The impact of street cleaning on particulate matter air concentrations: a case study of a street canyon in Krakow (Poland)

Abstract

The paper presents the impact of the cleaning of a dual carriageway located in a street canyon in Krakow (Southern Poland) on the levels of the PM 10 and PM 2.5 air concentrations. For this purpose, representative dust samples from the analysed street were collected corresponding to the street cleaning situation, the re-entrained road dust PM10 and PM2.5 emissions were estimated in accordance with the U.S. EPA guidelines, and the particulate matter atmospheric dispersion modelling was carried out using the CALINE4 model for a selected episode of street cleaning. The modelling results were compared with the measurement results of the PM 10 and PM 2.5 air concentrations obtained from the air quality monitoring station (traffic type) located in the middle of this street canyon. The results of the air dispersion modelling in the canyon zone confirmed the strong impact of street cleaning on the temporary (1-hour) PM 10 concentrations in the direct vicinity of the cleaned section depending on meteorological conditions. During the cleaning episode, no significant increase in the PM 2.5 concentration in the air was observed.