Work

Marginal Asthma Prevalence from NOx Emissions (MANE): A Model to Predict Pediatric Asthma Burden from Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Pediatric asthma affects roughly 1 in 15 children in the U.S., with significantly higher rates in Black children. Exposure to NO 2 contributes to asthma development, but quantitative analysis of pediatric asthma burden attributable to NO x emissions is rarely performed due to a lack of suitable models. This paper describes a new model, Marginal Asthma prevalence from NO x Emissions (MANE), which assesses the pediatric asthma burden from NO x emissions and its distribution across race/ethnicities. We find that emissions in more densely populated areas cause a larger number of pediatric asthma cases and tend to disproportionately impact minority communities. We applied our model to assess the pediatric asthma burden from sources of NO x, finding that diesel heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for approximately 4% of all pediatric asthma cases in the U.S. Additionally, we find that all source sectors considered disproportionately impact children of color, with 65–100% higher per-capita asthma rates in Black children compared to white non-Hispanic children. Finally, we find that emissions in a limited number of urban areas are responsible for a large share of asthma cases, suggesting that local, targeted restrictions on NO x emissions may provide great public health benefit nationally.

Source: Environmental Science & Technology

DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c09012

Authors: Brian M. Gentry, Allen L. Robinson, Peter J. Adams

Institutions: Carnegie Mellon University, Colorado State University

Language: English

Topic: Air Quality and Health Impacts

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500