The Impact of Emissions from Ships in Ports on Regional and Urban Scale Air Quality

Abstract. We have numerically evaluated how effective selected potential measures would be for reducing the impact of road dust on ambient air particulate matter (PM10). The selected measures included a reduction of the use of studded tyres on light-duty vehicles and a reduction of the use of salt or sand for traction control. We have evaluated these measures for a street canyon located in central Helsinki for four years (2007–2009 and 2014). Air quality measurements were conducted in the street canyon for two years, 2009 and 2014. Two road dust emission models, NORTRIP (NOn-exhaust Road TRaffic Induced Particle emissions) and FORE (Forecasting Of Road dust Emissions), were applied in combination with the Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM), a street canyon dispersion model, to compute the street increments of PM10 (i.e. the fraction of PM10 concentration originating from traffic emissions at the street level) within the street canyon. The predicted concentrations were compared with the air quality measurements. Both road dust emission models reproduced the seasonal variability of the PM10 concentrations fairly well but under-predicted the annual mean values. It was found that the largest reductions of concentrations could potentially be achieved by reducing the fraction of vehicles that use studded tyres. For instance, a 30 % decrease in the number of vehicles using studded tyres would result in an average decrease in the non-exhaust street increment of PM10 from 10 % to 22 %, depending on the model used and the year considered. Modelled contributions of traction sand and salt to the annual mean non-exhaust street increment of PM10 ranged from 4 % to 20 % for the traction sand and from 0.1 % to 4 % for the traction salt. The results presented here can be used to support the development of optimal strategies for reducing high springtime particulate matter concentrations originating from road dust.

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Ground-Based MAX-DOAS Observations of Tropospheric NO2 and HCHO During COVID-19 Lockdown and Spring Festival Over Shanghai, China

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13030488 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 488

Author(s):

Aimon Tanvir ◽

Zeeshan Javed ◽

Zhu Jian ◽

Sanbao Zhang ◽

Muhammad Bilal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Anthropogenic Activity ◽

Hysplit Model ◽

Vertical Column ◽

Weekly Cycle ◽

Spring Festival ◽

Level 1 ◽

Reduced Mobility ◽

The Impact

Reduced mobility and less anthropogenic activity under special case circumstances over various parts of the world have pronounced effects on air quality. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of reduced anthropogenic activity on air quality in the mega city of Shanghai, China. Observations from the highly sophisticated multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscope (MAX-DOAS) instrument were used for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde (HCHO) column densities. In situ measurements for NO2, ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM2.5) and the air quality index (AQI) were also used. The concentration of trace gases in the atmosphere reduces significantly during annual Spring Festival holidays, whereby mobility is reduced and anthropogenic activities come to a halt. The COVID-19 lockdown during 2020 resulted in a considerable drop in vertical column densities (VCDs) of HCHO and NO2 during lockdown Level-1, which refers to strict lockdown, i.e., strict measures taken to reduce mobility (43% for NO2; 24% for HCHO), and lockdown Level-2, which refers to relaxed lockdown, i.e., when the mobility restrictions were relaxed somehow (20% for NO2; 22% for HCHO), compared with pre-lockdown days, as measured by the MAX-DOAS instrument. However, for 2019, a reduction in VCDs was found only during Level-1 (24% for NO2; 6.62% for HCHO), when the Spring Festival happened. The weekly cycle for NO2 and HCHO depicts no significant effect of weekends on the lockdown. After the start of the Spring Festival, the VCDs of NO2 and HCHO showed a decline for 2019 as well as 2020. Backward trajectories calculated using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model indicated more air masses coming from the sea after the Spring Festival for 2019 and 2020, implying that a low pollutant load was carried by them. No impact of anthropogenic activity was found on O3 concentration. The results indicate that the ratio of HCHO to NO2 (RFN) fell in the volatile organic compound (VOC)-limited regime.

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Effects of Climatic Conditions, Season and Environmental Factors on CO2 Concentrations in Naturally Ventilated Primary Schools in Chile

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084139 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4139

Author(s):

Muriel Diaz ◽

Mario Cools ◽

Maureen Trebilcock ◽

Beatriz Piderit-Moreno ◽

Shady Attia

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Co2 Concentration ◽

Building Design ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Indoor Environmental Quality ◽

Co2 Concentrations ◽

The Impact

Between the ages of 6 and 18, children spend between 30 and 42 h a week at school, mostly indoors, where indoor environmental quality is usually deficient and does not favor learning. The difficulty of delivering indoor air quality (IAQ) in learning facilities is related to high occupancy rates and low interaction levels with windows. In non-industrialized countries, as in the cases presented, most classrooms have no mechanical ventilation, due to energy poverty and lack of normative requirements. This fact heavily impacts the indoor air quality and students’ learning outcomes. The aim of the paper is to identify the factors that determine acceptable CO2 concentrations. Therefore, it studies air quality in free-running and naturally ventilated primary schools in Chile, aiming to identify the impact of contextual, occupant, and building design factors, using CO2 concentration as a proxy for IAQ. The monitoring of CO2, temperature, and humidity revealed that indoor air CO2 concentration is above 1400 ppm most of the time, with peaks of 5000 ppm during the day, especially in winter. The statistical analysis indicates that CO2 is dependent on climate, seasonality, and indoor temperature, while it is independent of outside temperature in heated classrooms. The odds of having acceptable concentrations of CO2 are bigger when indoor temperatures are high, and there is a need to ventilate for cooling.

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Association of temporary Environmental Protection Agency regulation suspension with industrial economic viability and local air quality in California, United States

Environmental Sciences Europe ◽

10.1186/s12302-021-00489-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Emily Chang ◽

Kenneth Zhang ◽

Margaret Paczkowski ◽

Sara Kohler ◽

Marco Ribeiro

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Air Quality ◽

Environmental Protection ◽

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Economic Viability ◽

Treatment Control ◽

Oil Refineries ◽

Pollution Levels ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background This study seeks to answer two questions about the impacts of the 2020 Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement regulation rollbacks: is this suspension bolstering the economic viability of industries as oil and manufacturing executives claim they will and are these regulations upholding the agency’s mission of protecting the environment? Results To answer the former question, we utilized 6 months of state employment level data from California, United States, as a method of gauging the economic health of agency-regulated industries. We implemented a machine learning model to predict weekly employment data and a t-test to indicate any significant changes in employment. We found that, following California's state-issued stay-at-home order and the agency’s regulation suspension, oil and certain manufacturing industries had statistically significant lower employment values. To answer the latter question, we used 10 years of PM2.5 levels in California, United States, as a metric for local air quality and treatment–control county pairs to isolate the impact of regulation rollbacks from the impacts of the state lockdown. Using the agency’s data, we performed a t-test to determine whether treatment–control county pairs experienced a significant change in PM2.5 levels. Even with the statewide lockdown—a measure we hypothesized would correlate with decreased mobility and pollution levels—in place, counties with oil refineries experienced the same air pollution levels when compared to historical data averaged from the years 2009 to 2019. Conclusions In contrast to the expectation that the suspension would improve the financial health of the oil and manufacturing industry, we can conclude that these industries are not witnessing economic growth with the suspension and state shutdown in place. Additionally, counties with oil refineries could be taking advantage of these rollbacks to continue emitting the same amount of PM2.5, in spite of state lockdowns. For these reasons, we ask international policymakers to reconsider the suspension of enforcement regulations as these actions do not fulfill their initial expectations. We recommend the creation and maintenance of pollution control and prevention programs that develop emission baselines, mandate the construction of pollution databases, and update records of pollution emissions.

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The Environmental Effects of the April 2020 Wildfires and the Cs-137 Re-Suspension in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone: A Multi-Hazard Threat

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12040467 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 467

Author(s):

Rocío Baró ◽

Christian Maurer ◽

Jerome Brioude ◽

Delia Arnold ◽

Marcus Hirtl

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Transport Model ◽

Atmospheric Transport ◽

Point Of View ◽

Plume Dispersion ◽

Exclusion Zone ◽

Fire Plume ◽

Mean Values ◽

The Impact

This paper demonstrates the environmental impacts of the wildfires occurring at the beginning of April 2020 in and around the highly contaminated Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). Due to the critical fire location, concerns arose about secondary radioactive contamination potentially spreading over Europe. The impact of the fire was assessed through the evaluation of fire plume dispersion and re-suspension of the radionuclide Cs-137, whereas, to assess the smoke plume effect, a WRF-Chem simulation was performed and compared to Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite columns. The results show agreement of the simulated black carbon and carbon monoxide plumes with the plumes as observed by TROPOMI, where pollutants were also transported to Belarus. From an air quality and health perspective, the wildfires caused extremely bad air quality over Kiev, where the WRF-Chem model simulated mean values of PM2.5 up to 300 µg/m3 (during the first fire outbreak) over CEZ. The re-suspension of Cs-137 was assessed by a Bayesian inverse modelling approach using FLEXPART as the atmospheric transport model and Ukraine observations, yielding a total release of 600 ± 200 GBq. The increase in both smoke and Cs-137 emissions was only well correlated on the 9 April, likely related to a shift of the focus area of the fires. From a radiological point of view even the highest Cs-137 values (average measured or modelled air concentrations and modelled deposition) at the measurement site closest to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, i.e., Kiev, posed no health risk.

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Assessment of the impact of ship emissions on air quality based on a complete annual emission inventory using AIS data for the port of Naples

Ocean Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.oceaneng.2021.109166 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 232 ◽

pp. 109166

Author(s):

Domenico Toscano ◽

Fabio Murena ◽

Franco Quaranta ◽

Luigia Mocerino

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Emission Inventory ◽

Ship Emissions ◽

The Impact

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Window operation behaviour and indoor air quality during lockdown: A monitoring-based simulation-assisted study in London

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology ◽

10.1177/01436244211017786 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 014362442110177

Author(s):

Farhang Tahmasebi ◽

Yan Wang ◽

Elizabeth Cooper ◽

Daniel Godoy Shimizu ◽

Samuel Stamp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Natural Ventilation ◽

Probabilistic Models ◽

Performance Model ◽

Outdoor Environment ◽

Ventilation Strategies ◽

The Impact

The Covid-19 outbreak has resulted in new patterns of home occupancy, the implications of which for indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy use are not well-known. In this context, the present study investigates 8 flats in London to uncover if during a lockdown, (a) IAQ in the monitored flats deteriorated, (b) the patterns of window operation by occupants changed, and (c) more effective ventilation patterns could enhance IAQ without significant increases in heating energy demand. To this end, one-year’s worth of monitored data on indoor and outdoor environment along with occupant use of windows has been used to analyse the impact of lockdown on IAQ and infer probabilistic models of window operation behaviour. Moreover, using on-site CO2 data, monitored occupancy and operation of windows, the team has calibrated a thermal performance model of one of the flats to investigate the implications of alternative ventilation strategies. The results suggest that despite the extended occupancy during lockdown, occupants relied less on natural ventilation, which led to an increase of median CO2 concentration by up to 300 ppm. However, simple natural ventilation patterns or use of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery proves to be very effective to maintain acceptable IAQ. Practical application: This study provides evidence on the deterioration of indoor air quality resulting from homeworking during imposed lockdowns. It also tests and recommends specific ventilation strategies to maintain acceptable indoor air quality at home despite the extended occupancy hours.

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The impact of COVID-19 measures on air quality in Turkey

Environmental Forensics ◽

10.1080/15275922.2021.1892876 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Sukru Dursun ◽

Mustafa Sagdic ◽

Huseyin Toros

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

The Impact

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Do hotel industry operations deteriorate air quality?

Tourism Economics ◽

10.1177/13548166211022423 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 135481662110224

Author(s):

Liang-Ju Wang ◽

Ming-Hsiang Chen ◽

Zhandong Yang ◽

Ching-Hui (Joan) Su

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Hotel Industry ◽

Second Step ◽

Test Results ◽

Sales Revenue ◽

Key Indicator ◽

Regression Test ◽

Rolling Regression ◽

The Impact ◽

Regression Tests

This study proposes and tests two hypotheses concerning the effects of hotel industry operations on air quality based on data of 26 major tourist cities in China from 2002 to 2017. The empirical analyses take two steps. In the first step, panel regression test results reveal that hotel industry operations (measured by hotel sales revenue) significantly raise the value of particulate matter (PM)2.5 (the key indicator of air quality), supporting the first hypothesis that hotel industry operations deteriorate air quality and providing empirical evidence of the adverse impact of the hotel industry on air quality. In the second step, subsample analyses support the second hypothesis that the impact of hotel sales revenue on air quality diminishes over time. The results from the rolling regression tests validate the existence of a diminishing effect of hotel industry operations on air quality.

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Functional ANOVA approaches for detecting changes in air pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic

Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment ◽

10.1007/s00477-021-02071-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christian Acal ◽

Ana M. Aguilera ◽

Annalina Sarra ◽

Adelia Evangelista ◽

Tonio Di Battista ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Air Quality ◽

Functional Data ◽

Central Italy ◽

Principal Component ◽

Functional Principal Component Analysis ◽

Area Of Interest ◽

Pm 10 ◽

The Impact ◽

Monitoring Stations

AbstractFaced with novel coronavirus outbreak, the most hard-hit countries adopted a lockdown strategy to contrast the spread of virus. Many studies have already documented that the COVID-19 control actions have resulted in improved air quality locally and around the world. Following these lines of research, we focus on air quality changes in the urban territory of Chieti-Pescara (Central Italy), identified as an area of criticality in terms of air pollution. Concentrations of $$\hbox {NO}_{{2}}$$ NO 2 , $$\hbox {PM}_{{10}}$$ PM 10 , $$\hbox {PM}_{2.5}$$ PM 2.5 and benzene are used to evaluate air pollution changes in this Region. Data were measured by several monitoring stations over two specific periods: from 1st February to 10 th March 2020 (before lockdown period) and from 11st March 2020 to 18 th April 2020 (during lockdown period). The impact of lockdown on air quality is assessed through functional data analysis. Our work makes an important contribution to the analysis of variance for functional data (FANOVA). Specifically, a novel approach based on multivariate functional principal component analysis is introduced to tackle the multivariate FANOVA problem for independent measures, which is reduced to test multivariate homogeneity on the vectors of the most explicative principal components scores. Results of the present study suggest that the level of each pollutant changed during the confinement. Additionally, the differences in the mean functions of all pollutants according to the location and type of monitoring stations (background vs traffic), are ascribable to the $$\hbox {PM}_{{10}}$$ PM 10 and benzene concentrations for pre-lockdown and during-lockdown tenure, respectively. FANOVA has proven to be beneficial to monitoring the evolution of air quality in both periods of time. This can help environmental protection agencies in drawing a more holistic picture of air quality status in the area of interest.

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