Air pollutant concentrations

About: Air pollutant concentrations is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1652 publications have been published within this topic receiving 36138 citations.

Treatment of airborne pollutants in livestock buildings with ozone as potential abatement option

Abstract: Previous research has demonstrated the negative effects of sub-optimal air quality on profitability, production efficiency, occupational health and safety, environmental sustainability and animal welfare. Ozone application has been used in North America to reduce internal air pollutant concentrations in livestock buildings and as a result potentially reduce airborne pollution emission. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the potential of using low concentration ozone (0.03 ppm) in Australian piggery buildings to reduce airborne pollution levels within piggery buildings and thus reduce pollution emission potentially. The data collected during the experiments demonstrated that ozone could be used effectively to reduce airborne bacteria (on average by 30% within this study) and reduce the concentration of inhalable particles (by 21% on average within this study). However, it appeared that ozone treatment did increase the concentration of respirable particles in the airspace of piggery buildings (within this study by approximately 26% on average).

Public attitudes to air pollution from road vehicles

Abstract: An assessment of the environmental effects of any new road scheme is currently recommended by the Department of Transport, but the existing appraisal does not include an evaluation of public nuisance from vehicle-derived air pollution. This research project has investigated the subjective nuisance effects of air pollution from road traffic on the public through the simultaneous measurement of public attitudes towards vehicle-generated nuisance and air quality in residential and commercial areas. Roadside pollutant concentrations were monitored during four London-based surveys involving the measurement of CO, NOx, gaseous hydrocarbons, SO₂, O₃, carbonyl compounds, smoke and total suspended particulates. At these roadside locations, traffic flow and classification data were collected together with local and regional meteorological data. To extend the database, air quality data was collected from five other cities within the UK. These data were obtained from the relevant local authority monitoring sites and/or DoE Enhanced Urban Network sites. Monitored air pollutant concentrations were found to be similar to those recorded previously at comparable sites. At the roadside locations, the air quality according to the DoE's public information criteria was typically 'very good' for SO₂and O₃, but sometimes 'poor' for NO₂. At the urban background locations, air quality was generally very good. Positive and significant correlations were recorded between the major vehicular primary pollutants of CO, NO and NMHC and traffic flow at all sites. NO₂/NOx ratios were lower at the commercial locations than at the residential locations, reflecting the lack of available O₃ for NO-NO₂ conversion. Roadside black smoke concentrations were much higher than those typically recorded at rooftop level in the UK, probably indicating the strong influence of diesel vehicle emissions and/or the extreme 'blackness' of diesel particles, and suggesting that the 8-Port technique may overestimate roadside black smoke concentrations. Social surveys, utilising questionnaires developed especially for this research, were performed to assess the causes, extent and magnitude of public nuisance from vehicle-derived air pollution at each of the pollutant monitoring sites. The survey data indicates the high relative importance of air pollution from road traffic when compared to other social issues, indicating that concern for the environment is now an established social issue rather than a transient preoccupation. Local environmental issues were generally of relatively low priority, although traffic-related nuisances were very important local environmental nuisances. Indoors, noise from road traffic was the most important vehicle-derived disturbance with the major concerns relating to the soiling of surfaces and the malodour of fumes. Outdoors, disturbance from smoke, fumes and odour was the most frequently complained about traffic-induced nuisance, with danger ranking equally highly. Most respondents were concerned about the effects of fumes upon their health, with adverse effects widely assumed. Significant differences in disturbance between sites in the same and different cities, between females and males and between different age groups were recorded. No significant differences in annoyance were noted between smokers/non-smokers and different socio-economic groupings. At each location, pollutant concentrations are discussed and the results of the social surveys are presented and interpreted. The relationships between nuisance and pollutant concentrations are examined graphically and a mathematical relationship between black smoke concentrations and disturbance score is produced. This relationship is not considered to be sufficiently accurate for predictive purposes and an alternative method for estimating nuisance is proposed.

Air Pollution: Synthesis of the Role of Major Air Pollutants in Determining Forest Health and Productivity

Abstract: Forested ecosystems are exposed to not only a physical climate, but also a modern chemical climate which has the potential to alter forest health and productivity. Recently, unexplained forest deterioration has been identified throughout extensive areas in central Europe, at high elevation coniferous sites, and apparently in commercial forestlands in the eastern United States. Deposition of pollutants from the atmosphere is suspect in playing a role in these forest deterioration phenomena. To date, no cause and effect relationship has been conclusively demonstrated between regional versus local atmospheric deposition and forest deterioration. The major hypotheses currently thought to deserve the focus of scientific investigation deal with forest alterations due to (1) gaseous pollutants (primarily O3), (2) a fertilization effect (primarily from N), (3) acpd deposition effects on foliage and soils, (4) trace metals (e.g. Pb, Cu, Cd, Ni, Zn), (5) general stress from air pollutants, and (6) deposition of organic growth altering substances. Not enough is yet known to suggest adjustments in forest management decisions which might reduce the possible effects of atmospheric deposition. However, foresters must keep informed about the current state-of-knowledge on the air pollution and forest effects issue as we all will play a role in management and policy decisions which shape the character of the environment in which future forests will grow.