Trace element concentrations in ambient air as a function of distance from road

Traffic-related air pollution is associated with various adverse health effects. In the absence of more complicated exposure assessment techniques, many environmental health studies have used the natural logarithm of distance to road as a proxy for traffic-related exposures. However, research validating this proxy and further explaining the spatial patterns and elemental composition of traffic-related particulate matter air pollution remains limited. In this study, we collected air samples using a mobile particle concentrator that allowed for high sample loading from major roadways in the Greater Boston Area. We found that concentrations of Cl, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Sr, Zr, Sn, Ba, and Pb were significantly associated with the natural logarithm of distance to road in coarse particulate matter, and total fine particulate mass concentrations of Al, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn were significantly associated with natural logarithm of distance to road in fine particulate matter. Road type (A1 or A2 [primary roads or highways] versus A3 [secondary and connecting roads]) was not a significant predictor of any traffic-related elements in particulate matter air pollution. Our results help identify traffic-related elements in particulate matter air pollution and support the use of logarithm of distance to road as a proxy for traffic-related particulate matter air pollution exposure assessment in epidemiological studies.