Many countries, especially developing countries, are rapidly urbanizing. The United Nations reported that the global urban population had increased by 4.6 times from 751 million (30% of the world population) in 1950 to 4.2 billion (55%) in 2018, and the number is projected to reach 6.4 billion (68%) in 2050. Urbanization is important to economic growth, poverty reduction, and human development. However, the rapid growth of cities significantly challenges the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the main hurdles is urban air pollution, which presents one of the biggest public health risks worldwide. Based on the data obtained from those cities routinely monitoring air quality, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that over 80% of people living in cities were breathing polluted air exceeding the WHO limits. Each year, 4.2 million deaths are attributed to ambient air pollution worldwide.
The formation and control of urban air quality are long-existing and complex problems. Various sources, such as road transport, industry and household, contribute to urban air pollution. In addition, the urban forms and weather conditions could restrict the dispersion of air pollutants (e.g. carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, primary particulates, sulfur oxides, and volatile organic compounds) and affect the formation of secondary pollutants (e.g. ozone and secondary organic aerosols), which lead to significantly temporal and spatial variations and complicate air pollution problems. Research on monitoring, modeling, characterizing and controlling air pollution in urban areas is of great significance to economic growth and public health. Therefore, this Research Topic aims to deepen our understanding of the characterization, formation and evolution of air pollutants in the urban atmosphere as well as their impacts on air quality, human health and climate change.
This Research Topic aims to provide a platform for researchers to share their latest studies on urban air pollution, with a special focus on transport-related air pollution in urban areas. Specific themes of this Research Topic include but are not limited to:
• Source identification and apportionment of various air pollutants
• Effective and cost-efficient monitoring of urban air quality
• Characterisation of chemical compositions of tracer gases and particulate matters
• Mechanisms of formation and dispersion of air pollutants
• Assessment of environmental and health risks associated with urban air pollution
• Control measures for addressing urban air pollution caused by various sources from both on-road transport and the built environment
Many countries, especially developing countries, are rapidly urbanizing. The United Nations reported that the global urban population had increased by 4.6 times from 751 million (30% of the world population) in 1950 to 4.2 billion (55%) in 2018, and the number is projected to reach 6.4 billion (68%) in 2050. Urbanization is important to economic growth, poverty reduction, and human development. However, the rapid growth of cities significantly challenges the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the main hurdles is urban air pollution, which presents one of the biggest public health risks worldwide. Based on the data obtained from those cities routinely monitoring air quality, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that over 80% of people living in cities were breathing polluted air exceeding the WHO limits. Each year, 4.2 million deaths are attributed to ambient air pollution worldwide.
The formation and control of urban air quality are long-existing and complex problems. Various sources, such as road transport, industry and household, contribute to urban air pollution. In addition, the urban forms and weather conditions could restrict the dispersion of air pollutants (e.g. carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, primary particulates, sulfur oxides, and volatile organic compounds) and affect the formation of secondary pollutants (e.g. ozone and secondary organic aerosols), which lead to significantly temporal and spatial variations and complicate air pollution problems. Research on monitoring, modeling, characterizing and controlling air pollution in urban areas is of great significance to economic growth and public health. Therefore, this Research Topic aims to deepen our understanding of the characterization, formation and evolution of air pollutants in the urban atmosphere as well as their impacts on air quality, human health and climate change.
This Research Topic aims to provide a platform for researchers to share their latest studies on urban air pollution, with a special focus on transport-related air pollution in urban areas. Specific themes of this Research Topic include but are not limited to:
• Source identification and apportionment of various air pollutants
• Effective and cost-efficient monitoring of urban air quality
• Characterisation of chemical compositions of tracer gases and particulate matters
• Mechanisms of formation and dispersion of air pollutants
• Assessment of environmental and health risks associated with urban air pollution
• Control measures for addressing urban air pollution caused by various sources from both on-road transport and the built environment
