California Air Resources Board

Principal Investigator/Author: Elizabeth M. Noth

Contractor: University of California, Berkeley

Sub-contractors: Nina Holland (University of California, Berkeley), Stephanie Holm (University of California, San Francisco)

Contract Number: 22RD005

Relevant CARB Programs: Air Pollution Exposure, Health Effects of Air Pollution

Topic Areas: Children's Health, Health & Air Pollution

Research Summary:

There is growing scientific evidence that prenatal and early life exposures to air pollutants are associated with children's neurodevelopmental effects. Some of these important effects include differences in standardized test performance and cognition as well as differences in mood, attention, and behavior. However, existing evidence is limited to determine California-specific associations between air pollutants and children's neurodevelopmental effects. This project will develop models to estimate statewide concentration-response (C-R) functions between exposures to air pollutants and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children and resulting economic benefits.

The main objective of this study is to increase understanding of neurodevelopmental effects in children in association with exposure to air pollutants throughout California, including within racial and ethnic groups. Specifically, the research team proposes to perform the following: 1) summarize current knowledge on air pollution exposure during childhood and effects on standardized test performance in children and adolescents; 2) analyze the relationship between annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone, diesel particulates, and traffic density levels and publicly available average performance on standardized tests for each school in California, including within gender and racial/ethnic groups; 3) assess cognition, attention, behavior, mood, and standardized test performance at an individual level in relation to multiple air pollutants (PM2.5, NO₂, oxides of nitrogen [NOX]), 4 ,5, and 6 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH456), and black carbon in a highly exposed population of children in the San Joaquin Valley; and 4) estimate how much standardized test performance would change if air pollutant exposures were decreased and calculate expected economic benefits for California. The findings from this study will allow CARB to assess cognitive and neurodevelopmental health outcomes of children in California exposed to multiple air pollutants.

Keywords: air pollutants, PM2.5, ozone, NO_2, NOX, diesel particulates, 4 ,5, and 6 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon, air pollution exposure, children, children's neurodevelopmental effects, neurodevelopmental health, early life exposures