Air pollution exposure assessment and mitigation for São Paulo commuters

• Grant number: 18/00398-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: August 16, 2018
• End date: August 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Meteorology
• Principal Investigator: Maria de Fátima Andrade
• Grantee: Maria de Fátima Andrade
• Visiting researcher: Prashant Kumar
• Visiting researcher institution: University of Surrey, England
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/50128-9 - Astrid - accessibility, social justice and transport emission impacts of transit-oriented development strategies, AP.TEM

Abstract

Urban commuters are exposed to high concentrations of traffic emissions due to their proximity to on-road vehicles. Several epidemiological studies relate particulate matter (PM), including black carbon (BC), exposure with both mortality and morbidity caused by cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurodegenerative diseases. As a part of this project, we aim to build upon the already data collected through the FAPESP funded projects ASTRID (Accessibility, Social justice and Transport emission Impacts of transit-oriented Development strategies, process FAPESP number 2015/50128-9), PEDALS (Particles and Black Carbon Exposure to London and Sao Paulo Bike-Lane Users, process FAPESP number 2016/50470-1). This visit aims to bring together the two world-leading groups from USP (lead by Prof Maria de Fatima Andrade) and Surrey (led by Prof Prashant Kumar) to address one of the biggest threats to man-kind currently - air pollution exposure. We will carry out the following activities during the project visit: (i) to identifying pollution hotspots to establish microscale variation in human exposure for assessing health impacts by analyzing the data collected in ASTRID and PEDALS projects for the preparation of joint publications; (ii) to deliver short courses (2 × 2h) to Masters/PhD students in the area of environmental science related to exposure science and a research seminar open to all university wide researchers at the host department; and (iii) to foster student and staff mobility/exchanges and develop further research ideas for joint proposals and publications, and establish a long-term platform for future collaborative activities. (AU)