Risk assessment of traffic-related air pollution in a world heritage city

Abstract

To support environmental risk management in a world heritage city, this paper presents high spatial-resolution maps of air pollutants for the Macao Peninsula. In particular, the risk of exposure to traffic-related nitrogen dioxide pollution for the 22 world heritage monuments in the Historic Center of Macao was assessed. The air-pollution mapping was performed by a building-based air quality model system, in which the traffic-related air pollutions at 5,965 receptor points in the Macao Peninsula were modeled and the average spatial resolution was 727 receptors/km 2 . The results indicate that under the conditions of the evening peak hour and the north wind direction sector 0-20°, air quality in the Macao Peninsula is the worst. About 14.1% of the modeled nitrogen dioxide concentrations at the 5,965 receptor points exceed the national ambient air quality standard for scenic spot of 120 lg/m 3 in China. Two world heritage monuments, i.e., the ''Leal Senado'' Building and the Cathedral, are exposed to excessively high nitrogen dioxide concentrations of 135.9 and 121.1 lg/m 3 , respectively. The results in this paper could help decision makers to develop effective strategies to protect the world cultural heritages in Macao for future human generations to appreciate and enjoy.

Urban morphology and urban fragmentation in Macau, China: island city development in the Pearl River Delta megacity region

“…Previously published data by the authors (Sheng & Tang, 2011;Sheng & Tang 2013;Tang & Wang, 2007) inform the following analyses of traffic, pollution levels, and road and building ratios with regard to the Macau Peninsula's spatial development.…”

“…Macua's archipelagic status influences development in ways that have been poorly understood by administrators and scholars: incremental land reclamation has led to spatiotemporal urban fragmentation. This paper elaborates upon Macau's historical development and analyses its urban fragmentation and the impacts this has had on transport and the urban environment over time, drawing upon data presented in previous studies (Sheng & Tang, 2011;Sheng & Tang 2013;Tang & Wang, 2007).…”

Characteristics and composition of the falling dust in urban environment

“…Particle number concentrations were found to be strongly influenced by the traffic density in the urban area (Tuch et al 2003;Wehner and Wiedensohler 2003;Hussein et al 2004;Stanier et al 2004). Sheng and Tang (2013) evaluated the risk of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants for the World Heritage Monuments in the historic center of Macao. The air quality was the worst at evening peak hours with north wind direction sector (0°-20°).…”

Optimal design of air quality monitoring network around an oil refinery plant: a holistic approach

“…It is also important in many other aspects such as to clarify local/regional specific sources and sinks of air pollutants, to study the dynamic behavior of air pollutants, to verify dispersion models, to check compliance of statistical models, and to risk assessment of traffic-related air pollution (Sheng and Tang 2013;Venkanna et al 2014). Therefore, air quality monitoring network (AQMN) provides a database which enables policy-makers to take informed decisions to protect public health and the environment.…”