Review of Source Apportionment Methodologies for Evaluating Urban Air Pollution

Air pollution due to fuel burning for domestic cooking and heating, power generation, industrial processes, and motor vehicles is increasing at significant levels in the developing country cities. Over the past twenty years, major advances have been made in understanding the environmental, social, economic consequences of air pollution and recent studies show that exposure to air pollution from energy combustion has detrimental impacts on human health and the environment. Lack of information on the sectoral contributions to air pollution – especially fine particulates, is one of the typical constraints for an effective integrated urban air quality management program. Without such information, it is difficult, if not impossible, for decision makers to provide policy advice and make informed investment decisions related to air quality improvements in developing countries.

The World Bank, under the Clean Air Initiative program in Latin America and Asia, embarked on a study to review the science, current activities, and recent advancements in the combined use of monitoring data and modeling for better understanding of PM pollution. This study also developed a general methodology to use integrated top-down and bottom-up datasets and training programs in providing technical assistance to the developing country cities planning to conducting source apportionment studies. This also raises the need for low-cost ways of determining the principal sources of fine PM for a proper planning and decision making, which is addressed through a review of methodologies applied to assess the air pollution and its sources from 20 cities in Asia, Latin America and Africa. This paper will present the review of current activities.