Concentrations, Source Characteristics, and Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Heavy Metals in PM2.5 in a Plateau City (Kunming) in Southwest China

To explore the mass concentration levels and health risks of heavy metals in the air in dense traffic environments, PM2.5 samples were collected at three sites in the city of Kunming in April and October 2013, and January and May 2014. Ten heavy metals––V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb––were analyzed by ICP–MS, and the results showed PM2.5 concentrations significantly higher in spring and winter than in summer and autumn, especially for Zn and Pb. The concentration of heavy metals on working days is significantly higher, indicating that vehicle emissions are significant contributors. An enrichment factor analysis showed that Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb come mainly from anthropogenic sources, while V and Co may be both anthropogenic and natural. The correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) showed that Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb mainly come from vehicles emissions and metallurgical industries; Cr and Mn, from vehicles emissions and road dust; and As, mainly from coal combustion. The health risk assessment shows that the non-carcinogenic risk thresholds of the heavy metals in PM2.5 to children and adult men and women are all less than 1. The carcinogenic risk of Cr for men and women in traffic-intensive areas exceeds 10−4, reaching 1.64 × 10−4 and 1.4 × 10−4, respectively.

Research on a China 6b Heavy-duty Diesel Vehicle Real-world Engine out NOx Emission Deterioration and NOx Correction for Humidity and Temperature using On-board Sensors and Big Data Approach

China VI standard proposed higher requirements for durability of heavy-duty diesel vehicles emissions. Previous research which took advantages of both on-board sensors and big data approach to get the NOx deterioration factor was rather scarce. This paper used big data approach to study the deterioration of engine out NOx emission based on 254,622 km operation data getting from the on-board sensors or ECUs. Meanwhile, a formula for on-board NOx correction for ambient humidity and temperature had been fitted. The analyses revealed that engine out NOx would not be deteriorated during the useful life or even longer (deterioration factor was 1.014 @700,000km). For a steady working condition, the engine out NOx mass flow (g/h) is negatively linearly correlated with absolute humidity (R2 = 0.997). If Ha was lower than 12g/kg, Ha almost had no effect on engine out NOx concentration (ppm). Otherwise, there was also a negatively linear relationship between them (R2 = 0.978). It is hoped that the methods and conclusions of this paper could provide some enlightenment for future NOx emission deterioration research.

Assessment of the Reduction in Vehicles Emissions by Implementing Inspection and Maintenance Programs

To improve air quality in urban centers, vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) programs were created to identify highly polluting vehicles and force them to undergo mechanical maintenance. In this context, a methodology, based on a single measurement campaign using a Remote Sensing Device (RSD), is presented in this work to assess the reduction in vehicles emissions obtained from implementing I/M programs. As a case study, an RSD campaign was carried out in Mexico, specifically in Monterrey’s Metropolitan Area (MMA). Approximately 0.4% of the vehicles registered in this region were sampled under similar conditions to those found in I/M programs. The results obtained suggested that 39% of the vehicles would not comply with the current national regulations for circulating vehicles. Following a conservative scenario, the implementation of a vehicle I/M program in this urban center has the potential of reducing the current mass emissions of HC, CO and NO in approximately 69%, 42% and 28%, respectively.

Regulating Financial Services in an Era of Technological Disruption

Financial regulators are challenged to respond to the innovation opportunities presented by financial technology (fintech). Current rules are not necessarily sufficient or effective to adequately regulate new business models and new products relating to innovations such as crypto assets or digital financial services. Regulators that fail to respond in a timely manner may drive innovation offshore and deprive their markets and consumers of appropriate, new services. To respond to new financial innovation, regulators have been establishing innovation hubs and regulatory sandboxes. Innovation hubs enable them to engage innovators more effectively. Sandboxes allow the products to be tested in a controlled environment and enable to regulator to consider whether existing laws are appropriate to regulate such products and, of not, what measures may be required. Sandboxes are however resource intensive and they hold a number of risks. Financial regulators are, of course, not alone in having to address the regulatory challenges of innovation. This article therefore also considers other non-financial regulatory experiences of innovative products and services, namely automated vehicles; emissions trading in China; and Uber and its clones, to consider whether those experiences hold lessons for financial regulators.

A NON-CANCER HEALTH RISK TO THE POPULATION OF VLADIKAVKAZ UNDER CHRONIC INHALATION EXPOSURE OF TECHNOGENIC EMISSIONS TO ATMOSPHERIC AIR

A non-cancer health risk to the population of Vladikavkaz inhabitants exposed to chronic inhalation of emissions from non-ferrous metals processing facilities and motor vehicles was assessed. A high risk to the population health caused by industrial and motor vehicles emissions was estimated, whereas the cardiovascular system was most severely affected by negative impact of the technogenic emissions. The necessity to conduct a complex of preventive measures to avoid risk of negative effects of technogenic emissions on the population health was established. As well as the necessity to apply modern methods to calculate the non-cancer health risk to the population of Vladikavkaz under chronic inhalation exposure of technogenic substances in the lower layers of atmospheric air was proved.

Location Strategy for Traffic Emission Remote Sensing Monitors to Capture the Violated Emissions

Air contamination becomes an urgent problem to be considered as a result of the rapid growth in traffic all over the world. Traffic emissions differ from vehicle to vehicle depending on the vehicle type, production year, fuel octane number, and periodical maintenance of the vehicle. The majority of drivers do not revise their harmful vehicles emissions regularly. Therefore, effective tracking of high-emitting vehicles can be an important solution for reducing traffic air pollution. This study proposes a location strategy for vehicle remote sensing monitors aided with ID-plate recognizer to capture any violated vehicle emissions. The problem is formulated into a graph theory problem, and then a novel adapted metaheuristic algorithm is used to solve the problem. The methodology, using a benchmark problem, has managed to solve the problem to the optimality. Moreover, its robustness is measured statistically.