The environmental impact of diesel-fueled buses can potentially be reduced by the adoption of alternative propulsion technologies such as lean-burn compressed natural gas (LB-CNG) or hybrid electric buses (HEB), and emissions control strategies such as a continuously regenerating trap (CRT), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), or selective catalytic reduction with trap (SCRT). This study assessed the environmental costs and benefits of these bus technologies in Greater London relative to the existing fleet and characterized emissions changes due to alternative technologies. We found a >30% increase in CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emissions for CNG buses, a <5% change for exhaust treatment scenarios, and a 13% (90% confidence interval 3.8-20.9%) reduction for HEB relative to baseline CO2e emissions. A multiscale regional chemistry-transport model quantified the impact of alternative bus technologies on air quality, which was then related to premature mortality risk. We found the largest decrease in population exposure (about 83%) to particulate matter (PM2.5) occurred with LB-CNG buses. Monetized environmental and investment costs relative to the baseline gave estimated net present cost of LB-CNG or HEB conversion to be $187 million ($73 million to $301 million) or $36 million ($-25 million to $102 million), respectively, while EGR or SCRT estimated net present costs were $19 million ($7 million to $32 million) or $15 million ($8 million to $23 million), respectively.
Enclosed railway stations hosting diesel trains are at risk of reduced air quality as a result of exhaust emissions that may endanger passengers and workers. Air quality measurements were conducted inside London Paddington Station, a semi-enclosed railway station where 70% of trains are powered by diesel engines. Particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) mass was measured at five station locations. PM size, PM number, oxides of nitrogen (NO x ), and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) were measured at two station locations. Paddington Station's hourly mean PM 2.5 mass concentrations averaged 16 μg m −3 [min 2, max 68]. Paddington Station's hourly mean NO 2 concentrations averaged 73 ppb [49, 120] and SO 2 concentrations averaged 25 ppb [15,37]. While UK train stations are not required to comply with air quality standards, there were five instances where the hourly mean NO 2 concentrations exceeded the EU hourly mean limits (106 ppb) for outdoor air quality. PM 2.5 , SO 2 , and NO 2 concentrations were compared against Marylebone, a busy London roadside 1.2 km from the station. The comparisons indicated that train station air quality was more polluted than the nearby roadside. PM 2.5 for at least one measurement location within Paddington Station was shown to be statistically higher (P-value <0.05) than Marylebone on 3 out of 4 days. Measured NO 2 within Paddington Station was statistically higher than Marylebone on 3 out of 5 days, while measured SO 2 within Paddington Station was statistically higher than Marylebone on all 3 days.
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