Correlating transportation noise frequencies with ultrafine particulate emissions by source: Implications for environmental health studies

Abstract

Transportation-derived particulate matter and chronic ambient noise exposure frequently occur concomitantly in urban areas, adversely impacting population health outcomes. Noise is identified as an important confounder in epidemiological studies, yet few health studies have included both air pollution and noise in health effects models. Several noise exposure studies have associated intensity and duration of transportation noise with chronic health effects; comparatively few studies have assessed airborne particulate concentrations with co-exposure to transportation noise of specific frequency. This study will present methodologies for the measurement, visualization and analysis of traffic-noise frequency and particulate emissions developed through concurrent sampling at two Greater Boston locations under varying meteorological conditions. We present methods for evaluating co-located measurement of both transportation noise and associated particulate emissions, with emphasis placed on Ultrafine Particulates (UFP, <100nm diameter). The goal of the paper is to develop a framework for a preliminary model demonstrating correlations between transportation source noise frequencies and UFP and to explore how such a result can be leveraged within future health studies.