Air pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges in Europe, contributing to over 300,000 premature deaths annually and imposing a significant economic burden through healthcare costs and lost productivity. A major contributor to urban air pollution is transport-related emissions, particularly from road traffic, rail, and aviation. While regulatory frameworks have significantly advanced the control of solid particle number (SPN) emissions, the accurate and reliable measurement of such emissions under real-world conditions still poses a technological gap.
The MI-TRAP project (Mitigating Transport-related Air Pollution in Europe) addresses this critical gap by developing and deploying next-generation aerosol measurement technologies. Bringing together leading industry and academic partners, MI-TRAP innovates and deploys cutting-edge instruments capable of distinguishing solid from semi-volatile particles with unprecedented accuracy and minimal measurement artifacts.
The project pathway to impact builds upon three main pillars:
1. Scientific and Technical Advancement – Development of advanced, low-power °Catalytic Strippers tailored to various measurement needs, ranging from compact field-ready units to high-resolution devices for laboratory validation and calibration.
2. Deployment and Calibration – Integration of the developed technologies into monitoring stations across European cities, followed by harmonized interlaboratory calibrations and field testing to ensure consistency and reproducibility.
3. Policy and Societal Relevance – Translation of technical data into actionable insights for regulators and policymakers.
The project supports the upcoming Euro 7 legislation and contributes directly to European Green Deal objectives, including zero pollution and climate neutrality targets.
MI-TRAP contributes to environmental justice, public health equity, and data-driven regulation. The integration of social sciences is reflected in the project's consideration of urban exposure mapping, public health risk communication, and the socioeconomic implications of air quality. Social sciences play a vital role, particularly in the project’s citizen science component which fosters increased involvement of civil society. The collaborative, policy-oriented co-creation approach ensures that mitigation strategies are socially relevant and widely supported. These dimensions ensure that the technological advancements are anchored in societal relevance and inclusiveness.
