Impact of change in traffic flow on vehicle non-exhaust PM2.5 and PM10 emissions: A case study of the M25 motorway, UK

Abstract

This study quantifies the change in traffic flow on the M25 motorway in the UK due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, the impact of the change in traffic flow on non-exhaust PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ emissions for different categories of vehicle was explored. During the year of the COVID-19 outbreak (March 2020 to February 2021), the total traffic flows of passenger cars (PCs), light goods vehicles (LGVs), heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), and long HGVs on the M25 motorway decreased by 38.6%, 27.6%, 15.9% and 7.2%, respectively, in comparison to the previous year. Correspondingly, the total mass of non-exhaust emissions (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) of PCs, LGVs, HGVs, and long HGVs reduced by 38.7%, 27.3%, 16.2% and 7%, respectively. The traffic flows per year before and during the COVID-19 outbreak of long HGVs were 87.2% and 80.7% less than those of PCs. Correspondingly, the long HGVs emitted 10.2% less but 36.3% more PM_2.5 emissions, as well as 10.9% and 66.7% more PM₁₀ emissions than the latter, indicating that long HGVs contribute much more to non-exhaust particles than PCs. In addition, it was found that resuspension of road dust on the M25 motorway was the largest contributor to air pollution among non-exhaust emissions, followed by road wear, tyre wear, and brake wear particles.