Vehicle Emissions

Evaluation of emerging diesel-particulate emissions control technology will require analytical procedures capable of continuous measurement of transient organic and elemental carbon emissions. Procedures based on the flame ionization properties of organic carbon and ...

Design traffic volumes, vehicle emission factors and meterological data are used to assess the impact of a suburban limited-access highway segment. Mesoscale effects are determined by emission inventory techniques. Microscale effects are determined using a pollutant dispersion model developed by the California Division of Highways. The air pollution impact of the highway segment is small, and should not be considered a significant criteria for decisions concerning construction of the highway.

The likely health effects of climate change make it one of the most pressing global public health issues of our time. Effects range from more intense and frequent cyclones, flooding, and heat waves through to changing infectious disease patterns, food and water insecurity, sea-level rise, and economic and social disruption. The governments of almost all developed nations are now focusing their attention on national policy responses to the threat of climate change. In New Zealand, it is currently unclear what path our current government will take to contribute to the global response and fulfil our Kyoto obligations. In this paper we discuss the main carbon pricing options currently under consideration, and their implications for health and health inequities in New Zealand. We summarise the literature about the likely health and equity implications of different kinds of carbon pricing policy. A health sector voice in these significant policy decisions is vital to ensuring a policy tha...

This report provides an overview of the role of inspection and maintenance in a comprehensive vehicular pollution control strategy, compares Hong Kong's current inspection and maintenance programme with international best practices, and suggests ways to improve the current programme.

DNA integrity was investigated in the lymphocytes of 50 bus drivers, 20 garagemen and 50 controls using the comet assay with excision repair enzymes. In parallel, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine and 15-F(2t)-isoprostane levels in the urine and protein carbonyl levels in the plasma were assessed as markers of oxidative damage to DNA, lipids and proteins. Exposure to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs) and volatile compounds was measured by personal samplers for 48 and 24h, respectively, before the collection of biological specimens. Both exposed groups exhibited a higher levels of DNA instability and oxidative damage to biological macromolecules than the controls. The incidence of oxidized lesions in lymphocyte DNA, but not the urinary levels of 8-oxodG, correlated with exposure to benzene and triglycerides increased this damage. Oxidative damage to lipids and proteins was associated with exposure to cPAHs and the lipid peroxidation levels positively correl...

The size distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was determined for airborne particles from a large city with high vehicular traffic. The analytical method was optimised and validated using NIST standard reference material (SRM 1649a Urban Dust). The 16 priority PAH listed in the US-EPA were Soxhlet-extracted from filtered particulate matter and then fractionated using on-column chromatography. The aromatic fraction was quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Real samples of particles collected in Seville (Spain) were analysed using the validated method. Values for the total concentration of PAH in the air, as well as the concentrations of each PAH in six particle-size ranges were obtained. Values of the PAH in TSP, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 were assessed.

Implications Emissions from motor vehicles can contribute considerably to the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The use of biodiesel to replace or augment diesel can not only decrease our dependency on fossil fuels but also help decrease air pollution. Thus, different sources of feedstocks are constantly being explored for affordable biodiesel production. However, the amount of CO, CO2 and/or NOx emissions can vary largely depending on type of feedstock used to produce biodiesel. In this work we demonstrated animal fat feasibility in replacing petrodiesel with less impact regarding greenhouse gas emissions than other sources.

Theory-based evaluation (TBE) is an effectiveness assessment technique that critically analyses the theory underlying an intervention. Whilst its use has been widely reported in the area of social programmes, it is less applied in the field of energy and climate change policy evaluations. This paper reports a recent study that has evaluated the effectiveness of the national biofuel policy (NBP) for the transport sector in Malaysia by adapting a TBE approach. Three evaluation criteria were derived from the official goals of the NBP, those are (i) improve sustainability and environmental friendliness, (ii) reduce fossil fuel dependency, and (iii) enhance stakeholders' welfare. The policy theory underlying the NBP has been reconstructed through critical examination of the policy and regulatory documents followed by a rigorous appraisal of the causal link within the policy theory through the application of scientific knowledge. This study has identified several weaknesses in the pol...

Air pollution has become a growing problem in megacities and large urban areas through out the globe, and transportation is recognized as the major source of air pollution in many cities, especially in developing countries. Contribution of automobiles is reported in the range of 40 to 80% of the total air pollution. The challenge facing megacities is how to reduce the adverse environmental impacts and other negative effects of transportation without giving up the benefits of mobility. The dilemma becomes most pressing under conditions of rapid urban growth, which is likely to increase travel demand significantly. The paper is aimed at understanding the problem of vehicular pollution vis-a-vis ambient air quality for a highly traffic affected megacity, Delhi, wherein, the contribution of transport sector was estimated to be as high as 72%. An effort has been made to review and evaluate the benefits (in terms of improved air quality) of the technological interventions/policies adopted for vehicular pollution control in Delhi. It also highlights the outcome of the efforts and suggests further improvements thereon. The importance of public participation and awareness are also discussed. The paper focuses on deriving the benefits of the implementation of management strategies, supported by scientific and technical data/interpretation, so that the people can realize and participate in the government's endeavor for clean city drive in a more effective manner.

Background The impact of shipping emissions on urban agglomerations close to major ports and vessel routes is probably one of the lesser understood aspects of anthropogenic air pollution. Little research has been done providing a satisfactory comprehension of the relationship between primary pollutant emissions, secondary aerosols formation and resulting air quality. Materials and methods In this study, multi-year (2003–2007) ambient speciated PM10 and PM2.5 data collected at four strategic sampling locations around the Bay of Algeciras (southern Spain), and positive matrix factorisation model were used to identify major PM sources with particular attention paid to the quantification of total shipping emissions. The impact of the emissions from both the harbour of Algeciras and vessel traffic at the Western entrance of Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Gibraltar) were quantified. Ambient levels of V, Ni, La and Ce were used as markers to estimate PM emitted by shipping. Results and discussion Shipping emissions were characterised by La/Ce ratios between 0.6 and 0.8 and V/Ni ratios around 3 for both PM10 and PM2.5. In contrast, elevated La/Ce values (1–5) are attributable to emissions from refinery zeolitic fluid catalytic converter plant, and low average V/Ni values (around 1) result mainly from contamination from stainless steel plant emissions. The direct contribution from shipping in the Bay of Algeciras was estimated at 1.4–2.6 μg PM10/m3 (3–7%) and 1.2–2.3 μg PM2.5/m3 (5–10%). The total contribution from shipping (primary emissions + secondary sulphate aerosol formation) reached 4.7 μg PM10/m3 (13%) and 4.1 μg PM2.5/m3 (17%).

Traffic emissions contribute significantly to the build-up of diffuse pollution loads on urban surfaces with their subsequent mobilisation and direct discharge posing problems for receiving water quality. This review focuses on the impact and mitigation of solids, metals, nutrients and organic pollutants in the runoff deriving from car parks. Variabilities in the discharged pollutant levels and in the potentials for pollutant mitigation complicate an impact assessment of car park runoff. The different available stormwater best management practices and proprietary devices are reported to be capable of reductions of between 20% and almost 100% for both suspended solids and a range of metals. This review contributes to prioritising the treatment options which can achieve the appropriate pollutant reductions whilst conforming to the site requirements of a typical car park. By applying different treatment scenarios to the runoff from a hypothetical car park, it is shown that optimal perf...