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.

The Current Status of Traffic Nitrogen Oxides Pollution in Cluj - Napoca

Abstract: Assessing air quality in high urbanized areas and finding solution for most important pollutants (NOx, CO, SO 2 , VOC, PM, O 3 , and heavy metals emissions) remains a challenge for authorities and public in aimed areas. The harmful effects upon humans and environmental health is the reason of all concerns. Lots of studies have been developed, in this area, worldwide. Majority of these state that traffic is the most important source of air pollution in crowded cities. The aim of this study consists in establishing the status quo of NOx pollution status in Cluj - Napoca. NOx air pollution was quantified during a year period (2013), in two locations correspondent to high traffic and position of automatic air quality monitoring stations placed by The Agency of Environmental Protection Cluj. Parameters were monitored using a mobile equipment. The average values of the analyzed parameters are different function of monitoring point. We noticed statistically significant differences between monitoring points, but in all cases the average concentrations are over the maximum admitted annual limit, 30 ppb, respectively. Further research and more intense concerns are needed from both public and authorities, in order to diminish the nitrogen oxides quantity in environmental air.

Designing More Effective Air Quality Advisories

Abstract: Background: There is increasing concern about the impact of air quality on human health in urban environments and how to best reduce impacts through public policies. An NSF Biocomplexity Project "Feedbacks between Urban Systems and the Environment" (FUSE), led by Portland State University, studies the human feedbacks and responses to air quality and heat advisories through data collected in city-wide phone surveys in Portland, OR and Houston, TX. On days when ozone levels are predicted to exceed air quality standards, regulatory agencies issue air quality advisories which ask residents to reduce certain air polluting behaviors such as driving and lawn mowing. However, there have been very few studies of the effectiveness of these systems. Previous work documented that in both Portland and Houston, around ~10% of the population respond to voluntary advisories (Semenza et. al, 2008). In the testbed cities, the survey also asked respondents questions about their personal emissions-related behavior such as driving, mowing, use of household products, etc., as well as how that behavior was effected by an air quality advisory. Objectives: In this project, the survey data is used to accomplish three major tasks. Firstly, to estimate emissions based on the survey responses. For example, estimating VOC emissions based on reported mowing behavior (size of lawn, frequency of mowing, and type of mower). Secondly, to compare reported behavior during normal days to behavior during air advisory days. And finally, to compare the emissions estimates to demographic data (such as population density) to find any trends. For example, can variations in emission patterns be predicted using a demographic characteristic such as housing density? Currently the EPA and the Oregon DEQ estimate many types of emissions on a per capita basis. These per capita emissions numbers are generally not adjusted for any local demographic information. One 3 additional use of this research could be to improve current emissions estimation methods. Methods: Survey responses to questions about emissions related behavior were used as activity factors in emissions calculations. The emission estimations were then tested against demographics such as housing density. For the purpose of graphical representation, housing density was broken into four quartiles to represent four different levels of density. For statistical analysis housing density was not categorized. Results: Emissions behavior, in several cases, appears to be linked to demographic features such as housing density. Per capita lawn care hydrocarbon emissions, vehicle emissions, and several consumer product category emissions trend higher towards lower housing density in both Portland and Houston. Conclusions: The results of this research project could be used to tailor air quality advisories to better target their audience with appropriate messages, thereby more effectively improving air quality during potentially hazardous air quality conditions. Understanding demographic elements to emissions estimation could be used by environmental agencies to produce better emission estimations.

Analysis of Frequency Distributions of Air Pollutant Concentrations by Hybrid-lognormal Distribution (I)

Abstract: 大気汚染物質 の濃度分布 は対数正規 分布に従 うと仮定 して解析す る ことが 多いが,必 ず しも対数正規 分布に従 ってい るとは いえない場 合 も少 な くない。規制 のため の環 境 目標 値の設定等を考慮す ると,大 気汚染物質濃度へ適用す るため には,パ ラメー タが 増加 し少 々複雑 な分布 であ って も,そ のパ ラ メー タ が安 定 していれば,実 測 データに対 して適合 の よい分布を適用すべ きであ る。 放 射線 の被曝線量の分布 も大気 汚染物質 の濃 度分布 と同様 な特徴 を もつ が,こ の分布 モデルとして混 成対数正規 分布が提 案 され,そ の有効性が 検証 されてい る。そ こで,本 報告 では この混成対数正規分布 を大 気汚染物質の濃度分布へ適用すべ く,混 成対 数正規分布 の もつ 諸性質 を明 らかに し,大 気汚染物質 の濃 度分布 への適用の可能性の検討を行 った。 その結果,混 成対数正規分布は,確 率紙 上におけ る分布 曲線が 対数正 規分布 と正規分布 の間 にあ るよ うな分布 を表現す るのに適 した分布 であ り,大 気汚染物質 の濃度分布 の モデル として有効 である ことを 示 した。

A Comparative Study Characterizing Traffic Related Air Pollutant Concentrations at Near-Road Communities in El Paso, Texas

Abstract: ....................................................................................................................................v TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 1.1. Effects of Air Pollution ....................................................................................................1 1.2. Influence of Near-road Emissions on Air Quality ...........................................................1 1.3. Air Quality Measurements ...............................................................................................2 1.4. Air Quality Near Schools .................................................................................................3 1.5. Air Pollution in El Paso, Texas ........................................................................................5 1.6. Problem Statement ...........................................................................................................7 1.7. Objectives ........................................................................................................................7 1.8. Significance of the Work .................................................................................................8 1.9. Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................8 CHAPTER 2: STUDY DESIGN .....................................................................................................9 2.1. Site Selection .................................................................................................................10 2.2. Set-up .............................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER 3: CALIBRATION .....................................................................................................15 3.1. Precision .........................................................................................................................15 3.1.1. Ozone .................................................................................................................16 3.1.2. Nitrogen Dioxide ...............................................................................................17 3.1.3. Particulate Matter ...............................................................................................17 3.2. Accuracy ........................................................................................................................17 3.2.1. Ozone .................................................................................................................18 3.2.2. Nitrogen Dioxide ...............................................................................................19 3.2.3. Particulate Matter ...............................................................................................21 3.3. Data Adjustments ...........................................................................................................21