Air Quality Source Apportionment Study
Understanding and mitigating aviation’s impact on public health and urban ecosystems is crucial for airports globally. The OLGA Air Quality Source Apportionment Study at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport represents a key effort to assess how airport operations influence air quality. It identifies emission sources, evaluates sustainable practices, and provides insights to guide future improvements. Ongoing data collection and analysis will deepen our understanding and support the development of cleaner, healthier urban environments through more sustainable airport operations. By employing real-time atmospheric pollutant monitoring, this study enhances our understanding of aviation’s impact and explores the benefits of sustainable practices.
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Objectives
The OLGA Air Quality Source Apportionment Study aims to address this by identifying the various sources of airport emissions and their contribution to urban air quality.
The primary objectives of this study are:
Identify Emission Sources: Determine the specific sources of emissions within and around the airport, including aircraft, road traffic, energy production, and ground support equipment.
Monitor Pollutants: Conduct real-time monitoring of both regulated pollutants (e.g., nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine particles (PM10, PM2.5) and emerging pollutants (e.g., volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ultrafine particles (UFP), black carbon (BC).
Assess Environmental Initiatives: Evaluate the impact of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and environmental initiatives such as greening runway equipment and reducing the use of auxiliary power units (APUs).
Enhance Scientific Knowledge: Document pollutant levels and concentration profiles near airports to contribute valuable data to the scientific community.
Progress
To achieve these objectives, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) serves as the test platform for a series of measurement campaigns :
Completed Campaigns: Three measurement campaigns have already been conducted at CDG (on the six to eight expected), with the fourth planned for the summer of 2024. These campaigns are conducted at two continuous air quality monitoring sites to provide comprehensive data on various emission sources.
Data Collection and Analysis: Real-time monitoring equipment captures data on a range of pollutants. Advanced statistical methods are then used to analyze the data, identify emission sources, and assess their impact on urban air quality. This includes distinguishing between emissions from airplanes, road traffic, energy production, and other sources.
Insights and Findings: Early results have highlighted the significant contributors to airport emissions and the potential benefits of implementing environmental initiatives.
Key Figures
Campaigns : 6 to 8 three-months campaigns planned, with 3 already completed.
Measurement sites : 2 air quality monitoring sites at CDG.
Pollutants Monitored: The study monitors NOx, PM10, PM2.5, VOCs, UFP, and BC.
Preliminary Results: Initial findings suggest that reducing APU usage could significantly improve air quality.
Energy Savings: Greening runway equipment and other initiatives are expected to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.
