Emissions of metals and other particle-phase species from on-road motor vehicles were measured in two tunnels in Milwaukee, WI during the summer of 2000 and winter of 2001. Emission factors were calculated from measurements of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) particulate matter at tunnel entrances and exits, and effects of fleet composition and season were investigated. Cascade impactors (MOUDI) were used to obtain size-resolved metal emission rates. Metals were quantified with inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). PM10 emission rates ranged from 38.7 to 201 mg km(-1) and were composed mainly of organic carbon (OC, 30%), inorganic ions (sulfate, chloride, nitrate, ammonium, 20%), metals (19%), and elemental carbon (EC, 9.3%). PM10 metal emissions were dominated by crustal elements Si, Fe, Ca, Na, Mg, Al, and K, and elements associated with tailpipe emissions and brake and tire wear, including Cu, Zn, Sb, Ba, Pb, and S. Metals emitted in PM2.5 were lower (11.6% of mass). Resuspension of roadway dust was dependent on weather and road surface conditions, and increased emissions were related to higher traffic volumes and fractions of heavy trucks. Emission of noble metals from catalytic converters appeared to be impacted by the presence of older vehicles. Elements related to brake wear were impacted by enriched road dust resuspension, but correlations between these elements in PM2.5 indicate that direct brake wear emissions are also important. A submicrometer particle mode was observed in the emissions of Pb, Ca, Fe, and Cu.

Advances of nanoscale science have produced nanomaterials with unique physical and chemical properties at commercial levels which are now incorporated into over 1000 products. Nanoscale cerium (di) oxide (CeO(2)) has recently gained a wide range of applications which includes coatings, electronics, biomedical, energy and fuel additives. Many applications of engineered CeO(2) nanoparticles are dispersive in nature increasing the risk of exposure and interactions with a variety of environmental media with unknown health, safety and environmental implications. As evident from a risk assessment perspective, the health effects of CeO(2) nanoparticles are not only dependent on their intrinsic toxicity but also on the level of exposure to these novel materials. Although this may seem logical, numerous studies have assessed the health effects of nanoparticles without this simple but critical risk assessment perspective. This review extends previous exposure and toxicological assessments for CeO(2) particles by summarizing the current state of micro and nano-scale cerium exposure and health risks derived from epidemiology, air quality monitoring, fuel combustion and toxicological studies to serve as a contemporary comprehensive and integrated toxicological assessment. Based on the new information presented in this review there is an ongoing exposure to a large population to new diesel emissions generated using fuel additives containing CeO2 nanoparticles for which the environmental (air quality and climate change) and public health impacts of this new technology are not known. Therefore, there is an absolute critical need for integrated exposure and toxicological studies in order to accurately assess the environmental, ecological and health implications of nanotechnology enabled diesel fuel additives with existing as well as new engine designs and fuel formulations.

A growing number of epidemiological studies conducted worldwide suggest an increase in the occurrence of adverse health effects in populations living, working, or going to school near major roadways. A study was designed to assess traffic emissions impacts on air quality and particle toxicity near a heavily traveled highway. In an attempt to describe the complex mixture of pollutants and atmospheric transport mechanisms affecting pollutant dispersion in this near-highway environment, several real-time and time-integrated sampling devices measured air quality concentrations at multiple distances and heights from the road. Pollutants analyzed included U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-regulated gases, particulate matter (coarse, fine, and ultrafine), and air toxics. Pollutant measurements were synchronized with real-time traffic and meteorological monitoring devices to provide continuous and integrated assessments of the variation of near-road air pollutant concentrations and particle toxicity with changing traffic and environmental conditions, as well as distance from the road. Measurement results demonstrated the temporal and spatial impact of traffic emissions on near-road air quality. The distribution of mobile source emitted gas and particulate pollutants under all wind and traffic conditions indicated a higher proportion of elevated concentrations near the road, suggesting elevated exposures for populations spending significant amounts of time in this microenvironment. Diurnal variations in pollutant concentrations also demonstrated the impact of traffic activity and meteorology on near-road air quality. Time-resolved measurements of multiple pollutants demonstrated that traffic emissions produced a complex mixture of criteria and air toxic pollutants in this microenvironment. These results provide a foundation for future assessments of these data to identify the relationship of traffic activity and meteorology on air quality concentrations and population exposures.