Sustainable Development of the Historic Centre of Naples: The Impact of Vehicular Traffic and Food Service Business on Air Quality

A four-week monitoring campaign in Naples' historic center revealed that vehicular traffic significantly elevates fine particle (FP) concentrations, with levels on streets allowing average traffic being twice those observed in comparable European cities. Pedestrian-only streets exhibited FP levels similar to other urban areas, while spatial analysis indicated minimal contribution from food service businesses to overall pollution, though emissions were not measured at rooftop level. The study also found a correlation between street aspect ratio (H/W) and FP concentration, suggesting that street geometry plays a critical role in air quality dynamics. These preliminary findings underscore the need for long-term monitoring to inform sustainable development strategies for this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Murena, F. (2020). Sustainable Development of the Historic Centre of Naples: The Impact of Vehicular Traffic and Food Service Business on Air Quality. Atmosphere, 11(9), 938. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11090938