title: Effects of road dust suppressants on PM levels in a Mediterranean urban area.
abstract: The abatement of road dust emissions is currently a major challenge for sustainable transportation, causing exceedances of limits on particulate matter (PM) and high population exposures to mineral dust and metals. Mitigation measures have been proposed such as improved street cleaning and the use of dust suppressants. This study evaluated, for the first time, the effectiveness of calcium-magnesium acetate (CMA) and MgCl2 in reducing road dust emissions in a Mediterranean city. During a two-month campaign, a typical urban road in the city of Barcelona was sprayed, and changes in PMx levels and components were monitored at four traffic sites and one background monitoring sites. The integrated results indicate no statistically significant effectiveness of dust suppressants on PM10 and PM2.5-10 levels. Episodic reductions of Al, K, Mg, Cr, Li, Cu, and Zn were observed during CMA applications, but they were not systematically statistically significant over different stations and spreading days. MgCl2 days showed lower PM10 mean concentrations, but these reductions were not statistically significant and were not supported by significant drops in mineral and brake-wear metals. Based on our literature review, it can be postulated that the higher the road dust loading, the higher the dust suppressant effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Spanish Research Council (IDAEA-CSIC) , c/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karanasiou
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cordoba
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alastuey
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucarelli
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nava
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calzolai
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Querol
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry; D000388:Air; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D002947:Cities; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D008970:Molecular Weight; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain; D014186:Transportation; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; D008670:Metals; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D015636:Magnesium Chloride