Some exciting research is coming out of the Eindhoven Universtity of Technology (EUT) that could help to significantly reduce vehicle pollution. The idea being looked at by EUT scientists involves creating roadways made from concrete that’s been blended with titanium dioxide.

The titanium dioxide would effectively eliminate up to 45 percent of the nitrogen oxides that touch the augmented roadways by converting them to nitrates which are then simply washed away by rainfall.

Simluations done on one square kilometer of titanium dioxide enhanced pavement in the Netherlands showed a reduction in nitrogen oxide vehicle pollution by 25 – 45%.

The overall road building costs of using titanium blended pavement increases by 10%, however, based on the results of this study, the value seems more than worth it.

A recent study that was brought before the California Air Resources Board on Thursday found that with a greater exposure to vehicle air pollution incidents of childhood asthma increased by as much as 30 percent.

While a link between car pollution and asthma is nothing new, what is new with the findings of this study is that traffic pollution not only aggravates pre-existing asthma conditions but it can actually create them.

The study took eight years to complete and followed 217 asthma-free children from various parts of Southern California. By comparing the results of monitors that researchers kept in the children’s homes they were able to identify relative levels of pollution in each child’s home environment.

The specific result was that higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (a component of smog) in the air, definitely increases chances of getting asthma in childhood.

Did we need another reason to reduce our reliance on gas-powered vehicles? Well, whether we did or not, we just got one.