PM emissions from heavy-duty trucks and their impacts on human health

The Brazilian transport system is based on the use of highways and road heavy-duty trucks are the main type of vehicle to perform this activity. There are more than 1 million km of highways in the country and the search for alternative technologies to reduce emissions from the transport industry is increasing. The Blue Corridor research started to replace heavy-duty vehicles fueled by conventional diesel to liquefied natural gas (LNG) and its effect on pollutant emissions reductions. In this context, this paper aims at evaluating the atmospheric dispersion of particulate matter (PM) from road heavy-duty trucks in 12 cities in the São Paulo State, assessing the impacts of the replacement of full fleet powered by diesel to LNG and the effects on the health of the local population. The model AERMOD was used to simulate the dispersion of PM produced by heavy-duty vehicles fuel combustion and the methodology suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) was used to analyze the number of deaths attributed to the PM emitted. Results showed some municipalities with high PM concentrations, which exceeded the limits suggested by WHO. In terms of health issues, cardiovascular diseases in a population older than 30 years were the main cause of death from PM emissions. When it comes to fuel replacement, LNG helps to reduce PM emissions, but considering this reduction alone is not sufficient to avoid attributable deaths. [Display omitted] •Public policies are needed to reduce air pollution in many sectors, not only in freight transport.•LNG helps to reduce PM emissions, but may not be sufficient to avoid attributable deaths in the vicinity of the expressways.•Only fuel replacement in heavy-duty vehicles used in expressways is not enough to improve the health of the population.