New health studies launched on traffic-related air pollution exposure, diesel fleet turnover

HEI is pleased to announce the launch of five studies it is funding as the result of two separate research solicitations: Request for Applications 23-1, Assessing Health Effects of Traffic-Related Air Pollution (TRAP); and Request for Qualifications 24-1, Benefits Assessment of Accelerated Turnover of the On-Road Diesel Vehicle Fleet in the United States.

HEALTH STUDIES ON TRAFFIC-RELATED AIR POLLUTION (TRAP)

BREATHE: Bridging Realms for Equitable Assessment of TRAP Health Effects, led by Michael Brauer of the University of British Columbia, Canada, will assess the health impacts of transportation-related air pollution in the San Francisco Bay Area. Researchers will model three scenarios: electrification, telecommuting, and community-led initiatives, evaluating their effects on environmental justice and health outcomes.

Predicting cardiometabolic health and air pollution in future transportation landscapes using agent-based models, led by Christoph Knote of the University of Augsburg, will model future urban transportation and its effects on cardiometabolic health in Germany. Using air quality models and population data, researchers will assess transport infrastructure changes, technology advancements, and pricing policies on TRAP and cardiovascular disease.

Traffic‐related air pollution, lipoproteins, and cardiovascular disease risk in the VITamin D and OmegA‐3 TriaL (VITAL), led by Heike Gibson of Harvard University, will study TRAP and cardiovascular disease markers in an older U.S. population. The team will explore how vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation may modify TRAP’s effects, using data from the VITAL randomized control trial.

Novel exposures, birth outcomes, and environmental justice in a changing transportation landscape, led by Suzanne Paulson of the University of California, Los Angeles, will examine vehicle, rail, and aircraft pollution impacts on birth outcomes in Los Angeles. Researchers will assess electric vehicles, new flight technologies, and COVID-19 travel disruptions, with a focus on social vulnerability and environmental justice disparities.
 

STUDY ON TURNOVER OF HEAVY-DUTY DIESEL FLEET

Roadmap for MHDV fleet renewal: Maximizing health and environmental justice benefits in air pollution-burdened warehouse-adjacent communities, led by Daniel Horton of Northwestern University, will evaluate impacts of older medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicle emissions on air quality and health in Chicago’s warehouse-adjacent communities. They will compare current emissions to potential reduced emissions after the conversion to newer technologies. Analyses will incorporate community input, air quality modeling, and a health equity analysis to inform policy decisions.