Tijuca forest contribution to the improvement of air quality and wellbeing of citizens in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The Tijuca Forest, one of the largest urban forests in the world, is a protected area of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. The forest and the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro coexist and interact, but their mutual influence regarding air quality is still not well known and a more detailed study is needed. Here, air samples were collected inside the forest, in Tijuca National Park (TNP) and Grajaú State Park (GSP) and in two representative urban areas (Tijuca and Del Castilho Districts). Sampling was performed using stainless steel canisters, and ozone precursor hydrocarbons (HCs) were analyzed with the aid of heart-cutting multidimensional gas chromatography. The sampling points within the forest are currently visited by hundreds of people. Total HC concentrations within the green area were clearly lower than in the urbanized districts, in spite of the anthropogenic impact of visitors and the proximity of the urban area. Median values were 21.5, 35.5, 57.9 and 148.6 μg m−3 at TNP, GSP, Tijuca and Del Castilho, respectively. Total HC concentrations were Del Castilho > Tijuca > GSP > TNP. The kinetic reactivity and ozone-forming potential of individual HCs were evaluated, as well as the intrinsic reactivity of air masses. The air masses in the urbanized area showed a higher average reactivity in all scales. In fact, in spite of the forest's contribution to isoprene emissions, its net contribution to ozone formation was lower than that of urbanized air masses, owing to a reduction in HC concentration, particularly for alkenes and monoaromatic compounds. It is not clear if the forest plays a role in the adsorption of pollutants or if it acts as a physical natural barrier to air masses carrying pollutants. Nonetheless, improving air quality within Tijuca Forest is essential to the welfare of citizens.