This primer presents a brief state-of-the art review of motor vehicle air pollution. Its purpose is to aid highway personnel in understanding the nature of this environmental problem on our highways and to present possible solutions for its abatement. The primer discusses the type of vehicular pollutants (namely, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, and particulates); the differences between gasoline and diesel engine emissions; and the effects of motor vehicle pollutants on health, vegetation, materials, etc. Some measured concentrations of these pollutants in relatively polluted and unpolluted atmospheres are presented, along with the air quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency for the purpose of protecting the public from the adverse effects of air pollution. Finally, various possible solutions to motor vehicle air pollution are discussed. Among the presented solutions, environmental consideration during highway location and design and utilization of green belts are most applicable from the Department's viewpoint. However, further research is needed before these long-range solutions can be effectively used for air pollution abatement on highways.
The subject of this report is an air quality prediction model for highways, AIRPOL Version 2, July 1973. AIRPOL has been developed by modifying the ba...
The primary objective of this project is to develop an improved understanding of the factors affecting the toxicology of particulate exhaust emissions...
Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving a Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS)/National Transportation Library (NTL)
Web-based service.
Thank you for visiting.
You are about to access a non-government link outside of
the U.S. Department of Transportation's National
Transportation Library.
Please note: While links to Web sites outside of DOT are
offered for your convenience, when you exit DOT Web sites,
Federal privacy policy and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act (accessibility requirements) no longer apply. In
addition, DOT does not attest to the accuracy, relevance,
timeliness or completeness of information provided by linked
sites. Linking to a Web site does not constitute an
endorsement by DOT of the sponsors of the site or the
products presented on the site. For more information, please
view DOT's Web site linking policy.
To get back to the page you were previously viewing, click
your Cancel button.
United States Department of Transportation
[PDF-2.00 MB]
