Scientists from the UPWr studied the concentration of atmospheric soot

• Riverside embankments, residential streets or roads with heavy traffic vs. air quality
• The UPWr scientists' publication with the analysis of the obtained data may prove helpful for town planners, architects and local government officials
• Smog kills – the indicators in Poland are alarming

Three researchers from the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences: Prof. Joanna Kamińska, Prof. Jan Kazak and PhD student from the UPWr Doctoral School, Tomasz Turek, combined their private passions with being a scientist and conducted research on air quality measurements on various cycle routes in Wrocław. Over two months, they used three different bicycle routes every day (all of them ride bicycles not only as a daily means of transport, but also recreationally), measuring atmospheric soot air pollution with the help of specialised equipment. For data analysis, at least twenty repetitions of measurements were required on days without rain.

– Cooperating with the Belgian company VITO, from whom we borrowed measuring equipment, we selected three different routes taking into account the differences in land development and traffic volume. We wanted them to be differentiated, so that we could quantify which road from point A to point B would be the healthiest for residents of Wrocław – says Prof. Jan Kazak from the Institute of Spatial Management.

Typical routes for a large city

One route started at the Grunwaldzki Bridge, ran through the centre through Dominikański Square to the junction of Hallera and Powstańców Śląskich Streets, then along the downtown beltway to Ślężna Street. The return route – towards Wróblewski Square to the Grunwaldzki Bridge. The second route was selected taking into account various conditions – it ran in the city centre, including along the embankments of the Oder River, through residential streets in the inner city and along streets with higher traffic intensity, such as Sienkiewicza Street. The third route encircled Nowy Dwór, leading along parts of Żernicka and Strzegomska Street, as well as the Millennium Park.

The measurements obtained will be used to create a map that will show the average concentrations of atmospheric soot in chosen sections.

– We chose three different typical routes: through green areas, housing estates with low traffic and along collective roads, and therefore with a significant amount of car traffic. The frequency of measurements, but also the fact that each of us had to travel on the designated route quite slowly, allow us to show on specific fragments how the concentration of atmospheric soot is distributed – explain Prof. Jan Kazak and Tomasz Turek.

It turned out that for the obtained measurement results it is important whether the bicycle path was adjacent to the road or separated by a green belt – it was enough to go a few metres away from the route with heavy traffic to reduce the soot concentration in inhaled air.

Tomasz Turek, PhD student of the UPWr Doctoral School, whose supervisor is Prof. Joanna Kamińska: – Apart from the differences in the routes themselves, the meteorological factors and the heating season are also important. There is a different, i.e. much lower, soot concentration in summer, especially in the middle of the summer holidays, and a different one in winter at the peak of the heating season. We carried out our research during the transitional period, i.e. in September and October, when car traffic is already growing after the summer holidays but the heating season has not started yet. We chose this transitional period as the most representative.

Purpose: publication and recommendations

The research carried out will result in a scientific publication, which is intended to form the basis for a future research project. Scientists from the UPWr admit that they did not carry out analyses for the entire urban agglomeration, rather focusing on analysis of the influence of local factors on the concentration of pollutants. However, this analysis already shows that the height of buildings, the geographical arrangement of roads in relation to the directions of wind most often blowing in Wrocław, green plantings or the nature of this greenery are important for air quality.

– Identification of factors influencing the level of atmospheric soot concentrations can be important information for town planners, architects and local authorities. They can use this knowledge to shape urban space more sustainably. These decision-makers have an impact on whether there should be a lawn along the street or trees separating pavements or bicycle paths from roads – says Prof. Jan Kazak, adding that the conducted research clearly shows that the simplest decisions and solutions, as it turns out, also play a role in quality of air for non-motorised residents of the city.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AND THE EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM AIR POLLUTION IN POLAND AT MORE THAN 40 THOUSAND A YEAR. SUCH DATA WAS PROVIDED BEFORE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BY THE SUPREME AUDIT OFFICE.

In medical science, the impact of atmospheric soot on human health is still a relatively new topic. Scientific publications are limited to stating that the higher the concentration the more dangerous the effect, but no threshold values are given.

– Any concentration of atmospheric soot in inhaled air is harmful, because they are very fine particles and components of particulate matter. They penetrate the body through epithelial tissues, get into the lungs and cause various ailments – emphasises Prof. Joanna Kamińska from the Department of Applied Mathematics, and adds that the measurements made in the autumn, the analysis of the collected data and the publication are the starting point for applying for funding that could allow such research to be carried out for the entire city. And all the more so because the three scientists also measured air quality in three Wroclaw parks: West, Szczytnicki and South. On bicycles, with measuring readers, they checked the spatial distribution of air quality in terms of atmospheric soot in the parks, and more precisely to what extent the proximity of roads adjacent to the park's borders deteriorated the air quality.

Alarming data

The World Health Organisation and the European Environment Agency estimate the number of deaths from air pollution in Poland at over 40,000 per year. Such data was provided before the coronavirus pandemic by the Supreme Audit Office. In a report prepared by the Supreme Audit Office in 2018, it was stated that in large cities the greatest influence on the number of premature deaths is exerted by communal furnaces as well as traffic and aviation. Particularly bad indicators concerned the pollution of PM10 and PM2.5 and the most toxic compounds for health, such as hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and carbon. The PM with atmospheric soot as a component is the product of engine exhaust systems as a result of incomplete combustion. They include, among others, a certain amount of carbon particles, sulfur and nitrogen compounds, metals and heavy hydrocarbons. They stay in the atmosphere for a long time and are easily absorbed. They are saturated with other dangerous compounds, which allow heavy metals, including lead, sulfur, nitrogen and various hydrocarbons, to enter the body. PM 2.5 particles are particularly dangerous to your health – the fine dust penetrates the lungs and bloodstream and contributes to many serious diseases. The most common are asthma, chronic lung diseases, inflammation of the respiratory tract, cancer, heart and nervous system diseases.

The conclusions of the research could be a valuable hint for the residents of Wrocław as to the route they should choose to travel between selected locations with the best possible conditions, and not risk a higher exposure to atmospheric soot in the air. The pilot research was made possible thanks to the support obtained from funds allocated to the activities of Leading Research Teams, and were carried out under the Water – Climate – Environment (WCE) LRT.

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