Ambient nitrogen dioxide in 47,187 neighborhoods across 326 cities in eight Latin American countries: population exposures and associations with urban features

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackgroundHealth research on ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is sparse in Latin America, despite the high prevalence of NO2-associated respiratory diseases in the region. This study describes within-city distributions of ambient NO2concentrations at high spatial resolution and urban characteristics associated with neighborhood ambient NO2in 326 Latin American cities.MethodsWe aggregated estimates of annual surface NO2at 1 km2spatial resolution for 2019, population counts, and urban characteristics compiled by the SALURBAL project to the neighborhood level (i.e., census tracts). We described the percent of the urban population living with ambient NO2levels exceeding WHO Air Quality Guidelines. We used multilevel models to describe associations of neighborhood ambient NO2concentrations with population and urban characteristics at the neighborhood and city levels.FindingsWe examined 47,187 neighborhoods in 326 cities from eight Latin American countries. Of the ≈236 million urban residents observed, 85% lived in neighborhoods with ambient annual NO2above WHO guidelines. In adjusted models, higher neighborhood-level educational attainment, closer proximity to the city center, and lower neighborhood-level greenness were associated with higher ambient NO2. At the city level, higher vehicle congestion, population size, and population density were associated with higher ambient NO2.InterpretationAlmost nine out of every 10 residents of Latin American cities live with ambient NO2concentrations above WHO guidelines. Increasing neighborhood greenness and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles warrant further attention as potential actionable urban environmental interventions to reduce population exposure to ambient NO2.FundingWellcome Trust, National Institutes of Health, Cotswold Foundation