Estudo sobre a contribuição do tráfego e de fatores urbanos na poluição atmosférica de Fortaleza/CE utilizando um equipamento de baixo custo

Abstract

The growing concern about air quality in urban areas has driven studies on atmospheric pollution, its origins, and its effects on human health and the environment, with a particular emphasis on the influence of vehicle traffic and urban infrastructure on the emission and behavior of pollution in the environment. This work focused on the challenge of understanding air pollution variations in certain areas of Fortaleza/CE, and their effects on the urban fabric, leveraging the innovation of a financially accessible device built for the collection of essential data. The investigation consisted of collecting and analyzing information on atmospheric pollutants, climate data, and traffic in 12 different locations in the city, also considering urban elements such as building heights and road classifications based on spatial analysis. The data collected and analyzed through multilinear regression models indicate that pollution is not directly linked to traffic volume but is more associated with urban, meteorological, and local vegetation aspects that can limit air circulation and affect pollutant dispersion. It was observed that the presence of fine particles (particulate matter up to 2.5μm) was less influenced by urban characteristics compared to carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, having more influence from meteorological variables. A connection was also established between air pollution levels and regions with a high presence of urban canyons, highlighting the importance of urban planning in mitigating pollution. Finally, although the use of low-cost equipment proved effective in measuring atmospheric pollution and meteorological data, investigating a larger geographical area, with more connected devices and collection of other variables, such as wind speed and direction and road quality characteristics, is necessary for a more robust understanding of this complex phenomenon.