Study: Air Pollution Levels 38% Higher in Minority Communities

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Key Points: 

  • Scientists studied daily fluctuations in air pollution levels and learned that economically disadvantaged communities were exposed to more pollutants.
  • Focusing on the fluctuations allowed them to discover the source of the pollution in one instance.
  • The study explored the effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on these communities in hopes that its members can learn to advocate for cleaner air.

Scientists have completed a study that documents how exposure to pollution affects marginalized populations. The study details how the exposure varies from day to day, a factor that had not been explored by researchers before. They released their findings at a meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Using satellite imaging, scientists in the past have detected that air pollution levels can vary between small geographical areas in cities. The recently completed study provides a more complete picture by incorporating daily fluctuations in those levels.

“When we regulate air pollution, we don’t think of it as remaining constant over time, we think of it as dynamic,” said Sally Pusede, the study’s lead researcher. “Our new work takes a step forward by looking at how these levels vary from day to day.”

Focusing on those variations led the scientists to discover critical corollary information. In one case, for example, they were able to single out where the pollution was originating form. They noticed that air pollution levels in major cities diminished on weekends, a cause they attributed to a decrease of diesel trucks in traffic.

Scientists zeroed in on nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a pollutant created when fossil fuels are combusted at high temperatures. They collected their data by using the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI). The TROPOMI, which is equipped on the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite, monitors the presence of NO2 and several other atmospheric pollutants.

Interestingly, the scientists uncovered a link between high variations in air pollution levels and economically disadvantaged communities. In Los Angeles, for instance, communities of racial minorities were exposed to air pollution 38% more than white communities of a higher socioeconomic status—although disparities on some days were much higher. A similar pattern was found in other major cities, as well, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Phoenix, Seattle, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.

The scientists said they hope the results embolden the affected communities to advocate for cleaner air, and encourage them to use these findings to devise practical solutions to minimize their exposure to air pollutants.

 

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