Abstract
Traffic jams are a common phenomenon in Indonesia’s big cities due to the proliferation of private vehicles. The resulting air pollution directly threatens public health and urban quality of life. This research is to identify and analyze air pollution levels and forecast the potential to improve air quality by developing mass public transportation. This research employs the dust sampler method to measure the air pollution levels and calculate traffic volume, while the simulation method is used to analyze the data. The results show that the air pollution levels detected exceed the air quality thresholds established by regulations in the Decision by the Minister of Health and Environment. Traffic jam levels indicated by the Degree of Saturation (SD) were determined to be, on average, > 0.75. The simulation results show that by changing modes of transportation traffic jam levels decrease, ranging from 0.2201 to 0.291(DS), and air pollution decreases. Specifically, nitrogen oxides (NOx) are reduced by 48.19 %; sulfur dioxide (SO2) is reduced by 51.77 %; particulate matter (PM) is reduced by 29.86%; lead (Pb) is reduced by 52.22%; and carbon monoxide (CO) is reduced by 52.15%. This research suggests the mass public transportation planning should be implemented.
Highlights
Traffic jams have become a common phenomenon in Indonesia’s largest cities, resulting in elevated levels of air pollution that decrease air quality and have a detrimental effect on quality of life for the inhabitants [2,3,6,11]
The results show that the air pollution levels detected exceed the air quality thresholds established by regulations in the Decision by the Minister of Health and Environment
Based on the preliminary observations and the simulated analytical results conducted with 3 scenarios and 3 observation points, it can be concluded that: 1. The air pollution levels as previously observed, consisting of NO2 = 13.681 to 33.873 ug/m3, SO2 = 8.905 to 88.259 ug/m3, particulate matter (PM) = 101.961 to 434.564 ug/m3, Pb = 0.002 to 0.090 ug/m3 and carbon monoxide (CO) = 60.142 to 238.844 ug/m3, are above the standard limits mandated by the Ministry of Health and Environment in Decision number: Kep-35/MENLH/10/1993
Summary
Traffic jams have become a common phenomenon in Indonesia’s largest cities, resulting in elevated levels of air pollution that decrease air quality and have a detrimental effect on quality of life for the inhabitants [2,3,6,11]. Some previous research includes a study conducted by Wibowo [14] on air pollution emitted from vehicles entitled “Pencemaran Udara Akibat Emisi Gas Buang Kendaraan Bermotor” (Air Pollution Resulted from the Vehicles’ Exhaust Gas Emission) discuss one substance released by the vehicles’ combustion, that is, carbon dioxide gas (CO2), which negatively impacts climate change and human life. Research [5, 8, 10] on gas dispersal patterns of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the northern part of Semarang city which studied the area’s ambient air quality was conducted due to the dangerous effects of NO2 on human health such as respiratory disorders [5, 8, and 10]. The highest ambient concentration of NO2, approximately 300 μg/m3, was detected in the Tambakrejo area This concentration is deemed unsafe for human health since it exceeds the gold standard limits for air quality which is 150 μg/m3 [5]. It is hoped that this study of air pollution levels may provide assistance to the Semarang City government in order to make and implement urban transportation plans, resulting in an environmentally-friendly city
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