Tillandsia usneoides: A successful alternative for biomonitoring changes in air quality due to a new highway in São Paulo, Brazil

Air pollution is one of the main environmental problems in large urban centers, affecting people’s health and impacting quality of life. The Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) presents frequent exceedances of air-quality standards in inhalable particulate matter (PM10), a consequence of pollutant emissions modulated by meteorological conditions. This study aims to identify and characterize PM10persistent exceedance events (PEE) inthe MASP between 2005 and 2017, relating them to meteorological conditions. The criteria used to select the events were: (i) events that occurred in at least 50% of the air-quality monitoring stations chosen for this study and, (ii) among the events that met the first criterion, those with a duration equal to or greater than five days, which correspond to the 80% percentile of the event duration distribution. A total 71 persistent episodes of exceedance were selected. The results show that the exceedance of PM10 lasted up to 14 consecutive days and was predominant in the austral winter, accompanied by an increase in maximum temperature (T), a decrease in wind speed (WS) and relative humidity (RH), and a wind direction predominantly from the northwest during the peak concentration of the pollutant. On average, a concentration increase of 60% was observed at the peak of the PEE.

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The use of Tillandsia usneoides L. as bioindicator of air pollution in São Paulo, Brazil

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry ◽

10.1023/b:jrnc.0000015806.15495.89 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 259 (1) ◽

pp. 59-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

A. M. G. Figueiredo ◽

A. L. Alcalá ◽

R. B. Ticianelli ◽

M. Domingos ◽

M. Saiki

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Tillandsia Usneoides

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Anomalous scales of Tillandsia usneoides (L.) L. (Bromeliaceae) exposed in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas, SP, Brazil as air pollution markers

Hoehnea ◽

10.1590/2236-8906-18/rad/2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 42 (4) ◽

pp. 749-757 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Patrícia Giampaoli ◽

Natalie do Valle Capelli ◽

Armando Reis Tavares ◽

Francine Faia Fernandes ◽

Marisa Domingos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Initial Evaluation ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

São Paulo ◽

Paulo State ◽

Tillandsia Usneoides ◽

São Paulo State

Tillandsia usneoides is an epiphytic bromeliad that has been used as a universal bioindicator. The species accumulates metals and presents foliar scale variations when exposed to air pollutants. This study aimed to use the variations in foliar scales as microscopic markers of pollutant effects in the Metropolitan Region of Campinas (MRC), São Paulo State, Brazil. T. usneoides plants were exposed for 12 weeks during dry and wet seasons, totaling four exposures, at five sites in the MRC. Samples were selected before each exposure for initial evaluation of the plants (T0). Leaf fragments were fixed in glutaraldehyde and total scale density and anomalous scale percentage were evaluated. Plants exposed in the MRC showed anomalies and changes in number of subperipheral cells of leaf scales. When compared to T0, T. usneoides presented higher total scale density and anomalous scale percentage at disturbed sites, thus the species can be used as a pollution bioindicator for MRC.

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Air Quality During Mobility Restrictions in Sao Paulo State Municipalities

SSRN Electronic Journal ◽

10.2139/ssrn.3939417 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Samirys Sara Rodrigues Cirqueira ◽

Patricia Rodrigues ◽

Pedro Branco ◽

Evangelina Vormittag ◽

Rafael Nunes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Paulo State ◽

São Paulo State

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Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health and Costs: Current Situation in São Paulo, Brazil

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12124875 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 4875 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

José Carlos Curvelo Santana ◽

Amanda Carvalho Miranda ◽

Charles Lincoln Kenji Yamamura ◽

Silvério Catureba da Silva Filho ◽

Elias Basile Tambourgi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Hospital Costs ◽

Quality Standards ◽

Quality Standard ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Pollutant Emissions ◽

São Paulo ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Diesel Vehicles

This study focused on verifying whether the emission of air pollutants in São Paulo increases the costs and number of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in Brazil. Data on pollutant emissions, hospitalizations, and hospital costs were collected from 2008 to 2017 and correlated with air quality standards. The results showed that the concentration of particulate matter increased each year during the study period and was highly correlated with hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases. Ozone (O3) was within the quality standard throughout the study period but registered an increase in the mean and a positive correlation with hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases. The carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels were within the quality standards throughout the study period with a decrease in the last years studied, but showed a positive correlation with hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases. The pollutant emissions and hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases had an inverse relationship with the monthly rainfall curve for São Paulo, which indicates that rainfall tended to reduce pollutant emissions and consequently hospitalizations due to inhalation of these pollutants. Because costs are directly associated with hospitalizations, both increased during the study period—302,000 hospitalizations at an average cost of 368 USD resulted in a total cost of 111 million USD. To reduce these costs, Brazil should implement stricter policies to improve the air quality of its major cities and develop a viable alternative to diesel vehicles.

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Pre-study of Air Quality from harvest Burning Sugar cane law at Bauru in São Paulo state, Brazil

Latin American and Caribbean Studies ◽

10.17855/jlas.2017.05.36.2.243 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 243-260

Author(s):

Jang Yu-Woon ◽

Sang-Sub Ha ◽

Gang-Woong Lee ◽

Kyung-Won Chung

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Sugar Cane ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Paulo State ◽

São Paulo State

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Avaliação da Qualidade do Ar (NO2, CO, O3) na Cidade de Maceió/AL Utilizando o Modelo Atmosférico WRF/CHEM (Evaluation of the air quality (NO2, CO, O3) of Maceió/AL using the atmospheric model WRF/CHEM)

Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física ◽

10.26848/rbgf.v12.3.p801-836 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 801

Author(s):

Marcones De Oliveira Silva ◽

Rosiberto Salustiano da Silva Júnior

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Air Quality ◽

Atmospheric Model ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Weather Research And Forecasting ◽

São Paulo ◽

Land Use Patterns ◽

Emissions Inventory ◽

The One ◽

Weather Research

Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar a qualidade do ar na cidade de Maceió-AL utilizando o modelo numérico de mesoescala WRF/CHEM (Weather Research and forecasting/Chemistry) durante o período de 23 a 25 de abril de 2011. O WRF/CHEM foi configurado para realizar quatro tipos de simulações: Default - simulação com a topografia e uso do solo padrões do modelo; Topo - simulação com a topografia atualizada e uso do solo padrão; IGBP - simulação com a topografia padrão e uso do solo atualizado e Topo_IGBP - simulação com a atualização da topografia e uso do solo. O inventário de emissões veiculares necessário para servir como dado de entrada no modelo foi construído de acordo com a metodologia proposta pela Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB) onde se calculou as emissões totais em toneladas anuais de monóxido de carbono (CO), óxidos de nitrogênio (NOx), hidrocarbonetos não metano (NMHC) e material particulado (MP). O modelo WRF/CHEM foi executado com duas grades aninhadas com espaçamento de grade de 5 e 1 km. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a resolução de 1 km obteve resultados melhores, em relação às observações, para as simulações de temperatura, umidade relativa e concentrações de dióxido de nitrogênio (NO2) do que os resultados obtidos pelas simulações utilizando a grade de 5 km, porém a variabilidade horária foi melhor representada pela resolução de 5 km. A simulação Topo foi a que apresentou melhor acurácia das simulações nas duas resoluções adotadas mostrando que a atualização da topografia é mais eficiente do que a atualização do uso do solo.Palavras-Chave: WRF/CHEM; inventário; topografia; uso do solo; resolução. A B S T R A C TThis work aims to evaluate the air quality in the city of Maceió-AL using the numerical model of the WRF/CHEM (Weather Research and forecasting / Chemistry) during the period from April 23 to 25, 2011. The WRF/CHEM was configured to perform four types of simulations: Default - simulation with topography and land use patterns of the model; Topo - simulation with updated topography and standard soil use; IGBP - simulation with the standard topography and updated soil use and Topo_IGBP - simulation with updating topography and land use. The vehicle emissions inventory required to serve as input data in the model was constructed according to the methodology proposed by the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB) where the total emissions in annual tons of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) and particulate matter (MP). The WR /CHEM model was run with two nested grids with grid spacing of 5 and 1 km. The results obtained showed that the resolution of 1 km obtained better results, relative to the observations, for the simulations of temperature, relative humidity and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations than the results obtained by the simulations using the 5 km grid, the hourly variability was best represented by the resolution of 5 km. The Topo simulation was the one that presented better accuracy of the simulations in the two adopted resolutions showing that the updating of the topography is more efficient than the update of the land use.Keywords: WRF/CHEM; inventory; topography; land use; resolution.

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90 Days of COVID-19 Social Distancing and Its Impacts on Air Quality and Health in Sao Paulo, Brazil

10.20944/preprints202008.0022.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Daniela Debone ◽

Mariana da Costa ◽

Simone Miraglia

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Quality Improvement ◽

Air Quality ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Premature Deaths ◽

Health Loss ◽

Air Quality Improvement ◽

Concentration Levels

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by spreading rapidly a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has imposed a unique situation for the humanity. Sao Paulo has reported 124,105 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5,623 deaths up to June 14th, being considered the epicenter of the pandemic in Brazil and in South America. Due to the measures for social distancing, there was a drop in the air pollution concentration in Sao Paulo. Starting on March 16th, 2020, we broke 90 days of social distancing into 13 weeks and compared to an equivalent period in 2019. We investigated the air quality improvement during the quarantine period and compared the associated avoided deaths to COVID-19 burden deaths. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was the best indicator of air quality in the analyzed weeks, since its reduction reached 58 %. Our study showed that the 5,623 deaths occurred during the analyzed weeks of quarantine represents an economic health loss of US$ 10.5 billion. In opposite, we observed a significant air quality improvement due to pollutants concentrations’ reductions during the analyzed weeks. Considering PM10, PM2.5 and NO2, the decrease of concentration levels respectively avoided 78, 337 and 387 premature deaths and prevented up to US$ 1.5 billion on health costs. These results highlight the importance of continuing to enforce existing air pollution regulations and measures to protect human health both during and after COVID-19 pandemic.

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Simulation of O3 and NOx in São Paulo street urban canyons with VEIN (v0.2.2) and MUNICH (v1.0)

Geoscientific Model Development ◽

10.5194/gmd-14-3251-2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 3251-3268

Author(s):

Mario Eduardo Gavidia-Calderón ◽

Sergio Ibarra-Espinosa ◽

Youngseob Kim ◽

Yang Zhang ◽

Maria de Fatima Andrade

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Air Pollutant ◽

Performance Criteria ◽

Background Concentration ◽

Emission Model ◽

São Paulo ◽

Urban Network ◽

Local Climate ◽

Air Quality Forecast

Abstract. We evaluate the performance of the Model of Urban Network of Intersecting Canyons and Highways (MUNICH) in simulating ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) concentrations within the urban street canyons in the São Paulo metropolitan area (SPMA). The MUNICH simulations are performed inside the Pinheiros neighborhood (a residential area) and Paulista Avenue (an economic hub), which are representative urban canyons in the SPMA. Both zones have air quality stations maintained by the São Paulo Environmental Agency (CETESB), providing data (both pollutant concentrations and meteorological) for model evaluation. Meteorological inputs for MUNICH are produced by a simulation with the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) over triple-nested domains with the innermost domain centered over the SPMA at a spatial grid resolution of 1 km. Street coordinates and emission flux rates are retrieved from the Vehicular Emission Inventory (VEIN) emission model, representing the real fleet of the region. The VEIN model has an advantage to spatially represent emissions and present compatibility with MUNICH. Building height is estimated from the World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools (WUDAPT) local climate zone map for SPMA. Background concentrations are obtained from the Ibirapuera air quality station located in an urban park. Finally, volatile organic compound (VOC) speciation is approximated using information from the São Paulo air quality forecast emission file and non-methane hydrocarbon concentration measurements. Results show an overprediction of O3 concentrations in both study cases. NOx concentrations are underpredicted in Pinheiros but are better simulated in Paulista Avenue. Compared to O3, NO2 is better simulated in both urban zones. The O3 prediction is highly dependent on the background concentration, which is the main cause for the model O3 overprediction. The MUNICH simulations satisfy the performance criteria when emissions are calibrated. The results show the great potential of MUNICH to represent the concentrations of pollutants emitted by the fleet close to the streets. The street-scale air pollutant predictions make it possible in the future to evaluate the impacts on public health due to human exposure to primary exhaust gas pollutants emitted by the vehicles.

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Tillandsia usneoides: A successful alternative for biomonitoring changes in air quality due to a new highway in São Paulo, Brazil