Analysis of the Impact of Physical Parameters of Land Use on Air Pollution Dispersion: A Case Study of the Sirjan Steel Industrial Area

Subject Areas : Environmental Planning and Management

maryam nasrinasrabadi ¹ , reza peykanpour ²

1 - Department of environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
2 - Department of Natural Resources Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

Received: 2024-04-27 Accepted : 2024-11-21 Published : 2024-12-19

Keywords: Physical parameters of land, albedo, surface roughness, pollutant dispersion, AERMOD modeling,

Abstract :

Air pollution in industrial areas is recognized as one of the major environmental challenges, and land use and its physical characteristics play a key role in the dispersion of pollutants. This study aimed to investigate the impact of physical parameters of land use, such as albedo, surface roughness, and soil moisture, on the dispersion of air pollutants in the Sirjan industrial area. The well-established AERMOD model was utilized for modeling pollutant dispersion, incorporating five years of meteorological data and information related to the physical parameters of the land as inputs. The results indicated that albedo and surface roughness significantly influenced the dispersion patterns of pollutants such as NOx, CO, and PM10. Areas with low albedo (such as barren and industrial zones) demonstrated greater pollutant dispersion due to higher solar energy absorption and the creation of air currents, while regions with higher surface roughness (areas with vegetation cover) increased pollutant accumulation due to reduced wind speed. Furthermore, the concentration levels of pollutants in the study area remained within the environmental standards. This research showed that the physical parameters of land use can effectively influence the dispersion of pollutants and serve as valuable tools in environmental management and pollution reduction. Ultimately, it is recommended that greater attention be paid to these parameters in the design and development of industrial areas to enhance air quality and mitigate the negative effects of pollutants.

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