Air pollution is currently the most serious environmental risk worldwide. Air pollution is the re... more Air pollution is currently the most serious environmental risk worldwide. Air pollution is the result of different driving forces (demography, economic growth, consumption patterns, energy options, cultural traditions, etc.) constrained by climate conditions, urban shapes and development patterns, distance to industrial or mining activities, air quality regulations and plans, etc. Air quality has been improving in some of the largest cities in Latin America, yet in most of them ambient air quality standards are not attained. In Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico, the most polluted city is not the country’s capital, emphasizing the relevance of sustainable local governance. In countries that report air quality just for their capital cities, most of their pollution levels are above the respective national ambient air quality standards. There is less information for mid-sized cities, and the available results are mixed. We present case studies from several countries that show serious air quality exposure for millions of inhabitants, especially the low-income segment. We discuss environmental justice, urban governance, and citizen participation in decision-making processes, sustainable urban transport options, and gender issues throughout those case studies.
In the last two decades, the incorporation of green roofs and living walls in buildings has incre... more In the last two decades, the incorporation of green roofs and living walls in buildings has increased significantly worldwide because of their benefits such as building energy savings, promoting biodiversity, controlling water run-off, mitigating urban heat island effect, improving indoor and urban air quality, and connecting people with nature. However, few studies have quantified the impact of green roofs (GRs) and living walls (LWs) on mitigating air pollution, especially in semiarid climates where airborne particle matter (PM) levels are high. Therefore, the aim of this paper is quantifying the dry deposition of PM10 and PM2.5 by several vegetation species commonly used in GRs and LWs in semiarid climates. Five species (Pitosporumtobira, Lavandulaangustifolia, Lampranthusspectabillis, Sedumalbum, and Sedumreflexum) for GRs and four species (Apteniacordiflora, Erigeronkarvinskianus, Sedumpalmeri, and Sedumspuriump.) for LWs were tested in an experimental facility—through washing,...
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), Jan 6, 2018
Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; howeve... more Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; however, little is known about the indoor air quality in this region. A field measurement campaign at 63 households in the Temuco urban area was conducted in winter 2014 and is reported here. In this study, indoor and outdoor (24-hr) PM2.5 and its elemental composition were measured and compared. Infiltration parameters and outdoor/indoor contributions to indoor PM2.5 were also determined. A statistical evaluation of how various air quality interventions and household features influence indoor PM2.5 was also performed. This study determined median indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations of 44.4 and 41.8 μg/m3, respectively. An average infiltration factor (0.62 ± 0.06) was estimated using sulfur as a tracer species. Using a simple mass balance approach, median indoor and outdoor contributions to indoor PM2.5 concentrations were then estimated as 12.5 and 26.5 μg/m3, respectively; therefore, 68%...
Santiago is one of the largest cities in South America and has experienced high fine particulate ... more Santiago is one of the largest cities in South America and has experienced high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in fall and winter months for decades. To better understand the sources of fall and wintertime pollution in Santiago, PM2.5 samples were collected for 24h every weekday from March to October 2013 for chemical analysis. Samples were analyzed for mass, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), water soluble nitrogen (WSTN), secondary inorganic ions, and particle-phase organic tracers for source apportionment. Selected samples were analyzed as monthly composites for organic tracers. PM2.5 concentrations were considerably higher in the coldest months (June-July), averaging (mean±standard deviation) 62±15μg/m(3) in these two months. Average fine particle mass concentration during the study period was 40±20μg/m(3). Organic matter during the peak winter months was the major component of fine particles comprising around 70% of the particle mass. Source contributions to OC were calculated using organic molecular markers and a chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model. The four combustion sources identified were wood smoke, diesel engine emission, gasoline vehicles, and natural gas. Wood smoke was the predominant source of OC, accounting for 58±42% of OC in fall and winter. Wood smoke and nitrate were the major contributors to PM2.5. In fall and winter, wood smoke accounted for 9.8±7.1μg/m(3) (21±15%) and nitrate accounted for 9.1±4.8μg/m(3) (20±10%) of fine PM. The sum of secondary inorganic ions (sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) represented about 30% of PM2.5 mass. Secondary organic aerosols contributed only in warm months, accounting for about 30% of fine PM during this time.
ABSTRACT Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 sampling campaigns were carried out at Santiago, Chile (6 milli... more ABSTRACT Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 sampling campaigns were carried out at Santiago, Chile (6 million inhabitants, 33.5 degrees S, 70.6 degrees W) in spring 2012. A pair of samplers was placed inside each household studied and an additional pair of samplers was placed at a fixed outdoor location for measuring trace elements and elemental (EC) and organic carbon (OC) in Teflon and quartz filters, respectively. A total of 47 households in downtown Santiago were included in this study. Mean outdoor and indoor PM2.5 concentrations were 19.2 and 21.6 mu g/m(3), respectively. Indoor concentrations of PM2.5 were affected by socioeconomic status (p = 0.048) but no such evidence was found for PM2.5 species, except lead (p = 0.046). Estimated species infiltration factors were 0.70 (+/-0.19), 0.98 (+/-0.21), 0.80 (+/-0.12) and 0.80 (+/-0.03) for PM2.5, OC, EC and sulfur, respectively. Estimated household infiltration factors had a median of 0.75, mean of 0.78, standard deviation of 0.18 and interquartile range (IQR) 0.67-0.86. For the very first time, Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF3) was applied to an indoor PM2.5 chemical composition data set measured at Santiago. Source identification was carried out by inspection of key species and by comparison with published source profiles; six sources were identified. Three of them were outdoor contributions: motor vehicles with 5.6 (+/-0.7) mu g/m(3), street dust with 2.9 (+/-0.5) mu g/m(3) and secondary sulfates with 3.4 (+/-0.5) mu g/m(3). The indoor sources were: indoor dust with 1.6 (+/-0.3) mu g/m(3), cleaning and cooking with 2.3 (+/-03) mu g/m(3) and cooking and environmental tobacco smoke with 6.1 (+/-0.7) mu g/m(3). There is potential for further reducing PM2.5 population exposure in the short term -by improving ventilation of indoor air and controlling indoor sources - and in the long term - with filtration of outdoor air and household improvements to reduce air change rates.
Estimating contributions of anthropogenic sources to ambient particulate matter (PM) in desert re... more Estimating contributions of anthropogenic sources to ambient particulate matter (PM) in desert regions is a challenging issue because wind erosion contributions are ubiquitous, significant and difficult to quantify by using source-oriented, dispersion models. A receptor modeling analysis has been applied to ambient PM(10) and PM(2.5) measured in an industrial zone ~20 km SE of Antofagasta (23.63°S, 70.39°W), a midsize coastal city in northern Chile; the monitoring site is within a desert region that extends from northern Chile to southern Perú. Integrated 24-hour ambient samples of PM(10) and PM(2.5) were taken with Harvard Impactors; samples were analyzed by X Ray Fluorescence, ionic chromatography (NO(3)(-) and SO(4)(=)), atomic absorption (Na(+), K(+)) and thermal optical transmission for elemental and organic carbon determination. Receptor modeling was carried out using Positive Matrix Factorization (US EPA Version 3.0); sources were identified by looking at specific tracers, tracer ratios, local winds and wind trajectories computed from NOAA's HYSPLIT model. For the PM(2.5) fraction, six contributions were found - cement plant, 33.7 ± 1.3%; soil dust, 22.4 ± 1.6%; sulfates, 17.8 ± 1.7%; mineral stockpiles and brine plant, 12.4 ± 1.2%; Antofagasta, 8.5 ± 1.3% and copper smelter, 5.3 ± 0.8%. For the PM(10) fraction five sources were identified - cement plant, 38.2 ± 1.5%; soil dust, 31.2 ± 2.3%; mineral stockpiles and brine plant, 12.7 ± 1.7%; copper smelter, 11.5 ± 1.6% and marine aerosol, 6.5 ± 2.4%. Therefore local sources contribute to ambient PM concentrations more than distant sources (Antofagasta, marine aerosol) do. Soil dust is enriched with deposition of marine aerosol and calcium, sulfates and heavy metals from surrounding industrial activities. The mean contribution of suspended soil dust to PM(10) is 50 μg/m(3) and the peak daily value is 104 μg/m(3). For the PM(2.5) fraction, suspended soil dust contributes with an average of 9.3 μg/m(3) and a peak daily value of 31.5 μg/m(3).
Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; i.e., ... more Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; i.e., ambient 24-h PM2.5 concentrations have exceeded 150 μg/m(3) in the winter season and the top concentration reached 372 μg/m(3) in 2010. Annual mean concentrations have decreased but are still above 30 μg/m(3). For the very first time, a molecular marker source apportionment of ambient organic carbon (OC) and PM2.5 was conducted in Temuco. Primary resolved sources for PM2.5 were wood smoke (37.5%), coal combustion (4.4%), diesel vehicles (3.3%), dust (2.2%) and vegetative detritus (0.7%). Secondary inorganic PM2.5 (sulfates, nitrates and ammonium) contributed 4.8% and unresolved organic aerosols (generated from volatile emissions from incomplete wood combustion), including secondary organic aerosols, contributed 47.1%. Adding the contributions of unresolved organic aerosols to those from primary wood smoke implies that wood burning is responsible for 84.6% of the ambient PM2.5 in Temuco. ...
There is no doubt than human activity is responsible of the increasing atmospheric concentrations... more There is no doubt than human activity is responsible of the increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG), including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The main activities responsible of this increase are fossil fuel combustion, which has grown at a rate unprecedented in human history, and changes in land use and agricultural practices. In the absence of
Chile is one of the leading copper (Cu) exporting countries worldwide. One of the largest copper ... more Chile is one of the leading copper (Cu) exporting countries worldwide. One of the largest copper smelters (Caletones) located 80 km south of Santiago, was responsible for 0.4% of the sulfur emissions released by anthropogenic sources in 2000. The valley of Santiago and neighboring valleys have unique ecosystems and agricultural activities that include a major fraction of the country’s wineries. Hence a risk assessment was conducted by applying air quality dispersion modeling tools to a summertime episode that was characterized by a heat wave with record setting high temperatures in central Chile. The Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) was applied to a nested domain (regional: 240x160 km, urban: 120x80 km) that includes the greater metro area of Santiago, Chile, and the largest stationary sources at a regional level. Two emission scenarios were developed, for 1997 and 2000, respectively, that included the reductions in emissions effected by the existing regulation...
The main objective of this report is to provide relevant information to improve the decision-maki... more The main objective of this report is to provide relevant information to improve the decision-making process regarding air quality and pollution control.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Air pollution regulation requires knowing major sources on any given zone, setting specific contr... more Air pollution regulation requires knowing major sources on any given zone, setting specific controls, and assessing how health risks evolve in response to those controls. Receptor models (RM) can identify major sources: transport, industry, residential, etc. However, RM results are typically available for short term periods, and there is a paucity of RM results for developing countries. We propose to combine a cluster analysis (CA) of air pollution and meteorological measurements with a short-term RM analysis to estimate a long-term, hourly source apportionment of ambient PM2.5 and PM10. We have developed a proof of the concept for this proposed methodology in three case studies: a large metropolitan zone, a city with dominant residential wood burning (RWB) emissions, and a city in the middle of a desert region. We have found it feasible to identify the major sources in the CA results and obtain hourly time series of their contributions, effectively extending short-term RM results t...
Air pollution is currently the most serious environmental risk worldwide. Air pollution is the re... more Air pollution is currently the most serious environmental risk worldwide. Air pollution is the result of different driving forces (demography, economic growth, consumption patterns, energy options, cultural traditions, etc.) constrained by climate conditions, urban shapes and development patterns, distance to industrial or mining activities, air quality regulations and plans, etc. Air quality has been improving in some of the largest cities in Latin America, yet in most of them ambient air quality standards are not attained. In Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico, the most polluted city is not the country’s capital, emphasizing the relevance of sustainable local governance. In countries that report air quality just for their capital cities, most of their pollution levels are above the respective national ambient air quality standards. There is less information for mid-sized cities, and the available results are mixed. We present case studies from several countries that show serious air quality exposure for millions of inhabitants, especially the low-income segment. We discuss environmental justice, urban governance, and citizen participation in decision-making processes, sustainable urban transport options, and gender issues throughout those case studies.
In the last two decades, the incorporation of green roofs and living walls in buildings has incre... more In the last two decades, the incorporation of green roofs and living walls in buildings has increased significantly worldwide because of their benefits such as building energy savings, promoting biodiversity, controlling water run-off, mitigating urban heat island effect, improving indoor and urban air quality, and connecting people with nature. However, few studies have quantified the impact of green roofs (GRs) and living walls (LWs) on mitigating air pollution, especially in semiarid climates where airborne particle matter (PM) levels are high. Therefore, the aim of this paper is quantifying the dry deposition of PM10 and PM2.5 by several vegetation species commonly used in GRs and LWs in semiarid climates. Five species (Pitosporumtobira, Lavandulaangustifolia, Lampranthusspectabillis, Sedumalbum, and Sedumreflexum) for GRs and four species (Apteniacordiflora, Erigeronkarvinskianus, Sedumpalmeri, and Sedumspuriump.) for LWs were tested in an experimental facility—through washing,...
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), Jan 6, 2018
Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; howeve... more Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; however, little is known about the indoor air quality in this region. A field measurement campaign at 63 households in the Temuco urban area was conducted in winter 2014 and is reported here. In this study, indoor and outdoor (24-hr) PM2.5 and its elemental composition were measured and compared. Infiltration parameters and outdoor/indoor contributions to indoor PM2.5 were also determined. A statistical evaluation of how various air quality interventions and household features influence indoor PM2.5 was also performed. This study determined median indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations of 44.4 and 41.8 μg/m3, respectively. An average infiltration factor (0.62 ± 0.06) was estimated using sulfur as a tracer species. Using a simple mass balance approach, median indoor and outdoor contributions to indoor PM2.5 concentrations were then estimated as 12.5 and 26.5 μg/m3, respectively; therefore, 68%...
Santiago is one of the largest cities in South America and has experienced high fine particulate ... more Santiago is one of the largest cities in South America and has experienced high fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in fall and winter months for decades. To better understand the sources of fall and wintertime pollution in Santiago, PM2.5 samples were collected for 24h every weekday from March to October 2013 for chemical analysis. Samples were analyzed for mass, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), water soluble nitrogen (WSTN), secondary inorganic ions, and particle-phase organic tracers for source apportionment. Selected samples were analyzed as monthly composites for organic tracers. PM2.5 concentrations were considerably higher in the coldest months (June-July), averaging (mean±standard deviation) 62±15μg/m(3) in these two months. Average fine particle mass concentration during the study period was 40±20μg/m(3). Organic matter during the peak winter months was the major component of fine particles comprising around 70% of the particle mass. Source contributions to OC were calculated using organic molecular markers and a chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model. The four combustion sources identified were wood smoke, diesel engine emission, gasoline vehicles, and natural gas. Wood smoke was the predominant source of OC, accounting for 58±42% of OC in fall and winter. Wood smoke and nitrate were the major contributors to PM2.5. In fall and winter, wood smoke accounted for 9.8±7.1μg/m(3) (21±15%) and nitrate accounted for 9.1±4.8μg/m(3) (20±10%) of fine PM. The sum of secondary inorganic ions (sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) represented about 30% of PM2.5 mass. Secondary organic aerosols contributed only in warm months, accounting for about 30% of fine PM during this time.
ABSTRACT Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 sampling campaigns were carried out at Santiago, Chile (6 milli... more ABSTRACT Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 sampling campaigns were carried out at Santiago, Chile (6 million inhabitants, 33.5 degrees S, 70.6 degrees W) in spring 2012. A pair of samplers was placed inside each household studied and an additional pair of samplers was placed at a fixed outdoor location for measuring trace elements and elemental (EC) and organic carbon (OC) in Teflon and quartz filters, respectively. A total of 47 households in downtown Santiago were included in this study. Mean outdoor and indoor PM2.5 concentrations were 19.2 and 21.6 mu g/m(3), respectively. Indoor concentrations of PM2.5 were affected by socioeconomic status (p = 0.048) but no such evidence was found for PM2.5 species, except lead (p = 0.046). Estimated species infiltration factors were 0.70 (+/-0.19), 0.98 (+/-0.21), 0.80 (+/-0.12) and 0.80 (+/-0.03) for PM2.5, OC, EC and sulfur, respectively. Estimated household infiltration factors had a median of 0.75, mean of 0.78, standard deviation of 0.18 and interquartile range (IQR) 0.67-0.86. For the very first time, Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF3) was applied to an indoor PM2.5 chemical composition data set measured at Santiago. Source identification was carried out by inspection of key species and by comparison with published source profiles; six sources were identified. Three of them were outdoor contributions: motor vehicles with 5.6 (+/-0.7) mu g/m(3), street dust with 2.9 (+/-0.5) mu g/m(3) and secondary sulfates with 3.4 (+/-0.5) mu g/m(3). The indoor sources were: indoor dust with 1.6 (+/-0.3) mu g/m(3), cleaning and cooking with 2.3 (+/-03) mu g/m(3) and cooking and environmental tobacco smoke with 6.1 (+/-0.7) mu g/m(3). There is potential for further reducing PM2.5 population exposure in the short term -by improving ventilation of indoor air and controlling indoor sources - and in the long term - with filtration of outdoor air and household improvements to reduce air change rates.
Estimating contributions of anthropogenic sources to ambient particulate matter (PM) in desert re... more Estimating contributions of anthropogenic sources to ambient particulate matter (PM) in desert regions is a challenging issue because wind erosion contributions are ubiquitous, significant and difficult to quantify by using source-oriented, dispersion models. A receptor modeling analysis has been applied to ambient PM(10) and PM(2.5) measured in an industrial zone ~20 km SE of Antofagasta (23.63°S, 70.39°W), a midsize coastal city in northern Chile; the monitoring site is within a desert region that extends from northern Chile to southern Perú. Integrated 24-hour ambient samples of PM(10) and PM(2.5) were taken with Harvard Impactors; samples were analyzed by X Ray Fluorescence, ionic chromatography (NO(3)(-) and SO(4)(=)), atomic absorption (Na(+), K(+)) and thermal optical transmission for elemental and organic carbon determination. Receptor modeling was carried out using Positive Matrix Factorization (US EPA Version 3.0); sources were identified by looking at specific tracers, tracer ratios, local winds and wind trajectories computed from NOAA's HYSPLIT model. For the PM(2.5) fraction, six contributions were found - cement plant, 33.7 ± 1.3%; soil dust, 22.4 ± 1.6%; sulfates, 17.8 ± 1.7%; mineral stockpiles and brine plant, 12.4 ± 1.2%; Antofagasta, 8.5 ± 1.3% and copper smelter, 5.3 ± 0.8%. For the PM(10) fraction five sources were identified - cement plant, 38.2 ± 1.5%; soil dust, 31.2 ± 2.3%; mineral stockpiles and brine plant, 12.7 ± 1.7%; copper smelter, 11.5 ± 1.6% and marine aerosol, 6.5 ± 2.4%. Therefore local sources contribute to ambient PM concentrations more than distant sources (Antofagasta, marine aerosol) do. Soil dust is enriched with deposition of marine aerosol and calcium, sulfates and heavy metals from surrounding industrial activities. The mean contribution of suspended soil dust to PM(10) is 50 μg/m(3) and the peak daily value is 104 μg/m(3). For the PM(2.5) fraction, suspended soil dust contributes with an average of 9.3 μg/m(3) and a peak daily value of 31.5 μg/m(3).
Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; i.e., ... more Temuco is a mid-size city representative of severe wood smoke pollution in southern Chile; i.e., ambient 24-h PM2.5 concentrations have exceeded 150 μg/m(3) in the winter season and the top concentration reached 372 μg/m(3) in 2010. Annual mean concentrations have decreased but are still above 30 μg/m(3). For the very first time, a molecular marker source apportionment of ambient organic carbon (OC) and PM2.5 was conducted in Temuco. Primary resolved sources for PM2.5 were wood smoke (37.5%), coal combustion (4.4%), diesel vehicles (3.3%), dust (2.2%) and vegetative detritus (0.7%). Secondary inorganic PM2.5 (sulfates, nitrates and ammonium) contributed 4.8% and unresolved organic aerosols (generated from volatile emissions from incomplete wood combustion), including secondary organic aerosols, contributed 47.1%. Adding the contributions of unresolved organic aerosols to those from primary wood smoke implies that wood burning is responsible for 84.6% of the ambient PM2.5 in Temuco. ...
There is no doubt than human activity is responsible of the increasing atmospheric concentrations... more There is no doubt than human activity is responsible of the increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG), including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The main activities responsible of this increase are fossil fuel combustion, which has grown at a rate unprecedented in human history, and changes in land use and agricultural practices. In the absence of
Chile is one of the leading copper (Cu) exporting countries worldwide. One of the largest copper ... more Chile is one of the leading copper (Cu) exporting countries worldwide. One of the largest copper smelters (Caletones) located 80 km south of Santiago, was responsible for 0.4% of the sulfur emissions released by anthropogenic sources in 2000. The valley of Santiago and neighboring valleys have unique ecosystems and agricultural activities that include a major fraction of the country’s wineries. Hence a risk assessment was conducted by applying air quality dispersion modeling tools to a summertime episode that was characterized by a heat wave with record setting high temperatures in central Chile. The Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) was applied to a nested domain (regional: 240x160 km, urban: 120x80 km) that includes the greater metro area of Santiago, Chile, and the largest stationary sources at a regional level. Two emission scenarios were developed, for 1997 and 2000, respectively, that included the reductions in emissions effected by the existing regulation...
The main objective of this report is to provide relevant information to improve the decision-maki... more The main objective of this report is to provide relevant information to improve the decision-making process regarding air quality and pollution control.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Air pollution regulation requires knowing major sources on any given zone, setting specific contr... more Air pollution regulation requires knowing major sources on any given zone, setting specific controls, and assessing how health risks evolve in response to those controls. Receptor models (RM) can identify major sources: transport, industry, residential, etc. However, RM results are typically available for short term periods, and there is a paucity of RM results for developing countries. We propose to combine a cluster analysis (CA) of air pollution and meteorological measurements with a short-term RM analysis to estimate a long-term, hourly source apportionment of ambient PM2.5 and PM10. We have developed a proof of the concept for this proposed methodology in three case studies: a large metropolitan zone, a city with dominant residential wood burning (RWB) emissions, and a city in the middle of a desert region. We have found it feasible to identify the major sources in the CA results and obtain hourly time series of their contributions, effectively extending short-term RM results t...
Uploads
Papers by Hector Jorquera