Maria Vittoria Prati

Leaves of Quercus ilex L. as biomonitors of PAHs in the air of Naples (Italy)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by the GC-MS chromatography in the leaves of Quercus ilex L., an evergreen Mediterranean oak, to monitor the degree of pollution in the urban area of Naples compared to remote areas. Leaf samples were collected in July 1998 from four urban parks, six roadsides and two sites in remote areas. The total PAH contents in Q. ilex leaves ranged from 106.6 in a control site to 4607.5 ng/g d.w. along a road with a high traffic flow. The mean concentration factors (urban/control) were 3.8 for the parks and 15 for the roads. The contribution of carcinogenic PAHs (benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene) was higher in urban area and differed according to the site, ranging from 6.7% to 21.3%. The total PAH burden in control sites was dominated by the low molecular weight PAHs, whilst along the urban roads fluoranthene, pyrene and benz[a]anthracene among the measured PAHs showed the highest values. PAHs were positively correlated (P<0.01) to trace metals measured in a previous study.

A Novel Statistical Model for the Evaluation of Vehicle Emission Factors. Application to a Euro III Gasoline Car Fleet

A novel model has been developed for the analysis and the evaluation of average vehicle emissions in a real driving cycle (emission factors) from data in an emission data base. The model assumes that emission variation can be explained by parameters determined from dynamic vehicle equation and by the frequency of acceleration events at different speed. Because the number of resulting X-variables is large, and variables are correlated, a regression method based on principal components, the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method actually, has been adopted. In this paper, model potentiality is illustrated by an application to a case study taken from the data base built within the UE V Framework Project ARTEMIS. Data are relative to tests performed under hot conditions with a sample of EURO III 1.4-2.0 l gasoline passenger cars. A set of real driving cycles was utilized as representative of urban, rural and motorway operating conditions detected in different European countries. Results for PLS model fit are good for CO2, less than sufficient for CO, HC and NOX; this last result, mostly due to data spread out, is analyzed in the paper by estimating the percentage vehiclex92s effect.

Assessment of ambient air quality in the port of Naples

Two experimental monitoring campaigns were carried out in 2012 to investigate the air quality in the port of Naples, the most important in southern Italy for traffic of passengers and one of the most important for goods. Therefore, it represents an important air pollution source located close to the city of Naples. The concentrations of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) in the air were measured at 15 points inside the Naples port area through the use of passive samplers. In addition, a mobile laboratory was positioned in a fixed point inside the port area to measure continuous concentration of pollutants together with particulate matter, ambient parameters, and wind direction and intensity. The pollution levels monitored were compared with those observed in the urban area of Naples and in other Mediterranean ports. Even though the observation time was limited, measured concentrations were also compared with limit values established by European legislation. All the measured pollutants were below the limits with the exception of nitrogen dioxide: its average concentration during the exposition time exceeded the yearly limit value. A spatial analysis of data, according to the measured wind direction and intensity, provided information about the effects that ship emissions have on ambient air quality in the port area. The main evidence indicates that ship emissions influence sulfur dioxide concentration more than any other pollutants analyzed. Implications: Two monitoring campaigns were carried out to measure BTEX, SO2, NO2, and PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm) air concentrations in the port of Naples. NO2 hourly average and PM10 daily average comply with European legislative standards. Spatial variation of pollutants long the axis corresponding to the prevailing wind direction seems to indicate a certain influence of ship emissions for SO2. For NO2 and PM10, a correlation between concentrations in the harbor and those measured by the air quality monitoring stations sited in the urban area of Naples was observed, indicating a possible contribution of the near road traffic to the air pollution in the port of Naples.

Preliminary results on emissions and driving behavior of ATENA fleet test project in Naples

One of the objectives of the Atena project [1] was the definition of a methodology for the predictive evaluation of the environmental impact of different types of vehicles used in an urban scenario. The target is to obtain a methodology that allow the decision maker to verify in simulation the effects of possible measures like low enforcement to the access restrictions or vehicle fleet composition. The main obstacle is the realisation and the managing of real driving cycles in order to that overtake the limits derived from the utilisation of typical cycles (i.e. ECE o NEDC) or the simple consideration of average speed. The starting point is a digital representation of the urban network where all the roads are represented with one or more arcs and for all this arcs is available an estimation of the traffic variables like the vehicle flow [vehicles per hour] or the average speed [kph]. Every arc is described in terms of traffic parameters like the type of road (i.e. highway, district road). The results presented in this work will be the starting point for the definition of one methodology to describe the emissions of vehicles fleets in terms of traffic parameters.

Anthracene and benzo(a)pyrene degradation in soil is favoured by compost amendment: Perspectives for a bioremediation approach

In order to validate the use of compost in soil PAH bioremediation, the degradation of anthracene and benzo(a)pyrene was monitored in soils artificially contaminated and incubated in mesocosms under controlled conditions. The dynamics observed in compost amended soil were compared to those observed in soil added with a fungal consortium and untreated soil. At the same time, three microbial enzyme activities usually involved in PAH degradation (laccase, o-diphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities) were monitored. Both PAHs decreased along the time in the three mesocosms, with anthracene, with lower molecular weight, degrading with a higher rate and reaching lower residual values than benzo(a)pyrene. Although at the end of incubation, the residual values of investigated PAHs are similar in the three mesocosm types, PAH dynamics showed a higher degradation rate in the early stage in mesocosms added with the fungal mycelium and amended with compost. Among the three enzyme activities, only peroxidase showed higher values in treated than untreated mesocosms. Considering the ameliorating effects of compost on degraded soils, its use can be suggested in PAH bioremediation.

Emissive behaviour of two-wheeler vehicle category. Methodologies and results.

The main objective of the study was to conduct measurements on powered two-wheelers to improve knowledge about emissive behaviour of this vehicle category on various types of test cycles. The study presents a method to analyse, during different driving cycles on motorcycles, the influence of speed profile on the emission factors, through the basic parameters of elementary kinematic sequences. These sequences were obtained through suitable fragmentation of complex urban driving cycles. The method was applied to evaluate the regulated exhaust emissions (CO, HC, NOX) and to characterize the emissive behaviour of two Euro3 motorcycles (a 250 and a 1000 cm3), tested on a dynamometer bench.

Evaluation of emission factors for new technology S.I. Euro 4 cars

This research attempted to analyze the environmental impact of two available non-conventional vehicle technologies, highlighting the benefits in terms of emissions and fuel consumption reduction with respect to conventional vehicles. Moreover, tests were compared with predicted emissions of the conventional gasoline technology provided by the kinematic model developed. Results show that cold start strongly affects the emissions of CO, THC and NOX, which become very low during hot driving cycle. The existing emission model cannot be used to obtain a satisfactory prediction for hybrid car. But it could be proved that KEM emission model allows us to predict emission factor for conventional car and compressed natural gas. However, it is concluded that new experimental campaign with new technological cars might be interesting for future model developments.