Variability of particle number, black carbon, and PM10, PM 2.5, and PM1 Levels and Speciation: Influence of road traffic emissions on urban air quality

Abstract

Measurements of particle number concentration (N), black carbon (BC), and PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 levels and speciation were carried out at an urban background monitoring site in Barcelona. Daily variability of all aerosol monitoring parameters was highly influenced by road traffic emissions and meteorology. The levels of N, BC, PMX, CO, NO, and NO 2 increased during traffic rush hours, reflecting exhaust, and non-exhaust traffic emissions and then decreased by the effect of breezes and the reduction of traffic intensity. PM2.5-10 levels did not decrease during the day as a result of dust resuspension by traffic and wind. N showed a second peak, registered in the afternoon and parallel to O3 levels and solar radiation intensity, that may be attributed to photochemical nucleation of precursor gases. An increasing trend was observed for PM1 levels from 1999 to 2006, related to the increase in the traffic flow and the diesel fleet in Barcelona. PM composition was highly influenced by road traffic emissions, with exhaust emissions being an important source of PM1 and dust resuspension processes of PM2.5-10, respectively. Copyright © American Association for Aerosol Research.