Unmasking the Impact of Traffic-Related Air Pollution on Urban Health

Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is a pervasive issue in urban communities worldwide, posing formidable challenges to public health. Researchers have extensively documented the adverse health effects of pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide, linking them to reduced lung function, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and premature death. Beyond these, burgeoning evidence reveals consequential impacts on cognitive abilities and academic performance, especially among children. Despite advancements, the nuances of exposure and its complexities in urban built environments remain inadequately explored, necessitating further investigation into effective interventions and strategies.

This Research Topic aims to deepen our understanding of TRAP's consequences on public health, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to generate new insights and solutions. It intends to answer pressing questions, such as how emerging pollutants influence health outcomes in different urban contexts and what innovative measures can be implemented to reduce exposure and associated health risks. The focus also includes testing hypotheses about the cumulative impacts of TRAP on vulnerable populations and examining the efficacy of existing and novel policy interventions.

To gather further insights in TRAP's multifaceted impact on urban environments, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

o Monitoring and modeling: Assessment of air quality models, multiscale exposure disparities, and emerging monitoring techniques.

o Emission studies: Testing of vehicles under new emission standards and laboratory/field measurements of TRAP concentrations.

o Health impacts: Epidemiological studies on respiratory, cardiovascular, and cognitive effects, including impacts on student academic performance.

o Policy and interventions: Strategies to mitigate TRAP exposure and address health inequalities.

o Environmental justice: Research on how TRAP exacerbates disparities in vulnerable communities.

We welcome submissions across various article types, including original research, reviews, perspectives, and more.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), Public health, Vulnerable populations, Health impacts, Policy interventions

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.