A study of air pollution by exhaust gases from cars in well courtyards of Saint Petersburg

Pollution of the environment by exhaust gases while parking in enclosed well courtyards of Saint Petersburg is studied. A method for the assessment of extremely dangerous air pollution by CO, CH, NOx, and PM pollutants upon engine start-up and warm-up under conditions of limited air exchange is developed. Experiments involving 13 petrol and 2 diesel passenger cars of Euro 0, 3, 4, 5 emission standards were conducted. To measure the concentration of pollutants, the following gas analyzers were used: Testo-300 XXL (Testo, Germany), PGA-200 (ZAO R&D Enterprise Elektrostandart, Russia), DUSTTRAK 8530 (TSI Incorporated, USA). Values of CO, CH, NOx, PM emission factors for passenger cars of Euro 0 – Euro 5 emission standards were determined. It has been established that upon engine warm-up (in passenger cars of Euro 0 – Euro 4 emission standards) high air pollution with carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide is formed in enclosed and poorly ventilated well courtyards in 5–10 minutes, their concentration being 2–5 times, 1.5–3 times and 1.5 times higher than the permissible levels for the Russian Federation, respectively (at the height of 2 m, i.e. at the breathing level).