Experiencing rapid development and growth, cities worldwide face a surge in
air pollution, primarily driven by increased concentrations of particulate
matter (PM) originating from various anthropogenic sources, such as traffic,
household fuel combustion, and industrial and construction activities. Urban
green spaces can naturally filter PM through physicochemical processes,
serving as effective urban planning instruments for improvement of the air
quality. Focusing on a street in Novi Sad, the second-largest city in
Serbia, this study investigates the efficiency of vegetation in mitigating
air pollution, specifically PM10 emissions from traffic and construction
activities. Utilizing contemporary monitoring and modeling techniques for
measuring and predicting PM10 concentrations, the focus of this research is
to evaluate the efficacy of vegetation in affecting and minimizing detected
PM concentrations. The results indicate a significant reduction in the
monitored PM10 concentrations behind the green barrier compared to the
modeled concentrations near the pollution source (on the road) for both
traffic and construction-related emissions. The paper highlights the
capacity of green elements to act as natural air pollution mitigators and
advocates for better integration of strategic environmental management into
urban planning to foster the development of healthier and more sustainable
cities, providing recommendations to facilitate this objective.