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10745114 
Book/Book Chapter 
How does the biodiesel use affect the urban air quality? 
Ribeiro, I; Monteiro, A; Martins, H; Miranda, AI; Borrego, C; Lopes, M 
2014 
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 
Sofia, Bulgaria 
HARMO 2014 - 16th International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes, Proceedings 
253-258 
English 
is also published as 3377998 How does the use of biodiesel affect urban air quality?
This study aims to assess the influence of the use of a B20 fuel instead of pure diesel on road-transports in urban air quality. For this purpose two emission scenarios were designed through the TRansport Emission Model for line sources with Hazardous Air Pollutant extension (TREM-HAP) application: a reference scenario considering no use of biodiesel (REF) and a scenario that reflects the use of a B20 fuel (B20). Both regulated and non-regulated pollutant emissions from B20 fuels were examined and their impacts on air quality were assessed using the WRFEURAD modelling system applied over the Porto urban area (the second largest in Portugal), with 1× 1 km2 of horizontal resolution. This work revealed that the use of B20 fuels may help in controlling air pollution in Porto urban area promoting reductions on PM, CO, O3 and total NMVOC concentrations. However, a slightly increase on formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein emissions, studied as HAP, may potentiate the O3 formation at urban areas and its surrounds. In spite of these pollutants are toxic and carcinogenic, the dominant VOCs of pure diesel engine exhausts (typically present in reduced amounts in biodiesel blends) have the highest chronic hazard quotients and hazard indices than VOC from B20. Thus, the use of pure diesel is more injurious for human health than B20 fuel, contributing to improve air quality levels as well. © Crown Copyright 2014 Dstl. 
Batchvarova, E; Kirova, H; Hristova, E 
16th International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes, HARMO 201 
Varna, Bulgaria 
September 8-11, 2014