Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK using the ADMS-Urban model

Jian Zhong; Roy M. Harrison; William James Bloss; Antoon Visschedijk; Hugo A C Denier van der Gon

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2023.108273

Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK using the ADMS-Urban model

Jian Zhong
, Roy M. Harrison^*
, William James Bloss
, Antoon Visschedijk
, Hugo A C Denier van der Gon

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are respirable particles with a diameter less than 100 nm, which some studies have associated with adverse effects upon health. UFPs are currently not regulated as the health evidence is insufficient and very few observational data are available in most cities. The 2021 WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines highlighted the pressing issue of UFPs and provided a good practice statement for UFPs, which recommends that more measurement and modelling studies are implemented in future. Particle number concentrations (PNC) are the most common metric for UFPs as this fraction normally dominates the total ambient PNC in urban environments. This study simulates the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands (a metropolitan area), UK using the local scale ADMS-Urban model, which is an advanced quasi-Gaussian plume dispersion modelling system. ADMS-Urban implements a physics-based approach to represent the characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer and has been widely used in the dispersion modelling of air pollutants. It can represent a variety of source types (such as road and grid emissions) occurring in urban environments and requires a range of input data. Particle number was used as a passive scalar, with no inclusion of aerosol microphysics within the model, as a first implementation in the ADMS-Urban model for the West Midlands, UK. Evaluation was conducted by comparing the modelled (from a receptor run) and measured data at the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite. Overall, the model performed well although there was a slight underestimation for PNC. Based on the modelling output from a contour run, PNC maps at a variety of spatial scales (i.e. street scale, ward level and local authority level) and temporal resolutions (i.e. annual, 24-hour, and 1-hour) were generated. PNC mapping could be linked to local population and health data for potential epidemiological studies.

Original language	English
Article number	108273
Number of pages	10
Journal	Environment International
Volume	181
Early online date	18 Oct 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108273
Publication status	Published - Nov 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding:
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036245 (RI-URBANS). JZ acknowledges the funding from the UK NERC WM-Air project (grant number NE/S003487/1). BAQS measurements were supported by the NERC Air Quality Supersites investment (NE/R011532/1), and the UKRI Clean Air SPF programme OSCA, Observation System for Clean Air (NE/T001976/1).

Keywords

Ultrafine particles
Particle number
Mapping
Dispersion modelling
Urban environments

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10.1016/j.envint.2023.108273Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

ZhongJ2023ModellingFinal published version, 14.6 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

RI-URBANS: Research Infrastructures services reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial areaS
Harrison, R. (Principal Investigator)
European Commission
1/10/21 → 30/09/25
Project: EU
Integrated Research Observation System for Clean Air (OSCA)
Shi, Z. (Researcher), Bloss, W. (Principal Investigator) & Harrison, R. (Researcher)
Natural Environment Research Council
13/02/19 → 22/10/23
Project: Research Councils
West Midlands Air Quality Improvement Programme
Sevinc, D. (Co-Investigator), Pope, F. (Co-Investigator), Bloss, W. (Principal Investigator), Chapman, L. (Co-Investigator), Thomas, N. (Co-Investigator), Shi, Z. (Co-Investigator), Bartington, S. (Co-Investigator), Bryson, J. (Co-Investigator), Jowett, S. (Co-Investigator), Muller, C. (Co-Investigator), MacKenzie, R. (Co-Investigator), Harrison, R. (Co-Investigator), Ferranti, E. (Co-Investigator) & Cai, X. (Co-Investigator)
Natural Environment Research Council
1/01/19 → 31/12/24
Project: Research Councils
Advanced UK observing network for air quality, Public Health and Greenhouse Gas Research (NE/R011532/1)
Harrison, R. (Co-Investigator), Thomas, N. (Co-Investigator) & Bloss, W. (Principal Investigator)
Natural Environment Research Council
14/08/17 → 13/08/22
Project: Research Councils

Research data supporting “Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK using the ADMS-Urban model”
Harrison, R. (Creator), Zhong, J. (Creator) & Bloss, W. (Creator), University of Birmingham, 22 Jun 2023
DOI: 10.25500/edata.bham.00000964
Dataset

Cite this

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title = "Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK using the ADMS-Urban model",

abstract = "Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are respirable particles with a diameter less than 100 nm, which some studies have associated with adverse effects upon health. UFPs are currently not regulated as the health evidence is insufficient and very few observational data are available in most cities. The 2021 WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines highlighted the pressing issue of UFPs and provided a good practice statement for UFPs, which recommends that more measurement and modelling studies are implemented in future. Particle number concentrations (PNC) are the most common metric for UFPs as this fraction normally dominates the total ambient PNC in urban environments. This study simulates the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands (a metropolitan area), UK using the local scale ADMS-Urban model, which is an advanced quasi-Gaussian plume dispersion modelling system. ADMS-Urban implements a physics-based approach to represent the characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer and has been widely used in the dispersion modelling of air pollutants. It can represent a variety of source types (such as road and grid emissions) occurring in urban environments and requires a range of input data. Particle number was used as a passive scalar, with no inclusion of aerosol microphysics within the model, as a first implementation in the ADMS-Urban model for the West Midlands, UK. Evaluation was conducted by comparing the modelled (from a receptor run) and measured data at the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite. Overall, the model performed well although there was a slight underestimation for PNC. Based on the modelling output from a contour run, PNC maps at a variety of spatial scales (i.e. street scale, ward level and local authority level) and temporal resolutions (i.e. annual, 24-hour, and 1-hour) were generated. PNC mapping could be linked to local population and health data for potential epidemiological studies.",

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note = "Funding: This project has received funding from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036245 (RI-URBANS). JZ acknowledges the funding from the UK NERC WM-Air project (grant number NE/S003487/1). BAQS measurements were supported by the NERC Air Quality Supersites investment (NE/R011532/1), and the UKRI Clean Air SPF programme OSCA, Observation System for Clean Air (NE/T001976/1).",

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AU - Visschedijk, Antoon

AU - Denier van der Gon, Hugo A C

N1 - Funding: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036245 (RI-URBANS). JZ acknowledges the funding from the UK NERC WM-Air project (grant number NE/S003487/1). BAQS measurements were supported by the NERC Air Quality Supersites investment (NE/R011532/1), and the UKRI Clean Air SPF programme OSCA, Observation System for Clean Air (NE/T001976/1).

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N2 - Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are respirable particles with a diameter less than 100 nm, which some studies have associated with adverse effects upon health. UFPs are currently not regulated as the health evidence is insufficient and very few observational data are available in most cities. The 2021 WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines highlighted the pressing issue of UFPs and provided a good practice statement for UFPs, which recommends that more measurement and modelling studies are implemented in future. Particle number concentrations (PNC) are the most common metric for UFPs as this fraction normally dominates the total ambient PNC in urban environments. This study simulates the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands (a metropolitan area), UK using the local scale ADMS-Urban model, which is an advanced quasi-Gaussian plume dispersion modelling system. ADMS-Urban implements a physics-based approach to represent the characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer and has been widely used in the dispersion modelling of air pollutants. It can represent a variety of source types (such as road and grid emissions) occurring in urban environments and requires a range of input data. Particle number was used as a passive scalar, with no inclusion of aerosol microphysics within the model, as a first implementation in the ADMS-Urban model for the West Midlands, UK. Evaluation was conducted by comparing the modelled (from a receptor run) and measured data at the Birmingham Air Quality Supersite. Overall, the model performed well although there was a slight underestimation for PNC. Based on the modelling output from a contour run, PNC maps at a variety of spatial scales (i.e. street scale, ward level and local authority level) and temporal resolutions (i.e. annual, 24-hour, and 1-hour) were generated. PNC mapping could be linked to local population and health data for potential epidemiological studies.

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JO - Environment International

JF - Environment International

M1 - 108273

ER -

Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK using the ADMS-Urban model

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

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Projects

RI-URBANS: Research Infrastructures services reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial areaS

Integrated Research Observation System for Clean Air (OSCA)

West Midlands Air Quality Improvement Programme

Advanced UK observing network for air quality, Public Health and Greenhouse Gas Research (NE/R011532/1)

Datasets

Research data supporting “Modelling the dispersion of particle number concentrations in the West Midlands, UK using the ADMS-Urban model”

Cite this