposure to PM2.5 and negative health effect [3,4,5], it is necessary to incorporate the human exposure assessment into air quality evaluation

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Conclusion