Air Quality Impacts Caused by the Transfer of the Athens Airport from Hellenikon to Spata A.G

Air quality impacts caused by the transfer of the Athens airport from Hellenikon to Spata A.G. Proyou, N. Moussiopoulos, K. Karatzas

Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract

Aim of this paper is to study the air quality impacts due to the transfer of the Hellenikon airport to the region of Spata. Air pollutant emissions associated with the airport operation are firstly discussed. Mean monthly air pollutant concentrations (CO and NO%) are estimated with the Gaussian Model PAL, both for the "do nothing" scenario and the assumption of the airport in operation for the areas of Hellenikon and Spata. Results indicate that the installation of the new airport out of the Athens basin will improve the air quality in the basin. The operation of the Spata airport will lead to considerable air pollution levels in the area that will increase up to the year 2012. Nevertheless, the existing air quality standards or targets are not expected to be exceeded with the only eventual exception of the NC^ levels.

1 Introduction

The present work deals with the impacts on air quality from the planned transfer of the Hellenikon airport to the region of Spata. For this purpose, emissions related to the operation of the airport of Spata were estimated and concentration levels were calculated for the years 2002 and 2012. For comparison, calculations were carried out also for the airport of Hellenikon for the present situation (1993) and the years 2002 and 2012. The location of the Hellenikon and Spata areas are shown in Figure 1.

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2 Road traffic emissions

Road traffic emissions were calculated for the areas of Hellenikon and Spata.

Traffic load and fleet composition data for the Spata area were derived from previous works [1]. Two different scenarios, with and without the planned airport, were taken into account in order to estimate the additional emissions related to the operation of the new airport. The corresponding data for the area of Hellenikon were based on measurements of the Ministry of Environment at the gates of the existing airport [2]. The vehicle emission factors were determined from measurements of a representative fleet sample [3]. The structure and philosophy of COPERT was followed; i.e. the emission factors were assumed to depend primarily on engine size, age of the car and average velocity [4]. The emission calculations were performed for the month of July because both air and road traffic load are in both areas highest during this month.

Table 1. Daily pollutant emissions due to road traffic related to the operation of the Hellenikon airport during the peak period of air traffic for the present situation and the years 2002 and 2012.

kg/d CO NOx voc PM10 1993 2349 308 313 46 2002 1784 616 369 91

2012 1175 842 365 181

Table 2. Daily pollutant emissions due to road traffic in the area of Spata during the peak period of air traffic for the years 2002 and 2012: Results for the

"do nothing" scenario (a) compared to those under the assumption of the new airport in operation (b). The differences between (b) and (a) are also given for convenience (c).

kg/d CO NOx VOC PM10 2002 a 11262 3968 1296 535

b 25294 8427 4167 1146 c 14032 4459 2241 611 2012 a 3750 4868 1062 440

b 7999 10156 2235 937 c 4249 5288 1173 497

In Tables 1 and 2 road traffic emissions related to the airport operation in

Hellenikon and in Spata are presented. It should be noted that the length of the road network and hence also the total vehicle emissions are expected to be larger in the Spata area than those in the Hellenikon area. Generally, with the

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exception of CO, all other pollutants increase because of the increase of traffic loads. Carbon monoxide decrease is associated with the fleet composition change due to catalytic vehicles.

3 Air traffic emissions

Pollutant emissions due to air traffic can be distinguished into the following categories: • aircraft emissions during taxiing, approach, take off and ascent

• various emissions related to the airport operation activities as: i) service traffic around the aprons, ii) transport and storage of fuel and iii) testing of aircraft engines.

Apparently all these emissions depend on the statistics of air traffic. Corresponding data as well as the relevant aircraft types were provided from the Organization of the Airport of Athens [5]. The aircraft emission calculations were based on emission factors for various aircraft engines and the estimated duration of different flight phases [6, 7]. Table 3 shows the results of the calculations for the aircraft emissions for the present situation and the years 2002 and 2012. It is obvious that aircraft emissions for both airports are identical since the air traffic is estimated to be the same in both cases. A significant increase of all pollutant emissions is observed.

Table 3. Calculated aircraft emissions [kg/d] for the present situation (1993) and the years 2002 and 2012.

Take off Taxiing | Approach | Ascent

1993 CO 14,4 1752,5 41,3 80,1

NOx 540,3 195,5 1201,4 273,8 VOC 3,6 467,9 12,1 12,5 PM10 8,6 190,1 30,5 29,2

2002 CO 37,7 3630,8 109,8 190 NOx 1034,3 512,4 2227,9 524,9

VOC 7,6 925,2 24,6 38,2 PM10 12,8 283,9 45,5 43,7 2012

CO 48,4 4428,8 141,2 237,1 NOx 1243,1 657,1 2655,9 631,1 VOC 9,3 1114,3 30,0 49,9

PM10 16,9 373,9 59,9 57,5

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Table 4. Pollutant emissions [kg/d] due to service traffic (a) and engine testing (b) for the present situation (1993) and the years 2002 and 2012.

CO NOx voc PM10

a b a b a b a b 1993 28,3 13,6 43,2 32,9 16,5 3,6 21,0 1,9 2002 71,8 28,7 127,7 64,0 34,9 7,2 31,1 2,8

2012 60,7 35,1 166,1 77,2 33,1 8,7 14,8 3,7

In Table 4 pollutant emissions related to service traffic and engine testing are presented. As mentioned previously, an emission increase is estimated because of the expected air traffic increase.

4 Air pollution levels

In the following, results of dispersion simulations with the Gaussian model PAL are presented. PAL is one of the models recommended by the US

Environmental Protection Agency for the description of air pollutant dispersion [8]. Main objective of the simulations was to calculate air quality levels in the years 2002 and 2012 with the airport operation at Spata and to compare them with corresponding results assuming the "do nothing" scenario. Additionally it was estimated to what extent air quality improves in the area of Hellenikon after the transfer of the airport. In the calculations with the model PAL, homogeneity of orography and meteorology is assumed for the study area. The first assumption is to a large extent valid in the two study areas. On the contrary, the second assumption is not valid for the examined areas and this would have resulted in a reduced model credibility, if calculations for individual episodes were attempted. However, international experience has demonstrated that the effect of these inhomogeneities is negligible in the case that long-term averaged pollutant concentrations are calculated. This is exactly what was done for the two study areas with regard to the CO and NOx concentrations.

The calculation domains are illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. Concerning meteorological data, the July windroses resulting from relevant records of the Hellenic Meteorological Service were used. Calculation results for the Hellenikon area are shown in Figures 4 and 5, those for the Spata area in

Figures 6 and 7. In the current situation the contribution of the airport to the mean CO levels in the area of Hellenikon does not exceed 60 jag/rn^ (Figure 4). The corresponding contribution to the NO% levels is about 25 |ig/m even under the conservative assumption that all NOx is rapidly converted to NO2 (Figure 5). The impact of the airport to both the CO and NOi levels was found to continuously increase in the forecast period until 2012. Concerning CO, this increase is not important as the resulting levels are much lower than the

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corresponding air quality standards. On the contrary, NO] levels related to the airport operation are expected to reach up to 40 jag/m and thus appear to be significant compared to the WHO recommendation for the tolerable mean annual value (80 ng/nf). This means that the airport transfer could lead to an

important reduction of the NOi levels in the Hellenikon area. In the case of the Spata area the attempt is made to assess the impact of the planned airport operation with regard to air quality. For this purpose, suitable

background concentrations are required. As no pollution measurements are available in the Mesogia plain, corresponding values were derived from measurements at the Marousi station operated in the Athens basin by the Ministry for the Environment. Amounting to 1800 \ig/m* for CO and 26 ng/nV

for NO], they represent obvious overestimations for the situation expected in the Mesogia plain. The assumed airport operation in Spata was found to contribute only marginally to the CO levels in the Mesogia plain for both years 2002 and 2012

(Figure 6). Concerning NO], the resulting maximum pollution levels are 79 and 91 ng/nf for the years 2002 and 2012, respectively. The fact that these values approach or even slightly exceed the WHO recommendation for the annual

mean is not alarming: As already mentioned, the background concentration in the Spata area is very probably much lower than in Marousi, and the conversion of NOx to NO] is certainly much slower in the Mesogia plain than in the Athens basin. Correspondingly, it appears that the NO] pollution levels in the Mesogian

plain will remain well below the given air quality standards in the forecasted period until 2012.

5 Conclusions

The construction of the new Athens airport out of the Athens basin will result in substantial air quality improvements in the basin, particularly with regard to

the NO] levels. Furthermore, with the transfer of the airport the expected deterioration of the situation will be avoided: Within 20 years, the operation of the Hellenikon airport would have led to pollution levels of the order of 50% of

the air quality standards. The operation of the Spata airport will cause noticeable air pollution levels in the area which will increase up to the year 2012. Nevertheless, it is not likely that existing air quality standards will be exceeded, although the latter could be

approached in the case of NO]. For control purposes, it is recommended that a complete air pollution monitoring network be foreseen in the Mesogia plain.

Acknowledgments

This study was part of a major project coordinated by the University of Athens and financially supported by the Organization of the Airport of Athens.

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References

1. Paraskevopoulos A.G., et al. Environmental Impact Study from the Construction and the Operation of the Airport of Spata , Airport of Athens

S.A., Athens, 1992. 2. PERPA (Ministry of Environment), personal communication, 1994. 3. Pattas, K.N., Kyriakis, N.A., Samaras, Z.C & Aidarinis, J.K. Air Pollution by Road Traffic in Greater Athens, SAE Technical Paper Series 871990,

USA, 1987. 4. Eggleston, H.S., Gorissen, N., Joumard, R., Rijkeboer, R.C., Samaras, Z. & Zierock, K.H. CORINAIR Working Group on Emission Factors for

Calculating 1985 Emissions from Road Traffic. Volume 1: Methodology and Emission Factors, Report EUR 12260 EN, 1993. 5. Airport of Athens S.A., personal communication, 1994. 6. Yamartino et al. Impact of aircraft emissions on air quality in the viscinity

of airports, Volume /, //, Federal Aviation Administration, Report FAA- EE-80-09 A, B, 1980. 7. Zarzalis, N. personal communication, 1993.

8. Petersen, W.B. & Rumsey, E.D. User's Guide for PAL 2.0. A Gaussian - Plume Algorithm for Point, Area, and Line Sources, Meteorology and Assessment Division, Environmental Sciences Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, 1987.

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Figure 1: Location of the Hellenikon airport Figure 2: Hellenikon

(subdomain A) and area of the planned Spata airport (thick line area) airport (subdomain B) in the Attica peninsula. and road network in its surroundings.

Rafina

\ \ \ Sgata

^ : 77 Paiania

Koropi

Figure 3: Spata airport (thick line area) and road network in its surroundings.

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1993 2002 2012

Figure 4: Spatial distribution of the contribution of the Hellenikon airport to the mean CO concentration (|ig/nf) in subdomain A (cf. Figure 1) during the peak period of air traffic for the years 1993, 2002 and 2012 (axes are subdivided in kilometers).

1993 2002 2012

Figure 5: Spatial distribution of the contribution of the Hellenikon airport to the mean NO] concentration (jig/rn^) in subdomain A (cf. Figure 1) during the peak period of air traffic for the years 1993, 2002 and 2012 (axes are subdivided in kilometers).

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2002 2012

Figure 6: Spatial distribution of the expected contribution of the Spata airport to the mean CO concentration (ug/nf) in subdomain B (cf. Figure 1) during the peak period of air traffic for the years 2002 and 2012 (axes are subdivided in kilometers).

2002 2012

Figure 7: Spatial distribution of the expected contribution of the Spata airport to the mean NOi concentration (ug/m^) in subdomain B (cf. Figure 1) during the peak period of air traffic for the years 2002 and 2012 (axes are subdivided in kilometers).