Particulate Air Pollutions

Particulate Air Pollutants
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Particulate Air Pollutants
Summary
This project proposal will cover the design of air monitoring networks for measuring particulate air pollutants in the study area. The pollutants of concern are CO, O3, SO2, NO2, lead, nickel, cadmium, arsenic, and suspended particulate matter of 10 micrometers and below. Relevant averaging periods range from ten minutes to one month. The overall aim of this project is not simply to gather data on particulate air pollutant levels but also to provide actionable data to policy-makers and planners. It is hoped that the project findings will allow them to make informed choices on managing and enhancing the air quality of the study area. The site selection for the air quality measurement stations will be based on the ability to ensure the generalizability of collected data and the reliability of monitoring approaches for particulate air pollutants in all zones.
All measurement sites will be situated in areas where air quality level measurements are characteristic of the mean exposure of the general human population, vegetation, and natural ecosystems in the study area. The chosen areas will include urban areas, suburban areas, industrial areas, and traffic areas. A background station will also measure the particulate air pollutants from the integrated pollution sources. These locations will provide a comprehensive inventory of the existing air pollution levels in the study area. The active (semi-automatic) sampling method will measure the level of particulate air pollutants in ambient air. This method was chosen for its low cost and relatively high-performance level compared to other methods like passive sampling, photochemical and optical sensor systems, remote optical/long path monitoring, and automatic point monitoring, which are either less effective or more costly.
Project Description
Introduction
The research project aims to measure population exposure to various particulate air pollutants in ambient air and provide the data required by policy-makers and planners of the study area to make knowledgeable actions on how to manage and limit air pollution. Air assessment studies provide the critical scientific foundation to policy-makers for coming up with policies and strategies to limit air pollution, the necessary framework for setting air quality objectives, evaluating adherence to established targets, and developing enforcement strategies (Manisalidis et al., 2020). The project will aim to meet the essential requirements of air quality measurement, including assessment accuracy and precision, spatial generalizability and coverage, adaptability to metrology guidelines, regional comparability and congruence, completeness of data capture, and uniformity from site to site and over the study period. The researcher will aim to ensure that: the measurements of particulate air pollutants are accurate, credible, and precise; the results are comparable and steady from site to site and over time; collected data is characteristic of ambient conditions; assessment results are analogous and traceable, and that data capture across air quality measurement stations is complete and with even distribution.
Site Selection
The project aims to ensure that all air quality level measurements are generalizable and reflect the mean exposure of the general human population, vegetation, and natural ecosystems in the study area. The criteria for air quality monitoring sites should be based on the ability to ensure representativeness and reliable monitoring approaches for particulate air pollutants in all zones (Christian et al., 2019). Air assessment studies must ensure that measurements are made in regions of the study area where the highest concentrations of particulate air pollutants occur (preferably where the population is directly or indirectly exposed to the pollutants for a significant period of time in relation to the mean period of the limit values) (WHO, 1999). Consequently, the project will focus on urban areas, suburban areas, industrial stations, and traffic stations. Urban areas will be denoted as continuously built-up zones characterized by highly predominant construction of the street front side by buildings not less than two stories. In measuring ambient air in urban areas, the air quality measurement stations will be distinguished by locations like commercial and residential zones of cities, big squares or streets with minimal traffic, park sections with few trees, and open spaces characteristic of recreational, educational, or sports facilities. The urban sites will measure air quality that is representative of several km2.
Suburban areas will be denoted as largely constructed urban areas with a contiguous community of detached buildings of all sizes and a less construction intensity than urban areas. The area may contain non-urbanized zones such as woods or lakes. Unlike the textbook definition of suburban areas as outlying sections of a larger town, the area of interest can be secluded and not a part of a larger town. In measuring ambient air in suburban areas, the air quality measurement stations will be situated in zones where the human population, vegetation, and natural ecosystems are located in the outer borders of a cluster but are exposed to high ozone levels. Industrial areas will be defined as locations where the pollution level is mainly the result of emissions from neighboring single industrial sources or industrial zones with several polluting sources. These include waste treatment plants, power generation, and incinerators. The project will aim to ensure that the air sampled at these industrial sites is characteristic of the air quality of at least 250m2. The air quality measurement stations will be located far from the vicinity of major polluters and closest to the nearest residential area.
On the other hand, traffic areas will be denoted as areas where pollution levels are predominantly the result of emissions from nearby traffic, such as highways, roads, and motorways. The air quality measurement stations will be situated at least 25 m from the boundary of primary junctions and at least 10 m from the curbside. The project will aim to ensure that the air sampled in traffic areas is characteristic of air quality for a street segment of at least 100m in length. In order to measure the particulate air pollutants from various pollution sources, a background station will be ...