Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography & Environmental Studies

Faculty/School

Faculty of Arts

First Advisor

Mary-Louise Byrne

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

The focus of this thesis was to determine if light-duty vehicles idling at drive-throughs elevated ambient PM 2.5 mass more than those emitted by natural sources at a near-by greenspace. Two low-volume samplers (MiniVols), obtained from the Meteorological Services of Canada Air Quality Processes Research Division (ARQP), were set up 1.4 km apart in the west end of Kitchener, Ontario between the months of August and November, 2002. Four diurnal sampling periods were conducted on various days to determine when PM 2.5 mass concentrations were higher and at which location. Although overall results determined that the control site had obtained higher PM 2.5 mass concentrations than the experimental, a correlation between peak traffic hours (morning and evening rush-hours) and elevated ambient PM 2.5 mass was apparent at both sites. Further analysis concluded that seasonality affected diurnal PM 2.5 mass concentrations as a decrease from late summer to early fall was identified.

Convocation Year

2006

Convocation Season

Fall

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