An international study published in the journal Nature has identified that reducing pollution from road traffic and wood burning could be the most effective strategy for mitigating air pollution-related harm in Europe. The researchers shifted focus from merely quantifying particle pollution levels to evaluating its toxicity by measuring the oxidative potential (OP), a metric indicating how air pollution impacts lung defenses. They analyzed over 11,000 samples collected from 43 locations across six countries.
Dr. Steven Campbell from Imperial College London highlighted that measuring OP allows for the identification of the most harmful sources of particle pollution, potentially guiding targeted policies to alleviate health impacts. The study found variations in particle pollution toxicity, with urban areas near roads exhibiting significantly higher OP—around three times greater than rural settings. The most toxic air was typically found in valleys, where pollution dispersal is limited, and during winter months when wood burning exacerbates air quality issues.
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, exemplified a location where these factors converged. According to Dr. Katja Džepina of the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, high OP readings in Sarajevo are linked to unrestricted wood burning for heating and aging vehicle fleets. The city experiences severe air pollution complications during winter, as air quality often deteriorates in the valley.
The research concluded that merely decreasing particle pollution may not effectively lower its toxicity unless authorities address the most harmful sources. For instance, cities like Grenoble, France, and Berne, Switzerland, experienced reductions in particle pollution without corresponding decreases in toxicity levels, with some measurements in Berne even worsening.
The findings suggest that regulations addressing traffic emissions alone may not suffice to improve air quality. Past studies indicated that pollution from tire, brake, and road wear may contribute more to OP than exhaust emissions. Uzu emphasized the necessity for tailored mitigation strategies to effectively reduce both OP and overall particle pollution levels in different environments.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/31/tackle-wood-burning-and-road-traffic-to-improve-europes-air-quality-study-finds