Extramural Research
EPA STAR Researchers Receive 2011 Hagaan Smit Prize from Elsevier for Paper on Particulate Concentrations Near Highways
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Y. F. Zhu, W. C. Hinds, S. Kim, S. Shen and C. Sioutas, authors of “Study of ultrafine particles near a major highway with heavy-duty diesel traffic”. Atmos. Environ., 36, 4323-4335, 2002, have received the 2011 Haagen-Smit Prize from Elsevier.
The "Haagen-Smit Prize", is designed to recognize outstanding papers published in the Elsevier Journal: Atmospheric Environment. The prize has been named in honor of Prof. Arie Jan Haagen-Smit, a pioneer in the field of air pollution and one of the first editors of the International Journal of Air Pollution, a predecessor to Atmospheric Environment. The "Haagen-Smit Prize" is given annually to two papers previously published in Atmospheric Environment. Recipients receive a plaque from Elsevier, a picture of the authors and a summary of the nominating letter published in Atmospheric Environment, and the choice of cash or books of up to $1000.
Dr. Zhu et al’s paper was ground-breaking in obtaining data on the particulate concentrations in the vicinity of a major roadway containing substantial diesel traffic. The paper has been cited more than 300 times since its publication.
Results from this study showed that the maximum concentration of ultrafine particles near the freeway was about 20 times greater than that of background locations. It suggests that people who drive on the freeways or who live, work, or travel near major traffic sources, will have much higher ultrafine particle exposure than those who live farther away from such sources. This paper provided important data on ultrafine particle concentrations near roadways for use in exposure studies and spurred a number of subsequent urban roadway measurements worldwide. This paper was also cited in major regulatory documents such as EPA’s “Criteria Document for Particulate Matter” and the California Air Resource Board’s “Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter and Sulfates” and ultimately led to California Senate Bill 352 that prohibits building any new school site within 100 m from major roadways.
This research was conducted by the Southern California Particulate Research Center under an EPA STAR grant directed by John Froines who received a similarly named lifetime Hagaan Smit Award from the state of California (see: John Froines Continues EPA STAR's Rich Tradition of State Recognition as the Sixth EPA STAR Researcher to Receive the Prestigious Haagen Smit Award).
For more info on the Hagaan-Smit Prize see:
For more info on the EPA STAR research project that produced this publication see: