Examining the Amount of Particulate Matter (PM) Emissions in Urban Areas

Abstract

Particulate matter significantly contributes to environmental pollution, negatively affects human health and irreparably damages all living things. The purpose of the research is to help determine the concentration of particulate matter in metropolitan areas. Three measuring stations in a city in central Slovakia were selected for the research. The sites were located at the main bus terminal, near primary schools, and at a railway crossing. Each station formed a measuring point. During the investigation, we monitored the amount of flying dust; at the same time, the intensity of traffic in the vicinity of the measuring stations was monitored. The research made it possible to determine the link between the volume of traffic and the concentration of particulate matter. The level of dependence between the concentration of particulate matter and the volume was first evaluated based on correlation coefficients. From the results of the research, it is possible to consider the dependence of the concentration of pollutants and the intensity of traffic as high. For each measurement, the correlation coefficient values were above 0.7 and, in some cases, exceeded 0.9, which can be considered very high levels of dependence. The highest level of pollution was detected at the bus station where the concentration of PM10 exceeded the value of 83 μg/m3 and the concentration of PM2.5 was at a level exceeding the limit of 16 μg/m3. This evidence can be considered very negative due to the high occurrence of people in this place. Different concentrations of particulate matter can also be monitored at other measuring points. According to research results, metropolitan road transport has a significant impact on the concentration of particulate matter, which have an adverse effect on nearby pedestrians.