title: The impact of an urban park on air pollution and noise levels in the Mediterranean city of Tel-Aviv, Israel.
abstract: This study examines the influence of urban parks on air quality and noise in the city of Tel-Aviv, Israel, by investigation of an urban park, an urban square and a street canyon. Simultaneous monitoring of several air pollutants and noise levels were conducted. The results showed that urban parks can reduce NOx, CO and PM10 and increase O3 concentrations and that park's mitigation effect is greater at higher NOx and PM10 levels. During extreme events, mean values of 413 ppb NOx and 80 μG/m3 PM10 were measured in the street while mean values of 89 ppb NOx and 24 μG/m3 PM10 were measured in the park. Whereas summer highest O3 values of 84 ppb were measured in the street, 94 ppb were measured in the park. The benefit of the urban park in reducing NOx and PM10 concentrations is more significant than the disadvantage of increased O3 levels. Furthermore, urban parks can reduce noise by ∼5 dB(A).
authors.affiliation: The Porter School of Environmental Studies, Tel Aviv University, Israel; Department of Geography and the Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: 51pninit@bezeqint.net.
authors.forename: Pninit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and the Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, Israel; Dept. of Geography, Beit Berl Academic College, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: potchter@post.tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Potchter
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography and the Human Environment, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: schnell@post.tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Izhak
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schnell
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D009622:Noise; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants
keywords: AQI; Air pollution; Noise attenuation; PM(10); Urban vegetation