Article: How does the use of biodiesel affect urban air quality? Journal: International Journal of Environment and Pollution (IJEP) 2015 Vol.58 No.1/2 pp.79 - 88 Abstract: This study aims to assess the influence of the use of a B20 fuel by road transports on urban air quality. For this purpose emission scenarios were designed and their impacts on air quality assessed using the WRF-EURAD modelling system applied over the Porto urban area. The scenarios consider emissions of CO, NOx, NMVOC, PM10, PM2.5, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein and benzene from the use of pure diesel (reference scenario) and the use of a diesel blended with 20%(v/v) of biodiesel (B20 scenario). The results reveal that the use of B20 fuels improves the air quality over the Porto urban area, reducing the concentrations of most of the studied pollutants, with the exception of NO2. However, the concentrations vary in a small amount. Despite carbonyl compound emissions not being considered as individual input for the WRF-EURAD numerical modelling system, the equivalent ozone production estimated from the compound's emission variations indicate that the use of B20 can increase the O3 concentrations over the Porto urban area. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: How does the use of biodiesel affect urban air quality?

Authors: I. Ribeiro; A. Monteiro; H. Martins; S. Freitas; C. Borrego; M. Lopes

Addresses: CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal ' CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

Abstract: This study aims to assess the influence of the use of a B20 fuel by road transports on urban air quality. For this purpose emission scenarios were designed and their impacts on air quality assessed using the WRF-EURAD modelling system applied over the Porto urban area. The scenarios consider emissions of CO, NO_x, NMVOC, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein and benzene from the use of pure diesel (reference scenario) and the use of a diesel blended with 20%(v/v) of biodiesel (B20 scenario). The results reveal that the use of B20 fuels improves the air quality over the Porto urban area, reducing the concentrations of most of the studied pollutants, with the exception of NO₂. However, the concentrations vary in a small amount. Despite carbonyl compound emissions not being considered as individual input for the WRF-EURAD numerical modelling system, the equivalent ozone production estimated from the compound's emission variations indicate that the use of B20 can increase the O₃ concentrations over the Porto urban area.

Keywords: biodiesel; urban areas; pollutant emissions; air quality; biofuels; cities; air pollution; road transport; vehicle emissions; Portugal; ozone; O3 concentrations; WRF-EURAD modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2015.076585

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2015 Vol.58 No.1/2, pp.79 - 88

Received: 26 Dec 2014
Accepted: 28 Oct 2015
Published online: 16 May 2016 *

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Title: How does the use of biodiesel affect urban air quality?

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