NIH funds highway pollution and health study in Boston, ... (or evidence of heart and lung disease. ...)

NIH funds highway pollution and health study in Boston, Somerville

Date:6/19/2008

or evidence of heart and lung disease. "Many people live close to I-93 and I-95 and they may well be exposed to these tiny particles, but they aren't aware of it," says Bart Laws, PhD, senior investigator at the Latin American Health Institute. "The particles are invisible and odorless."

Additionally, co-investigators from Tufts' School of Engineering plan to outfit a van with air monitoring instrumentation that can measure concentrations of a variety of chemical pollutants. "Pollution levels are highest on the highway and gradually decrease to background levels as they drift away from the cars on the road," says Brugge. "The air monitoring van will measure pollution levels within 200 to 300 meters of highways in communities where most of the residents can see the highway from their homes."

In Boston, both I-93 and the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) border Chinatown. "Some residents have lived at the junction of two major highways for decades," says Lydia Lowe, executive director of the Chinese Progressive Association. "What does it mean for the long-term health of Chinatown residents and what are the implications for future development and planning for our community? These are some of the questions we hope this study can help us to explore."

Brugge says there is a large and growing body of scientific evidence that shows ambient pollution, even at levels below those set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, is harmful to health. "Most of the studies to date examine regional effects of pollution," Brugge says. "Only recently has research begun to suggest that highly concentrated local sources, such as highways may be even more hazardous. To our knowledge, much of the work to date on near highway exposures and health has come from Southern California, so the project represents an expansion to the northeastern United States."

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Contact: Andrea Grossman
617-636-3728
Tufts University, Health Sciences
Source:Eurekalert

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NIH funds highway pollution and health study in Boston, ...(or evidence of heart and lung disease. ...),Health