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An Application and Evaluation of the CAL3QHC Model for Predicting Carbon Monoxide Concentrations from Motor Vehicles Near a Roadway Intersection in Muscat, Oman

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Abstract

The CAL3QHC model was used to predict carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations from motor vehicles at an existing urban intersection (Star Cinema in Muscat area, Oman). The CO concentrations predicted from the model were compared with those measured in the field. Predicted average CO concentrations were found to compare favorably with measured values obtained at all eight receptors considered within the modeled intersection. In general, the comparison indicates good agreement with some underprediction for CO. For receptor 6, the model overpredicts the average CO concentration. This overprediction is associated with the presence of trees and green area in the location of receptor 6. In general, the measurements and the model results indicated that the highest CO concentrations were found to occur close to the intersection and, hence, a decrease in the concentration levels was seen as the distance from the road increased. The results indicated that the levels of CO were well below the ambient air quality standard and that probably no health risk was present in areas adjacent to the star cinema intersection. However, the predicted worst-case 1-h CO concentrations assuming inversion atmospheric stability conditions (class F) and wind speed of 1 m/s indicated that the levels of CO were close to or higher than the Oman’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) value of 35 ppm at all receptors considered. The results of this study are useful in transport development and traffic management planning.

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Acknowledgments

The author is grateful the Muscat Municipality. Special thanks go to Khalifa Nasser Al-Siyabi and Ziad Al Zedjaly. The author is also grateful to Majid Al Khanjeri from Centre for Educational Technology at SQU for drafting the diagrams. The author is also grateful the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources. Special thanks go to Mohammed Al-Uraimi (the undersecretary for the environment). The help of Mohammed Al-Muharrami (Director General of the Ministry), Ibrahim Al-Ajmi (Director General of Environmental Affairs), Khamis Al-Zaidi, and Faisal Abdulrahman Al-Farsi is also gratefully acknowledged. The author is also grateful the Civil Aviation & Meteorology, Meteorology Department at Seeb International Airport. Special thanks go to Mr. Sultan Bin Yarub Al-saifi (Director General of Civil Aviation & Meteorology) and Badar Bin Ali Alrumhi (Chief of Climate and Meterology Applications).

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  1. Sultan Qaboos University, College of Engineering, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department, Al Khoud, P.C. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

    Sabah A. Abdul-Wahab

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  1. Sabah A. Abdul-Wahab
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Abdul-Wahab, S. An Application and Evaluation of the CAL3QHC Model for Predicting Carbon Monoxide Concentrations from Motor Vehicles Near a Roadway Intersection in Muscat, Oman. Environmental Management 34, 372–382 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0146-2

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