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Inhalation exposure and risk from mobile source air toxics in future years

Abstract

Modeling of inhalation exposure and risks resulting from exposure to mobile source air toxics can be used to evaluate impacts of reductions from control programs on overall risk, as well as changes in relative contributions of different source sectors to risk, changes in contributions of different pollutants to overall risk, and changes in geographic distributions of risk. Such analysis is useful in setting regulatory priorities, and informing the decision-making process. In this paper, we have conducted national-scale air quality, exposure, and risk modeling for the US in the years 2015, 2020, and 2030, using similar tools and methods as the 1999 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment. Our results suggest that US Environmental Protection Agency emission control programs will substantially reduce average inhalation cancer risks and potential noncancer health risks from exposure to mobile source air toxics. However, cancer risk and noncancer hazard due to inhalation of air toxics will continue to be a public health concern.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the contributions of Chad Bailey, David Brzezinski, Harvey Michaels, and Kathryn Sargeant, US EPA, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, and Anne Pope, Laurel Driver, Richard Mason, and Stephen Shedd of US EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, to the work presented in this paper. We would also like thank Dr. Chon Shoaf, US EPA, Office of Research and Development, and Dr. Kenneth Mitchell, US EPA, Region 4, for comments on a draft of this paper.

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Correspondence to Richard Cook.

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This paper has been reviewed in accordance with the US EPA peer and administrative review policies and approved for presentation and publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for their use.

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Cook, R., Strum, M., Touma, J. et al. Inhalation exposure and risk from mobile source air toxics in future years. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 17, 95–105 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jes.7500529

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