As temperatures begin to rise in Arizona, so does the heat from the asphalt beneath people’s feet. Researchers are warning of health concerns related to the heat released by asphalt.
During the day, roads, parking lots and other paved surfaces absorb heat that is slowly released at night. Carbon-based vapors are more noticeable on hot, sunny days and can cause short-term effects such as dizziness and difficulty breathing. Long-term exposure to these vapors may increase the risk of lung cancer. Roads, parking lots and other paved surfaces cover an estimated 40% of the metro phoenix area.
This urban heat island effect not only affects cities’ energy consumption but also public health, according to a researcher at Arizona State University.
Elham Fini, an associate professor at the ASU’s School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the impact of asphalt exposure on human health.
“When you heat your food in the microwave, it smells more than when it was in the fridge. So when asphalt and many more material get hot, they start off-gassing; releasing molecules more and more,” said Fini. “Those molecules, if they are inhaled in excess, could cause significant damages. It varies from a small headache all the way to neurological impacts.”
Fini’s research reveals that Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are released into the air as asphalt ages and is broken down by sunlight and heat. However, a recent study reveals that algae could be used to prevent the most toxic VOCs from escaping into the air.
“Algae has been the most promising magnet for these molecules. What we found is actually you can be selective with algae to design an absorbent that keeps the toxic ones in,” said Fini. “We found that we can reduce emissions maybe by forty percent, but the toxicity was reduced by ten-fold.”
