Search results for "particulate"

How villages contribute to their local air quality – The influence of traffic- and biomass combustion-related emissions assessed by mobile mappings o…

2021

Abstract Mobile mapping experiments were performed in two villages (~400 and ~2500 inhabitants, respectively) in France and Germany in both summer and winter in order to assess the pollutant distribution of several particulate matter (PM) related pollutants (particle number concentration, PM1, PM2.5, PM10; PM1 chemical composition, including inorganic and organic species, black carbon, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons) as well as CO2. Two dominating local emission contributions were found: traffic contributed to organic aerosol (OA), CO2, particle number concentration, PM1, black carbon, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, whereas significant primary emission contributions from biomass combustion w…

An Ecological Study to Investigate Links Between Atmospheric Pollutants From Farming and SARS-CoV-2 Mortality

2021

AbstractExposure to atmospheric particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has been linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection and death. We hypothesized that an interaction between SARS-CoV-2 infection and exposure to farming-related atmospheric pollutants worsens the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality. Our objective was investigate this hypothesis by performing an ecological study in five Italian Regions (Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily) linking all-cause mortality, by province (administrative entities within regions), to atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5and PM10) nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) mainly produced by agricultural activities. Study outcome was c…

2018

Abstract. As part of the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project, an airborne campaign was designed to measure a large range of atmospheric constituents, focusing on the effect of anthropogenic emissions on regional climate. The presented study details results of the French ATR42 research aircraft, which aimed to characterize gas-phase, aerosol and cloud properties in the region during the field campaign carried out in June/July 2016 in combination with the German Falcon 20 and the British Twin Otter aircraft. The aircraft flight paths covered large areas of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, focusing on emissions from large urban conurbations such …

THE IMPACT OF TRAFFIC RELATED POLLUTION ON AIR QUALITY IN SIBIU REGION

2015

Urban areas represent the main zones of anthropogenic emissions and, at the same time, includes the largest number of population exposed to air pollution. Data related to traffic hot spots locations in Sibiu urban areas are presented and discussed in this paper. It is important to assess the impact of changing climate conditions and concentration of pollutants, these aspects are of special interest because of high and increasing population of urban regions exposed to consequences of climate change and air pollution. Paper tackling the problem of traffic related pollution and especially PM10 fraction as a novel research. No other research were previously done in Sibiu region emphasising part…

Stress-induced cytological and chemical adaptations in Cupressus plants from an urban area of Palermo (Italy)

2004

We studied stress-induced cytological and chemical adaptations in Cupressus pollens and needles from the area of Palermo (Sicily, Italy), in polluted and control sites (unpolluted) of urban and suburban areas. Pollen and needle chemical composition were investigated to provide an indicator of contamination of the trees, which were also examined structurally throughout one year. The concentration of particulate with lead was found to be significantly higher in plants at the polluted traffic site. Lead is one of the worst particulate pollutants in cities, especially in the winter season. In trees from the polluted site, all structural analysis revealed displasies. Structural changes, observed…

Soil Heavy Metals Patterns in the Torino Olympic Winter Games Venue (E.U.)

2008

International audience; The city of Torino (45°N, 7°E NW Italy) has a long history of heavy industry. Additional sources of potential pollutants originate from transport such as car emissions. We selected an area potentially at high risk of contamination: it is sandwiched between roads, the circular Turin highway and the motorway which connects to France, and a landfill where special and hazardous solid wastes from industry are disposed of. Our main aim was i) to discriminate between these sources of heavy metals (HM) and ii) to assess a simplified HM transfer scenario. We started with air diffusion models (inputs were meteo and chemistry of the particulate), then we described topsoils (12 …

Recognition of Trace Element Contamination Using Ficus macrophylla Leaves in Urban Environment

2020

Urban areas are characterized by numerous pollutants emitted by anthropic sources both in the form of solid and gaseous particulates. Biomonitoring is an easy, economical, and accessible approach for the determination of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, we used the leaves of Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers., collected in the city of Palermo (Italy), to determine major and trace elements. Geogenic elements exhibited the highest concentrations, making up 99% of the weight of the analyzed elements (Ca, K, Mg, P, S, Na, Fe, and Al)

Air Pollution Research Based on Spider Web and Parallel Continuous Particulate Monitoring—A Comparison Study Coupled with Identification of Sources

2021

Air pollution is monitored mainly in urban or industrial areas, even if it is known that in rural ones, low emission can significantly worsen air quality. Hence, cheap and easily accessible methods of monitoring are needed. Recently, spider webs biomonitoring is getting popular, however, there is no information about its comparison with active methods. In this study, PTEs accumulated on spider webs were compared with results from continuous particulate monitor (CPM). Generally, higher potentially toxic elements concentrations were noted in spider web, with exception in the case of Zn. Zn may be present rather in smaller fractions, hence it needs more time for accumulation on spider web whil…

Damage monitoring on carbonate stones: Field exposure tests contributing to pollution impact evaluation in two Italian sites

2017

During the last decades, many studies have been carried out on environmental monitoring in specific sites aiming at their protection and conservation; however, researches focused on the direct implications, in terms of quantitative evaluation of stone deterioration, of these monitoring actions are still scarce. This experimental work aims at monitoring the degradation processes affecting historical buildings constituted by carbonate stones. Specifically, specimens of Carrara marble and two limestones largely used in the Sicilian Baroque architecture, namely Noto and Comiso stones, were exposed outdoor in two Italian sites (Catania and Palermo), which are characterized by different environme…

Inorganic geochemistry of roadway dust from the metropolitan area of Palermo, Italy

2003

Inorganic matter from roadway dust collected in the urban area of Palermo, Italy, was analysed to identify the chemical elements introduced into the environment as a result of human activities. Metals of environmental concern exhibit very high enrichment factors, which in some cases exceed 100. Metal size distribution indicates that Pd, Pt, Au, Sb, Zn, S, Ni, V, Mo and Cr substantially accumulate in the finest particles, whereas Pb, Br, As, Cu, Ag and Ba are almost independent of the size fraction. SEM/EDS analyses revealed that some individual particles contain clusters of foreign particles (<10 μm) made up of Fe-Ni, Cr-Ni or Fe alone, typical of the abrasion of stainless steel. Others are…