Black carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions from vehicles in the United States-Mexico border region: pilot study.
The investigators developed a system to measure black carbon (BC) and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission factors during roadside sampling in four cities along the United States-Mexico border, Calexico/Mexicali and El Paso/Juarez. The measurement system included a photoacoustic analyzer for BC, a photoelectric aerosol sensor for particle-bound PAHs, and a carbon dioxide (CO2) analyzer. When a vehicle with measurable emissions passed the system probe, corresponding BC, PAH, and CO2 peaks were evident, and a fuel-based emission factor was estimated. A picture of each vehicle was also recorded with a digital camera. The advantage of this system, compared with other roadside methods, is the direct measurement of particulate matter components and limited interference from roadside dust. The study revealed some interesting trends: Mexican buses and all medium-duty trucks were more frequently identified as high emitters of BC and PAH than heavy-duty trucks or passenger vehicles. In addition, because of the high daily mileage of buses, they are good candidates for additional study. Mexican trucks and buses had higher average emission factors compared with U.S. trucks and buses, but the differences were not statistically significant. Few passenger vehicles had measurable BC and PAH emissions, although the highest emission factor came from an older model passenger vehicle licensed in Baja California.
Institute for Combustion & Energy Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84103, USA. kelly@eng.utah.edu
Kerry
K
Kelly
David
D
Wagner
JoAnn
J
Lighty
Margarito
M
Quintero Núñez
F Adrian
FA
Vazquez
Kimberly
K
Collins
Alberto
A
Barud-Zubillaga
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008800:Mexico; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon