The measurement of roadway PM 10 emission rates using atmospheric tracer ratio techniques

Abstract

In this work, stationary and mobile point source tracer release techniques have been used to determine PM 10 emission rates from four-lane commercial/residential paved roads under sanded and unsanded conditions, and from unpaved roads relative to site-specific vehicular and ambient parameters. Measured street (4 + lanes; ⩾ 10,000 vehicles per day) emission factors for unsanded and sanded roads were 40 and 20% lower, respectively, than the EPA approved reference value. The sanded road emission factor was approximately 40% higher than that for the unsanded road. These results indicate a consistent relationship between PM 10 and relative humidity under unsanded conditions. There is some evidence to suggest that street sweeping has a measurable effect on PM,, emission reduction during periods of low relative humidity (i.e. ⩽ 30%). Within the constraints imposed by the variable experimental conditions, the emission factors determined for unpaved roads agreed reasonably well with the unpaved road empirical formula. Limited correlations were observed with ambient meteorological parameters. The capability of the “upwind-dowiawind” concentration modeling method to predict accurate emission was tested using a Gaussian dispersion model (SIMFLUX). Predictions agreed well with the experimentally determined emission factors.