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Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Pollution Prevention, Mitigation and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 25678

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fabio Famoso

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95025 Catania, Italy
Interests: air pollutant dispersion modeling; GIS-based models for advanced energy systems; simulation and optimization of renewable energy systems; environmental impact
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Jeffrey Wilson

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Guest Editor

Department of Geography, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, United States
Interests: environmental remote sensing; geographic information science

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban air pollution is a complex problem that has generated interdisciplinary research involving multiple fields, including atmospheric sciences, environmental physics, chemistry, earth science, data science, policy research, as well as medicine and public health fields. Air pollution was a seemingly intractable problem for most of the developed world in the previous century and primarily caused by the extensive use of fossil fuel-based energy systems. Research on monitoring, impacts, and mitigation of air pollution has grown considerably during the last few decades. However, scientists and policy makers continue to face several daunting problems, including developing effective methods to assess the long-term effects on human health and ecosystems. Currently, for example, the global scientific community is investigating the phenomenon of indoor/outdoor aerosol diffusion in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. For these reasons, it seems of crucial importance to pay attention to innovative approaches to air quality assessment. This Special Issue invites researchers to contribute relevant manuscripts focusing on the following topics:

Innovative technologies to identify air pollutants sources;
Evaluation studies of both indoor and outdoor air quality;
High spatial and temporal resolution models of pollutants diffusion;
Air pollutant emissions sources: combustion emissions, stationary emission sources, hazardous wastes, etc.;
Air pollution control and monitoring technologies;
Source sampling and emission measurements innovative methods;
Air pollution modeling applications;
Air pollution impacts to humans, ecosystems, and materials.

Kind Regards

Dr. Fabio Famoso
Prof. Jeffrey Wilson
Guest Editors

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Keywords

indoor/outdoor air quality
air pollution reduction
air pollution dispersion modeling
air quality evaluation
environmental impact

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3437 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Characterization of Particulate Matter Species in an Area Impacted by Aggregate and Limestone Mining North of San Antonio, TX, USA

by Amit U. Raysoni, Esmeralda Mendez, August Luna and Joe Collins

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4288; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074288 - 4 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2435

Abstract

Aggregate and limestone mining in San Antonio’s Bexar and Comal counties in Texas, USA, has caused considerable health concerns as of late. Aggregate mining actions can result in localized air quality issues in any neighborhood. Furthermore, heavy truck traffic, hauling, and transportation of the mined material contribute to pollution. In this research, PM species were sampled at four locations north of the San Antonio city limits. The data were collected using a TSI Air Quality Sampler that sampled PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₄, PM₁₀, wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and relative humidity. Continuous data with 1 min averages were recorded during the study period from August to September 2019. The instrument was stationed at every location for a period of 7 days each. The four locations were a ranch, an open field, a residential compound, and an elementary school. PM₁ and PM_2.5 concentration levels were lower compared to PM₁₀ concentrations at all four studied sites. Our results suggest that PM concentrations are primarily impacted by mining activities. PM species were highest at the residential compound due to its proximity to an active mining area, resulting in deleterious health effects for neighbors living in the vicinity of the sampled site. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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16 pages, 29993 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Particulate Matter in an Urban–Industrial Environment: Comparing Data of Dispersion Modeling with Tree Leaves Deposition

by Gregorio Sgrigna, Hélder Relvas, Ana Isabel Miranda and Carlo Calfapietra

Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020793 - 11 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2159

Abstract

Particulate matter represents a serious hazard to human health, and air quality models contribute to the understanding of its dispersion. This study describes particulate matter with a ≤10 μm diameter (PM10) dynamics in an urban–industrial area, through the comparison of three datasets: modeled (TAPM—The Air Pollution Model), measured concentration (environmental control stations—ECS), and leaf deposition values. Results showed a good agreement between ECS and TAPM data. A steel plant area was used as a PM10 emissions reference source, in relation to the four sampling areas, and a distance/wind-based factor was introduced (Steel Factor, SF). Through SF, the three datasets were compared. The SF was able to describe the PM10 dispersion values for ECS and leaf deposition (r² = 0.61–0.94 for ECS; r² = 0.45–0.70 for leaf); no relationship was found for TAPM results. Differences between measured and modeled data can be due to discrepancies in one district and explained by a lack of PM10 inventory for the steel plant emissions. The study suggests the use of TAPM as a suitable tool for PM10 modeling at the urban scale. Moreover, tree leaves are a low-cost tool to evaluate the urban environmental quality, by providing information on whether and when data from leaf deposition can be used as a proxy for air pollution concentration. Further studies to include the re-suspension of particles as a PM10 source within emission inventories are suggested. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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16 pages, 7761 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Assessment of Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings of New England through Actual Data

by Fernando del Ama Gonzalo, Matthew Griffin, Jacob Laskosky, Peter Yost and Roberto Alonso González-Lezcano

Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 739; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020739 - 10 Jan 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4311

Abstract

Several studies on indoor air quality (IAQ) and sick building syndromes have been completed over the last decade, especially in cold countries. Efforts to make homes airtight to improve energy efficiency have created buildings with low ventilation rates, resulting in the build-up of indoor pollutants to harmful levels that would be otherwise unacceptable outdoors. This paper analyzed the infiltration rates, indoor temperatures, and variations in CO₂, 2.5 μm particulate matter (PM_2.5), and total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations over the fall of 2021 in several homes in New England, USA. A relationship between outdoor and indoor conditions and ventilation strategies has been set using the results from blower door tests and actual indoor air quality data. Although all case studies lacked mechanical ventilation devices, such as those required by ASHRAE Standard 62.2, natural ventilation and air leakage have been enough to keep VOCs and PM_2.5 concentration levels at acceptable values most of the studied time. However, results revealed that 25% of a specific timeframe, the occupants have been exposed to concentration levels of CO₂ above 1000 parts per million (ppm), which are considered potentially hazardous conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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10 pages, 1466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Are PM_2.5 in the Atmosphere of a Small City a Threat for Health?

by Glykeria Loupa, Zoi Panagiota Kryona, Varvara Pantelidou and Spyridon Rapsomanikis

Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11329; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011329 - 14 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1984

Abstract

A number of time series from two local PM_2.5 monitoring stations were analyzed, for a small city, in North East Greece. They coincided with SARS-CoV-2 pandemic lockdowns and lifting restrictions. The aim of this analysis was to establish concentration exceedances and roughly apportion sources of the PM_2.5 concentration problem. This was established by analyzing 24-h filter samples of trace elements using WD-XRF. It was found that the restrictions and their lifting did not significantly affect these concentrations. The main problems were assigned to emissions from biomass burning central heating and Saharan dust episodes. The study results indicate that even in small cities the air quality as far as PM_2.5 is concerned can still be deleterious to the local population according to the WHO restricting levels but not according to the EU levels. The fact that PM_2.5 is not a single chemical pollutant makes matters more complicated and renders such concentration upper levels, of little significance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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12 pages, 650 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Particulate Matter Removal of Three Woody Plant Species, Ardisia crenata, Ardisia japonica, and Maesa japonica

by Kei-Jung Kwon, Hyuk-Joon Kwon, Yun-Ah Oh, Soo-Young Kim and Bong-Ju Park

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 11017; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131911017 - 4 Oct 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2103

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the physiological responses and particulate matter (PM) abatement and adsorption of three plants: Ardisia crenata, Ardisia japonica, and Maesa japonica, to determine their effectiveness as indoor air purification. When compared to control (without plants), PM was significantly and rapidly decreased by all three plants. The reduction in PM varied by species, with A. crenata being the most effective, followed closely by A. japonica, and finally M. japonica. M. japonica showed the highest rate of photosynthesis and transpiration, generating the greatest decrease in CO₂ and a large increase in relative humidity. We hypothesize that the increased relative humidity in the chamber acted in a manner similar to a chemical flocculant, increasing the weight of PM via combination with airborne water particles and the creation of larger PM aggregates, resulting in a faster sedimentation rate. A. crenata had a stomatal size of ~20 μm or larger, suggesting that the PM reduction observed in this species was the result of direct absorption. In the continuous fine dust exposure experiments, chlorophyll fluorescence values of all three species were in the normal range. In conclusion, all three species were found to be suitable indoor landscaping plants, effective at reducing indoor PM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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17 pages, 5152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatio-Temporal Modelling of the Change of Residential-Induced PM10 Pollution through Substitution of Coal with Natural Gas in Domestic Heating

by Muzeyyen Anil Senyel Kurkcuoglu and Beyda Nur Zengin

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10870; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910870 - 30 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2662

Abstract

Air pollution has been one of the most critical urban problems. Urban energy networks are among the major sources of air pollution, particularly in highly populated urban areas. Residential heating, which is the primary cause of particulate matter (PM) emissions, contributes to the problem through the use of low-quality fuels, such as coal. Natural gas, although a fossil fuel, is a modern, relatively clean, and more efficient alternative in residential energy use, which helps to reduce particulate matter emissions. Coal was widely used in residential heating in İzmir, Turkey, whereas natural gas is a relatively new alternative which started to be used domestically in 2006. Switching from coal and other highly polluting fossil fuels to natural gas in urban energy distribution network has contributed to the alleviation of air pollution in the city in the past decade. Spatiotemporal analyses of the PM10 concentrations, and their relation to the natural gas investments, have been conducted in geographical information systems (GIS). The spatial distribution of the change in PM10 levels has been modeled with ordinary kriging for the 2010–2011 and 2018–2019 winter seasons. Interpolated PM10 surfaces show that there is a significant decrease in the emissions throughout the city in the overall, while the highest levels of decrease are observed in the southern part of the city. Overlaying the interpolated PM10 surfaces and the natural gas pipeline investments enables the demonstration of the mutual relationship between the change in emission levels and the energy distribution network. Indeed, the spatial distribution of the pollution concentrations appears to be parallel to the natural gas investments. The pipeline investments were intensive during the 2010–2018 period in the southern districts when compared the rest of the city. The use of natural gas in residential heating contributed to the decrease in PM10 emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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13 pages, 2410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Substantial Decreases in U.S. Cities’ Ground-Based NO₂ Concentrations during COVID-19 from Reduced Transportation

by Asrah Heintzelman, Gabriel Filippelli and Vijay Lulla

Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 9030; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169030 - 12 Aug 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2834

Abstract

A substantial reduction in global transport and industrial processes stemming from the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and subsequent pandemic resulted in sharp declines in emissions, including for NO₂. This has implications for human health, given the role that this gas plays in pulmonary disease and the findings that past exposure to air pollutants has been linked to the most adverse outcomes from COVID-19 disease, likely via various co-morbidities. To explore how much COVID-19 shutdown policies impacted urban air quality, we examined ground-based NO₂ sensor data from 11 U.S. cities from a two-month window (March–April) during shutdown in 2020, controlling for natural seasonal variability by using average changes in NO₂ over the previous five years for these cities. Levels of NO₂ and VMT reduction in March and April compared to January 2020 ranged between 11–65% and 11–89%, consistent with a sharp drop in vehicular traffic from shutdown-related travel restrictions. To explore this link closely, we gathered detailed traffic count data in one city—Indianapolis, Indiana—and found a strong correlation (0.90) between traffic counts/classification and vehicle miles travelled, a moderate correlation (0.54) between NO₂ and traffic related data, and an average reduction of 1.11 ppb of NO₂ linked to vehicular data. This finding indicates that targeted reduction in pollutants like NO₂ can be made by manipulating traffic patterns, thus potentially leading to more population-level health resilience in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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14 pages, 2050 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Complex Network Analysis of PM_2.5 Concentrations in the UK, Using Hierarchical Directed Graphs (V1.0.0)

by Parya Broomandi, Xueyu Geng, Weisi Guo, Alessio Pagani, David Topping and Jong Ryeol Kim

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2201; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042201 - 18 Feb 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3120

Abstract

The risk of a broad range of respiratory and heart diseases can be increased by widespread exposure to fine atmospheric particles on account of their capability to have a deep penetration into the blood streams and lung. Globally, studies conducted epidemiologically in Europe and elsewhere provided the evidence base indicating the major role of PM_2.5 leading to more than four million deaths annually. Conventional approaches to simulate atmospheric transportation of particles having high dimensionality from both transport and chemical reaction process make exhaustive causal inference difficult. Alternative model reduction methods were adopted, specifically a data-driven directed graph representation, to deduce causal directionality and spatial embeddedness. An undirected correlation and a directed Granger causality network were established through utilizing PM_2.5 concentrations in 14 United Kingdom cities for one year. To demonstrate both reduced-order cases, the United Kingdom was split up into two southern and northern connected city communities, with notable spatial embedding in summer and spring. It continued to reach stability to disturbances through the network trophic coherence parameter and by which winter was construed as the most considerable vulnerability. Thanks to our novel graph reduced modeling, we could represent high-dimensional knowledge in a causal inference and stability framework. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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13 pages, 1955 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health-Based Approach to Determine Alert and Information Thresholds for Particulate Matter Air Pollution

by Łukasz Adamkiewicz, Katarzyna Maciejewska, Krzysztof Skotak, Michal Krzyzanowski, Artur Badyda, Katarzyna Juda-Rezler and Piotr Dąbrowiecki

Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1345; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031345 - 28 Jan 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2377

Abstract

In this study Health Impact Assessment (HIA) methods were used to evaluate potential health benefits related to keeping air pollution levels in Poland under certain threshold concentrations. Impacts of daily mean particulate matter (PM)10 levels on hospital admissions due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases were considered. Relative risk coefficients were adopted from WHO HRAPIE project. The analyses covered period from 2015 to 2017, and were limited to the heating season (1st and 4th quarter of the year), when the highest PM10 concentrations occur. The national total number of hospital admissions attributed to PM10 concentration exceeding WHO daily Air Quality Guideline value of 50 µg/m³ was calculated for each of the 46 air quality zones established in Poland. We found that the reduction of the attributable hospital admissions by 75% or 50% of that expected for the “best case scenario”, with no days with PM10 concentration exceeding 50 µg/m³ would require avoidance of exceedance by the daily mean PM10 concentration of 64 µg/m³ and 83 µg/m³, respectively. These concentrations were proposed as the information and alert thresholds, respectively. The alert thresholds were exceeded on 2 and 38 days per year in the least and the most polluted zones, respectively. Exceedances of the information thresholds occurred on 6 and 66 days in these zones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Pollution: Monitoring, Impact, and Mitigation)

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