IMPACTS OF URBAN ROADWAY TRAFFIC ON AIR

QUALITY

Department of Urban and Infrastructure Engineering

NED University of Engineering & Technology
1
 Group Members
1. Khurram Wahab UE-12017
2. Salis Khan UE-12304
3. Zain Ahmed Qazi UE-13044
4. Shahbaz Khan Afridi UE-13057
5. Wazir Ghulam Abbas UE-13076
6. Awais Rasool UE-14001

Prof. Dr. Raza Mehdi Engr. Sajjad Ali

(Supervisor) (Co-Supervisor)

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Contents
1. Chapter 1 – Introduction

(Background, Objectives, Scope)

2. Chapter 2 – Literature Review

3. Chapter 3 – Methodology

(Field Data Survey Location; Saddar Town , Korangi Town , Gulberg Town)

4. Chapter 4 – Data Analysis

5. Chapter 5 – Conclusions & Recommendations

6. References
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 Chapter 1
Introduction
1. Background
 Air quality is one of top priorities for a sustainable urban built environment.

 Traffic and industrial emissions are found to be the two major contributors to air pollution in
urban areas.

 Air pollution is caused by the contaminant gases and particulate matters like carbon dioxide
(CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide(SO2), oxides of nitrogen(NO2) , ozone(O3) ,and
particulate matters(PM1-10).

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2. Objectives
 To study and analyze trends of air pollution level in urban areas with respect to the landuse.

 Determining concentration level of air pollutants.

3. Scope
 Determining concentration level of air pollutants in the selected areas (landuses) of
Karachi .
 Industrial area (Korangi Town), Residential area (Gulberg town) and Commercial area
(Saddir town) were selected.
 Air pollutants considered were CO, CO2, NO2, SO2, O3
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 Chapter 2
Literature Review

1. Causes of Air Pollution:

• Road traffic causes air pollution in developed countries it may constitute 80 to 90% of
the pollution levels.
• Smoke and other pollutants from the industries pollutes the air due to the presence of
contaminant gases like CO, NO2, SO2, and other poisonous gases.

2. Effects on Human health :

• Air pollution causes cancer, lungs and allergy diseases, heart diseases.

• Long term exposure to NO2 and O3 may damage respiratory damages and induce cancer in
healthy individuals

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• Severe effects include respiratory morbidity, cardiovascular diseases and mortality.
• Bronchial inflammations, allergic reactions, and irritation of the mucous membranes of the
eyes and nose are also included.

3. Toxic Criteria Pollutants :

• Ozone (O3 )
• Sulphur dioxide (SO3)
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2)
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Lead (PM1-10)

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4. Particulate Matter :

• Particulate matter is the sum of all liquid and solid particles suspended in air.

• Consists complex mixture of dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets

• The predominant clinical features of PM-1 positive patients were muscle weakness and pulmonary
disease

• Some of these particles in different sizes and ranges are :

S.NO PARTICLE SIZE RANGE

1 Coarse Large 2.5 to 10 micrometer

2 Fine Smaller Less than 2.5 micrometer

3 Ultra fine Smaller than fine Less than 0.1 micrometer

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 CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS DISEASES
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
 Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an oxidant gas which contaminates ambient air in many urban and industrial
locations. The Environmental Protection Agency presently regulates NO2 in ambient air as a "criteria" pollutant.
The toxicological evidence suggests that increased susceptibility.

CARBON MONOXIDE
Binding of CO in the lungs with hemoglobin in the blood forms carboxyhemoglobin (COHB), which impairs the
transport of oxygen.
OZONE
 Short-term acute effects of O3 include
SULPHUR DIOXIDE
 Some studies, but not others, found associations between sulphur dioxide (SO2) exposure and

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 PARTICULATE MATTER (PM1)
Exposure to particulate matter 1 is found to be associated with cardiovascular disease.

PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5)

 Numerous studies have found adverse health effects of acute and chronic exposure to fine particulate matter
(PM2.5). The study found that chronic coronary heart disease mortality rate increases with exposure to PM2.5.

PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10)

 Particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10) is one of the main pollutants that cause irreparable damage to the
environment and human health.

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 Chapter 3
Methodology

 Criteria pollutants in air are CO, CO2, NO2, SO2, O3, Particulate Matters.

 Data collection visiting Commercial , Industrial , and Residential areas in Karachi city.

 The towns that are considered for analyzing air pollution are Saddar town, Korangi Town,
and Gulberg town.

 Thus data from three towns is to be analysed and then observed to compare pollution levels
of all the towns.

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DATA COLLECTION WITH AIR POLLUTANT MEASURING DEVICES
4. FIELD DATA SURVEY LOCATIONS

 Saddar town ( commercial area)

 Korangi town (Industrial area)

 Gulberg town (residential area)

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SADDAR TOWN
KORANGI TOWN
GULBERG TOWN
 Chapter 4
Data Analysis

 Saddar Town

 Korangi Town

 Gulberg Town

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1. SADDAR TOWN COMBINE GRAPH
2. KORANGI TOWN COMBINED GRAPH
3.GULBERG TOWN COMBINE GRAPH
 COMPARITIVE ANALYSIS BASED ON ROAD TYPES AND CRITERIA POLLUTANTS IN 9 HRS

TOWNS CO CO2 SO2 O3 PM1 PM2.5 PM10

(ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ug/m3) (ug/m3) (ug/m3)

Saddar 13.62 2291.31 0.36 1.89 33.49 30.43 31.51

Korangi 0.04 2002.41 0.42 0.00 21.50 33.01 40.25

Gulberg 16.92593 1767.921 0.231019 0 20.24537 21.39352 26.33796

CO VS TOWNS in 9 hrs CO2 VS TOWNS in 9 hrs

20.00 3000.00
15.00
2000.00
10.00
1000.00
5.00
0.00 0.00
1 1
CO SADAR CO KORANGI CO GULBERG CO2 SADAR CO2 KORANGI CO2 GULBERG
 o3 VS TOWNS in 9 so2 VS TOWNS in 9
hrs hrs
2.00 0.60
PM2.5 VS TOWNS in 9 0.40
1.00
hrs 0.20
0.00 35.00 0.00
1 1
30.00
O3 SADAR O3 KORANGI O3 GULBERG 25.00 SO2 SADAR SO2 KORANGI SO3 GULBERG

20.00
15.00
PM1 VS TOWNS in 9 10.00 PM10 VS TOWNS in 9
hrs 5.00 hrs
40.00 0.00 60.00
1
30.00
40.00
20.00 PM2.5 sad PM2.5 kor PM2.5 gul
20.00
10.00
0.00 0.00
1 1
PM1 sad PM1 kor PM1 gul PM10 sad PM10 kor PM10 gul

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 CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSIONS

 Air pollution is one of the major problems faced by most of the urban areas like Karachi.

 Karachi has highly degraded air quality according to observations made in this project.

 Air quality of Karachi has been severely damaged by its excessive population growth, increased road traffic,
and domestic and industrial activities.

 According to the assessment and data analysis, Saddar town and Korangi industrial area are the most affected
areas of excessive air pollution because of increased industrial activities and heavy road traffic.

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 RECOMMENDATIONS

 Appropriate measures should be taken to reduce, overcome, avoid or minimize excessive

air pollution in the city.

 Ensuring safe and secure air quality for sustainable Urban built environment.

 All the affordable and available technologies, alternative ways[e.g fuel alternatives] should
be adopted to reduce air pollution.

 Other options include focusing on development of green built environment, increasing

plantation, effective solid waste management options, Implementing and regulating
Environmental acts and regulations I.e. WHO guidelines, NEQS,NAAQS and PEPA etc.

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