Road traffic is one of the main sources of particulate matter in the atmosphere. Despite its importance, there are significant challenges in quantitative evaluation of its contribution to airborne ...concentrations. This article first reviews the nature of the particle emissions from road vehicles including both exhaust and non-exhaust (abrasion and re-suspension sources). It then briefly reviews the various methods available for quantification of the road traffic contribution. This includes tunnel/roadway measurements, twin site studies, use of vehicle-specific tracers and other methods. Finally, the application of receptor modelling methods is briefly described. Based on the review, it can be concluded that while traffic emissions continue to contribute substantially to primary PM emissions in urban areas, quantitative knowledge of the contribution, especially of non-exhaust emissions to PM concentrations remain inadequate.
•Road traffic contributes emissions from exhaust, abrasion and re-suspension sources.•Chemical and physical properties of the emitted particles are described.•Available methods for quantification of traffic-derived concentrations are reviewed.
The global burden of disease study estimated 695,000 premature deaths in 2010 due to continued exposure to outdoor particulate matter and ozone pollution for India. By 2030, the expected growth in ...many of the sectors (industries, residential, transportation, power generation, and construction) will result in an increase in pollution related health impacts for most cities. The available information on urban air pollution, their sources, and the potential of various interventions to control pollution, should help us propose a cleaner path to 2030. In this paper, we present an overview of the emission sources and control options for better air quality in Indian cities, with a particular focus on interventions like urban public transportation facilities; travel demand management; emission regulations for power plants; clean technology for brick kilns; management of road dust; and waste management to control open waste burning. Also included is a broader discussion on key institutional measures, like public awareness and scientific studies, necessary for building an effective air quality management plan in Indian cities.
•Air quality monitoring in Indian cities.•Sources of air pollution in Indian cities.•Health impacts of outdoor air pollution in India.•Review of air quality management options at the national and urban scale.
Ambient particulate matter (PM) continues to be among the top environmental health concerns globally; in 2017, nearly 3 million deaths were attributed to exposure to PM2.5 around the world (HEI, ...2019). While much attention is paid towards point and mobile sources of PM (e.g., power plants, vehicles), episodic/periodic events such as dust storms, use of fireworks etc. can also increase ambient PM levels and lead to adverse effects on air quality, visibility, and human health, albeit in the short-term. Fireworks and bonfires are commonly used during religious and cultural festivals including Diwali (India), Lunar New Year (China), Bastille Day (France), Guy Fawkes Night (UK), Australia Day (Australia), Fourth of July/Independence Day (USA), New Year's Eve (worldwide) as well as large sporting and other events. During these events, use of fireworks results in smoke plumes which can raise the PM concentration levels for short periods of time. This review article summarizes the current body of literature on the role of fireworks use (and bonfires) on air quality, visibility, and human health. A summary of distinct type of fireworks and existing legislations/laws in different countries is also presented. Overall, there is clear evidence that such events produce exceptionally high level of pollutants, and as a result there can be intense exposures to a multipollutant mixture. In particular, the sharpest spikes are found in pollutant concentrations (such as PM2.5, PM10, and NOx) during and immediately after the firework event, followed by a decrease in the concentrations back to background levels, typically within 24 h. Peak concentrations of pollutants during firework events can exceed ambient levels by 2–8 times. As a result, overall visibility also decreases significantly, and in some cases, by as much as 92% during fireworks events. Moreover, significant health risks due to fireworks activities are also reported, although limited research has been conducted on this type of rapid air pollution exposure. The review concludes with a list of suggested future research priorities required to better understand the impacts of fireworks and bonfires on human and environmental health.
•Fireworks and bonfires are sources of atmospheric pollutants and typically affect short-term air quality.•This review article presents a summary of the impacts of fireworks and bonfires on air quality, visibility, and human health.•Typically, concentrations of air pollutants can be 2–8 times higher than average during fireworks events.•Concentrations of elements including Ba, Cu, Pb, Cr and Sr are reported to be several times higher during fireworks events.•Limited studies have shown an impact on respiratory health, but significant gaps in knowledge remain.
Ambient PM2.5 samples were collected at a high-traffic location (summer and winter 2013) and characterized for a large suite of elemental and organic markers. Concentrations were found to exceed the ...Indian PM2.5 air quality standard on several occasions, especially in the winter. Winter concentrations of several individual tracer species were several fold higher compared to summer, particularly for some PAHs and trace metals. Enrichment factors relative to crustal material showed significant enrichment for elements such as Ti, Sb, Pb and As, although Ba, often used as a marker for non-exhaust emissions from traffic was not found to be enriched appreciably. Crustal material was found to be an important contributor in the summer (14.3%), while wood burning (23.3%), nitrates (12.4%) and chlorides (12.3%) were found to be major contributors in winter. The contribution of road traffic exhaust emissions was estimated to be 18.7% in summer and 16.2% in winter. Other combustion sources (wood and other biomass/waste/coal) were found to be a significant source in winter, and contribute to the higher concentrations. Secondary sulphates, nitrates and chloride (the latter two in winter) and organic matter also contribute substantially to PM2.5 mass.
•Chemical composition measured in summer and winter campaigns.•Analyses of many elements, ions, OC/EC and organic molecular markers.•Winter campaign mass concentrations far exceed those in the summer campaign.•Major components (ammonium salts, woodsmoke, traffic, crustal) are quantified.•Good mass closure achieved.
Neurotropic viruses can cross the otherwise dynamically regulated blood-brain barrier (BBB) and affect the brain cells. Zika virus (ZIKV) is an enveloped neurotropic
known to cause severe ...neurological complications, such as encephalitis and fetal microcephaly. In the present study, we employed human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) and astrocytes derived from human progenitors to establish a physiologically relevant BBB model. We used this model to investigate the effects of ZIKV envelope (E) protein on properties of cells comprising the BBB. E protein is the principal viral protein involved in interaction with host cell surface receptors, facilitating the viral entry. Our findings show that the presence of ZIKV E protein leads to activation of both hBMECs and astrocytes. In hBMECs, we observed a decrease in the expression of crucial endothelial junction proteins such as ZO-1, Occludin and VE-Cadherin, which are vital in establishment and maintenance of the BBB. Consequently, the ZIKV E protein induced changes in BBB integrity and permeability. We also found upregulation of genes involved in leukocyte recruitment along with increased proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines upon exposure to E protein. Additionally, the E protein also led to astrogliosis, evident from the elevated expression of GFAP and Vimentin. Both cell types comprising the BBB exhibited inflammatory response upon exposure to E protein which may influence viral access into the central nervous system (CNS) and subsequent infection of other CNS cells. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the transient changes that occur at the site of BBB upon ZIKV infection.
The association of air pollution with multiple adverse health outcomes is becoming well established, but its negative economic impact is less well appreciated. It is important to elucidate this ...impact for the states of India.
We estimated exposure to ambient particulate matter pollution, household air pollution, and ambient ozone pollution, and their attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life-years in every state of India as part of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019. We estimated the economic impact of air pollution as the cost of lost output due to premature deaths and morbidity attributable to air pollution for every state of India, using the cost-of-illness method.
1·67 million (95% uncertainty interval 1·42–1·92) deaths were attributable to air pollution in India in 2019, accounting for 17·8% (15·8–19·5) of the total deaths in the country. The majority of these deaths were from ambient particulate matter pollution (0·98 million 0·77–1·19) and household air pollution (0·61 million 0·39–0·86). The death rate due to household air pollution decreased by 64·2% (52·2–74·2) from 1990 to 2019, while that due to ambient particulate matter pollution increased by 115·3% (28·3–344·4) and that due to ambient ozone pollution increased by 139·2% (96·5–195·8). Lost output from premature deaths and morbidity attributable to air pollution accounted for economic losses of US$28·8 billion (21·4–37·4) and $8·0 billion (5·9–10·3), respectively, in India in 2019. This total loss of $36·8 billion (27·4–47·7) was 1·36% of India's gross domestic product (GDP). The economic loss as a proportion of the state GDP varied 3·2 times between the states, ranging from 0·67% (0·47–0·91) to 2·15% (1·60–2·77), and was highest in the low per-capita GDP states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Delhi had the highest per-capita economic loss due to air pollution, followed by Haryana in 2019, with 5·4 times variation across all states.
The high burden of death and disease due to air pollution and its associated substantial adverse economic impact from loss of output could impede India's aspiration to be a $5 trillion economy by 2024. Successful reduction of air pollution in India through state-specific strategies would lead to substantial benefits for both the health of the population and the economy.
UN Environment Programme; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Tourism can form an important component of a nation's GDP, and Vietnam is among the most visited countries in Southeast Asia. Most studies on personal exposure focus on the general population, or ...occupational cohorts with exposure to specific pollutants. However, short-term exposure to air pollutants while visiting regions with high levels of air pollution can lead to acute health effects. A personal exposure study was conducted across three cities in Vietnam to estimate exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon for tourists. Measurements were conducted during the wet season in 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat and Nha Trang using portable instrumentation. Average 24-hr PM2.5 and BC exposures were estimated as 18.9±9.24 and 3.41±1.33μg/m3 and among the three cities, Ho Chi Minh was found to have the highest PM2.5 concentrations. Environmental tobacco smoke, commuting and street food stands were found to contribute to highest levels of exposure to PM2.5 and BC across all cities.
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