The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain)
In this paper, the role of trees on airborne pollutant dispersion in a real neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) is discussed. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is employed and evaluated against concentrations measured during the last part of winter season at a monitoring station located in the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/7/131 |
| _version_ | 1819062482795233280 |
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| author | Jose-Luis Santiago Esther Rivas Beatriz Sanchez Riccardo Buccolieri Fernando Martin |
| author_facet | Jose-Luis Santiago Esther Rivas Beatriz Sanchez Riccardo Buccolieri Fernando Martin |
| author_sort | Jose-Luis Santiago |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, the role of trees on airborne pollutant dispersion in a real neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) is discussed. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is employed and evaluated against concentrations measured during the last part of winter season at a monitoring station located in the study area. Aerodynamic and deposition effects of trees are jointly considered, which has only been done in few recent studies. Specifically, the impact on NOx concentration of: (a) tree-foliage; and (b) introducing new vegetation in a tree-free street is analyzed considering several deposition velocities and Leaf Area Densities (LAD) to model deciduous and evergreen vegetation. Results show that the higher the LAD, the higher the deposition (concentration reduction) and the blocking aerodynamic effect (concentration increase). Regardless of foliage or deposition rates, results suggest the predominance of aerodynamic effects which induce concentration increases up to a maximum of 7.2%, while deposition induces concentration decreases up to a maximum of 6.9%. The inclusion of new trees in one street modifies the distribution of pollutant, not only in that street, but also in nearby locations with concentration increase or decrease. This finding suggests that planting trees in street with traffic as an air pollution reduction strategy seems to be not appropriate in general, highlighting the necessity of ad hoc studies for each particular case to select the suitable location of new vegetation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:59:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d0a80f75172c4db39defa22d9e18ed55 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:59:29Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-d0a80f75172c4db39defa22d9e18ed552022-12-21T18:59:38ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332017-07-018713110.3390/atmos8070131atmos8070131The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain)Jose-Luis Santiago0Esther Rivas1Beatriz Sanchez2Riccardo Buccolieri3Fernando Martin4Environment Department, Research Center for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid 28040, SpainEnvironment Department, Research Center for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid 28040, SpainEnvironment Department, Research Center for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid 28040, SpainDipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali, University of Salento, S.P. 6 Lecce-Monteroni, Lecce 73100, ItalyEnvironment Department, Research Center for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid 28040, SpainIn this paper, the role of trees on airborne pollutant dispersion in a real neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) is discussed. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is employed and evaluated against concentrations measured during the last part of winter season at a monitoring station located in the study area. Aerodynamic and deposition effects of trees are jointly considered, which has only been done in few recent studies. Specifically, the impact on NOx concentration of: (a) tree-foliage; and (b) introducing new vegetation in a tree-free street is analyzed considering several deposition velocities and Leaf Area Densities (LAD) to model deciduous and evergreen vegetation. Results show that the higher the LAD, the higher the deposition (concentration reduction) and the blocking aerodynamic effect (concentration increase). Regardless of foliage or deposition rates, results suggest the predominance of aerodynamic effects which induce concentration increases up to a maximum of 7.2%, while deposition induces concentration decreases up to a maximum of 6.9%. The inclusion of new trees in one street modifies the distribution of pollutant, not only in that street, but also in nearby locations with concentration increase or decrease. This finding suggests that planting trees in street with traffic as an air pollution reduction strategy seems to be not appropriate in general, highlighting the necessity of ad hoc studies for each particular case to select the suitable location of new vegetation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/7/131street vegetationCFDaerodynamic and depositiontree scenariosurban planning |
| spellingShingle | Jose-Luis Santiago Esther Rivas Beatriz Sanchez Riccardo Buccolieri Fernando Martin The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) Atmosphere street vegetation CFD aerodynamic and deposition tree scenarios urban planning |
| title | The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) |
| title_full | The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) |
| title_short | The Impact of Planting Trees on NOx Concentrations: The Case of the Plaza de la Cruz Neighborhood in Pamplona (Spain) |
| title_sort | impact of planting trees on nox concentrations the case of the plaza de la cruz neighborhood in pamplona spain |
| topic | street vegetation CFD aerodynamic and deposition tree scenarios urban planning |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/8/7/131 |
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