Shifted power-law relationship between NO2 concentration and the distance from a highway: A new dispersion model based on the wind profile model

In this paper, a shifted power-law model, based on the wind profile model, had been supposed to simulate concentration gradient of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) with distance from a highway. Field experiments were performed for NO₂ gradients from a highway in Shanghai by using passive samplers. The shifted power-law model was fitted well with experimental results of field experiments both in this study and in the literature. The results not only verified the validity of shifted power-law relationship between NO₂ concentration and the distance from a highway, but also partially demonstrated that there were some significant similarities between wind profile and air pollutants concentration profile near highway. With known concentration of chosen reference point and appropriate value of the parameter k, the model could be practically applied for predicting the NO₂ distributions near a highway. The methods of determining the parameter k were also discussed for further detailed studies.