Yirdaw Asmare Asrat, Ejeso Amanuel, Mokie Belayneh Samrawit, Yohannes Lamrot, Bezie Anmut Endalkachew, Beyene Embialle Mengistie
Departments of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
Department of Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Front Public Health. 2025 Jan 29;12:1510194. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1510194. eCollection 2024.
The traffic air pollution caused by transportation is a growing global problem that contributes to millions of deaths each year. Despite its importance, information on pollutant concentration is limited in many developing cities, especially in Ethiopia. This study aimed to determine the concentration levels and spatial and temporal variations of traffic air pollutants in Hawassa and to investigate the influence of metrological parameters on the concentration of traffic air pollutants.
A real-time monitoring system of Aero-Qual Series 300/500 was used to monitor pollutants, and 24 monitoring sites were included on both heavy and low-traffic volume roads. The study monitored morning and afternoon times over 24 days to comprehensively characterize the temporal variations.
The results showed that the mean PM concentration on heavy- and low-traffic volume roads was 161.6 ± 26.1 μg/m and 95 ± 14.2 μg/m, respectively, whereas the PM concentration was 178.7 ± 20.3 μg/ m and 102.3 ± 17.6 μg/m, respectively. Similarly, the mean NO concentrations on roads with heavy and low traffic volumes were 86.4 ± 14.4 μg/m and 61.7 ± 14.2 μg/m, respectively. Significantly higher, concentrations were recorded on traffic light roads, followed by main asphalt roads, for both types of traffic air pollutants. The ratio of PM/PM was higher (0.924), in which the pollution sources attributed to anthropogenic sources. Kendall's tau-b correlation analysis suggested that Meteorological parameters (temperature and relative humidity) were positively correlated with traffic air pollutants. Likewise, stepwise multiple linear regression analysis confirms that the concentrations of traffic air pollutants had a positive relationship with metrological parameters.
The findings of this study therefore showed the need for regular air quality monitoring of the urban areas to copping out the adverse public health impacts. And, it highlighted an urgent need for long-term monitoring of traffic air pollution and the development of emission control programs that can be readily implemented to decrease the emissions from anthropogenic sources. Also, it brings a sense of collaboration among stakeholders to tackle the effects of air pollution by providing an inclusive and sustainable development agenda for Hawassa.
交通造成的空气污染是一个日益严重的全球性问题，每年导致数百万人死亡。尽管其重要性，但许多发展中城市，特别是埃塞俄比亚，有关污染物浓度的信息有限。本研究旨在确定哈瓦萨交通空气污染物的浓度水平、时空变化，并调查气象参数对交通空气污染物浓度的影响。
使用Aero-Qual系列300/500实时监测系统监测污染物，在交通流量大的道路和交通流量小的道路上共设置了24个监测点。该研究在24天内监测了上午和下午的时段，以全面表征时间变化。
结果表明，交通流量大的道路和交通流量小的道路上的PM平均浓度分别为161.6±26.1μg/m和95±14.2μg/m，而PM浓度分别为178.7±20.3μg/m和102.3±17.6μg/m。同样，交通流量大的道路和交通流量小的道路上的NO平均浓度分别为86.4±14.4μg/m和61.7±14.2μg/m。对于这两种交通空气污染物，在交通信号灯道路上记录的浓度明显更高，其次是主要沥青道路。PM/PM的比值更高（0.924），其污染源归因于人为源。肯德尔tau-b相关性分析表明，气象参数（温度和相对湿度）与交通空气污染物呈正相关。同样，逐步多元线性回归分析证实，交通空气污染物的浓度与气象参数呈正相关。
因此，本研究的结果表明需要对城市地区进行定期空气质量监测，以应对不利的公共健康影响。并且，它强调了迫切需要对交通空气污染进行长期监测，并制定能够迅速实施的排放控制计划，以减少人为源的排放。此外，它通过为哈瓦萨提供一个包容性和可持续发展议程，带来了利益相关者之间的合作意识，以应对空气污染的影响。
