Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines

Black carbon (BC) particles have gathered worldwide attention due to their impacts on climate and adverse health effects on humans in heavily polluted environments. Such is the case in megacities of developing and emerging countries in Southeast Asia, in which rapid urbanization, vehicles of obsolet...

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Main Authors: Alas, Honey, Müller, Thomas, Birmili, Wolfram, Kecorius, Simonas, Cambaliza, Maria Obiminda L, Simpas, James B, Cayetano, Mylene, Weinhold, Kay, Vallar, Edgar, Galvez, Maria Cecilia, Wiedensohler, Alfred
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Published: Archīum Ateneo 2018
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Online Access:https://archium.ateneo.edu/physics-faculty-pubs/42
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2032/9983a0e86998f9888d18b60eade5c33a1640.pdf
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Institution: Ateneo De Manila University
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spelling ph-ateneo-arc.physics-faculty-pubs-10412020-05-25T01:46:14Z Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines Alas, Honey Müller, Thomas Birmili, Wolfram Kecorius, Simonas Cambaliza, Maria Obiminda L Simpas, James B Cayetano, Mylene Weinhold, Kay Vallar, Edgar Galvez, Maria Cecilia Wiedensohler, Alfred Black carbon (BC) particles have gathered worldwide attention due to their impacts on climate and adverse health effects on humans in heavily polluted environments. Such is the case in megacities of developing and emerging countries in Southeast Asia, in which rapid urbanization, vehicles of obsolete technology, outdated air quality legislations, and crumbling infrastructure lead to poor air quality. However, since measurements of BC are generally not mandatory, its spatial and temporal characteristics, especially in developing megacities, are poorly understood. To raise awareness on the urgency of monitoring and mitigating the air quality crises in megacities, we present the results of the first intensive characterization experiment in Metro Manila, Philippines, focusing on the spatial and diurnal variability of equivalent BC (eBC). The average mass concentration of eBC at the urban background station (UBS) was 7.0 ± 4.8 µg m–3 while at roadside (RS), hourly concentrations reached maximum values of 138 µg m–3, levels that are significantly higher than in European cities. At RS, the diurnal cycles of eBC mass concentration were connected most strongly with traffic dynamics and street configuration, while a notable influence of planetary boundary layer evolution was observed in the UBS. Results of mobile measurements conducted multiple times along two fixed routes showed high spatial variability ranging from 3–80 µg m–3 within a 500-m radius. Alarmingly, the highest concentrations were found in the most crowded areas where people spend more than eight hours a day. 2018-01-01T08:00:00Z text https://archium.ateneo.edu/physics-faculty-pubs/42 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2032/9983a0e86998f9888d18b60eade5c33a1640.pdf Physics Faculty Publications Archīum Ateneo Black carbon Megacity Spatial and diurnal variability Mobile measurements Atmospheric Sciences
institution Ateneo De Manila University
building Ateneo De Manila University Library
continent Asia
country Philippines
Philippines
content_provider Ateneo De Manila University Library
collection archium.Ateneo Institutional Repository
topic Black carbon
Megacity
Spatial and diurnal variability
Mobile measurements
Atmospheric Sciences
spellingShingle Black carbon
Megacity
Spatial and diurnal variability
Mobile measurements
Atmospheric Sciences
Alas, Honey
Müller, Thomas
Birmili, Wolfram
Kecorius, Simonas
Cambaliza, Maria Obiminda L
Simpas, James B
Cayetano, Mylene
Weinhold, Kay
Vallar, Edgar
Galvez, Maria Cecilia
Wiedensohler, Alfred
Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines
description Black carbon (BC) particles have gathered worldwide attention due to their impacts on climate and adverse health effects on humans in heavily polluted environments. Such is the case in megacities of developing and emerging countries in Southeast Asia, in which rapid urbanization, vehicles of obsolete technology, outdated air quality legislations, and crumbling infrastructure lead to poor air quality. However, since measurements of BC are generally not mandatory, its spatial and temporal characteristics, especially in developing megacities, are poorly understood. To raise awareness on the urgency of monitoring and mitigating the air quality crises in megacities, we present the results of the first intensive characterization experiment in Metro Manila, Philippines, focusing on the spatial and diurnal variability of equivalent BC (eBC). The average mass concentration of eBC at the urban background station (UBS) was 7.0 ± 4.8 µg m–3 while at roadside (RS), hourly concentrations reached maximum values of 138 µg m–3, levels that are significantly higher than in European cities. At RS, the diurnal cycles of eBC mass concentration were connected most strongly with traffic dynamics and street configuration, while a notable influence of planetary boundary layer evolution was observed in the UBS. Results of mobile measurements conducted multiple times along two fixed routes showed high spatial variability ranging from 3–80 µg m–3 within a 500-m radius. Alarmingly, the highest concentrations were found in the most crowded areas where people spend more than eight hours a day.
format text
author Alas, Honey
Müller, Thomas
Birmili, Wolfram
Kecorius, Simonas
Cambaliza, Maria Obiminda L
Simpas, James B
Cayetano, Mylene
Weinhold, Kay
Vallar, Edgar
Galvez, Maria Cecilia
Wiedensohler, Alfred
author_facet Alas, Honey
Müller, Thomas
Birmili, Wolfram
Kecorius, Simonas
Cambaliza, Maria Obiminda L
Simpas, James B
Cayetano, Mylene
Weinhold, Kay
Vallar, Edgar
Galvez, Maria Cecilia
Wiedensohler, Alfred
author_sort Alas, Honey
title Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines
title_short Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines
title_full Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines
title_fullStr Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines
title_full_unstemmed Spatial Characterization of Black Carbon Mass Concentration in the Atmosphere of a Southeast Asian Megacity: An Air Quality Case Study for Metro Manila, Philippines
title_sort spatial characterization of black carbon mass concentration in the atmosphere of a southeast asian megacity: an air quality case study for metro manila, philippines
publisher Archīum Ateneo
publishDate 2018
url https://archium.ateneo.edu/physics-faculty-pubs/42
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2032/9983a0e86998f9888d18b60eade5c33a1640.pdf
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