Preventive measures to reduce the adverse health impact of traffic-related air pollution

How can we improve urban air quality and reduce the health impact from air pollutants in the most efficient way? Current measures mainly focus on mass reductions. While this is suitable for defined pollutants such as gases, particulate matter (PM) represents variable entities with highly source-dependent properties. Thus, more targeted reductions of PM from specific sources are needed. Traffic is a major source to urban air pollution, and an important health problem worldwide and in Norway. Traffic pollution comprises a mixture of gases and PM from exhaust and wear of road pavement, tires and brakes. From a regulatory view, the main pollution issues related to vehicle traffic in Nordic countries are high levels of coarse mineral-rich wear PM from abrasion due to use of studded tires in the winter, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and exhaust PM from diesel vehicles. The project has investigated the potential health impact of targeted interventions to reduce or alter 1) coarse abrasion PM from road pavement by altering stone material in pavement, introducing road washing and reduced use of studded tires, and 2) exhaust emissions by emission reduction technologies (PM and NO2 removal) or altering fuel types (gasoline vs diesel, fossil fuels vs biofuels). A third aim was to evaluate the relative impact of abrasion vs exhaust PM on pulmonary and cardiovascular outcomes, with emphasis on combinatory and/or differential effects of PM from these two sources. The latter is important to predict what measures are likely to be most efficient to reduce specific health effects. One PhD-student and three Master students have finalized and successfully defended their theses based on work on the project. Two young scientists has also been employed on the project. Dust from 6 different stone types and 10 pure minerals has been produced and characterized by Geological Survey of Norway. These have been tested for ability to induce proinflammatory responses in lung- and immune cell models at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI). Two tunnels in the Trondheim Area have been paved with asphalt containing different stone material. Dust generation in these tunnels has been monitored and dust samples has been collected and tested for effects in lung cells at FHI. Human volunteers have been exposed to pure mineral dusts from the stone material used in the pavement in the two tunnels, and effects on lung function and biomarkers in blood has been evaluated. Dust samples from the two tunnels have also been tested in mice at Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS). Furthermore, exhaust emissions from diesel, gasoline and biofuels are currently explored for effects in the lung- and cardiovascular system of rats, in collaboration with WULS. As part of these studies, the preventive effects of diesel exhaust particle filters are also assessed. The results for these animal studies are currently evaluated and will be finalized and published after the end of the project. Although some data analysis remains, the project indicates that dust emissions from traffic exhaust may have the largest impact on health, but that abrasion particles from road pavement may contribute to some extent to the effects. National and international expertise across different scientific disciplines have been involved in the project, including important executing and regulatory authorities and end-users at national and local level.

Prosjektet har bidratt til økt kunnskap om hvilke komponenter i trafikkstøv som har størst betydning for helsen, og også økt kunnskapsgrunnlaget om effekter av støvdempende tiltak, og styrker således kunnskapsgrunnlaget for mer målrettede tiltak for å forebygge helseeffekter av luftforurensning. I tillegg har prosjektet resultert i 1 PhD grad og 3 Mastergrader inne humantoksikologi/partikkeltoksikologi . I tillegg har to unge forskere vært involvert i prosjektet. Dette bidrar til å sikre fremtidig kompetanse på luftkvalitetsfeltet. Prosjektet har videre bidratt til å styrke FHI sin posisjon innen internasjonal luftforuresningsforskning, og var avgjørende for at forskningsgruppen ble koordinatorer for et nytt EU prosjekt med fokus på eksosutslipp fra ulike transportkilder: ULTRHAS – ULtrafine particles from TRansportation – Health Assessment of Sources (EUHorizon 2020, Grant Agreement No. 955390). www.ultrhas.eu

How can we improve urban air quality and reduce the health impact from air pollutants in the most efficient way? Current measures mainly focus on mass reductions. While this is suitable for defined pollutants such as gases, particulate matter (PM) represent variable entities with highly source-dependent properties. Thus, more targeted reduction of PM from specific sources is needed. Traffic is a major source to urban air pollution, and an important health problem world-wide and in Norway. Traffic pollution comprises a mixture of gases and PM from exhaust and wear of road pavement, tires and brakes. From a regulatory view, the main pollution issues related to vehicle traffic in Nordic countries are high levels of coarse mineral-rich wear PM from abrasion due to use of studded tires in the winter, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and exhaust PM from diesel vehicles. The project will investigate the potential health impact of targeted interventions to reduce or alter 1) coarse abrasion PM from road pavement by altering stone material in pavement, introducing road washing or reduced use of studded tires, and 2) exhaust emissions by emission reduction technologies (PM and NO2 removal) or altering fuel types (gasoline vs diesel, fossil fuels vs biofuels). A third aim is to evaluate the relative impact of abrasion vs exhaust PM on pulmonary and cardiovascular outcomes, with emphasis on combinatory and/or differential effects of PM from these two sources. The latter is important to predict what measures are likely to be most efficient to reduce specific health effects. The project will include a human panel study, in vivo studies in sensitized animal models and in vitro studies in advanced co-culture models (alveolar epithelial cells and microvasculature) in air liquid interface. National and international expertise across different scientific disciplines are involved, including important executing and regulatory authorities and end-users at national and local level.