Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, Mexico
Abstract In the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, road tunnels offer drivers an effective means of avoiding traffic congestion. Additionally, they enable pedestrians to reduce their travel time and distance. However, exposure to elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM), includin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210039 |
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| author | Adrián Zamorategui-Molina Norma L. Gutiérrez-Ortega Juan Carlos Baltazar-Vera Julio Del Ángel-Soto David Tirado-Torres |
| author_facet | Adrián Zamorategui-Molina Norma L. Gutiérrez-Ortega Juan Carlos Baltazar-Vera Julio Del Ángel-Soto David Tirado-Torres |
| author_sort | Adrián Zamorategui-Molina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, road tunnels offer drivers an effective means of avoiding traffic congestion. Additionally, they enable pedestrians to reduce their travel time and distance. However, exposure to elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM), including PM2.5 and PM10 consisting of vehicle-emitted particles and resuspended dust, poses risks to human health. Hence, we monitored the CO, PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations; wind speed; and number of vehicles in three popular tunnels among pedestrians, all of which exhibited relatively high levels of pollution, in Guanajuato. We evaluated the CO concentration using a portable non-dispersive infrared radiation (NDIR) sensor (ALTAIR Pro Single-Gas Detector) and the PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations using a handheld mass monitor equipped with a high-precision laser sensor (Aerocet 831). We then employed X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to analyze the mineralogy, chemical composition, and morphology of the PM, respectively. Although the average CO concentration fell below the World Health Organization (WHO)’s guideline of 50 ppm for a 30-minute exposure, the average PM10 concentration exceeded the guideline of 50 µg m–3 for a 24-hour exposure inside all three tunnels. The high emission factors we found demonstrate the necessity of installing ventilation systems in these passageways. Lastly, the chemical components of the PM corresponded to the mineral dust originating from the eroded rock (mainly rhyolite), soil, and fortifying construction material inside the tunnels. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-eb6b2430887f4fd5bf7d1987d85d1ff0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-eb6b2430887f4fd5bf7d1987d85d1ff02025-02-09T12:21:18ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092021-06-01211011710.4209/aaqr.210039Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, MexicoAdrián Zamorategui-Molina0Norma L. Gutiérrez-Ortega1Juan Carlos Baltazar-Vera2Julio Del Ángel-Soto3David Tirado-Torres4Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of GuanajuatoDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of GuanajuatoDepartment of Mine Engineering, Metallurgy and Geology, University of GuanajuatoDepartment of Chemical Engineering, University of GuanajuatoDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of GuanajuatoAbstract In the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, road tunnels offer drivers an effective means of avoiding traffic congestion. Additionally, they enable pedestrians to reduce their travel time and distance. However, exposure to elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM), including PM2.5 and PM10 consisting of vehicle-emitted particles and resuspended dust, poses risks to human health. Hence, we monitored the CO, PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations; wind speed; and number of vehicles in three popular tunnels among pedestrians, all of which exhibited relatively high levels of pollution, in Guanajuato. We evaluated the CO concentration using a portable non-dispersive infrared radiation (NDIR) sensor (ALTAIR Pro Single-Gas Detector) and the PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations using a handheld mass monitor equipped with a high-precision laser sensor (Aerocet 831). We then employed X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to analyze the mineralogy, chemical composition, and morphology of the PM, respectively. Although the average CO concentration fell below the World Health Organization (WHO)’s guideline of 50 ppm for a 30-minute exposure, the average PM10 concentration exceeded the guideline of 50 µg m–3 for a 24-hour exposure inside all three tunnels. The high emission factors we found demonstrate the necessity of installing ventilation systems in these passageways. Lastly, the chemical components of the PM corresponded to the mineral dust originating from the eroded rock (mainly rhyolite), soil, and fortifying construction material inside the tunnels.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210039COEmissions factorsPM2.5Underground road |
| spellingShingle | Adrián Zamorategui-Molina Norma L. Gutiérrez-Ortega Juan Carlos Baltazar-Vera Julio Del Ángel-Soto David Tirado-Torres Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, Mexico Aerosol and Air Quality Research CO Emissions factors PM2.5 Underground road |
| title | Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, Mexico |
| title_full | Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, Mexico |
| title_fullStr | Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, Mexico |
| title_short | Carbon Monoxide and Particulate Matter Concentrations inside the Road Tunnels of Guanajuato City, Mexico |
| title_sort | carbon monoxide and particulate matter concentrations inside the road tunnels of guanajuato city mexico |
| topic | CO Emissions factors PM2.5 Underground road |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210039 |
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