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No description available.

A circulação no trânsito das cidades faz parte da rotina das pessoas, que podem despender tempos consideráveis dentro de automóveis durante seus deslocamentos. Fatores como a emissão de gases provinda do tráfego e a má circulação de ar podem afetar a qualidade ambiental no interior dos veículos e torná-lo prejudicial à saúde de seus ocupantes. Sendo assim, durante vinte dias aleatórios, entre agosto e dezembro de 2013, monitorou-se o ambiente interno de um dos ônibus pertencentes ao sistema de transporte coletivo da cidade de São Carlos. Foram medidos temperatura, umidade relativa do ar, ruído, monóxido e dióxido de carbono, compostos orgânicos voláteis totais (COVT) e material particulado. Os dados encontrados foram analisados baseando-se em distintas normas e padrões. Observou-se também a influência dos parâmetros avaliados na saúde das pessoas, de acordo com a literatura. Dentre as referências consultadas, consideraram-se os valores limites recomendados pelo Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego (normas NR-15, NR-17 e NHO 01), pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (Resolução 09/03), pelo Conselho Nacional de Meio Ambiente (Resolução 03/90) e pela Organização Mundial de Saúde. A partir dos dados de temperatura e umidade relativa do ar, calculou-se o índice de calor (Heat Index) utilizado pela National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration dos EUA, para averiguação do conforto térmico. Os resultados mostraram que os níveis de temperatura, umidade relativa, índice de calor e material particulado estiveram, em sua maioria, acima dos valores referenciais. O ruído também constitui um fator preocupante, apesar de os valores encontrados estarem abaixo do limite máximo de 85 dB(A), pois, pesquisas recentes indicam que níveis acima de 60 dB(A) tendem trazer complicações à saúde (Willich et al., 2006). Ao observar as concentrações dos óxidos de carbono, notou-se a interferência da poluição provinda do meio externo. Por fim, conclui-se que a qualidade ambiental interna do ônibus pode ser prejudicial principalmente aos cobradores e motoristas, que trabalham neste ambiente por muitas horas diárias. / The movement of traffic in cities is part of the people\'s routine that can spend considerable time inside automobiles during their displacement. Factors such as greenhouse gas emissions from traffic and poor air circulation can affect the environmental quality inside vehicles and make it harmful to the health of its occupants. Thus, for twenty random days between August and December 2013, air quality inside one of the buses belonging to the public transportation system of the city of São Carlos was monitored. Temperature, relative humidity, noise, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and particulate matter were measured. Data were analyzed based on limiting values recommended by different institutions and observing the influence of the parameters measured in people\'s health, according to the literature. Were taken as reference standards established by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (standards NR-15, NR-17 and NHO 01), the National Health Surveillance Agency (Resolution 09/03), the National Environmental Council (Resolution 03 / 90) and the World Health Organization. Aiming to verify the thermal sensation, we calculated the Heat Index used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the USA. The results show that levels of temperature, relative humidity, heat index and particulate matter are mostly above the reference values. Noise is also a worrying factor, despite being within the ceiling of 85 dB (A), because, according to recent surveys, over 60 dB (A) there is potential damage to health (Willich et al., 2006). By observing the concentrations of oxides of carbon, it was noted interference stemmed from the pollution of the external environment. Finally, it is concluded that the air quality inside the bus can be harmful especially to collectors and drivers, working in this environment for many hours a day.

A circulação no trânsito das cidades faz parte da rotina das pessoas, que podem despender tempos consideráveis dentro de automóveis durante seus deslocamentos. Fatores como a emissão de gases provinda do tráfego e a má circulação de ar podem afetar a qualidade ambiental no interior dos veículos e torná-lo prejudicial à saúde de seus ocupantes. Sendo assim, durante vinte dias aleatórios, entre agosto e dezembro de 2013, monitorou-se o ambiente interno de um dos ônibus pertencentes ao sistema de transporte coletivo da cidade de São Carlos. Foram medidos temperatura, umidade relativa do ar, ruído, monóxido e dióxido de carbono, compostos orgânicos voláteis totais (COVT) e material particulado. Os dados encontrados foram analisados baseando-se em distintas normas e padrões. Observou-se também a influência dos parâmetros avaliados na saúde das pessoas, de acordo com a literatura. Dentre as referências consultadas, consideraram-se os valores limites recomendados pelo Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego (normas NR-15, NR-17 e NHO 01), pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (Resolução 09/03), pelo Conselho Nacional de Meio Ambiente (Resolução 03/90) e pela Organização Mundial de Saúde. A partir dos dados de temperatura e umidade relativa do ar, calculou-se o índice de calor (Heat Index) utilizado pela National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration dos EUA, para averiguação do conforto térmico. Os resultados mostraram que os níveis de temperatura, umidade relativa, índice de calor e material particulado estiveram, em sua maioria, acima dos valores referenciais. O ruído também constitui um fator preocupante, apesar de os valores encontrados estarem abaixo do limite máximo de 85 dB(A), pois, pesquisas recentes indicam que níveis acima de 60 dB(A) tendem trazer complicações à saúde (Willich et al., 2006). Ao observar as concentrações dos óxidos de carbono, notou-se a interferência da poluição provinda do meio externo. Por fim, conclui-se que a qualidade ambiental interna do ônibus pode ser prejudicial principalmente aos cobradores e motoristas, que trabalham neste ambiente por muitas horas diárias. / The movement of traffic in cities is part of the people\'s routine that can spend considerable time inside automobiles during their displacement. Factors such as greenhouse gas emissions from traffic and poor air circulation can affect the environmental quality inside vehicles and make it harmful to the health of its occupants. Thus, for twenty random days between August and December 2013, air quality inside one of the buses belonging to the public transportation system of the city of São Carlos was monitored. Temperature, relative humidity, noise, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and particulate matter were measured. Data were analyzed based on limiting values recommended by different institutions and observing the influence of the parameters measured in people\'s health, according to the literature. Were taken as reference standards established by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (standards NR-15, NR-17 and NHO 01), the National Health Surveillance Agency (Resolution 09/03), the National Environmental Council (Resolution 03 / 90) and the World Health Organization. Aiming to verify the thermal sensation, we calculated the Heat Index used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the USA. The results show that levels of temperature, relative humidity, heat index and particulate matter are mostly above the reference values. Noise is also a worrying factor, despite being within the ceiling of 85 dB (A), because, according to recent surveys, over 60 dB (A) there is potential damage to health (Willich et al., 2006). By observing the concentrations of oxides of carbon, it was noted interference stemmed from the pollution of the external environment. Finally, it is concluded that the air quality inside the bus can be harmful especially to collectors and drivers, working in this environment for many hours a day.

Research on health effects of particulate matter (PM) has been a very active area in the last two decades. One plausible mechanism by which exposure to PM affects human health includes modification of autonomic endothelium function. Decreased endothelium activity causes heightened risks of cardiovascular disease. A human exposure chamber designed to conduct experiments to quantify diminished function of endothelium from short term exposure to PM is described. The chamber consists of two stages for containment and pre-treatment of PM and exposure of human subjects. Concentrations of CO, CO2, NO, NO2, O3, and PM2.5, are monitored and controlled in the exposure room. The PM used in the human exposure experiments was characterized chemically and morphologically. During January and February of 2009, chemical analysis of PM2.5 was done during inversion periods in Salt Lake City, UT. An Ambient Ion Monitor (AIM) was deployed to measure the concentrations of anions in both particulate and gas phases. The chemical data provided by AIM was complemented by measurements by the Department of Air Quality that included PM10, PM2.5, O3, NO, NO2, NH3 and CO. The goal of the study was to determine whether ammonia or nitric acid is the limiting reagent in formation of PM during inversions. Nitric acid is the limiting reagent. Concentrations of ammonia are an order of magnitude higher than nitric acid.

Among the most ubiquitous and persistent air quality problems facing urban areas are high concentrations of gas phase oxidants and fine particulate matter. Ozone and particulate matter concentrations in urban areas are significantly influenced by other factors in addition to local emissions, such as regional transport spanning distances as large as 1000 kilometers. Despite the importance of regional transport in meeting air quality standards, to date most analyses of regional transport have focused only on short duration episodes, or semi-quantitative assessments. The development and evaluation of seasonal, quantitative assessments of regional pollutant transport, based on modeling calculations and observational data is the topic of this dissertation. The observational data available through the Texas Air Quality Studies in 2000 and 2006 provide a unique opportunity to develop, evaluate, and improve methods for characterizing regional air pollutant transport. Measurements collected during these studies are used as the primary observational basis for characterizing regional ozone transport and to evaluate the performance of photochemical models. Results suggest that measurements (from aircraft and surface monitors) and the photochemical model provide consistent estimates of the magnitude of ozone transport. On this basis, photochemical modeling is used to determine potential impacts of regional ozone transport in Texas, under varying meteorological and photochemical conditions, as well as to characterize the dominant chemical and physical processes within urban plumes. While qualitative studies and limited quantitative analyses have been performed to assess regional ozone transport, this work includes the first detailed quantitative characterization of the importance of ozone transport over the course of an entire ozone season using both photochemical modeling and ambient data. Results demonstrate that urban plumes in Texas are capable of transporting significant amounts of ozone over distances spanning hundreds of kilometers. Furthermore, on a seasonal basis, there are a number of days characterized by high contributions from inter-city transport coinciding with high total ozone concentrations, suggesting that the role of inter-city transport will remain significant for many areas to demonstrate attainment of the NAAQS for ozone. Results also indicate that reductions in the impacts of inter-city transport are possible by decreases in emissions from source regions. / text

An emissions inventory of VOCs, NOx, and CO2 was conducted for three central Florida counties – Orange, Seminole, and Osceola (OSO) – for calendar year 2008. The inventory utilized three programs: MOBILE6, NONROAD2005, and EDMS (Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System) to model on‐road mobile, non‐road mobile, and airport emissions, respectively. Remaining point and area source data was estimated from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA) 2008 emissions inventory. The previous OSO emissions inventory was done in 2002 and in the six years between inventories, there have been changes in population, commerce, and pollution control technology in central Florida which have affected the region’s emissions. It is important to model VOC and NOx emissions to determine from where the largest proportions are coming. VOCs and NOx are ozone precursors, and in the presence of heat and sunlight, they react to form ozone (O3). Ozone is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the FDEP. The current standard is 75 parts per billion (ppb) and Orange County’s average is 71 ppb. A new standard (which will likely be about 65 ppb) is being developed and is scheduled to be announced by July 2011. If OSO goes into non‐attainment, it will need to prepare a contingency plan for how to reduce emissions to submit to the FDEP for approval. The 2008 inventory determined that approximately 71,300 tons of VOCs and 59,000 tons of NOx were emitted that year. The majority of VOCs came from on‐road mobile sources (33%) and area sources (43%), while the majority of NOx came from on‐road mobile sources (64%) and non‐road mobile sources (17%). Other major sources of VOCs included gasoline powered non‐road mobile equipment (lawn and garden equipment), consumer solvents, cooking, and gasoline distribution. With the numbers iii that could be determined for CO2 emissions, on‐road mobile and point sources were responsible for 93%. Of the point source CO2 emissions, almost all of it (87%) came from one large coal‐fired power plant in Orange County.