Project 11 | Health Impacts of Aviation-Related Air Pollutants

The demand for aviation transport is expected to increase over the next two decades, and that may lead to an increase in some emissions. The FAA recognizes the growing public health concern associated with aviation emissions, either in communities near airports, nationally, or globally. In order to quantify the air pollution exposures and subsequent human health risks with reduced uncertainties, the FAA has initiated this research project through PARTNER. The main science objective of this project is to understand and evaluate how aviation emissions contribute to local and regional air quality, through a combination of measurement and modeling studies, and to evaluate the potential incremental health risks due to air pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, and hazardous air pollutants. This project is evaluating both the impacts of current emissions and the implications of future emissions associated with the Next Generation Air Transportation System. The research carried out under this project involves strong interactions with PARTNER projects on emissions and health impacts, and products will greatly help airport operators in preparing Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Statements in support of National Environmental Policy Act requirements. Additionally, this research project will help to consider the relative importance of various emitted pollutants, allowing for improved prioritization, evaluation of potential tradeoffs amongst emitted pollutants, and comprehensive policy analyses for aviation management pursued under other PARTNER research projects.

Anticipated outcome

Spatially-resolved characterization of the exposure and health implications of aviation-related emissions.

Participating university

Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University

Lead investigators

Jonathan I. Levy, Harvard School of Public Health, jilevy@hsph.harvard.edu
John D. Spengler, Harvard School of Public Health, spengler@hsph.harvard.edu

FAA program manager

Christopher Sequeira, christopher.sequeira@faa.gov

Downloads and links

• Jonathan Levy, Hsiao-Hsien Hsu, Steven Melly. High-Priority Compounds Associated with Aircraft Emissions: PARTNER Project 11 final report on subtask: Health Risk Prioritization of Aircraft Emissions Related Air Pollutants. . October 2008. Report No. PARTNER-COE-2008-008 Download (pdf 3MB)

• Ying Zhou, Jonathan I. Levy. Between-airport heterogeneity in air toxics emissions associated with individual cancer risk thresholds and population risks. Environmental Health 8:22 (2009).

• Robin E. Dodson, E. Andres Houseman, Barbara Morin, Jonathan I. Levy. An analysis of continuous black carbon concentrations in proximity to an airport and major roadways. Atmospheric Environment 43: 3764-3773 (2009). Published article available from journal Web site. Download preprint (pdf 2.3MB)

• Robin E. Dodson An analysis of continuous black carbon concentrations in proximity to an airport and major roadways. Epidemiology 19 (6): S64 (2008).

• Hsu H-H, Adamkiewicz G, Vallarino J, Melly SJ, Spengler JD, Levy JI. Contributions of airport activities to air pollution levels in surrounding neighborhoods. Epidemiology 19 (6): S293 (2008).

• Ying Zhou, Levy JI. Predictors of heterogeneity in airport emissions of air toxics associated with individual cancer risk thresholds. Epidemiology 19 (6): S190-S191 (2008).

• YIng Zhou, Levy JI. Predictors of heterogeneity in aircraft emissions of air toxics associated with individual and population cancer risks. Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, December 7-10 2008, Boston, MA. http://birenheide.com/sra/2008AM/program/singlesession.php3?sessid=M2-F&order=1#1