Impacts of Aviation Emissions on Near-Airport Residential Air Quality

Impacts of aviation emissions on air quality in and around residences near airports remain underexamined. We measured gases (CO, CO₂, NO, and NO₂) and particles (black carbon, particle-bound aromatic hydrocarbons, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), and ultrafine particles (reported using particle number concentrations (PNC) as a proxy)) continuously for 1 month at a residence near the Logan International Airport, Boston. The residence was located under a flight trajectory of the most utilized runway configuration. We found that when the residence was downwind of the airport, the concentrations of all gaseous and particulate pollutants (except PM_2.5) were 1.1- to 4.8-fold higher than when the residence was not downwind of the airport. Controlling for runway usage and meteorology, the impacts were highest during overhead landing operations: average PNC was 7.5-fold higher from overhead landings versus takeoffs on the closest runway. Infiltration of aviation-origin emissions resulted in indoor PNC that were comparable to ambient concentrations measured locally on roadways and near highways. In addition, ambient NO₂ concentrations at the residence exceeded those measured at regulatory monitoring sites in the area including near-road monitors. Our results highlight the need for further characterization of outdoor and indoor impacts of aviation emissions at the neighborhood scale to more accurately estimate residential exposures.