The challenge of air pollution research

摘要

The four papers in this issue, marking the third anniversary of Air Quality, Atmosphere, and Health, illustrate the complexity of research on air pollution and the need for a multidisciplinary journal like this one. The research was carried out by authors in multiple countries (Brazil, Malaysia, and the USA), and the evidence covered is diverse, being based in atmospheric sciences, economics, epidemiology, and toxicology. The main topics covered include the atmospheric and health impacts of traffic in urban environments, the determinants of pollutant concentrations in complex urban environments, the presence and implications of ultrafine particles in urban atmospheres, and the economic evaluation of the benefits of air pollution control. All of these topics are integral to evidence-based control of air pollution.