RESEARCH: Optimizing the Mix of Strategies for Control of Vehicular Emissions

/ A number of strategies for the control of vehicular emissions are being considered by the Philippine government to address Metropolitan Manila's air quality problem. An analytical tool is needed for optimizing criteria pollutant reductions given the budgetary constraints. The simplest approach is to take costs and pollutant removals to be linear with each strategy's scale of activity, and this is readily solved as a linear programming problem. Another approach is to use a dynamic system of weights which shift with progressive improvements in pollutant emissions. The two approaches yield somewhat different results, suggesting the sensitivity of the solution to the assumed weights. The study also illustrates the importance of a sound methodology for evaluating priorities given to different air quality goals. One such methodology may involve a polling of expert panels and the public to gain insight into the relative importance given to competing emissions reduction goals. An informal polling of resource agency staff was conducted and discussed in this paper. The authors take the position that proper planning involves tracing intermediate steps to the final outcome and not just focusing on the latter.KEY WORDS: Vehicular emissions; Urban air quality; Emissions control; Optimization; Manila; Environmental systems analysis     

Spatial & temporal variations of PM10 and particle number concentrations in urban air

The size of particles in urban air varies over four orders of magnitude (from 0.001 μm to 10 μm in diameter). In many cities only particle mass concentrations (PM10, i.e. particles <10 μm diameter) is measured. In this paper we analyze how differences in emissions, background concentrations and meteorology affect the temporal and spatial distribution of PM10 and total particle number concentrations (PNC) based on measurements and dispersion modeling in Stockholm, Sweden. PNC at densely trafficked kerbside locations are dominated by ultrafine particles (<0.1 μm diameter) due to vehicle exhaust emissions as verified by high correlation with NOx. But PNC contribute only marginally to PM10, due to the small size of exhaust particles. Instead wear of the road surface is an important factor for the highest PM10 concentrations observed. In Stockholm, road wear increases drastically due to the use of studded tires and traction sand on streets during winter; up to 90% of the locally emitted PM10 may be due to road abrasion. PM10 emissions and concentrations, but not PNC, at kerbside are controlled by road moisture. Annual mean urban background PM10 levels are relatively uniformly distributed over the city, due to the importance of long range transport. For PNC local sources often dominate the concentrations resulting in large temporal and spatial gradients in the concentrations. Despite these differences in the origin of PM10 and PNC, the spatial gradients of annual mean concentrations due to local sources are of equal magnitude due to the common source, namely traffic. Thus, people in different areas experiencing a factor of 2 different annual PM10 exposure due to local sources will also experience a factor of 2 different exposure in terms of PNC. This implies that health impact studies based solely on spatial differences in annual exposure to PM10 may not separate differences in health effects due to ultrafine and coarse particles. On the other hand, health effect assessments based on time series exposure analysis of PM10 and PNC, should be able to observe differences in health effects of ultrafine particles versus coarse particles.     

Long Term Trends in Concentration of Major Pollutants (SO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, CO,NO, NO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and PM<Subscript>10</Subscript>) in Prague – Czech Republic (Analysis of Data Between 1992 and 2005)

To assess the effect of changes in traffic density and fuels used for heating at the beginning of the 1990s, 1992–2005 monthly averages of PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂, NO, CO and O₃ from Prague, the Czech capital, were analyzed together with long term trends in emissions of major pollutants, fuel consumption and number of vehicles registered in Prague. The data from all monitoring stations were retrieved from the database of the state automated monitoring system. Correlation coefficients between ambient monthly averaged temperature and all pollutants of concern showed distinct seasonal trends. The results showed that while SO₂ and to some extent also CO concentrations dropped namely in the first half of the analyzed period (1992–1997) as a result decreased fossil fuel consumption for local heating, the behaviour of other pollutant concentrations followed a different pattern. PM₁₀ concentrations decreased during the beginning of the 1990s but showed a sign of increase after 2000. Concentrations of ozone and NO₂ did not reveal any significant change throughout the whole studied period. It can be concluded that during the studied period traditional urban sources of pollution, such as coal and oil combustion, lost their importance but were simultaneously substituted by pollutants from automotive transport (namely PM and NO₂) making the problem of air quality even worse.     

Comparison of two metal surveys by moss Tortula ruralis in Budapest, Hungary

Moss transplants of Tortula ruralis were used as active biomonitoring organisms as part of a monitoring study to assess the metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) associated with ambient particles on mosses in Budapest, the capital town of Hungary. The moss samples were collected in a nature conservation area from a semi-arid sand grassland (Festucetum vaginatae danubiale), less than 1 month before transplantation. Moss cushions were exposed to pollution in Budapest during October–November 1993 and February–March 1994. In the study area, 16 sites were marked out as measuring sites, in accordance with the structure of the city. A similar stand was established in the Botanical Gardens of the Szent István University in Gödöll? as a control site. ICP-AES analysis of moss for metals showed the ability of Tortula ruralis to accumulate the metals under study. Control site showed lower impact in comparison to the other sites.     

Interaction Between the Environment and Animals in Urban Settings: Integrated and Participatory Planning

In urban ecosystems, the ecological system has become completely unbalanced; this, in turn, has led to an increase in well-known problems such as air pollution, ground pollution, and water pollution. This imbalance has also led to the growth and spread of pathogens harmful to man, animals, and plants. Urban sustainability indicators, both global and local, also “indicate” the percentage of population, but these refer only to the human population, not the animal population. Cities need good waste, water, and air management, effective traffic planning, and good zoning of businesses, crafts, and services; over and above these activities, cities also need for planning to take into account the existence of pets (dogs, cats, and etc.) and nonpet animals (insects, birds, mice, etc.). Cities tend to be designed around humans and “on a human scale,” without taking into account the fact that a huge animal population is living side by side with people. That explains why overcrowding tends to go hand in hand with urbanization; all these populations, including humans, need to adapt to new spaces and often need to drastically change their behavior. This is a fact that must be included when drafting sustainable city plans. The supposed strategy is that of “integrated-participatory” control of the interactions between the environment and animals in the cities. Strategy will focus on the development of integrated approaches and tools for environment and animal management in the context of urban settings. This will require such specific methods as ecological balance sheets and ecoplans for the planning, management, and control of the interrelation among environment, animal, and public health. The objective is to develop a better understanding of urban biodiversity and of urban ecosystem functioning, in order to understand and minimize the negative impacts of human activities on them. The research will focus on assessing and forecasting changes in urban biodiversity, structure, function, and dynamics of urban ecosystems, with relationships among society, economy, biodiversity, and habitats.     

基于生态安全的快速城市化地区空间冲突测度 ——以长株潭城市群为例

空间冲突是城市化过程中各种矛盾形成与激化的直接原因,是影响区域可持续发展的关键因素,合理测度快速城市化地区的空间冲突水平,对于优化区域发展模式、 避免区域生态风险具有重要意义。在利用遥感与GIS技术分析长株潭近年来空间格局变化的基础上,量化影响区域生态安全的空间外部压力值、 生态风险暴露值、 生态风险效应值3个因子,构建基于生态安全的空间冲突测度模型,对长株潭地区的空间冲突水平进行评估。研究表明:近年来长株潭地区的空间冲突作用强度总体呈现上升趋势,1993—2008年其冲突指数均值由0.264增长到0.323,且严重失控级别空间冲突的区域面积比例增幅最大,达1.07倍;不同空间类型的空间冲突强度不同,林地、 耕地的空间冲突水平相对较低,建设用地的空间冲突水平较高;城乡过渡地带是空间格局变化最为频繁、 空间冲突最为激烈的区域,其次是城市内部,农村地区的空间冲突强度远远低于城市。     

城市轨道交通浮置式减振措施的减振降噪效果

从分析轨道交通地下隧道振动传播特征出发,说明了地下振动的传播规律,并给出了不同埋深条件下地下振动影响范围的经验公式;结合地下振动激发频率特征的分析,对减振措施的减振效果的合理评价量进行了分析,指出采用Z计权减振效果评价量将获得与实际应用效果一致的降噪效果。结合两种浮置式减振措施减振降噪效果的实测,指出浮置板道床的减振效果应采用安装减振垫浮置板道床前后桥面的Z振级差来评价,而不宜采用轨面与桥梁直接的振级落差来评价。对橡胶减振垫以及钢弹簧浮置板的实测减振降噪效果进行了介绍。     

闽三角城市群自然资本损失评估

在快速城镇化进程中,城市群发展在促进区域经济竞争与合作的同时,也在一定程度上造成人地关系矛盾的加剧,生态系统服务水平下降。为了量化城镇化对自然资本产生的变动,揭示人类资源消耗过程对区域生态系统服务的影响机制,以快速城镇化的典型区域——闽三角城市群为例,运用能值分析方法与GIS技术,分析了2000-2015年闽三角城市群可更新资源时空演变特征,城镇化进程中生态环境价值演变规律以及土地转化过程中的自然资本损失。研究结果表明：（1）闽三角城市群可更新资源在时间上呈波动减小趋势,空间上自沿海区域向内陆区域逐渐升高;（2）高环境质量等级中城镇用地面积占比呈显著增加趋势,由0增加到10.63%,人类活动导致区域生态环境价值的损失逐渐上升;（3）城镇化过程中由于城市空间扩张,使部分自然用地与农业用地转化为城镇用地,转化过程造成的自然资本损失总量为1.27×10²² seJ,货币价值超过6.30×10⁹元。研究有助于完善城镇化影响下的生态环境效应研究,为城市群或区域生态环境管理与修复提供决策参考。     

Quality of roof runoff waters from an urban region (Gda sk, Poland)

The paper presents the results of testing of roof runoff waters from buildings in the city of Gda sk (Poland), carried out as a part of a broader research project aimed at the determination of pollutant levels in precipitation. The analytes determined included volatile organohalogen compounds, petroleum hydrocarbons, Na⁺, K⁺, NH₄⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, F⁻, Cl⁻, NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻, PO₄³⁻, SO₄²⁻ ions, as well as organonitrogen, organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides. In addition, the toxicity and pH of the samples were examined. The samples were collected over a period of six months, during or immediately following precipitation events. More than half of the samples (25) were found to be toxic, with inhibition exceeding 20%. The toxicity was weakly correlated to the levels of organonitrogen and organophosphorus pesticides in runoff waters. It was established that at least in some cases the roofing material affected the levels of the pollutants found in the samples.     

The brief as an instrument of policy

A review of the use of planning and design briefs by local authorities in the United Kingdom was carried out in 1982–83 to test whether the role of the brief as an instrument of local policy and as a promotional tool in the development process was being fully exploited. The paper provides a state of the art review, presents a summary of the findings and offers some comments on the results. It concludes that most authorities now use briefs as part of their normal planning procedures, but that there is potential which is not yet being exploited.