An Evaluation of Traffic and Weather Characteristics' Effect on Pollutants in Local Neighborhood

摘要

Effect of daily traffic conditions on air quality in a local neighborhood was investigated. An air quality monitoring apparatus consisting of an on-site air/gas monitor, traffic recorder, and weather station were set up near US-114 Highway to measure the extent to which key air pollutants (CO, CO_2, O_2, and NO_x) were affected by vehicular traffic. Over a span of a month, two hundred hours of data, at 10 minute intervals, were collected and included concentrations of key air pollutants, traffic volume, speed, and type, and weather data. Using the traffic and weather information in a dispersion model, concentration of CO_2 were modeled. The modeled results compared well with on-site measured concentrations. This paper evaluated the transportation and environmental factors that contribute to increases in pollutant concentrations. Findings from this study will increase understanding of traffic and weathering effects on neighborhood exposure to harmful emissions throughout the day.