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Sources
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Last updated
December 8, 2025

Sources overview

Air pollution and compounds research focuses on the complex mixture of traffic-related pollutants that extend far beyond traditional tailpipe emissions. Studies reveal that road transport contributes numerous harmful compounds including non-exhaust emissions from brake wear, tyre particles, and road surface degradation. These diverse pollution sources create complex chemical cocktails in urban environments that affect human health in multiple ways. Explore the latest research identifying the various compounds in traffic-related air pollution and their specific health impacts.

Traffic Related Air Pollution

  • Emissions from road transport - we know about tailpipe emissions, but what about non-exhaust emissions: Traffic related air pollution (TRAP) includes road dust and wear on brakes and tyres (Gary Fuller et al., 2023)
  • TRAP components: PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides (NO2 and NOx), black carbon (BC), elemental carbon (EC), ultra-fine particles (UFP), tyre wear particles, road wear particles, brake wear particles, carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (Gary Fuller et al., 2023)
  • Nottingham Trent University research found that streets narrower than 20m, especially those lined with tall buildings, can trap polluted air and exceed international health limits (Watson, 2025).

For specific compounds and pollutants, see separate pages

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