The Influence of Traffic on Air Quality in an Urban Neighborhood

A Community–University Partnership

Bibliographic Data

ID11038408
AuthorsJonathan J Buonocore (0000-0001-7270-892X, At the time of the study Jonathan J. Buonocore was a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, and a doctoral candidate in the Departments of Environmental Health and Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Harrison J. Lee was with the Mission Hill Health Movement, Boston. Jonathan I. Levy is with the Departments of Environmental Health and Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.), Harrison J Lee (0000-0002-1966-5104, At the time of the study Jonathan J. Buonocore was a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, and a doctoral candidate in the Departments of Environmental Health and Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Harrison J. Lee was with the Mission Hill Health Movement, Boston. Jonathan I. Levy is with the Departments of Environmental Health and Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.), Jonathan I Levy (0000-0002-1116-4006, At the time of the study Jonathan J. Buonocore was a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, and a doctoral candidate in the Departments of Environmental Health and Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Harrison J. Lee was with the Mission Hill Health Movement, Boston. Jonathan I. Levy is with the Departments of Environmental Health and Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.)
Year2009
Volume99
IssueS3
PagesS629-S635
Publication date2009-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2008.149138
PMID19890168
PMCIDPMC2774178
OpenAlexW2138876861
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

Objectives. We evaluated the spatial and temporal patterns of traffic-related air pollutants in an urban neighborhood to determine factors contributing to elevated concentrations and to inform environmental justice concerns. Methods. In the summer of 2007, we continuously monitored multiple air pollutants at a community site in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachussetts, and local high school students conducted mobile continuous monitoring throughout the neighborhood. We used regression models to explain variability in concentrations, considering various attributes of traffic, proximity to major roadways, and meteorology. Results. Different attributes of traffic explained variability in fixed-site concentrations of ultrafine particles, fine particulate matter, and black carbon, with diurnal patterns and meteorological effects indicative of a greater local effect on ultrafine particles and black carbon. Mobile monitoring demonstrated that multiple traffic variables predict elevated levels of ultrafine particles, with concentrations of ultrafine particles decreasing by 50% within 400 meters of 2 major roadways. Conclusions. Unlike fine particulate matter, ultrafine particles demonstrate significant spatial and temporal variability within an urban neighborhood, contributing to environmental justice concerns, and patterns can be well characterized with a community-based participatory research design

Air pollution · Air quality index · Atmospheric sciences · Environmental health · Environmental justice · Geography · Meteorology · Particulates · Pollutant · Ultrafine particle · Air Quality and Health Impacts · Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting · Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols · Ecology · Engineering · Environmental Science · Medicine

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