Concentration of air pollutants in an urban parking garage in Kuwait

Abstract

A microenvironment study of five representative parking garages throughout Kuwait city was presented. Measurements Of CO, NO, NO2 and CH4 concentrations, in three locations at each parking floor, repeated eight times at each floor, over a nine-month period inside five sample parking garages were reported. Mean CO concentration levels exceeded the mean 8 hr standard (9 ppm) in Al-Mothannah and Al-Saleheyah parking garages in the morning and evening periods and in Al-Fanar parking garage in the evening periods. CO concentration patterns showed the dependence of CO levels on parking garage size/capacity (number of stalls), temperature, humidity and the time of day. The findings indicated that high levels of mean CO concentration were detected in the large enclosed parking garages, during high temperatures and with high humidity levels and during the evening periods. The installation of CO sensors inside parking floors to detect the CO concentration levels continuously should be considered.