Development of a low-cost particle capturing device for vehicular emissions: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Materials Science
• Air Quality Management

Background:

• Urban air pollution, primarily from vehicle emissions, severely impacts air quality and public health in populated areas.
• Particulate matter (PM) is challenging to retain with roadside vegetation due to urban microclimatic effects.
• Cost-effective and sustainable methods are needed to capture pollutants at the source or near receptors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a low-cost, bio-based particle-capturing prototype for vehicular emissions.
• To assess the prototype's efficiency in reducing particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants under simulated urban conditions.

Main Methods:

• A prototype device constructed from coconut husk and sugarcane pulp was designed with a cylindrical enclosure and conical outlet.
• Performance was tested indoors simulating vehicular movement (idling and departing junctions) under varying turbulence intensities.
• Concentrations of CO, CO2, PM2.5, and PM10 were measured to determine Single Pass Removal Efficiency (SPRE).

Main Results:

• Higher SPRE for PM2.5 and PM10 was observed in stationary vehicle scenarios (high turbulence) and moving vehicle scenarios (medium turbulence).
• Gaseous pollutant capture was more efficient under low-turbulence, stationary conditions.
• Reductions ranged from 15-45% for PM, and 10-55% for CO and CO2, depending on the scenario and pollutant type.

Conclusions:

• Bio-based materials show promise as sustainable solutions for mitigating urban air pollution from vehicular emissions.
• Turbulence dynamics play a critical role in optimizing the capture efficiency of both particulate and gaseous pollutants.
• The developed prototype offers a potentially effective and eco-friendly approach to improving urban air quality.