Temporal distribution of air quality related to meteorology and road traffic in Madrid

Environ Monit Assess. 2015 Apr;187(4):220. doi: 10.1007/s10661-015-4452-3. Epub 2015 Apr 1.

Abstract

The impact of climatology--air temperature, precipitation and wind speed--and road traffic--volume, vehicle speed and percentage of heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs)--on air quality in Madrid was studied by estimating the effect for each explanatory variable using generalized linear regression models controlling for monthly variations, days of week and parameter levels. Every 1 m/s increase in wind speed produced a decrease in PM10 concentrations by 10.3% (95% CI 12.6-8.6) for all weekdays and by 12.4% (95% CI 14.9-9.8) for working days (up to the cut-off of 2.4 m/s). Increases of PM10 concentrations due to air temperature (7.2% (95% CI 6.2-8.3)) and traffic volume (3.3% (95% CI 2.9-3.8)) were observed at every 10 °C and 1 million vehicle-km increases for all weekdays; oppositely, slight decreases of PM10 concentrations due to percentage of HDVs (3.2% (95% CI 2.7-3.7)) and vehicle speed (0.7% (95% CI 0.6-0.8)) were observed at every 1% and 1 km/h increases. Stronger effects of climatology on air quality than traffic parameters were found.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Climate
  • Environmental Monitoring*
  • Meteorological Concepts*
  • Meteorology*
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • Spain
  • Temperature
  • Transportation
  • Vehicle Emissions
  • Wind

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Particulate Matter
  • Vehicle Emissions