On-Road Vehicle Emission Characterization and Impact Assessment
Summary
On-road vehicle emissions are a principal source of urban air pollution and an important driver of climate forcing. Characterisation involves the measurement of gaseous and particulate pollutants under real-world driving conditions, the determination of emission factors per distance travelled or fuel consumed, and the analysis of chemical and physical properties of exhaust. Advanced mobile platforms, tunnel studies and remote-sensing techniques have enhanced the spatial and temporal resolution of these measurements. Research reveals that pollutant outputs vary widely with vehicle type, engine technology, fuel composition and driving mode, and that a small proportion of high-emitting vehicles can dominate total emissions. Emission data underpin air quality modelling, health impact assessments and regulatory standards, guiding strategies for fleet renewal, aftertreatment technologies and operational controls such as low-emission zones. Continued innovation in measurement methods and source apportionment is vital to quantify pollutant trends, evaluate policy efficacy and inform global efforts to reduce health risks and mitigate climate impacts.
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On-Road Vehicle Emission Characterization and Impact Assessment publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in on-road vehicle emission characterization and impact assessment across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Emission factor: The quantity of pollutant emitted per unit distance driven or per unit of fuel consumed.
Particle number: The count of individual aerosol particles emitted, often specified per kilometre or per kilogram of fuel.
Black carbon (BC): A light-absorbing component of particulate matter produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass.
PM2.5: Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter below 2.5 micrometres, associated with respiratory and cardiovascular health impacts.
Robust Regression Plume Analysis (RRPA): A statistical method for automated identification and quantification of emission plumes from chase-vehicle measurements.
References
- High Particle Number Emissions Determined with Robust Regression Plume Analysis (RRPA) from Hundreds of Vehicle Chases. Environmental Science and Technology (2023).
- Real-world emissions of nanoparticles, particulate mass and black carbon from a plug-in hybrid vehicle compared to conventional gasoline vehicles. Environmental Advances (2024).
- Characterization of particulate matter emissions from on-road gasoline and diesel vehicles using a soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2014).
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