BLACK CARBON RESEAR RESEARC CH AND FUTURE STRATEGIES Reducing emissions, improving hhumanuman health and taking action on climate changec hange Introduction Black carbon is the sooty black material emitted from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired power plants, and other sources that burn fossil fuel. It comprises a significant portion of particulate matter or PM, which is an air pollutant. Black carbon is a global environmental problem that has negative implications for both human health and our climate. Inhalation of black carbon is associated with health problems including respiratory and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and even birth defects. And because of its ability to absorb light as heat, it also contributes to climate change. For example, as black carbon warms the air, rapid changes in patterns of Diesel exhaust black carbon particle (500 nm). Photo byb y NASA. rain and clouds can occur. Nine EPA STAR Research grants, • Measueasurringing black carbon’s mass totaling more than $6.6 million, and if othero ther particles adhere to This absorption quality also impacts were announced in October 2011 to black carbonc arbon polar ice. As black carbon deposits eight universities to research black • Evaluvaluaating ting low-cost and palm- in the Arctic, the particles cover the carbon. The grantees will further sized blackb lack carbon instruments snow and ice, decreasing the Earth’s research the pollutant’s emission that mmaay y give a wider range of ability to reflect the warming rays of sources and its impacts on climate measumeasurrements. ements. the sun, while absorbing heat and change and health. hastening melt. New black carbonc arbon measurement Measurement Research methods hahavvee been tested in This broad and complex role of EPA scientists are working to laboratory aanndd field studies using airborne black carbon is now under improve ways to measure black EPA’s GeoGeosspatialpatial Measurement of intense study by the EPA. Scientists carbon, learn more about its Air PollutioPollutionn (GMAP) mobile are conducting integrated and composition and compare its sampling vveehicle. hicle. GMAP evaluates multidisciplinary research to impacts relative to other airborne air quality b y measuring near improve our understanding and particles. roadway eemmissions.issions. determine more clearly the role of black carbon in air pollution and Researchers are: Modeling ResearchResearch climate change and how we might Models devdeveeloped loped by EPA reduce its emissions and impacts. •• Studying how particles absorb researchers simulatesimulate black carbon , as and scatter different wavelengths well as otheotherr particles, in the The black carbon research initiative of light atmosphere and are used to examine includes in-house research and research by grantees at universities. Continue oonn Back U.S. Environmental Protection AggencyA ency 1 Office of Research and Developme Development nt possible scenarios of future air awareness of black carbon’s health to reduce black carbon emissions pollution. effects. and human exposures. One such model developed by EPA Research to investigate children’s Health effects and exposure from is called the Community Multiscale asthma in Detroit, Michigan, is cook stoves will be studied through Air Quality (CMAQ) model. It uses examining the impact of diesel clinical, cell and animal studies. fundamental emission data, exhaust from roadways. As part of Such tests will be used to further including that of black carbon, and this research effort, the Near-Road define black carbon’s role in disease atmospheric chemistry reactions to EXposures to Urban Air Pollutants and to improve risk assessments. describe air pollution within the Study (NEXUS) is evaluating the continental U.S. It provides impact of vehicle emissions, Research findings and technical information similar to a weather including black carbon, on near-road support will be provided to other forecast map. exposures and asthma outcomes. EPA offices, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC), the Another model developed by EPA, Similarly, controlled clinical studies Partnership for Clean Indoor Air called GLIMPSE, simulates every in adults are being conducted to (PCIA) and other partners to set continent’s air quality to study examine the health effects from global standards for cleaner stoves climate change. It enables scientists exposure to different air quality and fuels and improve current stove to look at ways to reduce air scenarios: diesel exhaust, clean air, designs while taking socio-economic pollutants, including black carbon ozone, or a mixture of diesel exhaust costs into account for those affected. emissions, within each continent and and ozone. across continental boundaries with Black carbon research is being the goal to minimize both climate Peat-burning wildfires, as occurred conducted on many fronts to change and public health impacts. in a large wildfire in the summer of improve understanding of this tiny 2008 in rural eastern North Carolina, carbon particle. Health Effects Research released enormous amounts of PM, In the PM family, black carbon is a especially black carbon, which were REFERENCES: major contributor to the fine particle linked to increased risk of heart (PM2.5) burden in the air. It is small failure and respiratory hospital visits STAR GRANTS: enough to be easily inhaled into the in the affected region. http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fusea ction/recipients.display/rfa_id/533/records_per_pag lungs and has been associated with e/all adverse health effects. Whether EPA research will continue to COOK STOVE: black carbon is itself toxic or evaluate the health effects wildfires, http://www.epa.gov/research/sciencematters/august 2010/cook-stoves.htm functions as an indicator of other involving black carbon, have on co-pollutants is currently under disadvantaged groups. CONTACT: Dan Costa, Sc.D., Interim National debate. But, clearly, black carbon is Program Director, 919-541-2532 [email protected] associated with asthma, and other Cook Stove Initiative Almost 2 million deaths a year are respiratory problems, low birth rates, www.epa.gov/research heart attacks and lung cancer. EPA caused by the use of indoor cook scientists study the effects of stoves worldwide, according to the October 2011 particles including black carbon on World Health Organization. That’s human health through clinical and more deaths per year than malaria. animal testing. Burning wood, dung or coal in cook stoves emits substantial amounts of Using human and animal exposure black carbon. data, researchers can estimate the amount of black carbon deposited A five-year cook stove research into lungs under a variety of initiative by EPA will work to find breathing conditions. When efficient solutions to reduce compared with lung tissue samples exposures to black carbon and thus from coal miners, smokers and the resulting health effects. This nonsmokers, correlations and research will include tests on predictions can be drawn between different stove types and fuels to the exposure and potential risk of find better alternatives and guide adverse lung outcomes. Such future stove developments. It will research has contributed to global also help inform international efforts U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2 Office of Research and Development .