Assessment of Traffic-Related Air Pollution: Case Study of Pregnant Women in South Texas

Abstract

Population groups vulnerable to adverse effects of traffic-related air pollution correspond to children, pregnant women and elderly. Despite these effects, literature is limited in terms of studies focusing on these groups and a reason often cited is the limited information on their mobility important for exposure assessment. The current study presents a method for assessing individual-level exposure to traffic-related air pollution by integrating mobility patterns tracked by global positioning system (GPS) devices with dynamics of air pollutant concentrations. The study is based on a pool of 17 pregnant women residing in Hidalgo County, Texas. The traffic-related particulate matter with diameter of less than 2.5 micrometer (PM2.5) emissions and air pollutant concentrations are predicted using MOVES and AERMOD models, respectively. The daily average traffic-related PM2.5 concentration was found to be 0.32 µg/m3, with the highest concentration observed in transit (0.56 µg/m3), followed by indoors (0.29 µg/m3), and outdoor (0.26 µg/m3) microenvironment. The obtained exposure levels exhibited considerable variation between time periods, with higher levels during peak commuting periods, close to the US–Mexico border region and lower levels observed during midday periods. The study also assessed if there is any difference between traffic-related dynamic exposure, based on time-varying mobility patterns, and static exposure, based solely on residential locations, and found a difference of 9%, which could be attributed to the participants’ activity patterns being focused mostly indoors.

The Relationship Between PM2.5 and the Action Spectrum of Ultraviolet Radiation for Vitamin D Production Based on a Manikin Model

“…If air pollution occurs in certain seasons and areas, such as in China [80], people are more likely to have vitamin D deficiency. Additionally, previous studies also reported that PM 2.5 could directly cause many chronic diseases, such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, to which children, pregnant women, and elderly individuals are more susceptible [81]- [83]. The doubly harmful effects of PM 2.5 deserve our attention.…”

Publication trends in research on particulate matter and health impact over a 10-year period: 2009–2018

“…Children, older adults, and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the health effects of air pollution [5][6][7]. PM10 [8,9] and PM2.5 [8,10,11] have been shown to be associated with the development and worsening of asthma in about 10% of children worldwide.…”

Near-Road Traffic-Related Air Pollution: Resuspended PM2.5 from Highways and Arterials

“…Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulated criteria air pollutant [7]. PM 2.5 is emitted from different emission sources including the transportation sector, and studies have demonstrated elevated PM 2.5 concentrations in near-road environments [8][9][10][11][12]. A growing body of literature shows associations between higher exposure to PM 2.5 , due to proximity of residential areas to major roadways and adverse health effects [13][14][15][16].…”