Local Air Pollution Research Articles

Road Traffic Infrastructure Construction and Air Pollution Based on the Perspective of Spatial Spillover

Road traffic infrastructure construction is widely regarded as a solution to urban congestion and air pollution. Given the frequent use of non-highway roads for inter-city travel, it is plausible that such infrastructure projects could also improve air quality in neighboring regions. However, the spatial spillover effects of these projects on air pollution remain underexplored. This paper investigates the spatial impacts of road traffic infrastructure construction on urban air pollution. Using a spatial panel regression model, we analyze data from 273 cities in a period spanning 2008 to 2021. Our findings show that road infrastructure construction significantly reduces local air pollution, with results robust to concerns about endogeneity. Furthermore, we identify notable spatial spillover effects, primarily concentrated in adjacent cities. These findings suggest that the accessibility between central cities and their neighboring areas plays a critical role in shaping traffic patterns, air quality, and sustainable urban development. As a result, coordinated regional planning for road infrastructure could serve as an effective strategy to mitigate urban air pollution and promote sustainable growth.

Tourism activities significantly contributed toatmospheric pollutants in a remote town of Tianshan revealed by the continuous observation of two years

The large reduction in tourism activities in 2020 provided a unique opportunity to investigate their contribution on atmospheric pollutants in Bayanbulak, a remote town in Tianshan, China. In this scenic and sensitive region, we measured total suspended particulates (TSP) along with concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) during the lockdown in 2020 and compared these to levels in the pre-pandemic period of 2019. The study revealed significant reductions in PAHs, OC, EC, and some WSIIs concentrations during the tourist season (May–October) of 2020 compared with 2019, whereas variations between non-tourist seasons were less pronounced. Furthermore, by comparing pollutant characteristics in tourist seasons of these two years, we found that 5- and 6-ring groups were main PAH constituents in 2019, while 5- and 3-ring groups contributed more to total PAHs in 2020. OC/EC ratio increased from 2019 to 2020, indicating an increase of biomass burning contribution after the lockdown. Using positive matrix factorization, we determined that emissions from tourism-related transportation and combustion of natural gas and coal (mainly for cooking) contributed 21.9% and 46.6%, respectively, to certain atmospheric pollutants in 2019, whereas they decreased significantly to 3% and 19.4% in 2020 with dust and biomass contributions increased substantially. The levels of PAHs, OC, and EC from tourism-related sources were as high as 9.31 ng m−3, 1.28 μg m−3 and 0.11 μg m−3 and decreased by 54.37%, 25.16%, and 9.54%, respectively, compared to 2019. Hence, the impact of tourism must be considered during the assessment of local air pollutant emissions, particularly in remote areas.

Health risks of environmentally persistent free radicals in atmospheric particulate matter during the spring festival travel season in Tainan, Taiwan.

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent pollutants in atmospheric particulate matter that are detrimental to human health. This study collected atmospheric particulate matter during and after the spring festival travel season in Tainan, Taiwan, from various locations and analyzed the carbon composition and PAH isomeric ratios to identify the sources. In this study, EPFR concentrations were measured using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, with the highest concentration found to be 3.04 × 10(12) spins/m3. EPFRs contained predominantly oxygen-centered radicals in PM2.5, which are mainly existed in PM1. The results show that EPFR concentrations on PM, measured per unit volume (spins/m3) or mass (spins/g), were highest during the spring festival travel season. The daily inhalation exposure to the sum of EPFRs and PAHs in PM2.5 was estimated to be equivalent to inhaling 0.11-0.15 cigarette tar EPFRs per day. This report is the first to document EPFRs in environmental atmospheric particulate matters in Taiwan, which has significantly contributed to local air pollution control and reduced exposure risks to public health in Tainan.

Do attitudes toward air pollution influence climate change perception? Evidence from online customers in China

Abstract The perception of climate change as an abstract and distant concept hinders climate action. Previous studies suggest that individuals may conflate climate change and local air pollution due to misconceptions, as these environmental issues share similar emission sources and mitigation strategies. However, it remains uncertain whether leveraging the public's high perception of air pollution can lead to increased climate change awareness and supportive behaviors. In this study, we surveyed 1,236 Chinese online customers to explore the influence of air pollution perception on climate change perception and willingness to pay (WTP) for supporting climate actions. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) results revealed that higher air pollution perception, which is connected to an individual's living environment and health status, is significantly associated with higher climate change perception. Despite this link, higher climate change perception does not necessarily translate to higher WTP for climate actions. However, air pollution perception can indirectly increase WTP for climate actions by fostering avoidance behavior intentions. For practical implications, our findings suggest that an emphasis on the co-benefits of climate change mitigation efforts for improving air quality may help lead to greater policy support and understanding. Additionally, promoting individual behavioral changes requires connecting these issues to personal experiences and highlighting tangible benefits such as improved health and well-being.

Official development finance in solid waste management reveals insufficient resources for tackling plastic pollution: A global analysis of two decades of data

Providing effective solid waste and resources management (SWM) is essential to tackle plastics pollution, reduce carbon emissions and local air pollution from open burning, avoid disease spreading and enable circularity. Official development finance (ODF) is vital in providing relevant infrastructure and capacity development. We developed a novel standardised methodology to analyse OECD ODF data and applied it to 2003–2021, offering insights on the scale, flows and changes in SWM ODF. Despite an 8-fold increase, SWM-focused ODF is still very low, representing just 0.41 % of all ODF; and an order of magnitude less than water and sanitation ODF. Low-income countries received only 8 % of SWM ODF. Total commitments in 2021 were ca. 1.8 Billion USD - significantly short of the >30 Billion USD investment estimated as necessary for substantially reducing plastics pollution. The multi-lateral environmental agreement under negotiation (‘Plastics Treaty) needs to set ambitious targets for ODF and wider international co-operation.

Achieving deep transport energy demand reductions in the United Kingdom

The transport sector is a crucial yet challenging area to decarbonize, given its heavy reliance on fossil fuel usage, carbon-intensive infrastructure and car-centric lifestyles. It remains the largest contributor to local air pollution in cities yet has the potential to improve people's physical and mental health. This research investigated the potential contribution of transport energy demand reduction to climate change mitigation and improving public health. Using a comprehensive bottom-up modelling framework, the Transport Energy and Air pollution Model (TEAM), this study provides an integrated assessment of the impacts of deep mobility-related energy demand reductions, including lifecycle carbon emissions, local air pollution and health impacts. Using a sociotechnical scenario approach and the UK as a case study, this research reveals that energy demand reductions of up to 61 % by 2050 compared to baseline levels are achievable and can enhance citizens' quality of life. Business as usual approaches which rely on a technical transition miss the legislated carbon budgets and result in higher energy demand in 2050. More comprehensive scenarios deliver a reduction of up to 72 % in total lifecycle carbon emissions by 2050, with approximately half of the reduction achieved through mode shifting and avoiding travel, while the other half comes from vehicle energy efficiency, electrification, and downsizing of the vehicle fleets. The research shows that it can lead to significant co-benefits such as improved local air pollution and public health. The feasibility and practicality of policy measures and integrated strategies identified for achieving deep transport-energy demand reductions are discussed.

The health, climate, and equity benefits of freight truck electrification in the United States

Abstract Long-haul freight shipment in the United States relies on diesel trucks and constitutes ∼3% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and a significant share of local air pollution. Here, we compare the climate and air pollution-related health damages from electric versus diesel long-haul truck fleets. We use truck commodity flows to estimate tailpipe emissions from diesel trucks and regional grid emissions intensities to estimate charging emissions from electric trucks under various grid scenarios. We use a reduced complexity air quality model combined with valuation of air pollution-related premature deaths (using two hazard ratios (HRs)) and quantify the distributional health impacts in different scenarios. We find that annual health and climate costs of the current diesel fleet are $195–$249/capita compared to $174–$205/capita for a new diesel fleet, and $156–$177/capita for an electric fleet, depending on the HR. We find that freight electrification could avoid $6.2–8.5 billion in health and climate damages annually when compared to a fleet of new diesel vehicles (with even higher benefits when compared to the current diesel fleet). However, the Midwest and parts of the Gulf Coast would experience an increase in health damages due to vehicles charging using electricity from coal power plants. If old coal power plants (operating in 1980 or earlier) are replaced with zero-emission generation, electrification of all U.S. freight would result in $32.3–39.2 billion in avoided damages annually and health benefits throughout the U.S. Electrifying transport of consumer manufacturing goods (including electronics, transport equipment, and precision instruments) and food, beverage, and tobacco products would provide the largest absolute health and climate benefits, whereas mixed freight and manufacturing goods would result in the largest benefits per tonne-km. We find small variations in health damages across race and income. These results will help policymakers prioritize electrification and charging investment strategies for the freight transportation sub-sector.

The environmental consequences of industrial agglomeration: New evidence from city-level data in China

In the context of sustainable development, environmental policies increasingly focus on reducing carbon emissions worldwide. Industrial agglomeration (IAGG) has emerged as a potential factor in achieving this objective by reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality. This study examines the direct and indirect impacts, spatial dynamics, and policy impacts of industrial agglomeration on air pollution levels. Panel data from 278 cities in China between 2011 and 2020 are utilized to investigate the potential of industrial agglomeration to reduce air pollution. Multiple regression models are employed, these models explore the mechanisms through which industrial agglomeration can have a positive effect on air pollution, highlighting economic growth, inclusive finance, digital economy and technological innovation as crucial factors. The study also investigates the spatial spillover effects of industrial agglomeration, finding that the concentration ratio and specialization of neighbouring cities significantly contribute to local air pollution levels. Furthermore, this contribution increases progressively with distance. The study investigates the spillover effects of environmental pollution and industrial agglomeration-related policies on PM2.5 concentration, concluding that such spillover effects lead to a decrease in PM2.5 concentration in neighbouring locations.

The role of local institutional quality for the digital and environmental transitions in Italy

In this paper we analyze the effect of institutional quality on the so-called Twin transition at provincial level in Italy. To carry out the analysis, we use two proxies for the ecological transition, namely waste management and air pollution, and two proxies for the digital transition, namely ultra-wide band connections and provincial innovative start-ups. All the models are estimated on a panel of 103 provinces with a time dimension that varies for the different dependent variables. We employ Spatial Durbin Model estimator to take into account spatial dependence across provinces. Our findings indicate that the quality of local institutions may have an important role for the ecological transition, but not for the digital transition. Higher levels of institutional quality increase the performance in waste management and reduce the level of local air pollution. Conversely, the estimated coefficient of institutional quality is not statistically significant neither for ultra-wide band nor for innovative start-ups. Institutional quality turns to be significant but negative for the digital transition when dummy variable controlling for the presence of science-oriented university is added in the model specification. These results confirm that the green transition is largely policy-driven and the local ‘institutional environment’ is an essential ingredient for its effectiveness. The driving forces of the digital transition, instead, can be better found in socio-economic factors that depend on the ‘economic quality’ of the local system and its propensity to innovate within larger-scale innovation trajectories.

Warehouses worsen local air pollution

Warehouses worsen local air pollution

Air pollution impacts from warehousing in the United States uncovered with satellite data

Regulators, environmental advocates, and community groups in the United States (U.S.) are concerned about air pollution associated with the proliferating e-commerce and warehousing industries. Nationwide datasets of warehouse locations, traffic, and satellite observations of the traffic-related pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) provide a unique capability to evaluate the air quality and environmental equity impacts of these geographically-dispersed emission sources. Here, we show that the nearly 150,000 warehouses in the U.S. worsen local traffic-related air pollution with an average near-warehouse NO2 enhancement of nearly 20% and are disproportionately located in marginalized and minoritized communities. Near-warehouse truck traffic and NO2 significantly increase as warehouse density and the number of warehouse loading docks and parking spaces increase. Increased satellite-observed NO2 near warehouses underscores the need for indirect source rules, incentives for replacing old trucks, and corporate commitments towards electrification. Future ground-based monitoring campaigns may help track impacts of individual or small clusters of facilities.

Low-cost system application for policy assessment: a case study from Berlin

Local policies are part of the toolbox available to decision makers to improve air quality but their effectiveness is underevaluated and underreported. We evaluate the impact of the pedestrianization of a street in the city centre of Berlin on the local air pollution. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was measured on the street where the policy was implemented and on two parallel streets using low-cost sensor systems supported by periodic calibrations against reference-grade instruments and constrained by passive samplers. Further measurements of NO2 were conducted with a reference-grade instrument mounted on a mobile platform. The concentrations were evaluated against the urban background (UB) to isolate the policy-related signal from natural fluctuations, long-term trends and the COVID-19 lockdown. Our analysis shows that the most likely result of the intervention is a reduced NO2 concentrations to the level of the UB on weekdays for the pedestrian zone. Kerbside NO2 concentrations exhibited substantial differences to the concentrations measured at lampposts highlighting the difficulty for such measurements to capture personal exposure. The results have implications for policy, showing that an intervention on the local traffic patterns can possibly be effective in improving local air quality.

Tainted trust: air pollution and political trust in China

ABSTRACT Adverse health and economic impacts of air pollution in China have been well documented, but few studies have examined how air pollution may affect people’s political trust in their government. From an expectation-performance perspective, we argue that air pollution makes Chinese citizens feel that their basic needs and well-being are under-protected by the government, thereby dampening their political trust. Empirically, we employ a unique dataset (n=3,972) that merges national public opinion survey with satellite-derived ground-level air pollution data to test our argument. Our analyses show that worsening air pollution significantly taints Chinese people’s trust in the government, while the absolute level of local air pollution also erodes their political trust through raised environmental concern and lowered policy satisfaction. Our research adds knowledge to the links from air pollution to people’s political trust in China and sheds new light on future studies of environmental politics and governance elsewhere.

Large-eddy simulation of aerosol concentrations in a realistic urban environment: Model validation and transport mechanism

Air pollution in urban environments exhibits large spatial and temporal variations due to high heterogeneous air flow and emissions. To address the complexity of local air pollutant dynamics, a comprehensive large-eddy simulation using the PALM model system v6.0 was conducted. The distribution of flow and vehicle emitted aerosol particles in a realistic urban environment in Malmö, Sweden, was studied and evaluated against on-site measurements made using portable instrumentation on a spring morning in 2021. The canyon transport mechanisms were investigated, and the convective and turbulent mass-transport rates compared to clarify their role in aerosol transport. The horizontal distribution of aerosols showed acceptable evaluation metrics for both mass and number. Flow and pollutant concentrations were more complex than those in idealized street canyon networks. Vertical turbulent mass-transport rate was found to dominate the mass transport process compared with the convective transport rate, contributing more than 70% of the pollutant transport process. Our findings highlight the necessity of examining various aerosol metric due their distinct dispersion behaviour. This study introduces a comprehensive high-resolution modelling framework that accounts for dynamic meteorological and aerosol background boundary conditions, real-time traffic emission, and detailed building features, offering a robust toll for local urban air quality assessment.

Environmental conditions affecting air pollution dispersion over Richards Bay, South Africa

Air pollution dispersion over Richards Bay, South Africa is studied using satellite, reanalysis and in-situ measurements. Near-surface concentrations of trace gases and particulates reach high concentrations under dry stable ‘berg’ winds. Temporal records of CO, NO2, O3, PM2.5, SO2 (2000-2023) exhibit no trend and short-term dose exceedances of individual pollutants are rare and confined to winter mornings. Regional point-to-field correlation maps of a Richards Bay winter air pollution index found that anomalous warming of the west Indian Ocean accelerates the jet stream over Madagascar and pulls smoke- and dust-laden north-westerly winds across the South African plateau, implicating long-range transport. At daily and hourly time scales dewpoint temperature and boundary layer height best indicate changes in local air pollution dispersion that impact respiratory health. A case study of 15-17 June 2021 revealed a 10ºC thermal inversion caused by negative sensible heat fluxes of -40 W/m2 through the night, leading to SO2 concentrations above 100 ppb in the morning along the main access road (28.8ºS, 32ºE). Poor dispersion seldom happens in the summer when turbulent mixing and rainfall cleanse the air.

Poverty or pollution: The environmental cost of E-commerce for poverty reduction in China

Pro-poor policies can have economic benefits, but they may also have environmental costs. This paper examines the impact of China's “E-commerce into Countryside” project (the ECC project), one of the world's largest targeted poverty alleviation strategies, on local air quality. The project covers approximately 100 million poor people. Using a set of difference-in-differences identification strategies, we find that the pro-poor ECC policy has consistently and significantly contributed to local air pollution, despite its role in fighting poverty. The decline in local air quality is primarily caused by the increase in rural enterprises, destruction of vegetation, and traffic pollution resulting from the intention to sell more agricultural products to the city. Pro-poor policymakers face the challenge of balancing poverty reduction with environmental protection during the process of sustainable development. When making policy decisions, it is important to consider local environmental regulations, ecological vulnerability, and potential adaptation strategies in order to weigh economic benefits against environmental costs.

Exploring the Effects of Local Air Pollution on Popliteal Artery Aneurysms.

Objectives: A growing body of evidence highlights the effects of air pollution on chronic and acute cardiovascular diseases, such as associations between PM10 and several cardiovascular events. However, evidence of the impact of fine air pollutants on the development and progression of peripheral arterial aneurysms is not available. Methods: Data were obtained from the multicenter PAA outcome registry POPART and the German Environment Agency. Means of the mean daily concentration of PM10, PM2.5, NO2, and O3 concentrations were calculated for 2, 10, and 3650 days prior to surgery for each patient. Additionally, weighted ten-year averages were analyzed. Correlation was assessed by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients, and regression analyses were conducted as multiple linear or multiple logistic regression, depending on the dependent variable. Results: For 1193 patients from the POPART registry, paired air pollution data were available. Most patients were male (95.6%) and received open surgical repair (89.9%). On a regional level, the arithmetic means of the daily means of PM10 between 2000 and 2022 were neither associated with average diameters nor runoff vessels. Negative correlations for mean PAA diameter and mean NO2, as well as a positive correlation with mean O3, were found; however, they were not statistically significant. On patient level, no evidence for an association of mean PM10 exposure over ten years prior to inclusion in the registry and PAA diameter or the number of runoff vessels was found. Weighted PM10, NO2, and O3 exposure over ten years also did not result in significant associations with aneurysm diameter or runoff vessels. Short-term air pollutant concentrations were not associated with symptomatic PAAs or with perioperative complications. Conclusions: We found no indication that long-term air pollutant concentrations are associated with PAA size or severity, neither on a regional nor individual level. Additionally, short-term air pollution showed no association with clinical presentation or treatment outcomes.

AIR QUALITY MONITORING USING MACHINE LEARNING

Air pollution is a critical environmental issue with significant implications for public health and the well-being of ecosystems. This project focuses on developing an innovative solution for air pollution monitoring utilizing machine learning (ML) techniques. The primary objective is to design a system that can accurately predict, analyze, and monitor air quality in real time, providing valuable insights for effective pollution control and management. The proposed system incorporates a network of sensors strategically placed in various locations to capture diverse air quality parameters such as particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and more. The collected data is then processed through ML algorithms to identify patterns, correlations, and trends, enabling the system to accurately predict air quality levels. The project aims to address traditional monitoring systems' limitations by leveraging ML models' adaptability and self-learning capabilities. By continuously updating and refining the models based on incoming data, the system becomes more adept at providing precise and timely information on air quality fluctuations. This endeavour contributes to a deeper understanding of local air pollution dynamics and empowers decision-makers with actionable insights for implementing targeted interventions. The integration of ML in air pollution monitoring represents a significant step towards creating sustainable and data-driven strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of pollution on human health and the environment. Index terms Air pollution, Machine Learning, Environmental Monitoring, Sustainability, Predictive Modeling, Sensor Network, Data Analysis.

Air pollution and stock returns: The cash flow risk channel

This paper provides a novel explanation regarding the phenomenon that high local air pollution forecasts a low risk premium at the firm-level. Using Chinese stock market data, we show that there is a negative correlation between air pollution and stock return. Further empirical analysis reveals that pollution affects the stock market by changing the covariance between cash flows and the aggregate profitability shock. This result can be illustrated by a neoclassical q-theory model with air pollution as a factor affecting production.

The influence of long-range transported Saharan dust on the inflammatory potency of ambient PM2.5 and PM10

Although desert dust promotes morbidity and mortality, it is exempt from regulations. Its health effects have been related to its inflammatory properties, which can vary between source regions. It remains unclear which constituents cause this variability. Moreover, whether long-range transported desert dust potentiates the hazardousness of local particulate matter (PM) is still unresolved. We aimed to assess the influence of long-range transported desert dust on the inflammatory potency of PM2.5 and PM10 collected in Cape Verde and to examine associated constituents.During a reference period and two Saharan dust events, 63 PM2.5 and PM10 samples were collected at four sampling stations. The content of water-soluble ions, elements, and organic and elemental carbon was measured in all samples and endotoxins in PM10 samples. The PM-induced release of inflammatory cytokines from differentiated THP-1 macrophages was evaluated. The association of interleukin (IL)-1β release with PM composition was assessed using principal component (PC) regressions.PM2.5 from both dust events and PM10 from one event caused higher IL-1β release than PM from the reference period. PC regressions indicated an inverse relation of IL-1β release with sea spray ions in both size fractions and organic and elemental carbon in PM2.5. The PC with the higher regression coefficient suggested that iron and manganese may contribute to PM2.5-induced IL-1β release. Only during the reference period, endotoxin content strongly differed between sampling stations and correlated with inflammatory potency.Our results demonstrate that long-range transported desert dust amplifies the hazardousness of local air pollution and suggest that, in PM2.5, iron and manganese may be important. Our data indicate that endotoxins are contained in local and long-range transported PM10 but only explain the variability in inflammatory potency of local PM10. The increasing inflammatory potency of respirable and inhalable PM from desert dust events warrants regulatory measures and risk mitigation strategies.