Location of areas of emission of pollutants when poor urban air quality is detected

D. MELLADO; M.A. GUTIERREZ; J.E COLMAN LERNER; P.M. DEMETRIO; A. PORTA; P. JACOVKIS; E.Y.SANCHEZ

International Journal of Environment and Health

Inderscience Publishers

Año: 2020 vol. 10 p. 93 - 106

1743-4955

Air pollution constitutes an environmental risk, evidenced in large urban centers. This work applies a methodology capable of detecting the areas of emission of pollutants when episodes of poor urban air quality are observed. This is carried out-coupling air quality indices proposed by United States Environmental Protection Agency with the receptor model known as Nonparametric Trajectory Analysis. As a control case, observed concentrations (2013-2015) in Bahia Blanca (Argentina) were analyzed, highlighting particulate matter as a dominant pollutant for episodes of poor air quality. Likewise, the application of the methodology allowed to reduce the number of possible stationary emission sources by 75%, and to highlight the implication of nearby linear sources. The strength of themethodology lies in visualizing in real-time, or in diagnostic mode the potential areas of emission and their significance