Nanoparticles from non-exhaust emissions: lung deposition and potential health impacts

空气污染对公众健康造成巨大负担，每年在全世界造成约700万人死亡。造成环境空气污染的一个主要因素是运输部门。在欧洲销售的车辆受到尾气污染物排放的严格限制。受管制的排放包括非甲烷碳氢化合物、一氧化碳、氮氧化物和颗粒物（PM）。除了尾气排放外，交通运输部门还通过刹车磨损、轮胎磨损、路面磨损和路面灰尘的再生来排放PM。所有这些过程加在一起被称为“非废气”排放，目前没有受到监管。为了达到监管标准，汽车行业已经做出了重大努力。随着混合动力和电动汽车的不断发展，尾气排放将继续下降，但非尾气排放预计将上升。虽然已经对尾气排放的量化、它们在大气中的命运以及它们对公众健康的影响进行了大量的研究，但这类关于非尾气排放的信息目前很少。该博士项目的目的是通过深入研究和化学表征以及评估其引起肺部炎症和加剧疾病的内在能力，填补非废气排放知识的空白。

Air pollution poses a huge burden on public health, causing around 7 million deaths per yearworldwide. A major contributor to ambient air pollution is the transport sector. Vehicles sold inEurope are subject to strict limits on the emission of tailpipe pollutants. Regulated emissions includenon-methane hydrocarbons, CO, NOx and particulate matter (PM). Besides tailpipe emissions, thetransport sector emits PM through brake abrasion, tyre wear, road surface wear, and resuspensionof dusts deposited on the road surface. All these processes together are referred to as "nonexhaust"emissions and are currently not regulated.Significant efforts have been put in place by the automotive industry to meet regulatory standards.With the ongoing transitions to hybrid and electric vehicles, tailpipe emissions will continue to fallbut non-exhaust emissions are expected to rise. While a large body of research has been alreadydone on the quantification of tailpipe emissions, their atmospheric fate, and their impact on publichealth, such information for non-exhaust emissions is currently scarce.The aim of this PhD project is to fill the gap of knowledge on non-exhaust emissions, through an in depthsize and chemical characterisation and by assessing their intrinsic ability to cause lunginflammation and exacerbate diseases.