Impact of road transport on the pollution of ambient air with particulate matter

Abstract

In many cases some media analyses of the influence of vehicles with internal combustion engines on the air pollution show that particulate matter with a size of PM10 and PM2.5 are over exaggerated. This problem in the publications is analysed from technical, rather than from emotional point of view. The tests are made for particulate matter with a size of PM10 and PM2.5 on a main road with intensive traffic in an average European city. The experiment in conducted in the city of Varna, Bulgaria, with a population of 380,000 citizen. The influence of different factors, such as humidity, distance from road and green areas is considered under the same road traffic. It is proven that exactly the above mentioned indirect factors are crucial for the level of pollution. There are different examples of household activities which particulate matter emissions are much higher that the permissible norm.