Title: Lisbon air quality: evaluating traffic hot-spots

Authors: Abel Martins, Mario Cerqueira, Francisco Ferreira, Carlos Borrego, Jorge H. Amorim

Addresses: Campus da Caparica Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Department of Sciences and Environmental Engineering, New University of Lisbon, 2829 – 516 Caparica, Portugal. ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810 – 193 Aveiro, Portugal. ' Campus da Caparica Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Department of Sciences and Environmental Engineering, New University of Lisbon, 2829 – 516 Caparica, Portugal. ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810 – 193 Aveiro, Portugal. ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810 – 193 Aveiro, Portugal

Abstract: This paper presents an air quality study in an urban traffic hot-spot in Lisbon, Portugal, by comparing the atmospheric pollutant concentrations obtained by a numerical model with measured values. Results indicate that the mean variation of particle and gaseous concentrations followed the traffic flow rate, evidencing the occurrence of PM₁₀ concentrations greater than the respective air quality limit. SO₂ and CO results fulfil the national legislation. The performed simulations showed that current methodologies for PM₁₀ dispersion modelling allow to obtain acceptable results on air quality assessment within complex urban areas.

Keywords: air quality; CFD model; particulate matter; road traffic emissions; air pollution; environmental pollution; computational fluid dynamics; Portugal; Lisbon; dispersion models; modelling; urban areas.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2009.028693

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2009 Vol.39 No.3/4, pp.306 - 320

Published online: 23 Sep 2009 *

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