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Atmosphere
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Air Pollution in Industrial Regions
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Air Pollution in Industrial Regions

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Quality".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 15702

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nima Afshar-Mohajer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Air Quality Scientist, Gradient Corp, Boston, MA 02108, USA
Interests: air dispersion modeling; aerosol mechanics; computational fluid dynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sinan Sousan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Public Health, Eastern Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
Interests: aerosol exposure; aerosol assessment; aerosol control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although regulatory efforts starting from 1970s have reduced the average levels of the criteria air pollutants over time, they have failed to specifically address near-source hot spots of these air pollutants that cause adverse health impacts. Also, there may be highly populated residential communities in immediate neighborhoods of industrial sites, which are exposed to criteria air pollutant levels higher than the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Additionally, the health impacts of exposure to ambient air toxics with no federal- or state-regulated standards emitted from the industrial sites require further studies. This warrants a need for establishing an effective regional network of monitoring sites or high-resolution spatio-temporal air dispersion modeling schemes that considers different combinations of pollution sources and receptor areas to cover the above-mentioned hot spots. In addition, air-quality sites maintained by the government represent point measurements and are susceptible to exposure misclassification for different communities. Therefore, better tools are needed to capture personal exposure and collect georeferenced air-pollution data.

In recognition of such a gap in our current regulatory frameworks, the open access journal Atmosphere is hosting a Special Issue to showcase the most recent findings related to the improvement of air-quality monitoring tools (in situ, personal monitoring, and numerical modeling) to quantify the health risk of exposure to the criteria air pollutants in residential areas with various distances and population densities with respect to specific occupational and environmental settings. In recent years, advancements in low-cost air-quality sensors and innovative mobile sensing tools such as drones and cell phone apps have paved the road for more accurate mapping of the air pollutant levels. In parallel, epidemiology and risk-assessment studies have been carried out to incorporate with the-state-of-science air dispersion models to map the health impacts of exposure to an air pollutant that is a better metric for modifying/establishing the current/new regulatory frameworks. This Special Issue aims to shed light on proposing modified ways of regulating the air pollutants in the ambient air that considers the population density in the vicinity of industrial sites.

Original results from field and controlled investigations, subjective surveys, pilot-scale setups, models, epidemiology studies, meta-analysis, and review papers related to the evaluation of the existing ambient air-pollution regulations for the protection of public health and development of new regulations for air toxics (gases and particulate matter) are all welcome contributions. Authors are encouraged to include a section touching on future issues, opportunities, and/or concerns related to their topics, on the 5-, 10-, and 20-year horizons.

Dr. Nima Afshar-Mohajer
Dr. Sinan Sousan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hot spots
  • green-house gases (GHGs)
  • air dispersion modeling
  • low-cost air quality monitoring
  • remote sensing
  • environmental benefits mapping/analysis
  • land-use regression (LUR) modeling
  • risk assessment

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 3288 KiB  
Article
PM10 Element Distribution and Environmental-Sanitary Risk Analysis in Two Italian Industrial Cities
by Aleandro Diana, Stefano Bertinetti, Ornella Abollino, Agnese Giacomino, Sandro Buoso, Laura Favilli, Paolo Inaudi and Mery Malandrino
Atmosphere 2023, 14(1), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14010048 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1247
Abstract
In this work, an evaluation of the air of two Italian industrial cities, Turin and Biella, has been performed to identify the main sources affecting its quality and to evaluate its evolution along 15 years. These two cities are placed at the border [...] Read more.
In this work, an evaluation of the air of two Italian industrial cities, Turin and Biella, has been performed to identify the main sources affecting its quality and to evaluate its evolution along 15 years. These two cities are placed at the border of the Po valley, one of the most polluted areas of Europe, and the automotive and textile industries have been their main economic sectors. The elemental analysis of the PM10 collected there in 2007 has been performed by ICP-MS and ICP-AES. The results identify the urban activities and the soil/road dust resuspension as the main sources of metals. Biella was overall less polluted in PM10 than Turin, probably because of its smaller size, its smaller traffic volume, and the lower number of industries. However, the limit value imposed by the European legislation for daily average PM10 mass concentration (50 μg m−3) was frequently exceeded in the collected samples: 22% and 50%, respectively for Biella and Turin. The concentration of specific toxic metals regulated by Italian legislation was never higher than the limit value for Cd (4 ng m−3) and Pb (0.5 μg m−3), whereas it was exceeded for Ni (20 ng m−3) in 22% of the samples from Turin and only in the 5% of those from Biella. In the same way, the risk analysis, performed using the target hazard quotient (THQ), calculated for children and adult populations, did not reveal warning values. Only for Cd in children were concerning values found (median THQ = 4.9). Element concentrations showed a seasonal trend, with higher values in November and December due to a combination of stable atmospheric conditions and strengthening of anthropic sources (e.g., combustion for heat generation). Finally, data concerning the amount of Cd, Ni, and Pb in the atmosphere provided by the regional agency for environmental protection (ARPA Piedmont) have been used to follow the evolution of these elements from 2007 to 2021 in the two cities. The data reveal a significant reduction of the concentrations of all considered metals in all the sites (higher than 50%), however maintaining the seasonal variability observed in PM10 samples of 2007, with higher concentrations during the cold months and lower concentrations during the summer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution in Industrial Regions)
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20 pages, 3259 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Patterns of Air Pollution in an Industrialised City—A Case Study of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan
by Daulet Assanov, Ivan Radelyuk, Olessya Perederiy, Stanislav Galkin, Gulira Maratova, Valeriy Zapasnyi and Jiří Jaromír Klemeš
Atmosphere 2022, 13(12), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13121956 - 23 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1567
Abstract
Air quality issues still affect the quality of life for people in industrialised cities around the world. The investigations should include the identification of the sources of the pollution and its distribution in space and time. This work is the first attempt to [...] Read more.
Air quality issues still affect the quality of life for people in industrialised cities around the world. The investigations should include the identification of the sources of the pollution and its distribution in space and time. This work is the first attempt to perform identification of the sources of pollution in Ust-Kamenogorsk city in Kazakhstan. Analysis of retrospective data (including ten variables (TSP, SO2, CO, NO2, phenol, HF, HCl, H2SO4, formaldehyde, H2S) from five monitoring stations for the period 2017–2021) using multivariate statistical methods and hierarchical cluster analysis has been performed to assess spatiotemporal patterns of air quality of the city. The results indicate that the contamination patterns can be grouped into two categories: cold and warm seasons. The study revealed the dangerous concentrations of NO2 and SO2 exceeded the limits by 2–3 and 1.5–2 times, independently of the seasonality. Averaged concentrations of TSP slightly exceeded the established limits for the most industrialised part of the city. Concentrations of HF and formaldehyde significantly rose during the cold seasons compared to the warm seasons. Other chemical parameters significantly depend on the seasonality and locations of the sampling points. The major reason for air pollution is twofold—the use of a burnt-coal throughout the year for electricity and heat generation (especially during the cold seasons) and the high density of the heavy metallurgy industry in the city. The principal component analysis confirms a high loading of industrial sources of air pollution on both spatial and seasonal dimensions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution in Industrial Regions)
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15 pages, 3931 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Variations in Concentrations and Chemical Compositions of TSP near a Bulk Material Storage Site for a Steel Plant
by Yen-Yi Lee, Sheng-Lun Lin, Bo-Wun Huang, Justus Kavita Mutuku and Guo-Ping Chang-Chien
Atmosphere 2022, 13(11), 1937; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13111937 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1457
Abstract
The concentrations of total suspended particles (TSPs) on four buildings near a steel plant’s bulk material storage site for iron ore, coal, limestone, and sinter were evaluated for summer and winter, where the concentrations were 58 (17–55) μg m−3 and 125 (108–155) [...] Read more.
The concentrations of total suspended particles (TSPs) on four buildings near a steel plant’s bulk material storage site for iron ore, coal, limestone, and sinter were evaluated for summer and winter, where the concentrations were 58 (17–55) μg m−3 and 125 (108–155) μg m−3, respectively. A multivariate regression analysis of meteorological parameters with TSP concentrations indicates that temperature, wind speed, and frequency of rainfall are potential predictors of TSP concentrations, where the respective p values for the model are p = 0.005, p = 0.049, and p = 0.046. The strong correlation between usual co-pollutants, CO, NO2, and NOX with TSP concentrations, as indicated by the Pearson correlation values of 0.87, 0.86, and 0.77, respectively, implies substantial pollution from mobile sources. The weak correlation of SO2 with TSP concentrations rules out a significant pollution contribution from power plants. The speciation of TSPs in winter showed the percentage proportions of water-soluble ions, metal elements, and carbon content in winter as 60%, 15%, and 25%, while in summer, they were 68%, 14%, and 18%, respectively. Water-soluble ions were the most significant composition for both seasons, where the predominant species in summer and winter are SO42− and NO3−, respectively. In the TSP metal elements profile, the proportion of natural origin ones exceeded those from anthropogenic sources. The health risk assessment indicates a significant cancer risk posed by chromium, while that posed by other metal elements including Co, Ni, As, and Pb are insignificant. Additionally, all metal elements’ chronic daily occupational exposure levels were below the reference doses except for Cu and Zn. Insights from this investigation can inform decisions on the design of the TSP-capturing mechanism. Specifically, water sprays to capture the water-soluble portion would substantially reduce the amplified concentrations of TSPs, especially in winter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution in Industrial Regions)
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11 pages, 1382 KiB  
Article
Does Light Pollution Affect Nighttime Ground-Level Ozone Concentrations?
by Syabiha Shith, Nor Azam Ramli, Norrimi Rosaida Awang, Mohd Rodzi Ismail, Mohd Talib Latif and Nazatul Syadia Zainordin
Atmosphere 2022, 13(11), 1844; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13111844 - 06 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2283
Abstract
Ground-level ozone (O3) is mainly produced during daytime in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light and later destroyed by nitrogen oxides during nighttime. However, light pollution caused by the excessive use of artificial lights may disrupt the chemistry of night-time ground-level [...] Read more.
Ground-level ozone (O3) is mainly produced during daytime in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light and later destroyed by nitrogen oxides during nighttime. However, light pollution caused by the excessive use of artificial lights may disrupt the chemistry of night-time ground-level O3 by providing enough energy to initiate nighttime ground-level O3 production. In this study, nighttime (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.) ground-level O3, nitrogen oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxides (NO2) concentrations were observed for three years (2013, 2014, and 2015). The existence of O3 was found during nighttime, especially in urban areas with a concentration range of 8–20 ppb. The results suggested that nighttime variations of ground-level O3 concentrations were higher in urban areas than in suburban areas. The mean nighttime O3 concentration at urban sites varied, possibly because the distribution of anthropogenic lights around the urban sites is brighter than in suburban locations, as indicated by the data from the light-pollution map. This anthropogenic light has not caused the suspected nighttime photolysis processes, which directly slowed nighttime oxidation. The photochemistry rate of JNO2/k3 was supposed to be near zero because of the absence of photochemical reactions at night. However, the minimum concentration in all urban and suburban sites ranged from 2–3 ppb, indicating that O3 might also form at night, albeit not due to light pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution in Industrial Regions)
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17 pages, 1917 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Evaluation of Odor-Causing VOCs from the Painting Process of the Automobile Manufacturing Industry and Its Sustainable Management
by Vanitchaya Kultan, Sarawut Thepanondh, Nattaporn Pinthong, Jutarat Keawboonchu and Mark Robson
Atmosphere 2022, 13(9), 1515; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091515 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2761
Abstract
Automotive manufacturing is one of the potential sources of air pollution particularly involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study intensively evaluated VOC emissions and their dispersion from the industry. The measured VOCs were speciated for further evaluation of their odor threats according to [...] Read more.
Automotive manufacturing is one of the potential sources of air pollution particularly involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study intensively evaluated VOC emissions and their dispersion from the industry. The measured VOCs were speciated for further evaluation of their odor threats according to the characteristics of each compound. Mathematical emission and air dispersion models were applied to assist in elaborating the source–receptor relationship allowing the determining of existing business-as-usual conditions with proposed mitigation measures to manage the pollution of the factory studied in this paper. Seven VOC species potentially caused odor problems to the surrounding community, including 1-butanol, ethyl benzene, toluene, m,p xylene, o xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, and methyl isobutyl ketone. The results from the AERMOD dispersion model revealed that the smell from these chemicals could reach up to about 800 m from the source. Analysis of mitigation measures indicated that two interesting scenarios should be considered according to their effectiveness. The concentrations of VOCs can decrease by up to 4.7, 14.0 and 24.9% from increasing the physical stack height by +1, +3 and +5 m from its existing height, respectively. Modification of the aeration tank of the wastewater treatment unit to a closed system also helped to reduce about 27.8% of emissions resulting in about a 27.6% decreased ambient air concentration. This study provided useful information on the characteristics of VOCs emitted by the automobile manufacturing industry. It also demonstrated the relevant procedures and highlights the necessity to comprehensively analyze the source–receptor relationship to evaluate the most appropriate measures in managing industrial air pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution in Industrial Regions)
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16 pages, 54228 KiB  
Article
A Deep Learning Approach for Meter-Scale Air Quality Estimation in Urban Environments Using Very High-Spatial-Resolution Satellite Imagery
by Meytar Sorek-Hamer, Michael Von Pohle, Adwait Sahasrabhojanee, Ata Akbari Asanjan, Emily Deardorff, Esra Suel, Violet Lingenfelter, Kamalika Das, Nikunj C. Oza, Majid Ezzati and Michael Brauer
Atmosphere 2022, 13(5), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13050696 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5193
Abstract
High-spatial-resolution air quality (AQ) mapping is important for identifying pollution sources to facilitate local action. Some of the most populated cities in the world are not equipped with the infrastructure required to monitor AQ levels on the ground and must rely on other [...] Read more.
High-spatial-resolution air quality (AQ) mapping is important for identifying pollution sources to facilitate local action. Some of the most populated cities in the world are not equipped with the infrastructure required to monitor AQ levels on the ground and must rely on other sources, such as satellite derived estimates, to monitor AQ. Current satellite-data-based models provide AQ mapping on a kilometer scale at best. In this study, we focus on producing hundred-meter-scale AQ maps for urban environments in developed cities. We examined the feasibility of an image-based object-detection analysis approach using very high-spatial-resolution (2.5 m) commercial satellite imagery. We fed the satellite imagery to a deep neural network (DNN) to learn the association between visual urban features and air pollutants. The developed model, which solely uses satellite imagery, was tested and evaluated using both ground monitoring observations and land-use regression modeled PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations over London, Vancouver (BC), Los Angeles, and New York City. The results demonstrate a low error with a total RMSE < 2 µg/m3 and highlight the contribution of specific urban features, such as green areas and roads, to continuous hundred-meter-scale AQ estimations. This approach offers promise for scaling to global applications in developed and developing urban environments. Further analysis on domain transferability will enable application of a parsimonious model based merely on satellite images to create hundred-meter-scale AQ maps in developing cities, where current and historical ground data are limited. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Air Pollution in Industrial Regions)
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