REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The rapid increase in the vehicle fleet is mainly due to importation of used
vehicles to satisfy the high demand for personal vehicles. The growing vehicle
population, especially motor cycles and three wheelers together, with the high
emission rates from many of these vehicles has been associated with serious air
pollution problems in many urban areas of developing countries. In particular,
vehicular emissions are linked to a number of health effects, including respiratory
and cardiovascular diseases such as asthma and lung cancer. Emissions from
vehicles consist of a large number of pollutants resulting from a number of
different processes. The most critical source of pollution is vehicular exhaust that
is generated during the fossil fuel combustion process and subsequently emitted
from the tailpipes. Primary pollutants in the vehicular exhaust that can produce
health effects include carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides,
sulphur dioxide and other toxic substances such as particulate matter and lead.
dditionally, other gases !such as o"one# and particles !sulphate and nitrates#
can form in the atmosphere as secondary pollutants from reactions involving
some of those primary emissions. !http$%%www.cen.org.np, &'(&#
)ecent *nited +ations estimates have indicated that ,-. of the global
population is living in urban areas. This urbani"ation has brought with it an
increased need for transportation and hence an increase in motor vehicle
generated air pollutants. /owever, a large number of epidemiological studies
from different parts of the world have consistently identified an association
between ambient levels of air particles and various health outcomes, including
mortality, exacerbation of asthma, chronic bronchitis, respiratory tract infections,
ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Indeed, the *nited +ations Environment
Programme has identified particulate matter pollution as the most serious air
pollution problem faced by many cities. It is therefore important to evaluate the
health effects of motor vehicle generated pollutants in mechanistic studies, in
order to understand the relevance of associations found in the epidemiological
studies. !http$%%er0.ers0ournals.com%#
ccording to the &''' census, approximately &&1 million out of &2( million
mericans live in metropolitan areas. 3ince most mericans live in these areas,
this proximity leads to the potential for large numbers of people to be exposed to
numerous air pollutants !some at potentially high concentrations#. Everyone in a
traffic 0am is exposed to ha"ardous mixtures through tailpipe and evaporative
emissions, when hydrocarbon pollutants escape into the air through fuel
evaporation 4 evaporation causes significant hydrocarbon pollution from cars on
hot days when o"one levels are highest. 5en"ene, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and (,
64butadiene are examples of toxic air pollutants associated with motor vehicle
emissions. The negative effects of automotive emissions are maximi"ed when
sitting in traffic surrounded by cars, their engines idling. The Environmental
Protection gency estimates that the air toxics emitted from cars and trucks
account for half of all cancers caused by air pollution.
7ue to engine exhaust, illnesses are becoming worse. People who suffer from
serious illnesses, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
!89P7#, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and lung cancer suffer more often
and more severely. Tens of millions of mericans suffer from these illnesses.
8hildren, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, and those with
specific genetic traits are at special risk . )ecent health literature indicating that
residents near ma0or roads face elevated rates of several adverse health
outcomes has prompted legal dispute over the responsibility of transportation
agencies to use roadway air dispersion models to characteri"e the impacts of
new and expanded roadways, bus terminals, truck stops, and other sources. In a
typical urban area !i.e., at the :community scale:#, toxic air pollutants are of
particular concern because people and sources of emissions are concentrated in
the same geographic area. !http$%%teachers.yale.edu%#
ir pollution caused by the automobiles has impacts on health and imposes
potentially substantial economic costs to society. ;ost of the health effects from
air pollution come from respiratory symptoms in the levels of pollution in
5angalore 8ity and other cities throughout the world. The time4series have
revealed the effects of various pollutants !generally P;('< particulate matter
smaller than (' =m in diameter, o"one, 89<8arbon ;onoxide, +9&<+itrogen
dioxide, and 39&<3ulpher dioxide.#.The /arvard school of public health has
assessed health risks found in current and anticipated levels of air pollution
;exico city ;etropolitan rea implications of air quality focused on pollutants,
mainly by P;(' !particulate matter smaller than (' =m in diameter# and o"one.
The 3tudies in various cities around the world, including 5angalore 8ity, shows
that there is a daily fluctuations in air pollution levels in different parts of the
world. It is estimated that for each (' =g%m6 increase in daily levels , of P;('.
3o, due to increase in particulate matter of air cardiovascular, coronary heart
diseases and even premature deaths among the infants will take place. This can
be done by reducing (' percent reduction in P;(' may reduce the death of
infants. 3everal studies revealed that the effect could be several times larger if
one considers longer4term responses to particulate matter exposure P;('
concentrations have also been associated with health outcomes including
increased cases of chronic bronchitis, respiratory or cardiovascular problems,
asthma attacks, symptoms etc. !: 3tudy on ir pollution by automobiles in
banglore city: !P7># #