An explicit review and proposal of an integrated framework system to mitigate the baffling complexities induced by road dust-associated contaminants

Environ Pollut. 2024 Apr 15:123957. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123957. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTRoad dust-associated contaminants (RD-AC) are gradually becoming a much thornier problem, as their monotonous correlations render them carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic. While many studies have examined the harmful effects of road dust on both humans and the environment, few studies have considered the co-exposure risk and gradient outcomes given the spatial extent of RD-AC. In this spirit, this paper presents in-depth elucidation into the baffling complexities induced by both major and emerging contaminants of road dust through a panorama-to-profile up-to-date review of diverse studies unified by the goal of advancing innovative methods to mitigate these contaminants. The review paper thoroughly explores the correlations between RD-AC and provides insights to understand their potential in dispersing saprotrophic microorganisms. It also explores emerging challenges and proposes a novel integrated framework system to thermally inactivate viruses and other pathogenic micro-organisms commingled with RD-AC. The main findings are: (i) the co-exposure risk of both major and emerging contaminants add another layer of complexity, highlighting the need for a more holistic framework strategies, given the geospatial reach of these contaminants; (ii) road dust contaminants show great potential for extended prevalence and severity of viral particles pollution; (iii) increasing trend...
Source: Environmental Pollution - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: research