Potential ambient NO2 abatement by applying photocatalytic materials in a Spanish city and analysis of short-term effect on human mortality

Jaime Fernández-Pampillón; Magdalena Palacios; Lourdes Núñez; Manuel Pujadas; Begoña Artíñano

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121203

Potential ambient NO₂ abatement by applying photocatalytic materials in a Spanish city and analysis of short-term effect on human mortality

Environ Pollut. 2023 Apr 15:323:121203. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121203. Epub 2023 Feb 2.

Authors

Jaime Fernández-Pampillón¹, Magdalena Palacios², Lourdes Núñez³, Manuel Pujadas², Begoña Artíñano²

Affiliations

¹ Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid, 28040, Spain; The National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, 28232, Spain.
² Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid, 28040, Spain.
³ Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT), Madrid, 28040, Spain. Electronic address: lourdes.nunez@ciemat.es.

PMID: 36738878
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121203

Abstract

Road traffic is the main contributor to NO₂ emissions in many European cities, causing that the current limit values for the protection of human health are exceeded. The use of photocatalytic compounds that incorporate titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is frequently proposed as abatement technology but its depolluting effectiveness on a real scale is still being investigated. In this work, the potential removal capacity of NO₂ that selected TiO₂-based materials would have if they were implemented in a street in the municipality of Alcobendas (Community of Madrid, Spain) has been evaluated. The number of avoided NO₂-related deaths over the locality across the period 2001-2019 have been inferred. Moreover, the saving associated with the estimated removal of ambient NO₂ due to the use of photocatalytic materials and costs generated by their acquisition and implementation in the selected urban environment were briefly studied. Attributable mortality due to NO₂ concentrations for Alcobendas has been estimated in 289 deaths, being 9241 the total deaths due to natural cause. This presents a monthly variation associated with the evolution of both mortality due to natural causes and the average concentrations of NO₂. The reduction in mortality via the hypothetical implantation of photocatalytic materials throughout the municipality, assuming ideal conditions for their optimal performance, would be a maximum of 3%. In addition, a saving of €5708 yr^-1 km^-2 related to NO_x damage costs of transport was obtained. A total cost of k€4750.5 km^-2 was associated to the purchase of photocatalytic materials and their application to all surfaces in that area. This technology has a big elimination potential in controlled conditions but a low reduction of ambient NO₂ is provided when implemented in real outdoor urban scenarios. Its use can be recommended incorporated into engineering designs and applications, complementing other abatement measures, to reduce NO₂ mortality in urban areas.

Keywords: Air pollution; Mortality; NO(2); TiO(2)-based photocatalytic materials.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / analysis
Air Pollution* / prevention & control
Cities
Humans
Nitrogen Dioxide / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
titanium dioxide
Nitrogen Dioxide