Impact of emission control strategies on air quality: a case study in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo-Brazil

Author(s)

Maciel, F. M. ; Sartim, R. ; Martins, L. D. ; Carvalho, V. S. B. ; Pedruzzi, R. ; Andreao, W. L. ; Abreu, G. C. ; Albuquerque, T. T. de A.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; v. 19, n. 6, p. 12-pg., 2021-06-13.

Abstract

Assessing the contribution of multiple air pollutant sources is essential to effective emission control policy design, towards which numerical air quality modelling can provide fundamental guidance. In Piracicaba, an industrial municipality in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a straightforward control strategy focusing on local direct and precursor emission reduction has been proposed, as part of a state-wide program following the update of state Air Quality Standards in 2013. The WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ modelling system was used to investigate the effectiveness of the control scenario proposed in achieving expected air quality levels. Meteorological fields were modelled using the WRF model, for two 7-day periods (January 11-17 in summer and July 26 to Aug 01 in winter) during 2015. Emission scenarios were prepared using the SMOKE pre-processor, by combining a local industrial emission inventory with global emissions from the EDGAR HTAP_V2 database, for input in CMAQ modelling system. EDGAR industrial PM emission rate was similar to local inventory rate: 14% and 22% overestimated in summer and winter, respectively, albeit poorly spatially distributed, hindering its applicability in local studies. A 20% reduction in PM emissions improves average PM ambient levels in up to 15.5%, but a 20% reduction in O-3 precursors emissions hardly impacts average O-3 concentration levels (< 1%). The proposed control strategies may result in an overall improvement of air quality, albeit smaller than originally expected. Therefore, the emission control policy design should be revised, since the relation between local emissions and ambient air concentrations is often nonlinear. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/18438-0 - São Paulo Metropolitan Area, jointly tracking climate change and air quality - METROCLIMA-MASP
• Grantee: Maria de Fátima Andrade
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants