Contact: Tina Hilding, 509-335-5095, thilding@wsu.edu
Tackling Megacity Crud
Although Mexico City has the dubious distinction of having the
worst air quality in the world, its problems with pollution are not
unique. Researchers at Washington State University's Laboratory of
Atmospheric Research are working with a group of more than 20
universities and government agencies who are using Mexico City as a
case study in how to tackle the huge problem of air quality in
megacities.
Led by Mario Molina of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
the researchers hope to gather information from a large number of
groups and eventually help devise better emissions-control
strategies for the region. Using various technologies and numerous
agencies to gather information assures better confidence in the
results, says Brian Lamb, professor of civil engineering, who led
the WSU group. The information could also be used to better
understand and improve air pollution problems in other major urban
areas.
Lamb's group studied the emissions of organic hydrocarbons from
the urban landscape. Hydrocarbons are released into the atmosphere
from incomplete combustion of gasoline and other fuels and from
other sources, such as dry cleaners, paint shops, and solvents. In
the atmosphere, hydrocarbons react with sunlight and nitrogen
oxides to produce ozone and smog. In Mexico City, the standard for
ozone is exceeded 300 days per year.
While Lamb's group found that cars are a big source of hydrocarbon
emissions, they also found that many cottage industries, ranging
from repair shops to a factory that cleans eggs, are also
significant contributors to pollution. Even painting sidewalk curbs
produced significant organic molecules.
"With a population of 20 million people and horrendous traffic,
they have a long way to go,'' says Lamb.