scholarly journals Effectiveness of SOx, NOx, and Primary Particulate Matter Control Strategies in the Improvement of Ambient PM Concentration in Taiwan

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
Jiun-Horng Tsai ◽  
Ming-Ye Lee ◽  
Hung-Lung Chiang
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Clean Air Act ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Control Plan ◽  
Clean Air ◽  
Pm2.5 Concentration

The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) measurement was employed for evaluating the effectiveness of fine particulate matter control strategies in Taiwan. There are three scenarios as follows: (I) the 2014 baseline year emission, (II) 2020 emissions reduced via the Clean Air Act (CAA), and (III) other emissions reduced stringently via the Clean Air Act. Based on the Taiwan Emission Data System (TEDs) 8.1, established in 2014, the emission of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) was 73.5 thousand tons y−1, that of SOx was 121.3 thousand tons y−1, and that of NOx was 404.4 thousand tons y−1 in Taiwan. The CMAQ model simulation indicated that the PM2.5 concentration was 21.9 μg m−3. This could be underestimated by 24% in comparison with data from the ambient air quality monitoring stations of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (TEPA). The results of the simulation of the PM2.5 concentration showed high PM2.5 concentrations in central and southwestern Taiwan, especially in Taichung and Kaohsiung. Compared to scenario I, the average annual concentrations of PM2.5 for scenario II and scenario III showed reductions of 20.1% and 28.8%, respectively. From the results derived from the simulation, it can be seen that control of NOx emissions may improve daily airborne PM2.5 concentrations in Taiwan significantly and control of directly emitted PM2.5 emissions may improve airborne PM2.5 concentrations each month. Nevertheless, the results reveal that the preliminary control plan could not achievethe air quality standard. Therefore, the efficacy and effectiveness of the control measures must be considered to better reduce emissions in the future.

scholarly journals Feasibility and difficulties of China's new air quality standard compliance: PRD case of PM<sub>2.5</sub> and ozone from 2010 to 2025

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 12013-12027 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Liu ◽  
X. M. Wang ◽  
J. M. Pang ◽  
K. B. He
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Nox Reduction ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Ozone Pollution ◽  
Pm2.5 And Pm10

Abstract. Improving the air quality in China is a long and arduous task. Although China has made very aggressive plans for air pollutant control, the difficulties in achieving the new air quality goals are still significant. A lot of cities are developing their implementation plan (CIP) for new air quality goals. In this study, a southern city, Guangzhou, has been selected to analyze the feasibility and difficulties of new air quality standard compliance, as well as the CIP evaluation. A comprehensive study of the air quality status in Guangzhou and the surrounding area was conducted using 22 monitoring sites collection data for O3, PM2.5 and PM10. The monthly non-attainment rates for O3 vary from 7 to 25% for May to November. The city average PM2.5 concentration was 53 μg m−3 in Guangzhou in 2010, which needs to be reduced by at least 34% to achieve the target of 35 μg m−3. The PM2.5 high violation months are from November to March. A CIP was developed for Guangzhou, which focused on PM2.5. Based on the CIP, the emission amounts of NOx, PM10, PM2.5 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in 2025 would be controlled to 119, 61, 26 and 163 thousand tons, respectively, reduced by 51.9%, 55.9%, 61.8% and 41.3%, respectively, compared to 2010. Analysis of air quality using the model MM5-STEM suggests that the long-term control measures would achieve the PM2.5 and PM10 goals successfully by 2025. The PM2.5 annual average concentration would be reduced to 27 μg m−3 in 2025. However, such PM2.5-based emission control scenarios may enhance the ozone pollution problems. The O3 non-attainment rate would increase from 7.1% in 2010 to 12.9% in 2025, implying that ozone will likely become a major compliance issue with the new national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This suggests that O3 control must be taken into account while designing PM2.5 control strategies, especially PM2.5 compliance under increased atmospheric oxidation, and for VOCs / NOx reduction ratios need to be further investigated, in order to eventually achieve O3–PM2.5 co-improvement in this region or other cities.

Assessing Emissions Contribution of Intercity Trucking

1996 ◽  
Vol 1520 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-43
Author(s):  
Sergio J. Ostria
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Planning Processes ◽  
Emissions Inventories ◽  
Truck Transport ◽  
Drayage Operations ◽  
Implementation Plans

The contribution of intercity trucking to air pollution in a given region is readily recognized as significant by transportation and air quality planners. Other than emissions standards for newly sold trucks, neither the air quality nor the transportation planning communities has focused on implementing control strategies that directly mitigate emissions from intercity trucking. As nonattainment areas strive to comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the potential emission reduction benefits of truck-related control measures must be evaluated to ensure that all sources of emissions are considered in the planning processes. However, little is known about the contribution of intercity trucking to emissions inventories in regions across the country, particularly since the Environmental Protection Agency's MOBILE emissions factor model is not well-suited for this purpose. The incorporation of intercity trucking in emission inventory estimates is reviewed, and a methodology by which intercity trucking emissions can be easily isolated using information documented in state implementation plans (SIPs) is developed. Using SIP data for a select number of metropolitan areas and the Truck Inventory and Use Survey (TIUS), the emissions contributions of city-to-city truck transport and drayage operations are assessed. Furthermore, the contribution of intercity trucking to emission reductions in areas across the country is determined using information reported in 15 percent volatile organic compound reduction plans.

scholarly journals Impacts of emission reduction and meteorological conditions on air quality improvement during the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 13457-13471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Huang ◽  
Tijian Wang ◽  
Pulong Chen ◽  
Xiaoxian Huang ◽  
Jialei Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Emission Reduction ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Air Quality Improvement

Abstract. As the holding city of the 2nd Youth Olympic Games (YOG), Nanjing is highly industrialized and urbanized, and faces several air pollution issues. In order to ensure better air quality during the event, the local government took great efforts to control the emissions from pollutant sources. However, air quality can still be affected by synoptic weather, not only emission. In this paper, the influences of meteorological factors and emission reductions were investigated using observational data and numerical simulations with WRF–CMAQ (Weather Research and Forecasting – Community Multiscale Air Quality). During the month in which the YOG were held (August 2014), the observed hourly mean concentrations of SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, CO and O3 were 11.6 µg m−3, 34.0 µg m−3, 57.8 µg m−3, 39.4 µg m−3, 0.9 mg m−3 and 38.8 µg m−3, respectively, which were below China National Ambient Air Quality Standard (level 2). However, model simulation showed that the weather conditions, such as weaker winds during the YOG, were adverse for better air quality and could increase SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5 and CO by 17.5, 16.9, 18.5, 18.8, 7.8 and 0.8 %. Taking account of local emission abatement only, the simulated SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5 and CO decreased by 24.6, 12.1, 15.1, 8.1 and 7.2 %. Consequently, stringent emission control measures can reduce the concentrations of air pollutants in the short term, and emission reduction is very important for air quality improvement during the YOG. A good example has been set for air quality protection for important social events.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Variations and Factors of Air Quality in Urban Central China during 2013–2015

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mao Mao ◽  
Xiaolin Zhang ◽  
Yamei Shao ◽  
Yan Yin
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Pollution Prevention ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Central China ◽  
World Health ◽  
Haze Pollution ◽  
Grade Ii

Spatiotemporal behaviors of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and trace gases (SO2, NO2, CO, and O3) in Hefei during the period from December 2013 to November 2015 are investigated. The mean annual PM2.5 (PM10) concentrations are 89.1 ± 59.4 µg/m3 (118.9 ± 66.8 µg/m3) and 61.6 ± 32.2 µg/m3 (91.3 ± 40.9 µg/m3) during 2014 and 2015, respectively, remarkably exceeding the Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) grade II. All trace gases basically meet the requirements though NO2 and O3 have a certain upward trend. Old districts have the highest pollution levels, followed by urban periphery sites and new districts. Severe haze pollution occurs in Hefei, with frequent exceedances in particulate matter with 178 (91) days in 2014 (2015). The abnormal PM2.5 concentrations in June 2014 attributed to agricultural biomass burning from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometry (MODIS) wildfire maps and aerosol optical depth (AOD) analysis. PM2.5 is recognized as the major pollutant, and a longer interspecies relationship is found between PM2.5 and other criteria pollutants for episode days as compared to non-episode days. The air pollution in Hefei tends to be influenced by local primary emissions, secondary formation, and regional transport from adjacent cities and remote regions. Most areas of Anhui, southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang, and western Shandong are identified as the common high-potential source regions of PM2.5. Approximately 9.44 and 8.53 thousand premature mortalities are attributed to PM2.5 exposure in 2014 and 2015. The mortality benefits will be 32% (24%), 47% (41%), 70% (67%), and 85% (83%) of the total premature mortalities in 2014 (2015) when PM2.5 concentrations meet the CAAQS grade II, the World Health Organization (WHO) IT-2, IT-3, and Air Quality Guideline, respectively. Hence, joint pollution prevention and control measures need to be strengthened due to pollutant regional diffusion, and much higher health benefits could be achieved as the Hefei government adopts more stringent WHO guidelines for PM2.5.

scholarly journals Exposure to Wildfire Smoke and Particulate Matter among Washington State Construction Workers; Potential Impacts and Implications for Worker Protection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Zuidema ◽  
Elena Austin ◽  
Martin A. Cohen ◽  
Edward Kasner ◽  
Lilian Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Smoke Exposure ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Wildfire Smoke ◽  
Outdoor Workers

Driven by climate change, wildfires are increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity across the Western United States. Outdoor workers are being exposed to increasing wildfire-related particulate matter and smoke. Recognizing this emerging risk, Washington adopted an emergency rule and is presently engaged in creating a permanent rule to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke exposure. While there are growing bodies of literature on the exposure to and health effects of wildfire smoke in the general public and wildland firefighters, there is a gap in knowledge about wildfire smoke exposure among outdoor workers generally, and construction workers specifically, a large category of outdoor workers in Washington totaling 200,000 people. In this study, we link several data sources including state-collected employment data and national ambient air quality data to gain insight into the risk of wildfire exposure among construction workers in Washington. Our results indicate the number of poor air quality days has increased in August and September in recent years. We also observed that over the last decade these months with the greatest potential for wildfire smoke exposure coincide with an annual peak in construction employment that was typically 9.4 to 42.7% larger across Washington counties (one county was 75.8%). Lastly, we considered different air quality thresholds and retrospectively tallied days in Washington that would have triggered rules protecting workers from wildfire smoke. We found the "encouraged" threshold of the Washington emergency rule (20.5 μg/m3) would result in 5.5 times more days subject to the wildfire rule on average across all Washington counties compared to its "required" threshold (55.5 μg/m3), and in 2020 the rule could have created demand for 1.35 million N-95 filtering facepiece respirators among construction workers. These results have important implications for both employers and policy makers as rules are developed. We also discuss the potential economic and policy implications of wildfire smoke exposure, exposure control strategies, and data gaps that would improve our understanding of construction worker exposure to wildfire smoke.

scholarly journals Environmental Effective Assessment of Control Measures Implemented by Clean Air Action Plan (2013–2017) in Beijing, China

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yifeng Xue ◽  
Shihao Zhang ◽  
Teng Nie ◽  
Xizi Cao ◽  
Aijun Shi
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Total Reduction ◽  
Clean Air ◽  
Pm2.5 Concentration

The Beijing government initiated the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) in 2013. Through a series of actions to control air pollution, the emissions of major atmospheric pollutants are reduced to improve urban air quality. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of control measures taken to mitigate atmospheric pollution, we investigated and analyzed the implementation of the CAAP in Beijing from 2013 to 2017, estimating the corresponding reduction in emissions of major air pollutants. The contribution of different control measures to the improvement of air quality was quantified and the experiences of managing air pollution were summarized, which provided references for the continuous improvement of air quality in Beijing and the surrounding areas. The results showed that the emission of SO2, NOX, PM10, PM2.5, and VOCs from air pollution source have been decreased by 119,924, 116,091, 116,810, 46,652, and 97,267 tons after the implementation of the CAAP. The sum of these five air pollutants emissions have been reduced by 39% in 2017 compared with 2013, the largest decrease in SO2 emissions was 87%, which was related to the vigorous control on coal-fired combustion. The control measure with the greatest contribution to decreasing the ambient PM2.5 concentration was the clean energy transformation of coal-fired power plants, which contributed 27% of the total reduced concentration and 6.1 μg/m3 of the average PM2.5 concentration reduction in Beijing. Clean Residential coal use also significantly decreased the PM2.5 concentration by 5.4 μg/m3, which was 23% of the total reduction. In addition, the industrial restructuring and the management of automotive vehicle use and dust could also contribute to efficiently reducing the PM2.5 concentration by 4.0, 3.2, and 2.3 μg/m3, or 17%, 14%, and 10% of the total reduction, respectively. Due to the implementation of control measures of Clean Air Action Plan, the energy and industrial structure of Beijing have been adjusted and optimized, leading to the reduction of pollutant emissions, which is the secret of urban long-term air quality improvement.

Ambient Air Pollution: Respiratory Hazards to Children

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 1210-1213
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Clean Air Act ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Clean Air

Levels of many outdoor air pollutants decreased substantially after the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1970; however, levels of ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter are still high enough to present hazards to children. Failure to meet the federal standards for these pollutants was a major force driving the adoption of the revised Clean Air Act of 1990. In addition, recent research indicates that acidic aerosols, for which there are no health-based standards, may be associated with adverse respiratory effects. As an ambient air pollutant, ozone is formed by the action of sunlight on nitrogen oxides and reactive hydrocarbons (both of which are emitted by motor vehicles and industrial sources). Ozone levels therefore tend to be highest on warm, sunny days, which are conducive to outdoor activities. In many areas ozone concentrations peak in the midafternoon, when children are likely to be playing outside. It is important to distinguish ground-level ozone air pollution from stratospheric ozone depletion by chlorofluorocarbons. These issues are unrelated. Carbon monoxide, a product of incomplete combustion, is emitted mainly from cars and other mobile sources. Airborne particulate matter is a variable and complex mixture of natural materials and substances released from numerous industries, motor vehicles, residential wood burning, construction and demolition, and other sources. Acidic aerosols are traceable mainly to combustion of sulfur-containing fossil fuels and to reactions of photochemical free radicals with nitrogen dioxide. Exposure to ambient air pollution in North America has been clearly associated with acute and subacute effects in epidemiologic investigations and in controlled exposure studies in environmental chambers.

scholarly journals The impact of measures to reduce ambient air PM<sub>10</sub> concentrations originating from road dust, evaluated for a street canyon in Helsinki

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (17) ◽  
pp. 11199-11212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Stojiljkovic ◽  
Mari Kauhaniemi ◽  
Jaakko Kukkonen ◽  
Kaarle Kupiainen ◽  
Ari Karppinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Street Canyon ◽  
Dust Emission ◽  
Road Dust ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Air Quality Measurements ◽  
Emission Models ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Quality Measurements

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.

Did the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 really improve air quality?

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winston Harrington ◽  
Richard Morgenstern ◽  
Jhih-Shyang Shih ◽  
Michelle L. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Clean Air Act ◽  
Clean Air Act Amendments ◽  
Clean Air

scholarly journals Ambient Particulate Matter Air Pollution in Mpererwe District, Kampala, Uganda: A Pilot Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Schwander ◽  
Clement D. Okello ◽  
Juergen Freers ◽  
Judith C. Chow ◽  
John G. Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Airborne Particulate Matter ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Combustion Products ◽  
Carbonaceous Aerosol ◽  
Coarse Particles

Air quality in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, has deteriorated significantly in the past two decades. We made spot measurements in Mpererwe district for airborne particulate matter PM2.5(fine particles) and coarse particles. PM was collected on Teflon-membrane filters and analyzed for mass, 51 elements, 3 anions, and 5 cations. Both fine and coarse particle concentrations were above 100 µg/m3in all the samples collected. Markers for crustal/soil (e.g., Si and Al) were the most abundant in the PM2.5fraction, followed by primary combustion products from biomass burning and incinerator emissions (e.g., K and Cl). Over 90% of the measured PM2.5mass can be explained by crustal species (41% and 59%) and carbonaceous aerosol (33%–55%). Crustal elements dominated the coarse particles collected from Kampala. The results of this pilot study are indicative of unhealthy air and suggest that exposure to ambient air in Kampala may increase the burden of environmentally induced cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory diseases including infections. Greater awareness and more extensive research are required to confirm our findings, to identify personal exposure and pollution sources, and to develop air quality management plans and policies to protect public health.

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